# Mesh wheel, or no?



## LoveWithRats (Jun 27, 2016)

I just wanted to create a quick post seeing what you guys thing about mesh wheels. I personally have no problems with mesh wheels, I have never seen any injuries despite despite common belief.


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## Love My Rats (Sep 3, 2015)

never used one I have a woodent wheel for my girls


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## Love My Rats (Sep 3, 2015)

heres where I ordered my wheel from
http://mainelyratrescue.org/store/


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

I am against them as I have said before. 

I do not feel it is a good surface for them to run on. A wire shelf that they are simply walking on is quite different then running on a wheel. That is going to be alot of continuous pressure on the feet.

I have seen quite a few cases where rats slip and have injured their foot using those wheels. Rats can sometimes run quite fast on their wheel and it is easy to misstep and have their foot or toes go through the bars or the mesh. Kindof like if you are walking and misstep and twist your ankle. It doesn't feel pleasant at all. And depending on how the fall can be quite serious. 

IMO a wheel with a solid floor is much better. Something like the silent spinner, wodent or comfort wheel types.


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## thelmaandlouise (Jun 7, 2016)

I wouldn't want my rats running on a mesh wheel. Even if there's no chance of injury (which there very well is), it just doesn't look comfortable to run on. It seems like they have to calculate every step just so they don't let their little feet slip through one of the holes.


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## peace (Jun 26, 2015)

I have a silent spinner. Haven't personally seen any injuries, but the thought of a tail or toe getting stuck is enough for me.


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## Ratloved (Oct 4, 2015)

All of my rats cages have silent spinners. They seem to like the mesh ones, especially the younger ones, because I think they can go faster on. (I inherited one from somewhere????). However, I just don't trust that one of my rats won't get hurt on them so........silent spinners.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Not all mesh wheels are created equal. The ones with a transverse bar are not good as a rat can pinch its tail on them. I have used attic magnum wheels since day 1 and I have 3 of them now; I never had any issues with them. If your rats pee and poop while using their wheel, a solid surface is worse for their feet and your rat's hygiene. Looking at my wheels, I don't see how an accident could happen with a stuck toe...maybe if you don't keep your rats' nails short enough...I NEVER read about anyone having any problem with a mesh wheel here or on other forums so if they really were dangerous, there should be many cases a week as many people are using them. Plus my rats refuse to use their wodent wheel or the silent spiner anyway.


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## Ratloved (Oct 4, 2015)

I have seen those, but I have never known anyone who has one. Weren't they originally for chinchilla? How much are they? Kinda spendy?


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Ratloved said:


> I have seen those, but I have never known anyone who has one. Weren't they originally for chinchilla? How much are they? Kinda spendy?


Maybe, not sure. They have a version where the mesh is plastic but some rats chewed through it, so they created the magnum just for rats. It is metal covered in plastic. It is flexible a bit, not like the wheels that are in hard metal if that makes any sense. I have plastic screws and fasteners that I use to attach some sand paper under it, so the nails get filed when my rats run on it when needed.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

The attic wheel is about $55 with shipping I believe.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

> If your rats pee and poop while using their wheel, a solid surface is worse for their feet and your rat's hygiene.


I think it depends on the rats. I have ALOT of rats lol and none of them go potty in their wheel very much at all. If so it is super easy to wipe down.

Most mesh wheels will not help with that though. If the mesh is small enough to prevent feet from going through it will likely be able to trap some poos & I've seen the wheels with poop smushed all through the mesh, which makes it harder to clean for sure. But pee is still going to cover the mesh. It won't be able to puddle in the solid surface of the wheel as the wheel is moving. Both can be covered in pee, but the surface of the mesh wheel IMO makes running on it worse to me.

And even if nothing has ever happened to someone to cause concern, doesn't mean it is not possible or even risky. 



> I NEVER read about anyone having any problem with a mesh wheel here or on other forums so if they really were dangerous, there should be many cases a week as many people are using them


Not a huge number of people use wheels at all, and even less use non solid types. 

I have seen quite a few injuries. So it is definitely possible.

But yes not all wheels are the same, perhaps some are less prone to injury than others. Everyone has to make up their own choice on the safety. But I don't think it is good to purely dismiss concerns either.


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## LoveWithRats (Jun 27, 2016)

LoveWithRats said:


> I just wanted to create a quick post seeing what you guys thing about mesh wheels. I personally have no problems with mesh wheels, I have never seen any injuries despite despite common belief.


Post update- Does anyone know where I can buy a cheap wheel in the US for under $20? If the store has free shipping I can order more stuff too


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Love My Rats said:


> heres where I ordered my wheel from
> http://mainelyratrescue.org/store/


You've made me infinitely happy. Thanks for ordering from MRR.


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## thelmaandlouise (Jun 7, 2016)

I ordered my wheel from drs. foster and smith website. The 12 inch silent spinner is $18.39 right now. That's before shipping, though. If you spend $49 or more, that's when you get free shipping. 

And I still have my mind set on mesh wheels. If someone said the slide at a children's park is very wobbly and could probably break, although it hasn't yet, you wouldn't risk your child's safety just because it hasn't broke yet, would you? Just my view on the subject. And I thought the reason people covered up mesh shelves in cages was because when the rats went to the bathroom on it, it got stuck in the mesh and could eventually cause bumblefoot because of the filth?


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

There are no scientific or even well reported reasons no to use mesh wheels, except those awful ones in metal with a transverse bar. I have no idea how good mesh wheels came to be advise against. In all the time I read rat forums, I can't remember 1 case of a rat who got injured on a mesh wheel. Covering shelves is unnecessary too as bumble feet are due to obesity and a dirty cage, not a clean cage with wire shelves! That being said, if your rats prefer a flat surface wheel, be happy because it would be quicker to clean. My rats only use attic magnum wheels, they refuse to use the silent spinner or wodent wheels. Keep your rat nails reasonable short and a GOOD mesh wheel won't hurt them.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

It is fine that you don't want/like mesh wheels. I really don't care. I wouldn't want someone to deprive their rats from a good mesh wheel if mesh wheels are the only ones their rats would use. Not providing a good safe mesh wheel would be a mistake in that case. Especially since there are no proof that rats get hurt on mesh wheels, again I never read anything like that ever on rat forums. I bet that if it happens, it is because of too long nails.


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## Dylan (Jun 12, 2016)

I have used mesh wheels for 6 years and no injuries so far.


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## LoveWithRats (Jun 27, 2016)

For all wondering: I still use it the wheel as of the time of this post, but my rats have never used it ONCE! So I took it out of the cage.


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