i have a wheel in my rat cage but when they run on it it makes an extremely annoying sound. it's especially annoying when i try to sleep b/c the cage is right next to me. do they really need that wheel?
All the other answers sum it up really well. I use a Silent Spinner wheel and it's very quiet. If I'm trying to sleep and it starts to knock around on the side of the cage from aggressive running, I'll take it down for the night, but put it back up immediately when I wake up. For squeaky wheels, olive oil is a safe and effective lubricant.
Wheels are great exercise so you should definitely keep the wheel. I have exactly the same problem with the wheel i have and my rats. I now put the wheel in the cage in the evening and take it out just before i go to bed. You could also try attaching it to the side of the cage - use cable ties to attach the stand to the cage bars. This may stop the wheel rattling but probably wouldn't stop the sound of the rats running. I even once tried to glue a felt strip around the inside of the wheel to stop the sound of their feet. It fell off though. Hope i helped :)
Not all rats will use a wheel, but if they do its fine. Yours seem to be enjoying it =] Wheels really don't make that much noise normally...
This Site Might Help You. RE: Do rats need running wheels? i have a wheel in my rat cage but when they run on it it makes an extremely annoying sound. it's especially annoying when i try to sleep b/c the cage is right next to me. do they really need that wheel?
