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Post by bouncer36 on Apr 5, 2015 19:06:00 GMT
Can I use this wheel for my chin?
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Wheel
Apr 6, 2015 7:27:13 GMT
Post by natnat899 on Apr 6, 2015 7:27:13 GMT
The wheel is plastic, so it isn't recommended. Here is a link to a discussion about wheels on another forum(unfortunately you cannot post on there anymore as the forum has now been closed, it's for reference only. It looks like John hopewell has got a wheel in stock for chinchillas for £95. www.chinchillaworld.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=10108&page=1
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Wheel
Apr 12, 2015 23:48:48 GMT
Post by saggy on Apr 12, 2015 23:48:48 GMT
Hi, there's a guy on ebay who makes 13.5 inch metal wheels for £30 odd pound and the flying saucer type for £20 something. You can find him him at this website www.silentsaucerwheels.co.uk/?page_id=5 although I have no idea whether 13.5 is big enough for degus - contact him. I just brought one for my degus and it works great to be honest
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Wheel
Apr 12, 2015 23:49:21 GMT
Post by saggy on Apr 12, 2015 23:49:21 GMT
whether 13.5 is big enough for chinchillas I mean lol :/
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Wheel
Apr 13, 2015 5:54:33 GMT
Post by jamiee on Apr 13, 2015 5:54:33 GMT
Some types of plastic they will leave alone. My degus are obsessive chewers, but never have eaten their plastic wheel or the two flying saucers. It may be because they might know that they are for running on.
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Wheel
Apr 13, 2015 9:13:26 GMT
Post by natnat899 on Apr 13, 2015 9:13:26 GMT
The wheel on John Hopewell's website is 14.5" and a flying saucer should be 13" or above. The problem with getting one too small is that the chinchilla will have to arch their back, which may cause problems when they are older.
Plastic isn't safe for chinchillas, yes - they may not chew it, but if you can get a metal wheel it is much safer.
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Wheel
Apr 13, 2015 10:39:05 GMT
Post by Maravilla on Apr 13, 2015 10:39:05 GMT
The minimum size for degus is 12'' (30cm), better would be 16'' (40cm). It is easy to assume that a wheel for a chinchilla should be far bigger than this as the animal is bigger, too. Here they recommend wheels that are at least 20'' (50cm) in diameter.
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Wheel
Jun 18, 2015 23:02:41 GMT
Post by kaliska on Jun 18, 2015 23:02:41 GMT
Plenty of people use the silver surfer wheels here and they are 14". I haven't seen anyone on the chin forums argue against them. They are the cheapest metal US wheel but require certain spacing of the cage bars and the chinchillas can destroy it. Plastic will not hold up when my silver surfer has all the metal edges crimped in by chin teeth. They might leave plastic alone for awhile but all it takes is one bored day and goodbye plastic items with a risk to the digestive tract of the chin. Exotic nutrition just started producing a flying saucer design that is freestanding and 14" for nearly the same price as the silver surfer but far heavier metal. Thick powder coated steel. However, our wheel had a plastic spacer piece break, possibly due to the heaviness of the wheel material, and so until we know they fixed that flaw I would wait to start buying them. www.exoticnutrition.com/trwhla14in.html The original flying saucer mounted wheels that most people use are 15" diameter and the chin spin which would be just as popular if not for the price tag is also 15". I don't know any US wheels that are bigger.
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Wheel
Jun 20, 2015 11:53:13 GMT
Post by natnat899 on Jun 20, 2015 11:53:13 GMT
I had a look at the wheels/flying saucers in the USA when I needed to buy one, unfortunately the cost of postage etc was too much for my taste. I got my flying saucer from shelfridges, but their website is offline and it says they plan to start trading again in late 2014.. Obviously is has gone past that time now.
That's interesting, a free standing wheel would be useful both in the cage and for playtime as well.
And the plastic situation, I complety agree - I have a plastic tray in my chinchilla cage.. When I first got the cage I thought other owners were just exadurating, but sure enough after a year they suddenly became interested in the middle tray, and now I have to constantly hide the little bit they are chewing - i would love to get metal trays, but it's expensive.
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Wheel
Jun 21, 2015 9:15:22 GMT
Post by Maravilla on Jun 21, 2015 9:15:22 GMT
I don't know any US wheels that are bigger. Any chance to contact the producer of suitable (regarding the material) but too small wheels to ask them if there was a chance to make bigger, chinchilla suitable wheels? I mean, there is the same problem here in Germany/Europe. They sell wheels than show a chinchilla which I would not even use for a degu as it is only 29 cm in diameter. The chinchilla just looks ridiculous. But at least we have the advantage to by wooden wheels of 40 cm from a professional source. Besides, for 1 or 2 years now it has been possible to order really big and undestroyable wheels from a private producer. Those are not really cheap (this should not be the main argument for buying a wheel), but really, really good.
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Wheel
Jun 21, 2015 11:59:38 GMT
Post by moletteuk on Jun 21, 2015 11:59:38 GMT
My feeling is that saucers ought to be considerably bigger than wheels, because they are running within the diameter and having the body bent sideways looks really uncomfortable to me.
Wheels are really easy to make IF you can find something suitable to use for the running 'vessel', it's easy to drill a hole and attach an industrial bearing.
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Wheel
Jun 21, 2015 18:56:28 GMT
Post by kaliska on Jun 21, 2015 18:56:28 GMT
Usually people say saucers are better if you can't get a big size because they are less bent and running more natural.
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Wheel
Jun 21, 2015 19:37:12 GMT
Post by jamiee on Jun 21, 2015 19:37:12 GMT
My two seem to prefer their saucers. But, if they have a plastic rod that is attaching the saucer to the base, this may snap. We had to make a metal rod to attach them, but if the saucer doesn't have a plastic rod, this should be fine.
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Wheel
Jun 21, 2015 20:00:25 GMT
Post by Maravilla on Jun 21, 2015 20:00:25 GMT
My degus prefer saucers as well but they can chose between a wheel with 40 cm and a saucer with 45 cm diameter. I would not use anything smaller for them, for the reasons already mentioned.
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