Pros
Now, everything has its good and bad attributes, so even if I wanted to thoroughly explain all of the things I dislike about the 12" Silent Spinner, there are still a handful of good things about it that are worth mentioning.
For example, as mentioned before, this wheel is available at (most, not all) Petsmart, which is where, in my opinion, many hamster owners shop often.
This wheel also is very wide, making it more comfortable for a hamster to run on, as well as it doesn't squeak and is generally quiet.*
In addition, it comes in a very large size, ideal for a syrian.
*From my experience, this wheel can be heard quite clearly, but from what others say, it isn't as loud as some other wheels.
Cons
Now, although those things may have sounded like the perfect wheel, like I said before, everything has its good and ad attributes.
One of the biggest cons of this wheel is that it is a bit harder for your hamster to push, but not impossible. My hamster is able to push it fine, but he is on the larger side. Unlike other wheel brands, the 12" Silent Spinner is not recommended to smaller species. (Small Syrians may be able to push it)
Another major dislike of this wheel is it's hefty price. Now, the prices obviously differ from place to place, but where I live, they have a price or $24.99, in my opinion, a bit over expensive when there are cheaper/similar priced options that are much better quality and are more silent and attach to cage bars. (Links to better wheels below)
In addition, this wheel also doesn't connect to the bars of a cage, proving inconvenient to some that use barred cages.
Something else I had wanted to mention was that this wheel is on the heavier side.
That may be beneficial for some, making the wheel sturdier and less wobbly, but moving it can be harder.
The last con I will be talking about is a small one, that probably won't bother people much. The 12" Silent Spinner, as far as I know, comes in bright colors, therefore not working with the common natural theme in many hamster cages. Of course, this will, again, probably not matter to most, but it is something I wanted to add just in case.
Alternatives?
As you can probably tell, this article is a short one, but obviously biased and leaning towards the cons of this wheel, rather the pros.
I did say I currently have this wheel, so I know first hand about it's quality, but I personally plan on purchasing the Wodent Wheel in the near future.
Now, like I said before, I am biased towards not getting this wheel.
If that's how I feel, you must be wondering, what are some better options?
Some of my favorites are the 9" Silent Runner and the 11" Wodent Wheel, but other sizes can be found on Exotic Nutrition.
All in all, I don't really recommend purchasing the 12" Silent Spinner, and instead suggest you look into the wheels I linked above.
However, if you already do own the 12" Silent Spinner, you probably know that this wheel isn't as bad as I made it out to be, and I want to repeat that, again, this wheel of course has it's ups and downs, but in my opinion, it isn't worth the buy.
I genuinely hope this has helped anyone considering buying this wheel, or anyone with conflicting feelings on it! :-)
