An "expert" told me wheels are bad, and exercise?
- Thread starter bunnyeos3
- Start date
Help Support Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum:
Could be a troll, but could also be a misinformed person, or more likely a breeder/fur farmer if they say they are an "expert".
There is a little bit of truth in that most wheels sold "for chinchillas" in pet stores are bad since they are not chin safe. However the reason they aren't safe because they are too small and made of plastic or metal with mesh or bars, not because exercise is bad for their heart. Unless your chin has a heart problem, or are very young (under about 6 months), exercise in the form of playtime and/or proper chin safe wheels is not bad for them and can be good for them physically and mentally.
However there are risks even with chin safe ones, some chins do over do it on wheels so you do need to keep an eye on them and if you notice things like them losing weight or running until they fall over then a wheel may not be safe for your specific chin. Also wheels are not required, depending on the size of the cage you have and how much playtime out of the cage they get, and not all chins even will use wheels. Chins are not like some other rodents like hamsters that actually need to run miles everyday for their metal and physical health. I think of them like a swing set of a kid, it can be a fun thing to have and most love them, but there are pros and cons to consider.
It tends to be large scale breeders and fur farmers that say chins don't need any exercise. My guess is they are trying to make themselves not look bad for keeping chins in tiny cages and never taking them out of a cage. They argue that their chins have lived their whole lives with no exercise so that is proof it's not required.
There is a little bit of truth in that most wheels sold "for chinchillas" in pet stores are bad since they are not chin safe. However the reason they aren't safe because they are too small and made of plastic or metal with mesh or bars, not because exercise is bad for their heart. Unless your chin has a heart problem, or are very young (under about 6 months), exercise in the form of playtime and/or proper chin safe wheels is not bad for them and can be good for them physically and mentally.
However there are risks even with chin safe ones, some chins do over do it on wheels so you do need to keep an eye on them and if you notice things like them losing weight or running until they fall over then a wheel may not be safe for your specific chin. Also wheels are not required, depending on the size of the cage you have and how much playtime out of the cage they get, and not all chins even will use wheels. Chins are not like some other rodents like hamsters that actually need to run miles everyday for their metal and physical health. I think of them like a swing set of a kid, it can be a fun thing to have and most love them, but there are pros and cons to consider.
It tends to be large scale breeders and fur farmers that say chins don't need any exercise. My guess is they are trying to make themselves not look bad for keeping chins in tiny cages and never taking them out of a cage. They argue that their chins have lived their whole lives with no exercise so that is proof it's not required.
Spoof
Kung Fu Chinny!
Actually it's due to the number of seizures and deaths combined with the modern junk-filled diet. There are two main issues - the seizing caused by low or volatile blood sugars after a sprint in the young and compromised and those that do it as an anxiety trigger. Wheels are fine for normal chins on a regular plain diet. I honestly don't care what anyone thinks of my caging, it's that way it is to keep them alive. Chinchillas just love to find random ways to injure and kill themselves, particularly newborns. I don't have a stance on wheels and leave it up to prospective owners to choose if they use one or not. I haven't noticed much of a difference in my chins that do or don't unless the wheel is so small it causes spinal damage.
Alas, there are no fur farmers left, the only reason being the last processor in the US (Sullivan) died about 8 years ago, and Brent Poley of Canchilla just passed not too long ago. End of an era, but also the end of anything quality. You should see the number of chins coming in now with crazy health issues as they are from pet-mill situations or overseas.
Unfortunately people still breed chinchillas on a large scale for fur (as well as lab use and pet trade), even if it's true that all the ones in the US have died the US isn't the only place in the world that bred, or still do breed, them specifically for fur. I've noticed it's hard for people in the US to comprehend but US is not the only place in the world with internet, meaning the person on reddit could have or work in a large scale breeding mill (could be for pet, lab use, and/or fur) or stictly a fur farm, even if it's not the in US.
Mel
Member
Sadly there is a chinchilla fur farm in my province here in BC Canada. Wolf fur is also used here in my country and lots of fox and mink farms.
doublechins
Member
my chin loves his wheel, never had any heart issues
