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by Anonymous on January 20, 2022
We initially bought the plastic saucer from Petco and it lasted exactly eight days returned it and the second also lasted eight days. After searching found this one and we have had the 14 inch wheel for a year. I am back on the site now to buy bearing replacements. This thing has exceeded expectations! Our chinchilla is constantly on it and I have not performed any maintenance until now. Absolute Quality and silent as can be until you need to replace the bearings. -Steven B.
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by Anonymous on January 6, 2022
My chin loves running on this, and I love how quiet it is when she does. My only gripe is the lack of built-in method to secure the base; it can slide/rotate itself around a bit during use. I had to improvise a way to weigh it down so she didn't keep spinning herself backwards into the corner. It would probably be easier to secure this on a wood floor, and might not even be an issue with a less aggressive runner, though. Overall, well worth the minor effort. -Finnigan M.
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by Deuces Touses on December 9, 2021
Morty my mouse has turned this wheel into his own carnival ride! I only wish this review board allowed video uploads so we could share the hilarity. - Deuces T.
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by kimequa on November 22, 2021
Let me start out by saying that my hamster has NEVER had ANY interest in wheels. I’ve tried 8” and 12” plastic wheels and he completely ignored them. After stepping foot on a flying saucer for the first time (a plastic one), he was instantly hooked! The only issue was, the plastic ones were breaking after a month or so of vigorous use! I was desperate for a solution and was so excited to have found one!!! The unit pays for itself! Yes, it costs twice as much as the plastic counterpart, but it will last 50x longer!
The ONLY reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 is that the running surface plate needs to be at a higher angle so that the critter doesn’t fly off the side. I just propped mine up on some bedding so that the plate is closer to a 45 degree angle and it has been perfect ever since!
I have a Syrian hamster and I use the larger 14” size for him. It’s PERFECT! He used to churn through a new plastic “flying saucer” every month or so but this metal one has lasted 7 months and is still going strong.
For full disclosure, it does start to squeak after a while. I honestly barely notice it because my hamster is in a glass aquarium type home (IKEA Detolf conversion). I’m considering trying cooking oil as a lubricant (thinking it may be safer for the critter than mechanic oils.)
I’m about to adopt some gerbils and will be purchasing this for them as well.
If you have a large hamster and have enough room in their home, get the bigger size that is marketed towards chinchillas. - Kimberly D.
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by Anonymous on November 11, 2021
My little guy LOVES this wheel. It is super silent and very chinchilla friendly. I do advise checking the bearing, as it will loosen over time and squeak. Otherwise, a wonderful product that allows chins to run out that excess energy. I sometimes refer to my chin as my little marathon runner because he uses this wheel so much. - Lauren
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by Anonymous on October 11, 2021
LOVE IT! - Gorgina P.
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by Anonymous on October 7, 2021
My Chinchilla absolutely Loved this wheel. It is very durable and lasts such a long time I highly recommend it.!!! - Grace P.
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by Anonymous on September 22, 2021
The size is great and it looks nice, but it wobbles and squeaks like crazy! So loud! It’s an expensive purchase so this is frustrating. My chinchilla needs the exercise and this would be perfect if it weren’t defected in this way. - Brooke L.
[Response from Seller: Thank you for your review. We’re sorry to hear that your Treadmill Wheel is not as expected but we’d be happy to resolve this for you. Please reach out to our friendly customer service team using the link at the bottom of the website for assistance. We hope to hear from you soon!]
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by Anonymous on August 6, 2021
-Tamera B.
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by toohardbox on August 1, 2021
Didn't fit inside the cage door so I had to disassemble the cage to get it in. The sugar gliders love playing on it though. -Cali C.
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by Anonymous on May 31, 2021
Great product, my only wish was that there was a way to secure it to the bottom of the cage to prevent movement. If it gets jolted it scubs the side of the cage and makes an awful noise. Maybe a no slip bottom or some way to bolt to the bottom with washers and wing nuts. It is silent though when it does not hit the sides. -Dallas J.
[Response from Seller: Thanks for the review Dallas! We are happy to hear that overall you are satisfied with the treadmill wheel. We would be happy to help troubleshoot ways to make this more secure inside your cage, just reach out to our customer support team at your convenience.]
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by Anonymous on March 13, 2021
It's a good wheel (Both the Chinchillas love it) other than the bearings, i read other reviews saying the same. Although, i still bought it (October 2020) and it is dead silent when the bearings aren't worn out(February 2021). Slightly unimpressed by the span of time before they wore out. Once worn out the wheel squeaks and screams like no tomorrow.
Basically, what im saying is its a good wheel but buy extra bearings to replace when needed. -Lauren S.
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by CourtneyE on March 7, 2021
My chin, Tinkerbell (Tink) has always preferred a saucer wheel over the full-sized wheels but also loves eating plastic. Going through several plastic wheels was more than pricey at over $20 to $30 a piece, and I can't believe it took us this long to find these wheels. She absolutely loves it! It moves against the bottom of the cage as she runs, but that's to be expected. Outside of that, it's an incredibly silent run, and in between full out of the cage cleans, it's held in place with stainless steel zip ties. It's easy to clean and, even more importantly for me, chew-proof. A happy Tink is a happy me, and she's overjoyed! - Courtney E.
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by Anonymous on January 29, 2021
I am so happy with this wheel! I bought it to replace a regular wheel that attached to the side of the cage that my daughter's chinchillas loved, which I knew because I could hear it squeak ALL NIGHT LONG. At first I thought they didn't have the same affection for this one because I didn't hear them on it, only to realize they love it just as much, I just cannot hear it. It is completely silent! Money well spent! -Hillary E.
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by Anonymous on January 23, 2021
Nicely constructed, very quiet. My chinchilla loves it! -Sharon G.
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by Anonymous on January 4, 2021
Amazing!... For only one year. The ball bearings fell out of BOTH my girl's wheels after about 13 months, which is really dangerous if they were to ingest them!! Rusts easily after cleanings, which unfortunately needs to be often cuz lord can hedgehogs poop. It was great while it lasted, don't get me wrong. Completely silent, super fast, great for my running girl. But since both wheels had the exact same issues after a seriously small amount of time, I wont be buying another. -Claire D.
[Response from Seller: The 11 inch Treadmill Wheels have a center axel with ball bearings that is subject to wear-and-tear over time with continuous use, but a replacement set will make any old wheel work like new! We recommend replacing the center axel at least once or twice per year- available on our website.]
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by Hedgiemommy on January 3, 2021
I woke my hedgie up out of his sleep because I was so excited to show him his new wheel, he hopped right on it and ran for hours ☺!
Also thank god it doesn't squeak cuz his cage is literally right next to my bed 🙏.
(I got the 14" wheel, i think its the best size). -Brooke M.
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by Anonymous on November 9, 2020
It is the best wheel for rats available. Multiple rats can run at the same time and they don't bend their back. Because it is metal, the wheel is heavy and allows them to get a good stride. The wheel bearing cartridge needs improvement. The screw rusts as does the metal. if allowed to go too long before replacement, it becomes impossible to fix. If EN could give us suggestions on the maintenance of the wheel to prevent the cartridge from rusting - it would be appreciated. There really isn't a better wheel out there. Maybe additional zinc coating would help? Or an indestructible cover for the center so it can't corrode? -Christina Ripley, Josephine's Rattery.
[Response from Seller: Thank you for your suggestions Christina! We'll be forwarding those to our product development team.]
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by Anonymous on November 4, 2020
-Connie A B.
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by Anonymous on October 1, 2020
Wheel itself is fine. But because of how it is designed, unless you are constantly (i.e. every 3-4 months) replacing the wheel bearings, the entire thing will get frozen together. The first time this happened to me, I had to go out and buy a screw extraction kit to be able to get out the screw. But the second time, the entire innards were somehow all congealed together, and no amount of fancy tools, elbow grease, and tears could separate all the parts. Eventually, I had to throw it all in the trash and ordered something else, where the hardware is wisely on the vertical surface. What a waste of my money and a huge source of frustration. -Karen S.
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by markhoch on September 1, 2020
I had to tighten the big nut on the backside of the treadmill. And on the other hand the treadmill is bent not very happy. -Mark H.
[Response from Seller: Thank you for your review Mark. Please contact customer support by email so that we can help resolve these issues for you. Thank you for your cooperation!]
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by Anonymous on August 18, 2020
I replaced my Chinchillas wheel with the Treadmill wheel. My Chins checked it out and were not interested at all. I gave them a few days before having to purchase a new wheel (Chin-sprint) for them. I guess they don't like changes. -Robert G.
[Response from Seller: Thank you for your feedback Robert. Some animals will take a few weeks to learn how to use a saucer-style wheel.]
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by Anonymous on July 22, 2020
I didn't get mine here - hadn't found Exotic Nutrition yet but I am surprised how well my sugar gliders took to the open wheel and use it. My came from a large box pet store and is much cheaper quality so I'm sure it will not last long and when it dies, I'm coming here for this one. Plus my old wheel rattles with the cheap plastic so I want the quiet ball bearings. I really like the open wheel better than a closed wheel and is definitely easier to clean. -Cathleen W.
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by Anonymous on July 1, 2020
It arrived with a defect but after two emails back and forth with customer service I had new bearings in the mail. The problem was that they were not staying in place so it was scraping against the base. The top one still doesn't completely fit so it wobbles a tiny bit but it's very quiet. Really the only sound is the wind it creates. It seems like it could last you a lifetime if you bought new bearings every few years. (11" size) -Annabelle V. R.
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by HybridFreak on May 6, 2020
The smaller size was still a little bigger than I was expecting but it's working great. My little flying squirrel buddy loves it. -Brian B.
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by Emccormack on March 6, 2020
Just got it [14" size] today. My suggies seem to like it. Seems easy to clean and is extremely quiet. Just wondering if this may be a toy for supervised play time only. -Elyssa M.
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by kathits on October 30, 2019
Highly recommend these wheels for chinchillas!! My two LARGE chinchillas (separate cages) each have one and they run in them ALL night long. (Never realized how much energy chinchillas have - chinchilla lovers are really doing their chins a disservice if they don't get these wheels!) They absolutely NEED the exercise. These wheels are all metal and sturdy. The main problem is they will loosen and fall apart over time. If they don't already have them - put lock washers on where you can. My two chins run in opposite directions on their wheels so I swap the wheels every month. When one loosens the wheel - the other tightens it back up. I also nailed a large nail through the hole on the bottom metal platform piece to a piece of carpeted board (or a carpeted ramp from an old cage) to keep it from sliding across the screened cage bottom. Prevents the wheel from sliding into the sides of the cage causing an awful noise from metal scraping on metal. Works great! -Kathi S.
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by Anonymous on October 6, 2019
Wheel started off amazing and I was very happy with it. My chinchilla quickly adjusted to it and used it all the time. However, the knut on the wheel comes loose constantly after she uses it, which results in a very loud squeaky noise and the wheel being very loose. It worries me to let her run on it being so loose. The only way to fix the noise is to take the whole wheel apart to tighten the knut, but it needs to be done daily due to my chinchillas daily use of her wheel. If not for this issue, this wheel would have 5 stars. However based on the price, I do not feel I should have to perform daily maintenance on this product just to keep it useable.
[Response from Seller: We're so sorry to hear about this issue with your wheel, Allison. Please reach out to our team directly by phone or email for assistance. Thank you.]
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by Anonymous on August 6, 2019
My chinchilla enjoys this thing. It arrived with a dent in it but i’m sure that was a postal service issue or something. Either way my chinchilla loves running on it even with the dent and the dent doesn’t seem to bother her too much. -James P.
[Response from Seller: James, we're sorry to hear your product was damaged upon delivery. If you need a replacement saucer please contact us as sales@exotcnutrition.com. We appreciate the review.]
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by Cam23 on May 2, 2019
Nice and sturdy for my hedgehog. I don’t think he really know what he’s supposed to do with it yet. It’s only been a couple days. -Camie C.
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by Anonymous on April 9, 2019
I just invested in a second wheel for my chinchilla. She loves her wheel!! The other one was three years old and can probably be fixed with the extra part available on this site (I just get lazy). My furry rat runs on her treadmill the entire night and we do not hear it at all. The wheel bearing gets worn out over time and begins to squeak. WD-40 works or normally it just needs to be tightened. -Alex.
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by Anonymous on March 28, 2019
Truly the best wheel. I wasn't sure if our hedgehog was using it because it is not just quiet, but silent. The surface wipes incredibly easily for cleanup. -Marie-Celine C.
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by Amy on March 17, 2019
We were having trouble with traditional plastic treadmill wheel making so much noise at night we couldn't sleep. Our Syrian hamster had only had it a few months and we purchased a larger one because he grew. This one is so quiet you can barely hear it in the same room let alone down the hall. He enjoys his vigorous night runs and we get to sleep. I'm very happy with it and recommend it to anyone looking for a safe, quiet solution to giving their pet exercise. -Amy B.
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by Anonymous on February 12, 2019
I bought this wheel 2 years ago (on Amazon) and it's as good as the day I bought it (once I order the replacement bearings). We have a pair of chins and wow! do they love this thing and really get going on it. I don't know what I was thinking by owning them for almost a year before buying one of these. Very high quality and worth the price. - Cheryl V.
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by Anonymous on December 2, 2018
My chinchilla has grown enough that he needed to move from the smaller size wheel to the bigger size. Now he can fully extend his legs when he runs. He is crazy about his wheel and uses it frequently. The wheel is fairly quiet and is very solid. -Darla W.
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by Anonymous on November 12, 2018
Quality is great. I got it because I read the other Regular circular ones are bad for rats posture and may cause their tail to curl. They haven’t figured out how to use it yet, but it’s there for when they do -Wendy R.
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by caripaige on November 8, 2018
I saw the price and thought "eeeek!" at first LOL. We have a chinchilla that loves his wheel, but snapped his plastic wheel after a month. I debated if I should spend the extra money and get something sturdier or chance replacing another plastic wheel in a month. I took the chance and ordered this wheel and I'm very happy with it (and so is our chinchilla). It's good quality product, sturdy, and the company was very responsive when I had questions/issues. There are less expensive wheels out there, but if the company doesn't back their product and have good customer service, you could get stuck with a broken piece of junk. I was very pleased with the service I received. -Cari P.
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by Anonymous on September 27, 2018
Quite, and my suggies love it. Solid material. -Ann Y
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by Anonymous on September 24, 2018
Too loud and not precision built. The shaft has too much play with the bearing for quiet operation. -Libby M.
[Seller Response: We're terribly sorry about any issues. Please contact us directly by phone or email to file a claim so that we can help, thank you.}
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by Nanamurdock on September 5, 2018
Chins love it....I love it more! So, so quiet! Definitely a great buy. -Louise M.
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by Anonymous on August 19, 2018
Have had this 14 inch black version for about a week now, and was unsure at first whether the two chillas would figure it out, as the breeder had a vertical 16 inch drum style wheel, but they only took about an hour to starting running their fur off! Only complaint is that the saucer itself was bent on outer 2 inches throwing it a little outta wack, but otherwise fine...just used hands to mostly bend it back, still wobbly, but chinchillas don't notice. -Kelly G. D.
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by Anonymous on August 11, 2018
Got this wheel for my chinchilla after a plastic one broke. This one is much sturdier and my chin loves it! -Darla W.
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by Anonymous on August 9, 2018
Just received my Treadmill Wheel today, got it on sale cheap! Put it in cage and my 4mo old chiny jumped right on it and made himself dizzy just playing, not running. Hilarious! My 3yr old other chiny didn't know what to think, but a mere two hours after dark and they were going ape-shznt running and playing, only took an hour to wear them both out! I think I'll be happy with this, glad I bought extra bearing, as i believe they may burn first one up! -Kelly G. D.
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by Anonymous on August 6, 2018
This wheel might be great for animals that don't "go" while running but mine has done nothing but jam up since I got it. Called the company and they said that these semi-horizontal designs will jam more often if your animal soils them. They sent me a free new batch of bearings, given how fast mine jammed, they must be defective. If you have an animal that doesn't soil the wheel, then, by all means, get this. It is fun to watch. But unless you want to put new bearings every 3-4 months, find something else. Great staff who answer the phone but the manager was a nightmare. -Anonymous
[Seller Response: Bearings are subject to wear-and-tear but replacements will make any old wheel work like new. Product warranty is 60 days, where Exotic Nutrition will provide a complimentary replacement. After warranty expires the customer is responsible for purchasing replacements (2 pack for $2.49).]
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by Anonymous on August 2, 2018
After two weeks in my squirrel cage I finally boxed this 11" wheel up to return. My squirrels didn't like it for some reason. I ordered the the 15" chin-spin to replace it. Hope they like it because they have energy to burn. -Laura B.
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by Anonymous on July 28, 2018
Love it!! My degus immediately started using it when I put it in the cage. Very silent. I got the 14" and have witnessed both degus running on it side by side. Would recommend to anyone. Thank you!! -Meredith S.
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by Anonymous on July 19, 2018
It arrived super fast. The wheel is quite big and makes no noise, I'm really happy with this purchase, thanks! -Anahi P.
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by Anonymous on July 18, 2018
I was buying one of these wheels every few months because they would fall apart. I realized that my two chinchillas ran in opposite directions so put lock washers on the screws and now alternate the wheel between the two chinchilla cages every other day. Haven't had a problem since because one chinchilla unscrews the wheel and the other one tightens it. The last wheel has lasted over a year now. I suggest the company start putting lock washers on all their wheels. Definitely prefer these wheels to the plastic ones or the ones attached to the side of the cages. To keep the wheels from moving all over the cage bottoms, I use apple sticks wedged between the cage bottom wires to keep the wheel in place. -Kathi S.
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by Anonymous on May 13, 2018
Very pleased with my purchase. My chinchillas love their new wheels. Wish I would have bought these sooner. Very quiet and durable for pets that will chew anything plastic. -Lynn S.
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by Anonymous on April 22, 2018
I was a little worried when seeing the price on this wheel but it's such good quality and my chinchilla loves it! He can't knock it over and after breaking two plastic wheels this was definitely worth the money. -Kimberly
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by Anonymous on April 6, 2018
Great saucer for my syrian. This was the 4th wheel/saucer that i have bought. Finally a quiet exerciser. Wish i would of seen this one first and saved a bunch of money. -Donna S
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by Anonymous on April 3, 2018
My syrian hamsters love this! My hamsters run nonstop on them. It's quiet, easy to clean, is durable, and safe for my hamsters. My hamsters are full grown adults (approximately 6" each) and the 11" Treadmill Wheel is perfect for them - no arched backs. I never have to worry about the wheel tilting over, which is a problem with the plastic ones.
I prefer this over the Silent Runner, which we also purchased from Exotic Nutrition. This is a great purchase for syrian hamster owners.
Customer service is also great. We received one Treadmill Wheel with a defective bearing, but customer service scheduled a delivery of a replacement bearing for us immediately. -Hamster Mom
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by Anonymous on April 3, 2018
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by Anonymous on April 3, 2018
I got this for my hedgehog. She loves it. It is very quiet and is easy to clean. -Hedgie Mom
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by Anonymous on March 7, 2018
My chinchilla runs at least 2 hours a day on this saucer (in 5-10 minute increments through the day and night). He is a rescue with aggression issues so he cannot come out of the cage, so this helps him burn off energy. I have another saucer in a different cage that was 3 times as expensive and is noisier than this one. I am totally buying one for each cage once they are in stock again! -Amy
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by Anonymous on February 26, 2018
My chinchilla loves this type of wheel. Much safer than the normal small animal type with the post in the middle and it's so quiet. I've had to tighten the washer a couple times because she uses it so much. And I have to put a small towel under it to keep it from scooting around her play area, but this is totally worth the extra cost for such sturdy construction.
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by Anonymous on January 13, 2018
Just purchased the 14" wheel for my chinchilla. Once she figured out how to use, it has loved it and can't get enough of it. She'd rather run on the wheel than come out of her cage to play.
The wheel is, in fact, virtually silent. What I hadn't accounted for was the fact that the animal running on it may not be silent, but that's no fault of the manufacturer.
I also received excellent service from Exotic Nutrition. The bearings seemed to be off on my wheel, and when I notified the company they sent me replacement bearings. A great investment.
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by jkadmin on January 8, 2018
My chinchilla loves it!
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by Anonymous on January 2, 2018
My long-haired syrian hamster refuses to run on vertical wheels. I've gone through three plastic treadmill wheels from other companies, and they all broke eventually, usually because the axle was plastic. This is the last wheel I've ever had to purchase for three reasons: (1) it is 100% metal construction, which is exceptionally rare for modern pet supplies, (2) it is the largest treadmill wheel on the market, minimizing spine curvature during use, and (3) the company sells replacement parts for very cheap, since nothing mechanical lasts forever. My syrian loves this wheel and runs on it for literally *miles* every night, sometimes she forgets to get off to use her potty ;).
The one negative I've experienced is that the top of the axle is exposed to the surface of the wheel. If your pet plays in sand or dust, it can get into the axle/bearings and ruin them. I recommend covering the bearing with duct tape before that happens.
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by Anonymous on December 29, 2017
Chinchillas..... The wheel is great and quiet, and spins super easily. but my two little lazy mamas have decided it is a swing not an exercise device. They like it, and sit in it, at the bottom and move a leg or tail and it swings back and forth. If it goes around, so do they, and they move to the center to stop it. Then to the bottom and swing again. They seem amused. They seem to be learning how to use it.
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by Anonymous on December 26, 2017
This wheel has been amazing for my two chinchillas! I had one that attached to the side of the cage but it would shake the whole cage. This one doesn't do it as so much. The best part is that BOTH my chinchillas use it. One of them never touched the other wheel but she loves to run on this saucer. They both even try to run on it at the same time! My only compliant is that the wheel turns too easily. When my chinchilla would step on it it would turn instantly and be too fast so it freaked them out. To fix it I tied some fleece around the axle. That was able to slow the wheel down enough for them to start running on it.
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by Anonymous on December 3, 2017
We got this wheel for our 2 year old chinchilla, and she LOVES it. It took her some time to figure it out after being on a traditional wheel for most of her life, but now that she's got the hang of it, she loves to play on it. We love the wheel too; it's durable, easy to clean, and absolutely whisper quiet, no matter how fast she runs. We have the free-standing wheel and have not seen it move from its position or bump against the cage walls or anything like that. Delivery was fast and the product is great quality. We're very please all around. The only complaint is the sticker in the middle was kind of tough to get off, but that was a very very minor issue.
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by Anonymous on November 21, 2017
Got the 11" for our 5 year old hedgehog. She picked it up quickly after using the plastic ones before. Very quiet, faster than the plastic ones and easier to clean. Have only had it for 1 month so not sure about durability yet.
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by Anonymous on November 9, 2017
Fast delivery. Product is sturdy and quiet. It's the perfect size for hedgehogs that weigh 500 g and up. The only drawback is the bearing in the middle of the saucer. It can easily get wet. Perhaps if it was covered with something that's water resistant, the quality would even be better.
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by Anonymous on November 8, 2017
We LOVE LOVE this wheel for our little chinchilla. It is very quiet and even when she uses it at night (which she does a lot) my son says he doesn't usually wake up. We had a plastic one before which broke and was very noisy. Wish we had just gone with this one first. Would highly recommend. Also our chinchilla gained a lot of weight after the plastic wheel broke. It's important they get exercise, this metal wheel looks very durable and should last a long time.
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by Anonymous on October 13, 2017
Got the 11 inch for my Degus but quickly realized it was too small for them and changed it out for the 14 inch. At first it was hilarious when they tried to use it and spun around all over. Now my little brown guy, aptly named Sir Runsalot, never stops running on it and never uses his upright wheel at all! He absolutely loves this thing!
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by Anonymous on September 22, 2017
My chinchilla loves this wheel! He can't chew it to pieces and it is reasonably quiet. Definitely worth the money.
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by Anonymous on September 13, 2017
Chinchillas love it. Good for their backs. Best price on the internet! Quiet, too! Thank you so much!
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by Anonymous on July 16, 2017
Best small animal exercise wheel on the market without question. Dont waste your time or money on the junk plastic ones.
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