question about exercise wheel.

[rutherford]

Just brought my baby home early afternoon yesterday! <3
I have a question about the exercise wheel. A 15" exercise wheel was included in the starter package for this Quality Cage Co. cage I purchased for Rutherford, but I'm wondering if 2-month-old is too young for an exercise wheel?

I figure I'm quite neurotic, as it is my first night with Rutherford, but I discovered him caught between the wheel and the wall of the cage quite high up on the cage. I have no idea how he got there, but it freaked me out! Of course, I immediately moved the wheel over to close the gap. Then I found him catapulting himself from one side of the cage to the other, in an attempt to get to the shelf higher up. But instead of landing on the shelf, he lands on top of the wheel and tumbles down (breaks my heart). So I just put in another shelf for him that will give him access to the other side of the cage, without killing himself in the process.

Can anyone give me any advice about the exercise wheel? Should I take it out? And should I put in ramps, at least while he's young? I can't tell if he's tentative or if the shelves are too high up or something.

Thank you very much!

 

[alli713]

Two month old chins can have a wheel. I've had wheels in with my youngsters with no problems. And when I did have a normally shaped wheel sometimes I would find them squished on the top of it hanging onto the cage, chins are just weird like that, it generally isn't something to be concerned about.

He shouldn't need ramps either, although when they're smaller you may just want to provide more shelves closer together so he doesn't have to jump as far.

 

[Essentia]

I don't recommend wheels until chins are about 6 months of age mainly because they run and run and run. Young chins need their calories to grow.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

I have wheels for all my chins including the youngsters and haven't had any problems. To each his own with this - use what you feel is right with this question.

 

[Essentia]

Exactly like Barb said. Everyone has their own opinion.

I just am going by what I have been told by other breeders in the past. I don't breed so in this instance I have to look to others.

 

[Stackie]

I have had a wheel in with a chin as young as 3 months before and never had any problems with them running too much or anything. They do have a lot of energy so they ran a bit more than my older chins, but it never caused any problems with them.

With youngsters, you have to be a bit careful because they do tend to be a bit more high strung and clumbsy. They do start to learn how to navigate around better after while. I put their ledges closer together until they start to get the hang of their jumping abilities, then start to space them out as they get older. Watch him how he moves about his cage, then make adjustments accordingly...but it sounds like you're already doing so. ) Even older chins who get placed in a new cage are clumbsy at first until they learn the lay out of the shelves and everything else. My older chins are known to mis judge a jump to a ledge if it's new, but once they get to know the new lay out, they do fine. )

 

[rutherford]

Thanks for all the advice and help!
Makes me feel a lot better already...