Wheels?

[stigmata]

Hello!

So I have my rescued ferret, Artemis, that I adopted from a family who kept him in poor conditions and his cage is super tiny. So I'm upgrading to a multi level next week and he is my first ferret (only owned for a couple weeks now) I owned sugar gliders in the past and they had a specific wheel (much larger than a hamster and it's safe for the furry ones with tails) for when they were in the cage, it's called a Wodent Wheel. I haven't seen anyone mentioned them on here yet so I wasn't sure if they weren't ferret friendly or if they even care to run in them. If you want a pic description of what I'm talking about I can provide a link. I'm in the process of getting all of his toys ready so he can just go from rags to riches all at once!

Link:
www.sugar-gliders.com/wodent-wheel.htm

It was nice with the sugies because some have nail trimmers in them!

Thanks in advance for any info.

[justahannah]

I'm not sure whether a ferret would use a wheel or not, but the big issue I have with them is the size...even the large wheels on the market aren't big enough to accommodate the length of a ferret's body, causing it to put its spine in an unnatural backwards arch for use...we all know their natural gait is very hunched but I think the center strut would interfere with that. The one you linked has a diameter of 10.25", my smallest female is 14" long and my largest male's about 19", and that's measuring nose to rump without the tail...so maybe if you could get a 24" or even larger one, it might be worth a try, I don't know what a healthy diameter to body length ratio would be. If trimming nails is a hassle, have you tried the ferretone trick?

[Jackie]

Though I've never tried one, I know my girls would not run on a wheel.

I tried them on the treadmill (very slow setting) and they would just sit and wait for me to catch them as they rolled off. I think a ferret would much rather run around a house or outside, if anything. Most ferrets are pretty lazy about running.

Hopefully someone with experience with wheels will comment. All I can say is that my two girls wouldn't look at it twice (they are little divas but I love them anyway.)

justahannah: I didn't even think about that! Thats a great point. Unless they made a huge wheel, it would probably be uncomfortable for a ferret to run on.

[Heather]

Spinal injuries would be my concern as you would have to get a wheel that could accommodate the length of the fuzz. I've never heard anyone talk about using the wheel (I have heard of people buying the enclosed ball... that doesn't work, ferrets panic in them and hurt themselves) but the only one that might fit on that wheel of my crew would be little Lady Natasha and possibly Boris. I could see them climbing on it, under it, spinning on the outside, dragging each other off it but using it?....maybe I've got a friend who has one made specifically for her cats, they love it but it's built so that they're actually running in the very bottom of the curve....it's huge. The only thing I can think of is to let them try while observing.
ciao

[sherrylynne]

Personal opinion? I wouldn't, simply because the curve is opposite to the way their spines naturally bend. If you could find one large enough, then maybe? But that one's only 10 1/2" diameter.
If you want to get him exercising, try a cat teaser on the stairs. Mine can't resist them

[Darlene]

Check out this pic of a ferret on a wheel.......looks home made.
www.maferrets.org/gallery3/index.php/album_031/IMG_7091__Small_

[sunnyberra]

I had a gigantic one that was left over from my gp's (they didn't like wheels, either). My ferts never ran on it (I never even tried to get them to try it, honestly), but since it was solid plastic, I would turn it on its side, the ferts would hop in, and I'd spin them around (kind of like the tea cup rides, LOL). They loved *that*

Darlene - wow, that is impressive! The fert looks like he's having a blast!

[sherrylynne]

That wheel is more the size I was talking about

[stigmata]

Haha that wheel looks so cute with that ferret!!! I'm thinking I'll look more into if Artemis ever starts to get more playful. It seems his last owner just kept him so cooped up that he hardly knows how to play. He's starting to figure it out though!!! I don't have any issues with nail trims (my sugies were much more difficult) and he takes a bath well too! So a giant wheel may be in his future but I will not worry about it right now. I had a feeling they weren't the best thing for ferrets considering I never saw anyone post about them.

[sherrylynne]

Let's face it. Even if any of us were to get one of those giant wheels, the ferrets would just be stashing it, anyway

[Jackie]

Or sleeping in it... Or both

[candiceboggs]

Hah! That they would do. If you could find one large enough, I would think that the Flying Saucer wheels would be great for a ferret, IF it were interested. I heard something like the large ones were originally developed for Chinchillas as normal wheels cause problems with their structure too. I have a tiny one for my Fancy Mouse (we tried a larger one for the gerbils, but that was pointless as they just chewed it till it was unworkable).

[bluemoose]

The flying saucer wheel is an interesting idea. It does seem like it would be easier on their spine. Even the giant wheel with the ferret still looked kind of awkward.

[horse656]

i agree with bluemoose, even though the wheel is giant it still looks really awkward to run in it.

[vkp23]

I found this cause I was wondering about a wheel too...

qualitycage.com/?main_page=product_info&cPath=129_142_143_144&products_id=1803