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[cadillactaste]

I need to purchase an exercise wheel or saucer...not sure which...I've heard good about both. But with a hedgehog the saucers are "not" recommended... says that they don't run normally on one[Almost went that route...but since we did have chinchillas years ago before kids...changed our minds and got chins again]

http://qualitycage.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_19&products_id=1802

This one is out of stock...But looks really nice.
http://www.chinchillas.com/estore/detail.aspx?ID=106

I've not looked at the saucers actually...after reading ones with hedgehogs not liking them. And some getting hurt. Is it different with the chinchillas with those then?

[VenusTheChin]

I would not recommend buying a wheel less than 15" since anything smaller will cause the chin to arch their back. That can lead to heath problems. The Chin Spin is a great wheel, and so is the flying saucer.

http://www.chin-chillas.com/exercisewheels.htm

The standard size is the size most use.   

[cadillactaste]

I would not recommend buying a wheel less than 15" since anything smaller will cause the chin to arch their back. That can lead to heath problems. The Chin Spin is a great wheel, and so is the flying saucer.

http://www.chin-chillas.com/exercisewheels.htm

The standard size is the size most use.   

Thanks for the link...I'm puzzled...if one has two chins under the age of 3 mths...is it safe for them if no adults are in the cage?

We recommend removing the wheels just prior to an expected delivery date because the adults can generate very high wheel speeds.  If a new born kit is exploring and an adult starts up the wheel, the kit may be thrown off the wheel and injured.  Reintroduce the wheel at weaning when kits are at least 3 months old.  At the point in time the kits have good jumping skills and coordination.

I may just stick with the chin wheel...to make sure one doesn't push the other off and hurt him on the flying saucer.

[VenusTheChin]

That is referring to a pregnant momma. If her and her kits get on the wheel at the same time, she could injure her kits. 

[cadillactaste]

Thanks...so they can have one in there now...

I was at the pet store and they only had a 12 inch one. My son was really upset when I explained it was to small. For the employee there argued with me. Since they had one in with the two chinchillas they had for sale... First off...Don't belittle me in front of my child...but I kept my cool...and stated...Well more than one site I went to online stated that it needed to be at least 15 inches...They had a plastic saucer there that was 12 inches I believe as well...

[Jo Ann]

    Here's the place to get the flying saucer wheels ... http://flyingsaucerwheels.com/ ... straight from the inventor of them.     We have 6 and have used them for many years.

    Jo Ann

[cadillactaste]

   Here's the place to get the flying saucer wheels ... http://flyingsaucerwheels.com/ ... straight from the inventor of them.     We have 6 and have used them for many years.

    Jo Ann

You think those are better than the wheel then? Thanks for the link. I'm really an indecissive person...so the chosing which would be "best" for our chins is driving me nuts! I did see someone saying that the wheel that sometimes the chin will jump on top and get thrown...You wouldn't have that with the saucers. As you can see I've been googling my little heart out trying to weight the pros and cons to both...Was sort of leaning toward the saucer...kind of...It will fasten to a Ferret Nation cage? I don't have the mesh wire cage...

[cadillactaste]

OK...watched some youtube videos and they do in fact have them attached to bar like cages...so I'm leaning toward one of those...Thanks for the link...   But I keep watching them fly off...the chins must be new to the things...

[cadillactaste]

  Are they typically this loud when in use?
http://video.google.com/videosearch?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4DKUS_enUS203US206&q=chinchilla+saucer&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv&ei=7izmSdDDFIjmnQfC-aC0CQ&oi=property_suggestions&resnum=0&ct=property-revision&cd=2#sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4DKUS_enUS203US206&q=chinchilla+saucer&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv&ei=7izmSdDDFIjmnQfC-aC0CQ&oi=property_suggestions&resnum=0&ct=property-revision&cd=2&start=30

[whiskers387]

OK...watched some youtube videos and they do in fact have them attached to bar like cages...so I'm leaning toward one of those...Thanks for the link...   But I keep watching them fly off...the chins must be new to the things...

Well acctually i nvr though about this, my chin is 4 months, she looks almost full size and runs fine is a 12 inch, but with the flying suacer it takes up more space, if it doesnt attach to cage they fall apart, and with the chin falling of, when they stop i would think it would throw almost any chin off

[cadillactaste]

OK...watched some youtube videos and they do in fact have them attached to bar like cages...so I'm leaning toward one of those...Thanks for the link...   But I keep watching them fly off...the chins must be new to the things...

Well acctually i nvr though about this, my chin is 4 months, she looks almost full size and runs fine is a 12 inch, but with the flying suacer it takes up more space, if it doesnt attach to cage they fall apart, and with the chin falling of, when they stop i would think it would throw almost any chin off

You are using a 12 inch wheel...I've read everywhere that a chinchilla should be in nothing smaller than a 15 inch...Something about they can't run without their back arched and it's not good on them to run that way. Also...both the wheel and the saucer attaches to the cage [at least the links attached to this post they are] I've seen ones at the pet store that don't attach to the cage...they are the 12 inch...and I just don't wish to invest in something I'll have to update to a larger size...then with my worry wart thinking...I'll stress over not switching them soon enough and causing problems later with them.

Thanks for your comments though...But both systems I'm looking at attach to the cage. And I've heard both issues with them falling off...some chins will try and run ON TOP OF the wheel... Verses inside it...They must be outside the box thinkers...

[ABC Chinchillas]

I have a few flying saucers. Fun for the chinchillas and me

[cadillactaste]

We're going to order the flying saucer...my son thinks it's much cooler to watch a chin on...I just worry about the dust baths and the barrings...But I guess they can be replaced.

[Jo Ann]

    looked at the  UTube videos ... the sound is being caused by the cage, not by wheel ... well, kinda ... it's the wheel vibrating the cage.  If you look at all the videos, some are louder than others ... so ... the noise they make is in direct proportion to the sturdiness of the cage ... One of the videos it shows one attached to a wood cabinet ... it made no noise at all.    
I found another cute chin video while looking at the ones on the flying saucer one ... http://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/4763082/12717427  (It's called Eaves Dropping 10)

Well actually i nvr though about this, my chin is 4 months, she looks almost full size and runs fine is a 12 inch, but with the flying suacer it takes up more space, if it doesnt attach to cage they fall apart, and with the chin falling of, when they stop i would think it would throw almost any chin off

Anything under 15" in a wheel causes the back to grow in an arched shape as they grow ... a problem that will be more evident later in life and cause the chin much pain.

...issues with them falling off... (in reference to the flying saucer wheel)

We've had as many as 200 chins at one time and have 6 flying saucer wheels ... the only time I have seen a problem is when they both want to go on the wheel at the same time and in opposite directions!  It does not go then.

I would never let kits in the cage that has a flying saucer or a wheel at the same time as I have adults in the cage ... Adults can go to fast for a kit and throw them off. 

Chins will jump off when they quit running or ride it out even to the point of it rocking back and forth until it stops, but I've never seen one thrown off of it.

We've had our flying saucer wheels for over 10 years and no injuries to date.

    Jo Ann

[cadillactaste]

  That was a cute video...Gotcha...it's the cage and not the wheel that makes the noise. Our cage seems really sturdy...so hopefully it won't make that noise.

10 yrs. and no injuries to date...that's good to know. Yep...my son is dead set on that flying saucer for his chins...they do look cute and they can..."see" where they are going. So he says...