Wheel Peace.... - Paw Talk

nygerbil · #1 01-31-2005, 08:52 PM

:blob3: What kind of wheels are you currently using for your small animal? :blob3:

The reason I was wondering what everyone's choice of wheels is, is because I have found over the years that I have purchased practically every wheel ever made.

I started out with those teeny plastic wheels, which are generally included in the wire cages sold in stores. They were pretty expensive at the time for multiple animals only to find out that within a week, most of our critters nicely shredded them into pieces the size of peas. As well they are not generally a suitable size for anything beyond a small mouse.

We rather quickly moved on to the metal-mesh and/or rung wheels. They came in a much better variety of sizes, and only had the paint chewed off from them. The problem was by then we had 30 or so habitats that we maintained on a regular basis and when we first heard that "evil screeching noise" I thought I'd loose my mind! "Oh my God, What IS THAT NOISE!!!!" Yes, we discovered that a small spot of no-stick cooking spray would spare we of all sizes impending hearing loss, but it never failed that as I lay my head to sleep "squeeeaaallllllcccchhhhhhhhhhh!" would permeate any chance of sleep until I rose to first find and then eliminate that awful noise. We also discovered the substantially more pricey larger wheels were not very stable for the larger animals. A degu setting off for a run would rock the wheel back and forth and even bounce the frame off the glass habitat while jogging. Looking at a metal wheel after a few months of use I could see why they made such nerve shattering noises – The hole where the wheel mounted to the frame was literally cutting through the frame. Worse of all was that nasty dust. We use a very good quality aspen chip, but every fleck of dust present in the habitat was continually being stirred up and flung everywhere. Given a weeks time the lids on the habitats and everything around them looked as unkempt as could be.

For one particular species of animals, our hairless dwarfs we wanted small solid wheels and were tickled to find a wheel called the silent spinner. We fell in love with it and even bought the huge version for our degu pair. YEAH RIGHT!!! Pretty darned expensive considering the "Silent" part noted in the name of the wheel, only extended for the first month of use. Then the name needed to be changed to unbearable or your going to get a ticket for noise polution!!! Eeeeccchhhhh!!!

Onward in our search for wheel-peace we marched. We couldn't afford those metal wheels with the bearings – for 40 or so habitats we'd have to rob a bank to afford them at 75.00 a pop. The "Flying Saucer" wheels were also right up there at 59.00 a piece. Not to mention they were not ever going to fit in our aquarium habitats! Some days I have to wonder why the little guys don't count!

We did however manage to solve our 5 year dilemma. We found the Wodent Wheel . YAY and YAY!!!!

They are quiet and sturdy for all types of animals. We've never heard a squeak since switching. We figured a way to suspend them from the tops of our aquariums (a necessity for me!), and they didn't put even 1 tenth of the dust into the air that those others did! The cost is really not much more than the metal-mesh wheels. Now I surely couldn't trust my degus with them so we did manage a happy medium for them as well. We found a solid metal wheel that we did make work for the degus. It too has never uttered a sound and the dust mainly lay where it ought to on the floors of the habitats and my house.

I do hope in writing this that I will save someone new to the animal keeping world even part of the expense we have accrued in this long and frustrating journey. Best!

Cara-lee

Padfoot · #2 01-31-2005, 09:46 PM

Well, I keep mostly gerbils, and since I've kept them, I discovered that they (well... at least mine) can chew through anything... so it's enough having to replace bottles every month to add that of replacing expensive wheels too. I have some metal rung and some metal mesh wheels. Small for the dwarf hamsters, medium for the mice and gerbils. To make them tail/limb safe I put tape to close the holes between the rungs (attached a picture at the end). About the noise... well, I use a drop of olive oil... but, I have a very heavy sleep, AND I sleep with my radio on... so I really can sleep even if all the 10 rodent cages I currently have in my room are making noise... (that's not counting another bin with crickets, also inside my room, chirping...) And the dust... well... my dig freaks of gerbils move dust all around, even if they don't have wheel in their cage (I have to remove sometimes the wheel do to either compulsive wheel chewing or pups in tank)... Well.. I think that's all I have to say about my wheels... oh, and the tail/limb safe wheel picture:

corgimom · #3 02-02-2005, 06:55 PM

The only wheel that I was able to find that was the right size for the degus was a metal mesh wheel. It's exactly the same type they had in their cage at the store (same brand even), so we figured it was best because it would seem more familiar to them. Still haven't seen them use it, though. Our rat doesn't use a wheel. He had a plastic one when he was a baby and never touched it, so we didn't bother to buy him a new one when he got bigger.

nygerbil · #4 02-02-2005, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corgimom


	Still haven't seen them use it, though. Our rat doesn't use a wheel. He had a plastic one when he was a baby and never touched it, so we didn't bother to buy him a new one when he got bigger.

Oh my!!!!!! If I took any of our animals wheels away they would go crazy. It is a joke here that I could power my entire neighborhood with the energy our running animals expend!!! I swear if they made them large enough our dog would run on one too!

We had 9" mesh for our degus for a long time. They were made kind of flimisily considering the weight of a galloping degu. The solid metal one we bought from Quality cage company is sweet!!! It was fair in price too. I ended up cutting off the hooks on the end and using cable clips to screw it to two wood slats. I set that on the lip of the aquarium theylive in and wallah - more free floor space, no noise AT ALL, and very minimal dust being thrown around.

nygerbil · #5 02-02-2005, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padfoot


	Well, I keep mostly gerbils, and since I've kept them, I discovered that they (well... at least mine) can chew through anything... so it's enough having to replace bottles every month to add that of replacing expensive wheels too.

The Wodent wheels are actually no more expensive that the metal wheels - You can by wholesale from the manufacturer.

I too though for sure my gerbils would eat the to shreds - they devour everything else! I was shocked to discover that my gerbils have kept theirs in tact very nicely for more than a month. They also do sell replacement parts.

We have a small pet shop near us who actually sell water bottle wraps instead of guards. The bottle is completely enclosed so there can be no more chewing of those.

Oh the trials and tribulations of being an animal lover!!!!

Padfoot · #6 02-02-2005, 08:52 PM

I have some bottles with guards, other older survivors without them.. but I'm replacing the old ones that die with new ones with guards. My local pet store didn't sold them till about 2-3 months ago...
I have a funny picture of the damage my little guys can do... lol, you can view it here That's an exhausted Phoebe, with the ruins of a wooden house! LOL

Quote:

Originally Posted by nygerbil


	Oh the trials and tribulations of being an animal lover!!!!

Oh, I like to see it at challenges! Who's more intelligent, the rodents or me (and sadly a lot of times they have been cleverer than me... but I'm learning!! LOL)

sadukie · #7 02-03-2005, 07:38 AM

We had a 14" Ed wheel, from chinworld.com, and it seems to be big enough for them. Though we have a wire cage, so when they run, it makes a lot of noise - we can hear them down the hall, as we're trying to fall asleep. We're planning on building a new cage, so that might change.

patnjackmom · #8 02-03-2005, 02:07 PM

We don't use wheels because it is very bad for guineapigs' backs.

Luciana Mottola · #9 02-22-2005, 11:09 AM

i use whells to my rats,mices,hamsters and gerbils!! i have lots of types!! so here ya go i picture i took today!! so colourful

Catherine · #10 02-22-2005, 01:19 PM

We have Wodent Wheels, Comfort Wheels and Rowdy Wheels (no longer made)!

***Jade*** · #11 02-22-2005, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patnjackmom


	We don't use wheels because it is very bad for guineapigs' backs.

Have you looked at the flying saucer? It's a very natural running surface for them, and they have a smaller version. It's what I use for my chins.

http://www.chinchillas.com/estore/detail.aspx?ID=44

http://www.chinworld.com/Merchant2/g...yingSaucer.gif
You can see an animated version of a chin here

Purplebunny · #12 02-22-2005, 05:12 PM

My degus have 2 wheels in their cage, which are both metal rung ones.. I am always on the look out for better ones, but as yet have been unsuccessful!

Amethystbelle · #13 02-22-2005, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purplebunny


	My degus have 2 wheels in their cage, which are both metal rung ones.. I am always on the look out for better ones, but as yet have been unsuccessful!

Snap i have the same kind of wheels for my degus as they are the only ones that i have found have lasted with them as they have either chewed plastic ones up or broke other metal wheels. The hamster on the other hand has a solid plastic wheel as do the gerbils

Purplebunny · #14 02-22-2005, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethystbelle


	Snap i have the same kind of wheels for my degus as they are the only ones that i have found have lasted with them as they have either chewed plastic ones up or broke other metal wheels. The hamster on the other hand has a solid plastic wheel as do the gerbils

The plastic ones did not last that long! Must find solid metal ones in the UK, as they would be better for them!