# Teaching rats to use a wheel?



## erinsweeney (Nov 13, 2014)

I have two girls, perhaps 8 months and 3 months old, and I recently got them a Kaytee 12' silent spinner wheel. Neither of them have ever seen a wheel before and mostly they try to pile bedding in it, move toys into it, etc. I've tried putting them on it and moving it gently to and fro to give them the idea; they definitely can get it to move and everything but once I move away they abandon it. Is there a better way to educate them on how to run on the wheel? Or is it just not their thing?


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## Medilia (Mar 18, 2015)

From what I have learned most rats would rather actually run around then use the wheel. My girls just climb on theirs when it cycles through. Also make sure the wheel is plastic, apparently rats can get their tails and nails stuck in metal ones.


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## erinsweeney (Nov 13, 2014)

That was what I figured. I give them on average 3 hours of free range per night with most of my apartment to run in, i just thought they might like something else to do in their cage. perhaps future generations of mischief can be started younger and learn to enjoy it.


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## Medilia (Mar 18, 2015)

My girls play with one another in the cage. I am watching them chase and wrestle right now.


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## Finnebon (Jul 15, 2013)

I'd liket to know too, I'm having the same issue with my group of three. We just bought them a large wodent wheel. I've seen 2 of them take a few experimental turns in it, but one I haven't seen go near it. I guess it just depends on the rats. I'm sure they've figured it out by now but don't think it's much fun. In my other group of 5, only one girl loves running in the wheel. A couple of the others will sometimes go, but 90% of the time, it's just the one who loves it. I kind of wonder if it's because she's hairless, and her short curly whiskers make her almost blind. But when she's running in the wheel, she can run and run and run without worrying about slamming into anything like she does when she plays in the cage or during free range time. I hope your girls get used to it soon! But I've heard of a lot of rats that use their wheels more often for a bed.


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## erinsweeney (Nov 13, 2014)

I removed the wheel from their cage and I'm trying to get them to use it during free range time, which I do in my living room as it's the largest in the house. I tried putting a dab of yogurt at the top and showing it to her, no dice. I then tried holding the wheel by the stand a few feet off the ground and putting her on it. She ran alright, but then she had no qualms with dropping straight down to the floor! I caught her but I'm not trying that one again. Maybe she just gets enough exercise... I'm going to try the more couch-potato rat, Peaches, on it, but I have more hopes for future generations of rats who I can start on it younger.


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## LilCritter (Feb 25, 2014)

My rats were scared of the wheel I put in at first. I just left it in and eventually they decided it wouldn't try to eat them. Now they run on it in every once in a while.


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## Mojojuju (Nov 15, 2014)

My vet said that Jack (Pictured in my profile eating) needed to lose weight. So we bought a wheel with money the students raised. They're very irritated he isn't using it. I might try the hold-the-wheel-off-the-ground method as long as I have the wheel over a couch. We'll see. I wired it into the side of the cage, but all four boys are ignoring it, pretty much. Grr.


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