I also use these wheels. And yes I have one or two that are fond of
"snacking" on them. However, most of my other gerbils seem to leave them
alone for the most part. It seems to me that if I mount the wheel close to
the ground they are more likely to be chewed on. When I mount the wheel as
high off the ground as the lid permits, most of my gerbils just run in them.
I don't allow my confirmed chewrs to have the Habitrail wheel. Too expensive
to replace. Perhaps my relatively good record is out of the ordinary,
gerbils are insatiable knwaers you know. I don't think it will hurt to give
it a shot.
-----Original Message-----
From: Deb Rebel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Saturday, July 15, 2000 8:33 AM
Subject: Re: exercise wheels
>>A am not sure at all how long they will last but I have a Habitrail Safari
>>wheel (It's kind of a solid plastic wheel) that attachs to the side of the
>>tank. My little female I have in that tank and hated her old wheel loves
>>it!! It only cost $3.25 at the PETSMART near me
>
>Safari wheels, are nice in that they are fairly solid. And the mung
>is easily cleaned off them. If you ever have to disassemble one,
>it is a royal pain, and they usually don't go back together.
>
>My little critters are fond of gnawing off the center lock pin that
>holds the wheel to the axle. Which you can't get. Which trashes
>the wheel in very short order.
>
>They also like to gnaw at the little slit at the center of the wheel
>that allows stuff to fall out, and will follow the seam up until they
>separate the wheel.
>
>Then there are the edge chewers that chew the outside lip.
>
>Most of my hamsters (dwarf only for those wheels) usually leave
>them alone and just run in them; the syrians don't fit well after
>they get to 3-4 months old; and the gerbils snack down in hours
>where the hamsters took a month or two to get started. I had
>a pair take the hub locker off in ten minutes...naughty little gerbils.
>
>Just my observations
>
>Deb
>Rebel's Rodent Ranch
