Age for a wheel.

[devonmariexoxo]

How old does a chin need to be before it can use a wheel in its cage? I've seen they aren't good for kits, but at what age can they use one?

 

[Shooper]

Rule of thumb seems to be 6 months for a lot of things. No treats, no wheel and no running loose playtime until they hit 6 months.

 

[Andrea]

I would actually wait till 8 months to a year to allow the kit to grow. If you put the wheel in too early, it can stunt growth. Some chins can actually not have wheels at all because they overuse it and weight/size problems result. Keep a close eye on your chin once you introduce the wheel.

 

[Spoof]

I introduce the babies I to a wheel in a baby colony cage as soon as they are weaned. This allows them to get used to having one under my supervision if they are sold to new homes. Otherwise it keeps them busy. Some run, some don't.

I have never seen a wheel stunt a chin's growth or cause any adverse side effects. I would like to know where this came from and see the proof.

If the parents are big and fat, I still end up with equal sized big fat chins, wheel or no.

 

[Snickers]

All of my cages have wheels even the maternity ones. With the maternity cages I have a piece of wood behind them and make sure that they can't move. When the kits are 2 months old I removed the piece of wood on a temporary basis. When they are 3 months old the piece of wood is removed permanently.

I don't think it stunts their growth.

 

[mistywaterwoman]

I want to know where the "no playtime until 6 months old" came in. In almost 7 years of cruising the forums and talking to experienced breeders, that is a new one on me.
:hmm:
LIMIT their playtime, yes, because babies are dumb and they might overdo it. 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the evening, and that works out great. But to keep a chin locked up for 6 months is just cruel.

 

[onyx79]

I want to know where the "no playtime until 6 months old" came in. In almost 7 years of cruising the forums and talking to experienced breeders, that is a new one on me.
:hmm:
LIMIT their playtime, yes, because babies are dumb and they might overdo it. 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the evening, and that works out great. But to keep a chin locked up for 6 months is just cruel.

i totally agree with you. here everyone sais no playtime but i still take her out of her cage for about 10 minutes a day.

 

[Andrea]

Let me clarify. A wheel can cause weight loss and even extreme weight loss in chins who overuse it. In babies it can be detrimental because they need calories to retain so they can grow. Not ALL chins will have a problem with weight loss, but some will & so you need to keep an eye on your chins/weigh them periodically. I have one chin who is almost two years old and she still only hovers around 500g. I sometimes wonder if she would be larger without the wheel, however, she is pretty mutated (violet wrap) so that could also contribute to smaller size. For pet owners, it's not as big a deal...but for breeders, I know several who do not use wheels for this very reason. I hope that makes sense. In the end, it is an individual choice. Good luck!