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[Snickerdoodlesmom]

Anyone know of any good ones? I play with my chinchilla every night for usually an hour (until he goes to lie down on his granite) but because they're nocturnal, he's up and about at three am. My dad tries to counter his boredom by talking to him all night (he works in stocks, so he's up until six am anyway), but he wants to PLAY. I can't play with him that late at night and my father is working, so maybe he'd appreciate a wheel. I'm scared though, because I don't want him getting injured on it. Are there any wheels thAt are TOTALLY safe?

[Starina]

I've seen a lot of good reviews for some of the wheels, I'm not too sure what it's called but this is the one I use for Peach.

http://i.imgur.com/BOywV.jpg

She loves it, and runs on it quite a lot. She actually runs around the lounge, and then jumps back in to her cage to run on the wheel for a bit, and runs back out to play. Although the wheel was really expensive!! My partner brought it for her and it cost almost £90 which is like $140 USD.

[GrayRodent]

The one in the above link is the safest possible. It's called a flying saucer. Not all chins will take to wheels so beware. Chin spin is a good traditional style wheel.

[AnnieHank]

I would recommend the chin spin. I tried out a flying saucer style wheel and even after three months, they still didn't get how to use it. I was so glad I hadn't gotten the proper expensive one!

My ones love the chin spin and it's completely safe if you make sure you don't mount it next to shelves or the corners of the cage. Buddy's first introduction to the wheel, he tried to run on top of it and fell off and hit the corner of the cage. He cried like a baby for the entire night. I was so scared for him I stayed up all night watching him. Turned out he was grand but it was scary! He loves it now and even sleeps in it. As I was saying, it's very safe, just be careful where you mount it in the cage!

[Snickerdoodlesmom]

Chins can cry?

[glafond]

i I have the 15" chin spin from quality cage company, great wheels.. But, you do need a strong cage to mount it on since it is all metal and wood. The wheel actually is not that loud. You can even buy replacement berrings for it if they wear out.

[mojito]

Is there a wheel not so heavy but still safe? I finally talked my boyfriend into getting a wheel (thanks to Gray!) but we have a FN so I'm not sure if a chin spin would support it.

[Marip]

i use the normal wheels i know that it's not the best but i've never had problems whit but you could always do your own wheel this one it's great i think http://www.huggablepets.com/huggablepets/chininfo.shtml and the "plate" wheels are the best in my opinion.

[GrayRodent]

I would think a wheel with a solid running surface would be safer. Getting a foot through the mesh can easily result in a fracture.

I'm not sure what to say about your cage. The FN cage I think uses 12 gauge wire which is about the same as the wire on our parrot's cage and it seems very sturdy. Since the CS-15 has four mounting points that will distribute the pressure I don't see where there would be a problem unless the bar spacing won't allow you put it exactly where you need it.

[mojito]

Well I when I put the wooden hay box on our cage it seemed to be really heavy for the bars so we put one of their igloos under it to help hold it up (it was drooping a bit) which is why I'm concerned about a wheel + chinchilla on the wires.

[GrayRodent]

Sounds like your wire is different from mine! actually it turns out to be the same. I overestimated its strength.
I'm glad you mentioned that since I was thinking the FN cage was a bit nicer that. You may have sold me on building my own.

Other than coming up with a way to add cross members to reinforce the cage I'm at a loss.

[Starina]

I think it depends on your Chin for the flying saucer (The one that's in my picture)

I put it in her cage whilst Peach was running around the lounge and she ran back in jumped right on it and was really going for it, I was quite amazed since I'd read that some chins don't get the hang of it. But she loves it, She's on it all the time, and sometimes sleeps on it too!.

Which I like her sleeping on it, I have a bed, a wooden house!, mats and stuff around the cage, but no she sleeps on the wire bit of the cage or the shelf with her hand on the wire! All the comfortable places to sleep in her cage and that's where she chooses!.

[mojito]

@Starina: My boys like to sleep on the marble my mom gave them over all the house and fleece beds too!

@Gray: I have the FN 'My first deluxe mutli-level home' here's a link: ( http://www.ferretnation.net/super-pet/super-pet-2-my-first-deluxe-multi-floor-with-stand/ ) I've heard the midwest cages (which are FN too) are pretty good though just really research Actually I've been looking at some of the rabbit homes for indoors and they're pretty cool at least to me. I think when I finish school (and get a job *crosses fingers*) I'll go for either those or the quality cages. I'm not handy though, and if you can build a cage I would totally do that instead since you would be able to make it exactly how you want!

[AnnieHank]

Chins can cry?

Yup, he cries like a baby when he hurts himself or when the girls are in heat and he gets a smell of them. It makes me cry too and my boyfriend laughs at me. Not funny!

[Starina]

I wish she'd sleep in the beds Mojito, but no, my chin likes to sleep on the wire, the little weirdo that she is. lol.