Why can't my chinchillas seem to figure out their flying saucer wheel?

[XxDailyDreamxX]

Sorry for the double questions, I hope that this is in the right place.

I recently got them a flying saucer for them to run on so I can keep it in their cage at all times without waking up. The "silent wheel" is a piece of crap and wakes me up when they run on it.

Anyway, they just kinda... Sit on it. They don't walk or run. They sit on it for a while, jump, and flip the heck out when it starts spinning after they jumped.

How can I teach them how to use it?

 

[Pikaia]

How long have you had the flying saucer? It can take them a little while to figure it out. If you've had it around a week, just give them a little more time. Some chins catch on quicker than others.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

Is it the metal one or the plastic one that you get at pet stores?

 

[e.murphy518]

I'm not sure if what I did helped or was just a coincidence.... I hung a toy with a bell over the flying saucer. My one chinchilla was brave enough to sit on the flying saucer and play with it/try to chew the wood, he eventually gave up on that and would hop on the wheel and just away back and forth, then one day I had them out for play time and he got excited and ran into the cage, hopped on the wheel and started going!

Also, make sure you only use the metal flying saucer. The plastic ones are dangerous

 

[e.murphy518]

*i meant sway, not away