I have heard by many that they are dangerous! I had one and I tossed it in the trash not because my gliders got injured but it was a pain to clean and it looked nasty. I have all Fast Track wheels and they are amazing. You can contact GC member Dallie. She has great products and awesome customer service. There are other wheels that are self as well.
The wodent can be dangerous due to the bar in the middle of them. I have heard of gliders getting their tail hung and I have also heard of injuries due to the wheel falling over on the gliders.
I have heard by many that they are dangerous! I had one and I tossed it in the trash not because my gliders got injured but it was a pain to clean and it looked nasty. I have all Fast Track wheels and they are amazing. You can contact GC member Dallie. She has great products and awesome customer service. There are other wheels that are self as well.
The wodent can be dangerous due to the bar in the middle of them. I have heard of gliders getting their tail hung and I have also heard of injuries due to the wheel falling over on the gliders.
In my opinion having a Wodent Wheel is not worth the risk. I also have a Fast Track, they're the best!
YES! Tails get stuck on the spindle. The spindle gets sticky causing that to happen, even a spindle guard gets sticky. Some will say put vegetable oil on it because its noisy, then you have oily tails, :(It is not worth the risk for me.
Yes, Wodent wheels are known to have caused several tail injuries to gliders, from broken tails to degloved tails. And yes, they have come up with an insert to try to improve the safety of the wheel.
However, I personally still do not recommend them. The old style is dangerous. Both the old and new style do not allow the natural movement of a glider. When a glider runs in the wheel, they jump across it. Any wheel with a center bar inhibits that movement. I prefer my wheels to have a completely open center for them to move in what ever fashion they desire.
Shelly
Don't sacrifice quality information for convenient information.
Is it safe to allow *any* glider to jump across or ride around on the outside of the wheel? Or is it just some gliders who learn how to do it in a way that does not injure them?
Guess we will find out about the overall safety of the newer wheels when the general owner population buys as many of them as there are wodent wheels in the glider community (100,000+).
On these newer wheels, make sure your stand is high enough so a glider riding around on the outside of the wheel does not get slammed into the cage floor, toys, or another glider. The more gliders you have in the cage, the higher the risk of this kind of accident.
So you saying that the Wodent has an additional safety issue? When I used them, gliders would stick their heads out of the holes in the front. Since the stand holds the wheel closer to the ground than the other wheels do (and can't be adjusted at all), this is an unsafe feature that I hadn't thought of before. Gliders could very easily smack their heads on the floor of the cage when the wheel spins - and with the low clearance, it would increase the risk of injury if another glider was walking near or below the wheel.
Shelly
Don't sacrifice quality information for convenient information.
Is it safe to allow *any* glider to jump across or ride around on the outside of the wheel?
Guess we will find out about the overall safety of the newer wheels when the general owner population buys as many of them as there are wodent wheels in the glider community (100,000+).
Unfortunately, there will never be that many of the "safer" wheels out there due to cost. The Wodent is quite a bit cheaper than the safe wheels. Many glider owners figure it is affordable and better than no wheel at all.
I had a glider who had his tail amputated, twice, because of a Wodent wheel before he came to live with me. I will never recommend this wheel.
I don't believe we "allow" our gliders to leap and run on the outside of the wheel... they just do! How many reports of injuries or death have been attributed to running on the outside of a wheel? How many gliders have lost their tails because of a Wodent?
Regarding riding on the outside of the wheel, that can't be done on a wodent. As I said in the post, this is an issue with the newer mesh track wheels where a glider can grip from the outside.
The de-gloving of tails is an old issue. It was rare compared with the number of wheels in service (20? on 100,000 wheels), but to prevent any mishaps no matter what the condition of the wheel, the inner track was introduced. No incidents have been reported using the new axle cover, in service over a year.
Last time this was discussed in detail, there were 2 injuries so far attributed to the new mesh track wheels. Based on a guess of 2000 mesh track wheels out there, that means these new wheels have a higher accident rate than wodent wheel ever did before the new inner track was added.
I know people don't care about "the math" of accident rates, they like to count total incidents and compare. But in the real world, the definition of "safe" is directly related to the number of items in use and time exposed to potential for accident. The mesh wheels have not been around that long, so their record could get better or worse.
I'm not saying wodent wheels are "better", there are a lot of reasons you might want a different wheel. But to say they are "more dangerous" cannot be supported by the facts we have at this time - and especially since the wheel has now been modified so the majority of accidents reported over the past 12 years can no longer occur.
If you need to bash wodent wheels - and I know some people do - how about at least saying "they used to be dangerous" or "if you have an old one they are more dangerous"? Those statements would be closer to the truth.
Now go ahead, bring on the "I still won't recommend the wodent wheel because..." posts if they make you feel better!
Regarding riding on the outside of the wheel, that can't be done on a wodent. As I said in the post, this is an issue with the newer mesh track wheels where a glider can grip from the outside. Why exactly did you bring this up then, considering the OP's question? Possibly to "bash mesh track wheels"?
... so the majority of accidents reported over the past 12 years can no longer occur. Have all of the old style wheels been recalled? Has Transoniq offered to pay vet bills for those gliders injured by their product? Have ALL distributors replaced their inventory with the new "safer" axle cover?
I, unlike you, do not make wheels or have any financial interest in any of the wheels. I can only respond to the OP's question based upon unbiased experience. BTW, comments in this post do not make me feel better at all. They only make me sad.
Gena, I hope you have gotten an answer to your question. To many of us, it is just not worth the risk. No one has even mentioned the wire cotter pin on the front of the Wodent yet. You have gotten suggestions for several "safe" wheels. I don't believe you will disappointed with any of them!
Based on a guess of 2000 mesh track wheels out there
I would like to know where you came up with this number?? I would take a bet that there are MANY more than just 2000 mesh track wheels out there. The wodent wheel is not the only one sold Globally.
The de-gloving of tails is an old issue. It was rare compared with the number of wheels in service (20? on 100,000 wheels), but to prevent any mishaps no matter what the condition of the wheel, the inner track was introduced. No incidents have been reported using the new axle cover, in service over a year.
Thanks Peggy, I've read it before and it's a great example of how "themes" get started on discussion groups.
There is nothing in this thread that points to the wodent wheel as the cause. Someone asks if there is hair on the axle and there's no reply. Nobody bothers to ask if there is a proper axle cover. So then, despite this lack of info, folks jump to the conclusion the wheel is at fault because it fits a theme everybody likes to repeat.
The last time we went through an inquiry where someone claimed a tail injury "even though there was an axle cover", it ended up the person was using a piece of PVC pipe to cover the axle, which makes tail pinching more likely.
This is how an idea like "wodent wheels are more dangerous than other wheels" turns into an idea that keeps getting repeated. It's so much easier to just jump to a conclusion than try to verify what actually happened, don't ya think?
It gets repeated simply because there are more known injuries with a wodent wheel than any of the others. And please don't give me numbers because you truly don't know how many of the other wheels are in use, making your math simply a guess not fact.
If the points you are making about the mesh wheels were such a high risk, over the past several years these wheels have been in use, we'd have seen more of these types of injuries ~ but we haven't.
Again- this post is about the Wodent Wheel, not the mesh wheels. If you'd like to discuss the potential issues of mesh wheels, please feel free to start your own thread.
Originally Posted By: Rule 3
Please keep posts closely related to the topic. If the topic sparks another thought for discussion, please open a new thread. Post messages in the most appropriate forum. Please refrain from posting the same message in more than one forum. Only one of those messages will remain posted. Do not be offended if moderators move your thread to a forum that fits your topic. In a large forum like ours, this kind of housekeeping is necessary. It is not personal. Please do not use excessive CAPS or bold lettering. It makes your message very hard to read and implies you are shouting.
Shelly
Don't sacrifice quality information for convenient information.
It gets repeated simply because there are more known injuries with a wodent wheel than any of the others. And please don't give me numbers because you truly don't know how many of the other wheels are in use, making your math simply a guess not fact.
If the points you are making about the mesh wheels were such a high risk, over the past several years these wheels have been in use, we'd have seen more of these types of injuries ~ but we haven't.
Again- this post is about the Wodent Wheel, not the mesh wheels. If you'd like to discuss the potential issues of mesh wheels, please feel free to start your own thread.
Originally Posted By: Rule 3
Please keep posts closely related to the topic. If the topic sparks another thought for discussion, please open a new thread. Post messages in the most appropriate forum. Please refrain from posting the same message in more than one forum. Only one of those messages will remain posted. Do not be offended if moderators move your thread to a forum that fits your topic. In a large forum like ours, this kind of housekeeping is necessary. It is not personal. Please do not use excessive CAPS or bold lettering. It makes your message very hard to read and implies you are shouting.
Firstly, Very well said, I'm so glad you posted this.
Secondly, to OP, the actual answer to your question (Are Wodent wheels dangerous?) would be basically yes & no. Although in it's self is not a dangerous wheel for many small pets, it is not designed properly for sugar gliders which have long fluffy tails. So for sugar gliders it poses risks to their long fluffy tails, and that would be why many people feel they are dangerous. Now, these wheel pose no danger to other small pets, as far as I know of and would be or should be perfectly safe for other small critters that fit appropriately in the sizes available, especially those that cannot or should not use mesh tracks.
The other issue with Wodent wheels that was briefly brought up is the cotter pin. It's located on the front of the wheel, and it is what holds the wheel together. There are known injuries where a gliders have gotten their patagiums caught on the metal pin and ripped it completely open.
Shelly
Don't sacrifice quality information for convenient information.
With all due respect, the discussion started with this question: "Is a wodent wheel dangerous?"
"Dangerous" is a comparison; dangerous compered to what? How can the topic be discussed without bringing up the safety of other wheels?
Regarding my number of the other wheels sold being a guess, of course it is, because the makers of those wheels have not come forward and said how many they have sold. Seems like a fair guess to me, but if folks are really interested in a factual answer to the question of wheel safety, as opposed to just repeating a chant, why doesn't a Moderator JUST ASK the makers of the other wheels how many they have sold?
On using total incidents to measure "safety", safety is measured in accidents per item in use, not total incidents, it's the "chance" of an accident happening. For example:
The "danger" of any one person breaking their cell phone by dropping it is the same today as it was 5 years ago, but the **number** of these accidents that happen every year is huge compared to what it was 5 years ago.
If someone asks the question: "Have there been more total accidents on wodent wheels than all other wheels?" the community can answer yes, because that is true, across the 100,000 wheels sold in the glider community over 12 years.
If someone asks if the wodent wheel is more *dangerous* than other wheels, that's a different question, because what they are asking is "What is the chance a glider will be injured using a wodent wheel versus other wheels?
That answer depends on how many wheels are in use and for how long, because the chance of an accident happening increases with more hours of use - as with cell phone example above. Counting total incidents does not tell us about the chance of an injury.
Another example: the chance of injury on a wodent wheel was extremely rare until THIS community can up with idea of putting a PVC pipe over the axle. When the number of these "covers" in use by this community started to get pretty large, the number of accidents **in this community** started to increase substantially.
Meanwhile, among wodent wheel owners who did *not* use this PVC pipe axle cover (which we warned not to use in 2007), accidents remained extremely rare.
Perhaps someone in the community could ask the makers of the other wheels how many they have sold, since they have not come forward? Then we could get closer to creating a real safety record, as opposed to counting incidents, which does not tell you if a wheel is more dangerous or not!
Perhaps someone in the community could ask the makers of the other wheels how many they have sold, since they have not come forward? Then we could get closer to creating a real safety record, as opposed to counting incidents, which does not tell you if a wheel is more dangerous or not!
And if the makers of the mesh wire wheels come forward, does this mean the maker of the wodent wheel are going to produce the exact number of wheels that were sold for gliders?
I mean arent they all just guesses? Nobody knows exactly how many were sold just for sugar gliders.
What we DO have though is folks that have had to take their gliders to the vet because of tail issues and the thing they have in common is the wodent wheel, which in many cases hair from a gliders tail can be seen.
One thing you are correct in Jimbo, we hear about it in within 'this community', which in actuality is a very SMALL population of the sugar glider owners out there. Makes one wonder how many times we do NOT hear of the wodent wheel accidents because they are not members.
First, it is not a Mod's (nor GliderCENTRAL's) responsibility to ask any wheel maker how many wheels they have sold. If they would like to divulge the private aspects of their business, that is their decision and not my place to ask them (I say "my" because I am assuming that you are referring to me).
Second,
Originally Posted By: jimbo
the chance of injury on a wodent wheel was extremely rare until THIS community can up with idea of putting a PVC pipe over the axle.
Had there not been the tail injuries there were, or had the manufacture issued warnings, then maybe no one would have suggested any modifications to the product. Speaking of modifications, can you remind me what the "part" was that was being provided by the manufacturer prior to this large insert?
Third, "dangerous" is not a comparison. The definition of dangerous is (from dictionary.com)
Quote:
1. full of danger or risk; causing danger; perilous; risky; hazardous; unsafe.
2. able or likely to cause physical injury: a dangerous criminal.
So the opinion is the wodent wheel IS dangerous because it is risky and has caused physical injury.
Look, we are never going to agree on this. You obviously see them as a safe wheel alternative, I don't. The OP asked for opinions, and that is what we are offering.
Shelly
Don't sacrifice quality information for convenient information.
I will say this! Gena my breeder suggested a wodent wheel. But after much research I did ON MY OWN outside if this community I found several issues that made me uncomfortable!!!!
With that being said I bought a Raptor they offer an economical wheel that is much closer to the price of wodent wheels. I personally believe they are safer.
I'm not going to sit around and argue with jimbo. But gliders glide so when they run in wheel they like to jump as if they are gliding they cannot do this on a wodent wheel and let's just say wodent wheels are made for rodents (its in the name one letter didn't fool me) and a sugar glider is not a wodent I mean rodent just my two cents!!!!
Last edited by tab; 09/30/1202:15 PM.
Mama to: Crackers, Rocky, Linus Olive Nugget WinnieFred my poodle , and the dachshunds Hemi, Zach, Piper, Vera, Cupcake, Penny, Faith I'm not lucky I'm blessed!
Well put, tab Very nicely said. Gena, I do think you've gotten good opinions and I think you'll also see that the overwhelming response is that the Wodent wheels are NOT the safest wheel for your gliders and that there are much better alternatives out there. They may be cheaper at the onset, but they certainly won't be if you've got to make a vet visit for a tail injury.
Take a look at the Stealth, Fast Track, Custom Cruiser (make sure your cage doors are large enough for a Cruiser) or the Raptor wheels. Definitely worth it.
Mama to: Crackers, Rocky, Linus Olive Nugget WinnieFred my poodle , and the dachshunds Hemi, Zach, Piper, Vera, Cupcake, Penny, Faith I'm not lucky I'm blessed!
Well Jimbo, I haven't seen any post from you that screamed, "your affecting my sales" louder than this thread.. you asked about us stepping forward.. why don't you take the lead.. set an example.. I know you haven't sold 200,000 wheels, maybe Eric but not you, therefore you are only speculating what another person's business is doing..That is including ours.
just to clear up some of your misconceptions.. as for riding the outside of the wheel on a mesh wheel.. yes the gliders that use the mesh wheel have that opportunity to utilize the whole wheel.. not just the 1 and 7/8 inch running track so they are herded like cattle, not to allow any flexibility in shifts as they run, with the protection on, we are seeing more hair losses on their back from rubbing the huge insert. at least before they could jump up on the bar to rest if they got ahead of themselves, now they can not. what have they to grab on to to ride it around? nothing , now they get flung on a solid track, at the mercy of the spin. Now it is near impossible for more than 1 glider to run in the wodent at a time.. where does the urine and the feces go? inside of the wheel with no way to escape, so it sits inside, and gets flung with the glider.
Since you know little to nothing about the cruiser, let me tell you, so you don't make the same mistakes again. The cruiser was designed to sit a minimum of 6 inches off the floor of the cage, just for the reasons you stated, there is a video if you care to watch it, that will show a glider under the cruiser with plenty of headroom while another is in the wheel. you will also see that the glider is not force to only make the movements that you think they should make, the concept behind the cruiser is not designed to be free spinning but a wheel they must pull to use (much like climbing a tree) and flipping around on tree branches, a wheel that is very difficult to get into repetitive movements. A wheel where the glider chooses which movements to make and when they wish to make them, they can ride the outside rim, they can ride the outside of the mesh, or they can choose to run inside. it is an exercise wheel, not just something that spins if you blow on it. not something they can just walk in to make it go.
I used the wodents, for more years than you have been involved with gliders, I lost one because she stuck her head out and hit a nearby branch while the cage mate ran in it, (which is how 2 or more ride the wodents). as a rescue home, I have had many a glider with tail injuries, you wouldn't believe how many wodents I have gone through because the washer come out, how many cotter pins catch the patagium, how many injuries that are because of a dirty axle, and I have suggested (long before eric decided to put the "guards" on,) to use pipe or something around the axle. I still offer suggestions to those that just want to throw their wheels away. although I think it is a good idea, I still try to help them save money.. the wodents will always sell more wheels because people think they are getting a good deal, when in reality they are only paying you and others for the risks that are involved. but they will get what they pay for, and for as many that is sold, only a percentage of those are still in use a couple of years later. Once people realize the risks involved, once they see how their gliders are affected, they switch as soon as they can. so as far as the Cruiser is concerned I ask you don't be so uneducated about my product, or what I have done that you would generalize the "mesh wheels"..
I truly am sorry that you have chosen to sell a wheel that this community feels is unsafe based on experience, not hearsay.
I personally would highly suggest the Custom Cruiser the Raptor and other wheel choices, for updated safety features that have the sugar gliders best interest in mind.
Hey, let's be fair here...Wodent wheels are safe wheels for rats and hamsters! Though most hamsters I've seen are pretty lazy and didn't have any interest in wheels.
I will add that I've seen what happens to a glider when their tail gets caught on the Wodent wheel's center bar. The tail was degloved and the glider died! (probably from shock) I, too, have had many rescues though my home with tail injuries and all of them had one thing in common...Wodent wheels.
Yes, Transonic changed the design to put in the inner track, which further limits how a glider can run/play. But they still have done nothing to address the cotter pin holding the thing together. And there was a post with photos of what can happen to a patagium because of the cotter pin.
Yes, injuries are possible in any type of wheel. Injuries are possible in cages without any wheel at all. Injuries are possible in the wild. Accidents do happen (to all species of animals). But when we as a "community" see the same type of injury happening over and over from the same product, we tend to deem that product as unsafe.
I have a big box of brand new, never put together Wodent wheels sitting here (that I got from someone else) that will never be sold to anyone with gliders. They are simply not safe in my opinion and I would never be able to live with the guilt if I sold (or gave) one of these to someone with a glider and it cost that glider it's life. (or tail,or any other injury).
620-704-9109 Judge not until you have walked in their shoes and lived their lives. What you see online is only part of the story.
I could have missed the pain But I'd of had to miss the dance
The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.