PHOTOS! Rat Runs In Wheel

[Die Fledermaus]

I thought about putting this in the Habitats forum, but maybe here is best.

Some rats DO learn to use - and enjoy - wheels. I splurged and got a big one, and here it is. I took one photo without flash to get a slower shutter speed to prove (by the blurriness) that the wheel was being used.





This rat is named Tux, a male.

[Hamsters82]

I like his name, he's going pretty fast in that second picture. Nice shots. One question, I hear those kinds of wheels are bad for hamsters, but for rats they're okay? Is it because their legs are bigger boned or what?

[Die Fledermaus]

I have never heard that issue raised anywhere. I just don't know. Why might they be bad for hamsters? A wheel is a wheel - just be sure there ae no rungs.

You afraid of foot damage (bumblefoot)??

I had better show Moses that photo; he adopted two rats as is shown on this Rat forum.

[Hamsters82]

Well on the forum that shouldn't be mentioned, they said it could break a hamster's foot if they got stuck in between. But your bars are very close together, so that wouldn't happen.

[hamwolf89]

that looks like my dog running in the yard. LOL. I bet hes loving that wheel! It looks safe to me. The spaces are really close together and looks like his foot is much bigger then that.

one question that just came to mind, when they run does the tail go up or go on the side of themselfs. The tail must be a hasel to them.

[Die Fledermaus]

Oh. I don't see how that could happen with a ham with mesh that size. The mesh in a hamster-sized wheel might be even tighter together. Don't believe what you hear there!

[adoptaratcanada]

Here's what I've read about wheels....


First of the wire mesh...I think for wheel use it wouldn't be so bad for a rat. There is concern about them LIVING on wire, which can cause bumblefoot.

You want to keep a wheel the largest that is appropriate to the animal. Otherwise their body structure is forced into unnatural positions.

I've heard that rats who spend alot of time on a wheel that is too small for them will actually end up with a tail that perpetually curves upward. Urban myth? I don't know.

I think people promote side-mounted wheels and Wodents to avoid potential problems with the floor mounted wheels, namely that the tail can get caught between the mount, and the crossbar on the wheel itself, when in motion.

L.

[Die Fledermaus]

>> a tail that perpetually curves upward. <<

Might be a new breed of rat!

Clearly this wheel is plenty wide even for the guys who are much larger than their sisters.

I try to avoid floor mouted wheels to give them more space and as all critters kick stuff in it or knock it over eventually. That is why I took SAM wheels and hung them from the mesh top.

[Die Fledermaus]

hamwolf89 said:

that looks like my dog running in the yard. LOL. I bet hes loving that wheel! It looks safe to me. The spaces are really close together and looks like his foot is much bigger then that.

one question that just came to mind, when they run does the tail go up or go on the side of themselfs. The tail must be a hasel to them.

Some of the rats prefer it more than others; maybe they just figured it out quicker.

The tail curves up; all rodents do that in a wheel.