260 replies to this topic

[~Megan~]

Yep it's available That's great because there's no water bottles have been reviewed yet, so you get to be first!

Ok awesome! Ill start working on it

[tbiM20]

Update!!!

Those of you who have volunteered to review a product should have a message in your inbox from me. (This is just an FYI for those who may not see it offhand.)

[SyrianPumpkin]

Wodent Wheel Review

VIDEO REVIEW:


INFORMATION:
-Comes in 3 Sizes; 8" (Wodent Wheel JR), 11" (Wodent Wheel Senior), 12" (Wobust Wodent Wheel)
-Only Wheel Recommend by the ASPCA
-Price Ranges from $9.99 - $20.99 ( £5.99 - £13.99 )

PROS:
-Safe for Hamsters, mice, rats, Hedge Hogs & sugar Gliders
wodent Wheels are not Recommend for Gerbils, Chinchillas and most degus due to chewing problems. Not All are chewers and your mileage may vary - But you've been warned! If you decide safety is paramount and you'll live with the chewing.
-Solid Surface Unlike mesh wheels which can cause Bumble foot
-Safer for tails and necks
-colorful color combos
-Easy Cleanable
-Silent

CONS:
-Only Found online (Some places may sell them in stores)
-Depending on website Select Colors
-Some hamster's may decide instead to chew or sleep in it instead of running in it
- Short Stand So bedding might block it under neath.

The Wodent Wheel is a very good wheel overall and is one of the safest wheels out there! Cleaning is easy Here is a Video I made on how to Disassemble and assemble the wheel. The only thing is it's mostly available online and very hard to find in stores When Ordered online most sites don't let you choose the color combos so if you really want to choose them you will have to pay more for a site that lets you choose. Here's a Trick: If you order a random color but don't like the color combo you can order just the track part in a different color you like and switch them out

WHERE TO BUY:
Here are all the websites I have seen you can buy from:
http://www.martinsca...es/exercise.htm (Ships to US/CANADA/UK)
http://www.exoticnut...sizewheels.html (Ships to US/CANADA/UK)
http://www.petdiscou...Wheel&search=GO (Ships to US/CANDA/UK)
http://www.amazon.co...ds=wodent wheel (Ships to US/CANADA)
http://www.petplanet...446&pf_id=52720 (Ships to UK)

Click to learn more about the Wodent Wheel.
Fixing a Squeaky wodent wheel: http://www.transoniq.com/tidbits.html

Edited by SyrianPumpkin, 20 April 2013 - 11:21 PM.

[tbiM20]

Nice job SyrianPumpkin Peach was a little star at the end

[tbiM20]

[ Note that this will be updated as more information becomes available and is validated. This is not an all-encompassing essay and is a first attempt at a Wall of Shame review. Despite that, I feel that the statements here are scientifically valid, though anyone who has refuting evidence is encouraged to provide it. Of course, the date of most recent update will be editing date at the bottom. ]

Cedar and Pine: Why you should avoid it.
A special thanks to Taxonomist for her contributions to this article.

 

We have all read the warnings about the use of cedar or pine as substrates - it’s dangerous to our little friends’ health and can cause permanent damage. But that leaves a lot of us with questions of why it hurts them or how it’s more dangerous than other substrates. I will explain as best I can, using citations of medical and scientific articles rather than circumstantial discussions and “how-to” articles.

Why cedar?
Cedar itself contains a component called “plicatic acid,” which is unique to cedar - all species of cedar. This acid is a natural fungicide - meaning it protects the wood from fungus - and is what makes cedar a great gardening and fencing product without needing chemical treatments to resist rotting. There are other natural compounds in cedarwood that are more potent fungicides, but plicatic acid is about 8 to 10 times more abundant than any of the others. (Many of those other compounds are toxic in their own rights, but for the purpose of this article I will limit myself to plicatic acid for the time being.)
Source 1: http://chromsci.oxfordjournals.org/content/45/5/281.full.pdf

 

Why pine?
Pine doesn’t contain plicatic acid, but it does contain “abietic acid.” Pine is a species of conifer tree, and all species of conifer trees contain abietic acid - this includes spruce, fir, cypress, juniper, yew, and the aforementioned cedar. Abietic acid is commonly used in solder flux (a product used in soldering microchips and copper pipes), in rosin (used by violinists), and in some cleaning products (Pine Sol.) OSHA has classified abietic acid as a skin and respiratory irritant, so that industries where workers are exposed to the acid are required to monitor exposure levels.
Source 2: http://www.osha.gov/dts/chemicalsampling/data/CH_216250.html

 

How does exposure occur?
The most common ways to get exposed to either of these acids is through physical content or through inhalation. In Source 3, samples of lung and tracheal (windpipe) tissue from both rats and humans were exposed to plicatic acid and abietic acid. They tested for both dose-dependent and time-dependent results, meaning that they tested a variety of doses and evaluated the progress over an extended time period. The result was lysis (disintegration) of cells, and then sloughing (shedding) of the dead cells, for both acids, both short-term from high doses and long-term from low doses. For example, sloughing also happens on burn patients, leaving the inner layers of skin exposed to infection and probable scarring.
Source 4 is a discussion of asthma in humans as a result of exposure to plicatic acid. The study followed individuals in the woodworking industry. Those who reacted had high levels of certain antibodies, and those who did not react didn’t have the antibodies, which showed that the asthma was an immune system response to cedar exposure. Of the 75 individuals who left the woodworking industry (and so were no longer exposed to cedar), only half of them actually stopped having asthma symptoms after 3 years.
Source 5 is an article for the International Agency for Research on Cancer, analyzing a variety of earlier studies involving carcinogenicity (cancer-causing) of wood dust. One cited study discusses how pine, alder, and cedar were significantly more cytotoxic (cell-killing) than the other studied wood, aspen, but bleached cellulose materials (paper) were nontoxic even at incredibly high doses. A second cited study compares abietic acid and plicatic acid exposure, concluding that both are cytotoxic, though plicatic acid is more toxic even at significantly lower levels.
Source 6 is an evaluation by the National Toxicology Program of wood dust. Western Red Cedar is regulated by OSHA separately from other woods for inhalable wood dust limits. Wood dust in general is classed as a Known Human Carcinogen, though sensitivities to softwoods in particular (cedar, pine, fir, hemlock, etc.) are noted.
Lastly, Source 7 is a scholarly article about the toxicity of pine and cedar in small animals. The article acknowledges that most studies have focused on occupational exposure in humans, rather than bedding in small animals, though the fact that plicatic/abietic acids kill cells still holds true regardless of the method of exposure. In fact, considering that small animals on pine or cedar bedding are in near-constant contact with the offending products, it could be surmised that they would receive more direct exposure.
Source 3: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2926083
Source 4: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0091674982901981
Source 5: http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol62/mono62-6D.pdf
Source 6: http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/newhomeroc/roc10/wd.pdf
Source 7: http://www.searchdogsne.org/reference/Medical/cedar_pine_toxicity.pdf

 

What about phenols?
Phenols are aromatic compounds that are known to be toxic and caustic (causes acid burns) in higher concentrations, and are used in a variety of industries. In lower concentrations they can be used as antiseptics, such as mouthwash or Lysol... even then, we all learned as children that we shouldn't drink mouthwash. Phenols are volatile, with a low molecular weight, meaning that they become airborne very easily. They are very common, especially in any strong-scented wood.
Source 8: http://www.epa.gov/ttnatw01/hlthef/phenol.html
Source 9: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/safety/healthcare/handbook/Chap19.pdf

 

What about kiln-drying?

Contribution by Taxonomist:

Contrary to what its name might suggest, abietic acid is a very stable solid.  The melting point of abietic acid is between 282 - 311F (Source 10), depending on purity. Its boiling point is absurdly high at about 823F. This means that for abietic acid to be removed from pine wood, the wood would have be heated to at least 282F to allow the abietic acid to melt and ooze out. Even this would not necessarily guarantee removal, as wood is porous and capable of holding liquid like a sponge.

The stability of abietic acid presents a problem regarding kiln drying.  Kiln drying is done at rather low temperatures, to prevent damage to the wood.  The standard kiln drying temperature for most pine species is no higher than 180F (range 100F - 180F, Source 11).  This is much too cool to even melt, much less boil, abietic acid from pine wood.

It doesn't seem that kiln-drying has any effect on the abietic acid content of the wood.  Kiln-drying would not melt or evaporate the abietic acid out of the wood (as is so commonly believed)--it would remain as a solid, unaffected by the process.

Source 10: www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/product/fluka/00010?lang=en&region=US

Source 11: www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr57.pdf

 

 

As an engineer part of my education was with treatment systems, such as with wastewater and airborne contaminants. What you will always find is that you can never get rid of the contaminant. You can reduce it, sure, but never eliminate it. As your “elimination process” works, over time there will be decreasing rates of return. So if you filter air from a contaminated room for 60 minutes, in that first 30 minutes you’ll catch more contaminants than you will in the second 30 minutes. If we filtered that room for 365 days, there would still be contaminant in there that we haven’t yet caught. Well, it’s the same for kiln-drying - after a little while the amount of work you put in to remove the offending substance just doesn’t balance out with how much you actually remove.

But remember: kiln-drying is focused on removing water, not phenols and not abietic acid. Even though some lightweight compounds evaporate during the kiln-drying process, not all will, and that is the discerning point here. How much depends on how much was there in the first place, the temperature of the oven, the surface-to-volume ratio, and the time the wood is in the kiln. Then there’s the fact that we don’t know how they kiln-dried it. The exact process, the moisture content they’re aiming for, the temperature, the time, what kind of kiln they use... all that depends on what the wood is being used for. It could be anywhere from 140 to 240 degrees Fahrenheit (depending on species), in a high or low humidity environment, for virtually any extent of time. There is no set process as it is up to the manufacturer’s preferences, and what they want the wood to be used for.

Since bedding is often simply chipped-up waste wood from other industries, we have no way to determine what the drying standards were. Therefore, even if a bedding has been kiln-dried, we have no guarantees that it was done to remove a sufficient amount of VOCs from the wood... and remember, the process is focusing on removing water, not other compounds. We could say “the process removed 10 grams of phenols” BUT can we confirm how much is left? Not without analyzing the wood, the release rate of VOCs during the process... and thereby shifting the industry focus from water to the compounds. In the end, all we know is that there is a “kiln-dried wood” stamp on the package, but that bit doesn’t really help us at all. The best it does is change our statement that “it’s definitely not safe to use” to “there’s no guarantee it’s safe to use.”


What about the people who claim that pine or cedar doesn’t affect their hamsters?
Well, I can definitely promise that their hamsters aren’t special. They don’t have some amazing immune system that can fight off things that harm other hamsters. The best way I can explain is through an analogy. We all know that smoking is harmful, correct? Some people react immediately to it - asthma, reduced lung capacity, inflamed throat and lungs. But not everyone shows those symptoms, or some show them later on. BUT even though someone may not get asthma attacks from smoking, we still know that the smoke is damaging the cells in their lungs. In the same way, even if there are no visible reactions to the abietic or plicatic acid, we still know that some amounts are being inhaled. We still know that it will cause cell death - even in small amounts, it’s still happening - and that eventually the damage will build up. And we know from the studies cited above that once that damage occurs, there’s no guarantee of recovery, even after several years. Therefore, even if you can’t see symptoms from the damage, that damage is still occurring.

 

Some of those sources are old. Are they still worth reading?
The quick answer to that is YES. Just because a study is old does not make it invalid.
The in-depth answer is that it depends on what you’re looking for. For example, the fact that cedar contains plicatic acid has not changed in the years since it was discovered. The tree would have to evolve for that study to become invalid. Similarly, the fact that abietic acid is cytotoxic has not changed. It’s still going to damage cells regardless whether it’s 1980 or 2013. Now what can change are things like occupational studies. A study on woodworkers in 1974 can tell us that wood dust is a carcinogen because woodworkers were getting sinus cancer. BUT that doesn’t mean that today’s woodworkers get sinus cancer, because now we have OSHA and EPA standards for air quality and working environment. However, the wood dust is still dangerous, even if the woodworkers are now protected from it.

 

 

Edits 9/10/13: fixed links and a few typos

Edited by tbiM20, 10 September 2013 - 11:34 PM.

[WeepingMilkshakes]

ooh, that post looks awesome! loving the reasons and sources! havent completely read it, just skimmed through, but it looks great!

[Taxonomist]

Grreat Choice Aspen Shavings


Basics
Grreat Choice aspen is a house brand of aspen sold exclusively by PetSmart stores. It is sold in 19.6L, 52.4L, and 113.2L packages (volumes given are the expanded volumes).

Characteristics

Quality - The quality of this aspen is quite low. It's not well-shredded. A bag will contain large sticks, dust particles, and everything in between. Below are a few pictures highlighting the dust and large stick content of Grreat Choice Aspen. These pictures also compare this brand to Planet Petco aspen.







Dust Level - As can be seen in the above pictures, this aspen is very dusty. Sifting fingers through it results in a noticeable residue.

Burrowing - Reasonably good at holding burrows, although the variable shaving sizes make it a little worse at holding shape than other brands of aspen (particularly Petco's).

Comfort - The high amount of dust and presence of large sticks makes this bedding low-comfort, even for aspen bedding.

Absorbency - Aspen in general is not very absorbent, and this aspen is no different. It will be easily outperformed by paper pulp bedding like Carefresh and crumbled/pelleted bedding.

Cost / Value
Although this bedding is reasonably priced, it is difficult to call it a good value. It costs $13.50 for 113 Liters (11.9¢ / Liter). Planet Petco aspen is $15 for 113 Liters (13.3¢ / Liter). If you need cheap bedding at PetSmart, this aspen is your main choice. However, it cannot rightfully be called a good value when another retailer sells a much better product for only a penny or two more per liter.

Pros
+Cheaper than Carefresh and other paper beddings

Cons
-Low-quality (dusty, large sticks)
-Price is high for the poor quality

[HoppingHammy]

Taxonomist, that is an excellent review. I've always thought that bedding looked extremely low quality, and your pictures prove that well! Nice job.

[MintChocolate24]

I edited my first post on the second page of this topic! Its a very thorough review of the silent spinner wheels!

[tbiM20]

I edited my first post on the second page of this topic! Its a very thorough review of the silent spinner wheels!

Thanks Mint I found it and linked it.

 

 

 

FYI to everyone, yesterday was the deadline for previously-reserved reviews. So please double-check with me before posting, because someone else may have claimed the product you were reviewing.

 

Also, the guidelines for product reviews has been updated. So if you want to write a review (yay!!! ) please read it first (even if you have previously written a review.)

[Taxonomist]

Crittertrail Cages

 

Varieties

The following is a listing of currently-available Crittertrail cages.  Note that Crittertrail seems to frequently change the names of their cages, so one cage can be known by multiple names.

 

Crittertrail One

Crittertrail Two

Crittertrail Three

Crittertrail Primary / Starter

Crittertrail X / Extreme Challenge

Crittertrail Triple Play / 3-in-1

Crittertrail Dazzle / Turn About

Crittertrail Z / Run About

Crittertrail Clear View (Regular Version) / Discovery*

Crittertrail Clear View (Large Version) / Discovery Deluxe*

Crittertrail Begin and Connect*

Crittertrail 360*

 

*This cage does not use the standard Crittertrail base tray

 

Size 

Alll Crittertrail cages are quite small.  There is no single Crittertrail cage that is anywhere near large enough for a hamster to live in.

 

The majority of them use a standard-sized base, which measures approximately 14" long x 8.5" wide.  This means that these cages provide only 119 square inches of space, which is far too little space for any hamster.

 

 

 

The Clear View (Large Version) is the largest cage available, measuring about 15" long x 12" wide, making it 180 square inches internally. 

 

 

 

The Clear View (Regular Version) dimensions are unknown at this time. However, dimensions are listed as being larger than the standard base size, but smaller than the Clear View (Large Version).  It is fair to assume that the Clear View (Regular Version) cage is somewhere between 120 and 180 square inches.

 

The 360 is a 12" diameter round cage (internally), making its total floor space approximately 113 square inches (using the area of a circle formula).

 

The Begin and Connect is a very tiny "habitat" that is more of a carrier than a cage.  However, it is sadly advertised as a cage, which is why it is included here.  The provided dimensions of this cage put it at only 75 square inches.  Its true dimensions are likely around 50 square inches.

 

Design

Crittertrail cages have numerous concerning design flaws.

 

One issue is the height of the cages.  Many Crittertrail cages are only 10" tall, which makes it nearly impossible for them to accommodate an 8+" diameter wheel.  Even the 6.5" Silent Spinner (with an overall height of 8.5") is a squeeze.  There are some exceptions to this rule, including the Crittertrail Two and Crittertrail Three (if the shelves are not installed).

 

The 6.5" Silent Spinner in this picture was resting flat on the cage floor of a Discovery Deluxe with absolutely no bedding underneath.  It has no more than 1" of clearance.

 

Another problem is tube width.  Crittertrail tubes are very narrow, and are generally not suited for Syrian hamsters.  While other brands of tubes (like Habitrail OVO) can be used with Crittertrail cages, this can be a problem with cages that contain non-removable tube systems, like the Crittertrail Dazzle.  Related to this, the ports that the tubes attach to are also quite narrow.  It is entirely possible that an extremely hefty Syrian would have difficulty fitting through the ports at all, regardless of what tubes are used.

 

The shallow base tray is a major issue with these cages.  The trays themselves are approximately 3" deep.  However, the ports for the tubes cut into the sides of the tray.  This means that it's only possible to put 1" or 2" of bedding in a Crittertrail cage without blocking the tubes. 

 

This Discovery Deluxe has approximately 3" of bedding.  However, it's clear that with this amount, the tubes are almost completely obstructed.

 

These cages also carry a very substantial risk of escape.  The way they are designed, the plastic edge of the base is readily available for the hamster to chew on.

 

Notice how easily a craft stick slides between the plastic base and the bars.  A hamster's teeth can easily do the same.

 

Some Crittertrail cages have designs that are actually dangerous.  For example, the Crittertrail 3 is a full 23" tall.  Given that this cage has horizontal bars, it's easy for hamsters to scale the sides of the cage.  A fall from the top has the potential to cause injury.

 

Durability 

The plastic used for the base is surprisingly thick.  However, it is very rigid, which means it if it does break, it will do so in a rather spectacular manner.  And while the body of the base is sturdy, the smaller attachment points can definitely crack or break.  The wire parts are flimsy, and bend easily.  The colorful paint on the wires can chip off.

 

Suitability 

Crittertrail cages do not provide the open space needed by hamsters to run and play.  Nor do they provide a deep enough base for burrowing or digging.  Because of these factors, Crittertrail cages are simply sub-par habitats.  This is especially true for Syrian hamsters, due to the difficulty of accommodating larger equipment.

 

Cost / Value 

Crittertrails are expensive, and a rather poor value.  The cages themselves are priced at around $30 - $50, depending on retailer and cage style.  Tube packs range from $15 - $25.  Any setup even remotely large enough for a hamster consisting of only CritterTrail cages (minimum of 5 cages) would cost upwards of $200.  Considering the availability of tanks and bin cages, these cages are not at all a good value.

 

Pros

+Easy to find

 

Cons

-Unsuitably small

-Shallow base tray

-Easily escaped

-Extremely expensive

Edited by Taxonomist, 30 March 2016 - 09:18 PM.

[tbiM20]

Nice review Tax!

 

However, it is very rigid, which means it if it does break, it will do so in a rather spectacular manner.

 

LOL I had thought the same thing the first time I tried to clean mine. They do, however, make good trays for washing sand in (I'm experimenting with ways to conserve and reuse sand.)

[gigssama]

Spoiler

Super Pet Chinchilla Bath Sand

Starting price: $7.50+

Availability: Petsmart, other retailers

Pros: Removes excess oils on the fur/skin

Cons: Still much to dusty to use, it's no where the consistency of actual sand. Sits heavily on the animal. Also not as "fine" as chinchilla dust, but still shouldn't be used for hamsters. It's more grainy than dust.

Pictures I took comparing dust to Super Pet's Bath Sand (dust on the left, sand on the right)-






It's over priced for the five little baggies of "sand" you get-

omg its basically the same. Such a waste of my money they need to stop making things that are not suitable for hamsters and say its good to use I dont want my little guys getting sick! going out and getting some play sand very soon

Edited by tbiM20, 07 September 2014 - 04:48 AM.
large quote

[PluckyPeanut]

Would these brands be good to use? http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753308&lmdn=Pet+Type&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo

 

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4191243&lmdn=Pet+Type&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo

 

and http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11393831&lmdn=Pet+Type&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo

[Taxonomist]

Would these brands be good to use? http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753308&lmdn=Pet+Type&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo

 

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4191243&lmdn=Pet+Type&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo

 

and http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11393831&lmdn=Pet+Type&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo

 

None of those products would be suitable for hamsters, I'm afraid.     In fact, bathing dusts and powders are featured on the "Wall of Shame" part of this thread.  From that post:

 

Chinchilla "Dust" -
Description: very very fine bathing product
Issue: so fine it can get tossed up and inhaled easily; generally creates a mess
Symptoms: respiratory issues
Product Examples: Kaytee Chinchilla Dust; Lixit Blue Cloud Dust; Super Pet Critter Bath Powder; Planet Petco Blue Cloud Small Animal Dust