Also interested in building a wheel

[missjess10475]

Wasn't sure if people who had already posted on the thread below me would go back and see this. If someone could send me those instructions, that would be great! I've been debating on buying grape escape wheels, but I need 2 so that's mighty pricy!! Thanks!

 

[mistywaterwoman]

I can send you the same instructions I just sent the other person who asked, but the wheel is not going to be NEARLY as nice as any you could buy.
BTW I am not a fan of the Silver Surfer or the Grape Escape - I feel they are not wide enough and come up a little short in diameter as well.

The only two I ever actually recommend are the Chin Spin and the Flying Saucer.

 

[menagerie]

BTW I am not a fan of the Silver Surfer or the Grape Escape - I feel they are not wide enough and come up a little short in diameter as well.

Have you actually used either of these wheels? I have 4 of the 16" silver Silver Surfers and 1 pink 14" Silver Surfer. Even my biggest chin doesn't have an issue with running on them.

 

[missjess10475]

I have a flying saucer. Not the $75 metal one, but the plactic one I got at Petsmart. My chins actually like that saucer, but it a) takes up so much room, and b) i have baby chins in the cage too (2 mos old) and they like to hide behind it. I was worried my older chin would start running on it and one of the babies would be behind it. Don't want them to get hurt!

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

They wheel you guys are talking about making, is it like the one Forchinate Chins makes?

 

[RDZCRanch]

I have a flying saucer. Not the $75 metal one, but the plactic one I got at Petsmart. My chins actually like that saucer, but it a) takes up so much room, and b) i have baby chins in the cage too (2 mos old) and they like to hide behind it. I was worried my older chin would start running on it and one of the babies would be behind it. Don't want them to get hurt!

The plastic wheels are not safe for chinchillas. I have actually heard of chinchillas running so hard they break it (chinchillas have very strong hind legs). NO wheel should ever be in a cage with babies. Babies like to squish themselves into small space (behind or under the wheel) and the parents will run on the wheel and kill them, not hurt, but kill.

As for the silver surfer, the running surface is not a whole lot smaller than the Leo Braun as far as I can tell and the Leo is the best chin wheel I've ever come across. Sad that he's not around to make more, but those of us with Leo's or able to get our hands on Leo's don't hesitate to use them.

 

[Essentia]

No, these.

http://www.chinchillas.com/estore/detail.aspx?ID=171

 

[mistywaterwoman]

Have you actually used either of these wheels? I have 4 of the 16" silver Silver Surfers and 1 pink 14" Silver Surfer. Even my biggest chin doesn't have an issue with running on them.

Nope, but I had a "homemade" wheel from Carise and Tami used to miss her step and fall off it a lot, since it was only 4" wide.
She has done much better on the Chin Spin, which is 6.25" wide.

 

[mistywaterwoman]

They wheel you guys are talking about making, is it like the one Forchinate Chins makes?

Yep, almost exactly.

 

[Ash]

Carise's wheel also looks like it has a slant to it, whereas the Surfer wheels look pretty well flat surfaced.

 

[addictedtochins]

I have the COOLest homemade wheel, The 16 inch drum is something I found new in a thrift store as part of a industrial vacuum. I just hammered a 16in round plywood in the back and used garage door bearings to spin. But unfortunately it's too heavy for the chins. I am going to keep it for when I get a raccoon or a skunk, I bet they could get it going. If anyone has a use for it I will sell it though

 

[Essentia]

Yep, almost exactly.

Honestly, it's nothing like the wheel that Forchinate Chins makes. While I don't own one of the Silver Surfers, I have seen them in action. The reason the FC wheel doesn't work well is because of the pan they use, not because it's only 4in wide. It slopes downward causing the chin to constantly fight gravity while running, which causes the slips. I was watching an 860g chin run on the Silver Surfer without slipping off at all, yet my 500g chin used to slip off the FC wheel all the time.

 

[menagerie]

Nope, but I had a "homemade" wheel from Carise and Tami used to miss her step and fall off it a lot, since it was only 4" wide.
She has done much better on the Chin Spin, which is 6.25" wide.

These are two totally different wheels. Nothing alike. I had some of the Carise wheels and the chins weren't really happy with them. Like I said, my biggest chins have no issues with the Silver Surfer.