Post by mousekateers on Jul 16, 2013 20:52:00 GMT 10
There are many different types of wheels available and they all have their pros and cons.
Over the years I have been a big fan of the Silent Spinner, these are the Rolls Royce of wheels in terms of silence, sturdiness, adaptability, ease of cleaning and safety for our small friends. On the downside they are astronomically expensive ($20 - $25 for the small size) and over time tend to seize up. You can free the ball bearings with some elbow grease and dishwashing detergent but over time the mechanism deteriorates until the wheel is useless.
The wire wheel in its various forms is great when it's new and quite cheap to buy, but as the paint peels off and the metal begins to rust you risk the mouse injuring its feet which may become infected and open them up to conditions such as "bumblefoot". They can also be very noisy and require a drop or spray of vegetable oil to quiet them.
These are my top pick. Plastic wheels such as the one pictured are fast becoming my favourites. Cheap to buy (approx. $6.00), they are silent, easy to clean, safe, sturdy, they are adaptable and long lasting.
Saucer wheels are very interesting. I've bought them on-line from overseas. They are inexpensive (under $10), offer a workout using a different set of muscles due to the fact that the mouse is running either to the left or the right rather than just in a straight line. They also deter "wheel tail" where the mouse carries it tail over its back. They're entertaining allowing two mice to run using the wheel side by side or youngsters can stand on it and get it to sway whilst they explore how it works and just offer something different to the conventional wheel. The brand I have also doubles as a hidey hole underneath which the mice love to take advantage of. They are easy to clean, sturdy and relatively safe. Their only downside is that they are not adaptable to all situations and can only be used on a flat surface.
Most of us have been tempted by a plastic Ball, where you can pop the mouse inside the ball and the mouse rolls the ball around allowing it to exercise itself. They aren't too expensive to buy, easy to clean and offer something different in the way of exercise and entertainment for your mouse and you. The downside is that you must supervise them at all times and they should be used in a contained area, this is because it is quite easy for the lid to come off and the mouse escape, and if it rolls to somewhere out of the way or down stairs etc the mouse may be lost or forgotten.
Do you have something different? Share it with us and write a review
Over the years I have been a big fan of the Silent Spinner, these are the Rolls Royce of wheels in terms of silence, sturdiness, adaptability, ease of cleaning and safety for our small friends. On the downside they are astronomically expensive ($20 - $25 for the small size) and over time tend to seize up. You can free the ball bearings with some elbow grease and dishwashing detergent but over time the mechanism deteriorates until the wheel is useless.
The wire wheel in its various forms is great when it's new and quite cheap to buy, but as the paint peels off and the metal begins to rust you risk the mouse injuring its feet which may become infected and open them up to conditions such as "bumblefoot". They can also be very noisy and require a drop or spray of vegetable oil to quiet them.
These are my top pick. Plastic wheels such as the one pictured are fast becoming my favourites. Cheap to buy (approx. $6.00), they are silent, easy to clean, safe, sturdy, they are adaptable and long lasting.
Saucer wheels are very interesting. I've bought them on-line from overseas. They are inexpensive (under $10), offer a workout using a different set of muscles due to the fact that the mouse is running either to the left or the right rather than just in a straight line. They also deter "wheel tail" where the mouse carries it tail over its back. They're entertaining allowing two mice to run using the wheel side by side or youngsters can stand on it and get it to sway whilst they explore how it works and just offer something different to the conventional wheel. The brand I have also doubles as a hidey hole underneath which the mice love to take advantage of. They are easy to clean, sturdy and relatively safe. Their only downside is that they are not adaptable to all situations and can only be used on a flat surface.
Most of us have been tempted by a plastic Ball, where you can pop the mouse inside the ball and the mouse rolls the ball around allowing it to exercise itself. They aren't too expensive to buy, easy to clean and offer something different in the way of exercise and entertainment for your mouse and you. The downside is that you must supervise them at all times and they should be used in a contained area, this is because it is quite easy for the lid to come off and the mouse escape, and if it rolls to somewhere out of the way or down stairs etc the mouse may be lost or forgotten.
Do you have something different? Share it with us and write a review