rednop
Warbling Degu
Posts: 33
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Post by rednop on Mar 28, 2016 10:03:20 GMT
New cages are almost done, thinking of making a flying saucer. I know Ikea does a lazy susan but it's only 38cm, annoying as need 45cm or may go 50cm . So was thinking of maybe using this wooden pizza board . Is made from Beech wood, so thinking it will be fine? |
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Post by Bexi87 on Mar 29, 2016 7:06:48 GMT
My immediate thought would be what it has been treated with? As its produced for use with food I would imagine it would have some treatment to keep the wood protected.
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Post by moletteuk on Mar 29, 2016 10:01:51 GMT
I have an Ikea lazy susan one and I think it is big enough, and I would say I am fairly fussy about wheel size, I think it depends on how much time they spend on it. If you have the space and want to go bigger I think the pizza board would be fine if you sand off any varnish (I think the ikea one needs the varnish sanding off too). Make sure you get a nice free flowing bearing as a 45 or 50cm chunk of wood is quite a bit of mass to move. Let us know how it goes  |
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rednop
Warbling Degu
Posts: 33
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Post by rednop on Mar 29, 2016 14:21:39 GMT
Thank you dingle87 and moletteuk for some input. Emailed them and the wood has not been treated, is just plain wood. No varnish either. Most wooden chopping boards only require oil to protect them, if they're exposed to too much moisture or allowed to get very dry. Thinking of going the inline skate (rollerblade) wheel route for bearing as we have them so would be free. Will check on space size, think 45cm should be perfect for the cages we building. Will let you know how we get along.
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Post by Bexi87 on Mar 29, 2016 16:29:15 GMT
Good luck! Looking forward to seeing the finished product |
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rednop
Warbling Degu
Posts: 33
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Post by rednop on Apr 7, 2016 9:11:15 GMT
Flying Saucers done. Turned out pretty well. Used Oak for base and rollerblade wheel for bearing. Houdini loves it and Ripley is learning to use it. Marley and Zola have barely touched theirs, lazy gits. Excuse Houdini's pee stains   |
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Post by bouncy on Apr 7, 2016 14:48:27 GMT
Looks great! Can I ask why you have a jubilee clip around the wheel? Is it just to stop the munchkins, er, munching it?
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rednop
Warbling Degu
Posts: 33
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Post by rednop on Apr 7, 2016 15:13:21 GMT
Looks great! Can I ask why you have a jubilee clip around the wheel? Is it just to stop the munchkins, er, munching it? Hi bouncy. Yes only reason is to stop them if they decided to try chew the rollerblade wheel. Wanted to better safe than sorry and it's only just over a quid to buy |
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Post by moletteuk on Apr 7, 2016 17:00:43 GMT
Looks good The rollerblade wheel must turn really freely because the angle on our saucer is quite a bit steeper than yours. |
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Post by bouncy on Apr 7, 2016 19:01:54 GMT
Looks good The rollerblade wheel must turn really freely because the angle on our saucer is quite a bit steeper than yours. If they stop suddenly, I now have visions of dizzy degus! |
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rednop
Warbling Degu
Posts: 33
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Post by rednop on Apr 7, 2016 20:05:14 GMT
Looks good The rollerblade wheel must turn really freely because the angle on our saucer is quite a bit steeper than yours. It does turn really quick. We original had the base of the stand 10cm high so the angle was steep, scored the pizza board surface (a lot) with a stanley knife and sand paper to give the degu's some grip. Know it's a learning process for the degu's but they where running not fast at all on it and just "flying off". So decided to cut it down to 5cm, to make it a little slower. Houdini now can run on it pretty much full speed and slow himself without coming off. We always have the option to make it a little higher again to increase the angle. Yet to see 2 of them on it together though |
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 8, 2016 5:10:27 GMT
Would LOVE to see a video of one running on it!!
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sjo
Newborn Degu
Posts: 3 
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Post by sjo on May 16, 2016 16:25:54 GMT
Hello, new user here. I've been thinking about making a saucer for my two degus as well. I've already made two wheels of stainless steel but wanted to try something new. (they are quite noisy) I've found this pizza board on ebay, 45cm made of beech wood. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262298203679?euid=e8560bf64c984c4488d62f86787d690d&cp=1I'm a little bit concerned though, because on degutopia it says beech is a toxic wood, but on here it's considered safe? I live in denmark btw, and that ebay link is the cheapest big pizza board i could find. The susan from ikea is almost twice the price with delivery added on here in denmark. |
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Post by moletteuk on May 16, 2016 17:01:30 GMT
The pizza board looks good to me. The degutopia wood list is overly conservative and mainly based on some severe dust inhalation studies in rodents. Years of evidence from degu owners in europe (germany) has shown that in practice a much larger range of woods are safe for degus in everyday situations. Degus have such a strong instinct for chewing wood, it makes sense that they are naturally equipped for it to be safe for them unless there is a particular poisonous component in the wood. Beech contains tanins which some other animals can struggle with, but degus seem to cope with well.
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sjo
Newborn Degu
Posts: 3
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Post by sjo on May 16, 2016 17:56:53 GMT
Thank you for such a quick reply. I'm gonna pull the trigger on that pizza board then.
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Post by moletteuk on May 16, 2016 19:30:57 GMT
Welcome to the forum |
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sjo
Newborn Degu
Posts: 3
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Post by sjo on May 16, 2016 21:55:26 GMT
I'll take some pictures, or maybe a video when its done. |
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Post by aherran on May 17, 2016 5:50:01 GMT
I recently made a flying saucer wheel for my girls. I have bought four wheels since I got them a year ago, and after trying whith the ikea wooden one (they love chewing it but never use it to run), so I decide to make a stainless steel one. and here are the results, the girls really love it and it's the most silent wheel i have had, so I'm doing a second one, as the other wheel they have is a plastic one and its very noisy. The stainless steel piece i have used is a cover used to flip the spanish omelette ( 30cm diameter): linkand the bearing is too big but it's the only I could found: link     |
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Post by bouncy on May 17, 2016 8:27:13 GMT
She looks really chuffed on there!
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Post by deguconvert on May 17, 2016 14:56:00 GMT
That's brilliant! Well done!
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