our boys love their new wheel

[Heddy]

As I keep reading about people wondering about exercise wheels, I thought it might be a good warm up for this section, if I share my experience with you.

We tried several wheels, but most of them were horribly noise or turned out to be just too small.

I recommend to buy (or make) wheels with a minimum diameter of 12 inch. In smaller wheels the degus tend to raise their heads quite high and even bow their whole spine like an arrow. A vet (keeping degus, too, and published books about them adviced me, that this even can lead to spine problems.
As our boys are big runners and just run faster in the bigger wheel, we kept buying 12 inch wheels during the last 12 month.

We were quite happy with the wobust wheels. The little ones even ran in there two at a time. But at one point they discovered, that they can chew the plastic and both wheels were gone in the blink of an eye.

We bought a steel made wheel about two weeks ago, and the boys just love it! It is very save as there are no gaps, where they could get their limbs, noses or tails caught. It is very quiet and they are running faster in that wheel than in any other wheel before.
Unfortunately, the wheel is pricy, too. Via the following link you can have a look at pictures of the wheel: www.johnhopewell.co.uk/wheel.html

[Sunshinemeg]

Congratulations on being the first one to post here!

I too had a large plastic wheel, it lasted less than a week, during which time Charlie discovered it was good to eat!

It is very important that not only is the wheel big enough, but also is a solid running base. This is because a Degu tail can easily become trapped between bars, and this would be painful and probably result in amputation!!

Regarding the wheel, I found that site a few months ago, but as I myself am a university student, the thought of spending so much money means that to date my boys still have no wheel.

But from looking at the pictures there, we did come up with a possible idea.

Take a circular sweet tin, You get lots at christmas, so it shouldnt be too hard, and of course, empty the contents!

Clean it thoroughly, and then find the exact centre of its base.

Drill a hole in the base large enough to pass a nut through.

Using the last picture on the link supplied in the post above, it should then be possible to attach the sweet tin to the cage using a nut and bolt, and possibly some form of rubber padding to lessen the noise value!

We have yet to try this, but are planning to do so as soon as the sweets are eaten! I will post some stage by stage pictures when we make it!
;D

[Heddy]

I have heard from people, who used a big baking form and an old wheel from rollerblades to make an exercise wheel...and that was what I originally was planning on doing, as the wheel I got now is really really expensiv. Unfortunately, it seems people around London only bake cakes in pocked size.

Sunshinemeg, enjoy your sweets! I am looking forward to seeing pictures of your new wheel!

[shelbeanie]

I have a wheel in my cage and McGee loves to run in it. I've had it for about a year, but lately he jsut keeps knocking it down. He's also trying to push his food container off of the top level, spilling all his food (which is getting quite expensive). I know degus love to move things around, but this is getting ridiculous. I will pick up the wheel and not even 10 minutes later I'll walk by and it will be knocked over. Please help! Getting Desperate!
Shelby

[taz13]

Regarding your degu McGee, my two destroy everything.

They tip their food bowl daily and dismantle their wheel, when they get the chance. Right now they are dragging the bowl around in the cage.

What I try to do is, when I clean their cage, I rotate their playthings. I bring new things in, or stuff they haven't seen in awhile. It seems to keep their interests for a couple of days.

If you can get a piece of aspen or white birch, they seem to like nawing on it for awhile. Keeps them out of trouble.

[Sunshinemeg]

I had the same trouble with my degus trying to move their food bowl. Charlie was the worst at it, so I simply bought a bigger one! It now sits happily at the top of the cage, far too big to move, and with the word "cat" turned into the wall! dont think degus can read! but not risking it!!

SUNSHINEMEG ;D

[shelbeanie]

I've figured it out!!!! I've done it!!! I have the opening to the cage and the base of the wheel can fit through the opening. I've put the base through the opening (so the wheel is suspended in mid air) and then I've tied it with wire so that it will not fall NO MATTER WHAT. I've also moved EVERYTHING around to different parts of his cage, and now that it's warmed up a bit ouside, I went and hosed out his cage. He's running on his wheel right now. He doesn't look bored and he's got to figure out how to get on the wheel everytime he goes to get on.
Does anyone have any ideas for toys that I could put in his cage?
I took him out the other day and just let him run around my kitchen. It was the cutest thing! (I have to watch him of course, espesially in the kitchen) and the way he runs is soooooooooooo cute! Lol
Okay. Enough of me.
Shelby

[Sunshinemeg]

Hi Shelbeanie, glad you are having fun with you degu! Thats what this is all about!

Keeping them entertained and having to think to solve problems is the best thing for both pet and owner!

You could visit your local pet store, and see what wood and rope toys they have. They will most likely be in the parrot section. These can be adapted to suit the cage, either hanging or in a corner as an extra shelf.

you can also look for "leap n ledge" These are wooden shelves, about the size of an adult degu anyway that are designed to be attached to the side of the cage. i have a number in my cage that the degus use as stairs to get from one layer to the other. They also like sitting/sleeping on them, and use them as look out posts!

Good luck

SUNSHINEMEG ;D

[Heddy]

Hello,

you can also put a heap of stones in the bottom of the cage, that you rearrange every time when you are cleaning the cage.
Our boys love to climb their very own "mountain" and I even heard of degus, which love to move smaller stones.
It is easy, cheap and for the degu it is interesting.

[Willow]

Have you seen the erodent website? There's a whole section on environment enrichment and great photos too.

www.erodent.co.uk/EnvironmentEnrichment.htm

[ra]

Virgil loved to run in his wheel for the first week. Now he will stand and spin it from the outside or grab it and shake it with his teeth but doesn't run in it! It is a large 12" solid plastic wheel so nothing can get caught in spokes. It worries me a bit that he's not using his exercise wheel.

[taz13]

Ra, don't worry he will use his wheel. My two boys, sometime just take their wheel apart.

Just watch it, since your wheel is plastic, he might eat it.

Later
Cheryl

[Sunshinemeg]

You will have to help me, no matter what i do, they wont do a thing with their wheel. They look at it. They sit in it, They chew it. But will they run in it? dont be daft!

Any ideas?

SUNSHINEMEG ;D

[ra]

SUNSHINEMEG,

I started putting a treat like a sunflower seed in Virgil's wheel to encourage him to climb up on it. Figured once he was there he might take a spin. I haven't seen him run on his wheel in the evenings when I am home but my husband Sam said he was running on the wheel yesterday afternoon.

[Sunshinemeg]

thanks Ra, I will give that a go!

SUNSHINEMEG ;D

[Heddy]

When our boys got their first wheel, everybody wanted to sit in it, but they didn't know what it was good for. Therfore we started to slowly turn the wheel, while one was sitting in it, that way geltly forcing him to walk in it... The next thing we saw was them speeding in the wheel and quarreling about who will be next. I also heard of filling the wheel with hay to attract their attention.
The weirdest thing I ever heard was a hamster lying on his back underneet the wheel, turing it with his paws.

[rk]

d**n... I need a wheel like that. I have a bar'ed one, so I'm afraid it'll damange my degu's tail... and i can't find a solid wheel anywhere!!!! i was thinking of stealing one of mothers cooking pots ;D