Why Don't they use there wheel

[Sjane]

I have 2 female rats and I have always had a wheel in there cage and they have never used it.First I thought it was to small so I bought the biggest one in the pet store and they still dont use it. I bring them out for a hour a day but that doesnt seem to be enough because lets face the facts, they are fat.

 

[temblabamomo]

Some rats just aren't wheel rats. You may consider a number of things though before completely giving up hope - does their current wheel make a lot of noise when it spins? Some rats may dislike or even be frightened by the sound. It is plastic, or mesh? Some rats may not care for the feeling of a mesh wire type wheel on their feet.

Some other ways to help your girls get some exercise might be trying out cat feather-on-a-string toys - they may enjoy chasing it (my kids sure do!) and get some exercise in that way.

 

[Godmother]

Some rats just don't have an interest in the wheel. You may find that your next ones love it, especially if you get young ones at some point. The young ones can keep the wheels spinning all night! Sometimes a rat can learn about the wheel from another cage mate, but most of mine were firmly in the wheeler or non-wheeler camp.

 

[Sjane]

My wheel is plastic and makes no sound they just are not interested. The cat toy is a good idea and I think ill try that.

 

[M0onkist]

Or anything with feathers - even just a craft feather, the kind you can buy in bags of fifty that have been dyed all sorts of colors.

For some reason, rats go NUTS for feathers - you can tickle along the cage, and they'll run pell-mell from one end to the other and then back, all to catch that darned feather.

Some rats just really aren't wheel-rats. None of mine have ever shown much (if any) interest in wheels, regardless of how nice and soundless they are.

 

[jorats]

Do you know what size is the wheel?
The wheel is a hit or miss with rats. Right now, out of my 10 rats, only 2 will use it and even then, I'm sure one of the boys will out grow it.

 

[Sjane]

I dont know what size it is but it is the biggest wheel you can buy at the pet store.

 

[jennifervb]

I dont know what size it is but it is the biggest wheel you can buy at the pet store.

All 6 of my boys hated the wheel and never set foot in it.

I ended up giving the wheel to a girlfriend and her 2 girls LOVED it!

It completely depends on the rat's character. None of my rats would touch a wheel and the one I got them was the best on the market. :roll:

 

[hopefloats]

The only rats that use a wheel in my house is the ones that had it as a baby. Rats do like to play with bubbles so if you need exercise blow bubbles at them lol it will give you a good laugh.