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Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? #366347
08/20/07 04:50 PM
08/20/07 04:50 PM

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RANDY
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Not sure where to start this thread but will do it here for now and mods can move it if they choose to.

In another current thread some of us got a little off topic and started discussing nail trimming exercise wheels. This seemed like a topic that merited its own thread so let's have at it.

Conventional wisdom is that gliders should not be exposed to nail trimming surfaces in exercise wheels for more than a few days per month. The stated reason being that it will damage their feet. Well, I've always wondered about that advice and the logic of it escapes me. Additionally, I have never seen a post from someone who has actually experienced injury to a glider from running on such a wheel for more than a few days at a time. Both Teresa and Tracie remember at least one such post; but are unable to find it. I don't question the existence of the post; but would like to know the details as it is certainly possible that the referenced injury was due to some other cause than just time on the wheel.

My thinking is that gliders in the wild run around all of their lives in trees with rough abrasive bark that is at least as rough as the material in the nail trimmers and they suffer no ill effects that we are aware of, so why should running in a nail trimming exercise wheel be a problem. Off the top of my head, the more likely problem I see from running excessively on such a wheel would be that their nails would get so short, they would have trouble climbing around their cages.

That being said, I would like to hear from folks who have actual first hand knowledge of any injuries suffered by gliders running in these wheels. I hope we can keep "OPINIONS" to a minimum as I am really looking for actual occurrences and facts rather than speculation. Second-hand knowledge is OK; but can be a little weak as the full range of facts of the specific situation may not be known.

Tracie made a comment in the other thread to the effect that it is better to be conservative and err on the side of safety. I completely agree with her about that; but still wonder if we are worrying about something where there is no real cause to do so.

I hope we can find some good information on this subject and succeed in acquiring a better understanding of the possibilities.

Thanks.
thumb

Last edited by RANDY; 08/20/07 05:02 PM.
Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #366350
08/20/07 04:57 PM
08/20/07 04:57 PM
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,579
Sherman, Texas
MizValorie Offline
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MizValorie  Offline
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Sherman, Texas
I have never had injuries with the wodent wheel nail o matics. When I used one I left it in there ALL the time not the recommended 3 days. I never had a problem. This being said, it never worked for my gliders and I have now moved on to stealth wheels, but do not use their trim tracks.

Last edited by MizValorie; 08/20/07 05:06 PM. Reason: Clarifying what kind of track.

Valorie and our 10 fur children

RIP Mary Kate
Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: MizValorie] #366361
08/20/07 05:05 PM
08/20/07 05:05 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 397
Morristown, TN
GliderGuy93 Offline
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If you get the right type of track you won't have to worry. I use the nail o matic track. It has a paw pad protection for our little tender foots. I got mine from SunCoast Gliders- http://www.sugar-gliders.com/glider-nails.htm.


Aaron

Sydney Victoria
:grey: :grey:

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: GliderGuy93] #366367
08/20/07 05:15 PM
08/20/07 05:15 PM
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Posts: 5,725
Upstate NY
glidergrl1513 Offline
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glidergrl1513  Offline
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Is this the thread Tracie and Teresa were looking for?
http://www.sugarglider.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=5&Number=341842&Searchpage=1&Main=33421&Words=+Furf&topic=0&Search=true#Post341842

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: GliderGuy93] #366369
08/20/07 05:17 PM
08/20/07 05:17 PM

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bbiscuitsmommy
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I have had to quit using my trimmer all together, as BBiscuit has no nails on one foot and is missing a few on the other. She's pretty sensitive with that paw, so I don't use this in their cages anymore.

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #366423
08/20/07 06:08 PM
08/20/07 06:08 PM
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 563
Lynchburg, VA
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blockamon Offline
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I removed the trimtrax from my gliders' cage after a few days when I noticed that they couldn't climb fabric (pants, shirt, shower curtain) too well. It didn't hurt them, but I suspect that much longer would have dulled their nails more than I wanted.

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: blockamon] #366428
08/20/07 06:16 PM
08/20/07 06:16 PM

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macwood6
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For some reason I can't open the link for the thread but Furfs friend had a glider with a pad injury a few weeks ago due to a wheel.

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #366478
08/20/07 07:13 PM
08/20/07 07:13 PM

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RANDY
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Originally Posted By: macwood6
For some reason I can't open the link for the thread but Furfs friend had a glider with a pad injury a few weeks ago due to a wheel.


I read through the entire thread several times and there is nowhere near enough information presented to allow one to conclude the wheel was responsible for the injury. I'm not saying the wheel didn't cause the injury, only that there is not enough information to know one way or the other. A lot more questions need to be answered before we could make a determination of what caused that injury.

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: MizValorie] #366485
08/20/07 07:18 PM
08/20/07 07:18 PM

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RANDY
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Originally Posted By: MizValorie
.....When I used one I left it in there ALL the time not the recommended 3 days.....


The time limit recommendation for the Nail-O-Matic is actually 2 days.

Last edited by RANDY; 08/20/07 07:20 PM.
Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #366495
08/20/07 07:31 PM
08/20/07 07:31 PM

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MrsMaris
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I made a home made nail o matic. i got screen and the smallest grain of sand paper.
they run in it every single night. their nails are perfect. they can run and hold on to things and climb perfectly fine but they dont scratch, their feet are pink and healthy and soft! and they are happy as can be.

I dont think that a nail o matic is much different although I've only seen them in pictures. but I've yet to have injuries.

the only thing thats no fun about the home made nail o matic is the sand paper absorbes the pee so it smells after a while but its not much of a hassle or expense to replace it for me.

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #366500
08/20/07 07:37 PM
08/20/07 07:37 PM

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RANDY
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Originally Posted By: bbiscuitsmommy
I have had to quit using my trimmer all together, as BBiscuit has no nails on one foot and is missing a few on the other. She's pretty sensitive with that paw, so I don't use this in their cages anymore.


Are you suggesting your glider was injured by the wheel or was she missing nails for some other reason and the track simply aggravated an existing condition? How many other gliders were in the cage and had access to the wheel?

Which trimming track were you using??

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #366507
08/20/07 07:52 PM
08/20/07 07:52 PM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 340
Van Alstyne, Texas
Lucky_Glider Offline
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If you use Stealth wheels with the trim trax as instructed, they are mounted sandy-surface inward but on the OUTSIDE of the track. This means the rough surface does touch the pad of their feet but only the nails that stick through the mesh. Our gliders love their stealth wheels and the ones who use them the most never need their nails trimmed. The ones that don't use the wheel that much have to be trimmed...


Lucky_Glider
Lucky Glider Rescue & Sanctuary
ed@LuckyGlider.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #366512
08/20/07 07:54 PM
08/20/07 07:54 PM

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RANDY
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Originally Posted By: MrsMaris
I made a home made nail o matic. i got screen and the smallest grain of sand paper.
they run in it every single night. their nails are perfect. they can run and hold on to things and climb perfectly fine but they dont scratch, their feet are pink and healthy and soft! and they are happy as can be.....


Did you use regular window screen or something more coarse like hardware cloth??

Could you take a look at your package of sandpaper, please and see which grit you used? There are so many sandpaper grits just saying it is the smallest doesn't help much. If you don't have the package any more the grit will be marked on the back of the individual sheets. Thanks.

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #366516
08/20/07 08:01 PM
08/20/07 08:01 PM

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MrsMaris
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i used 120 grit and the pet scratch screen used for screen doors that dogs or cats scratch on. its soft but durable. and its cut to size and just carefully placed in wheel. tight fit so u dont have to glue it down or anything.

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #366924
08/21/07 09:28 AM
08/21/07 09:28 AM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,725
Upstate NY
glidergrl1513 Offline
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120 is actually pretty coarse in comparison to others that are out there. I've seen 600 grit which is very fine.

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #366981
08/21/07 11:10 AM
08/21/07 11:10 AM
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,579
Sherman, Texas
MizValorie Offline
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MizValorie  Offline
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Sherman, Texas
Originally Posted By: RANDY
Originally Posted By: MizValorie
.....When I used one I left it in there ALL the time not the recommended 3 days.....


The time limit recommendation for the Nail-O-Matic is actually 2 days.


Oh, thank you for clarifying that. Any how, I left it in with no problems, and I had two gliders.


Valorie and our 10 fur children

RIP Mary Kate
Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: MizValorie] #366998
08/21/07 11:30 AM
08/21/07 11:30 AM

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7glider7
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Right now I have 2 wodent wheels with nail-o-matics on one cage, and 1 wodent wheel with NO nail-o-matic in the other cage. I typically switch the gliders between cages every 3-4 days so it's switching whether or not they are exposed to the nail-o-matic.

Frankly I have gotten LESS good about how often I switch them up...probably more like once a week.

Honestly I have gotten more lax about it because I hadn't noticed any ill effects from the nail-o-matics, even in my female who uses the wheel ALL NIGHT LONG. I still have to trim nails every 2-3 weeks as well.

I wouldn't doubt that maybe for some gliders it might hurt their feet...but that post where it was in there for 1 night and the glider had bloody paws, I feel like something else has to be going on...either the nail-o-matic wasn't in there right maybe? Or the glider hurt its paws on something else? I dunno and I don't want to offend that person, but it doesn't make sense that 1 night of running would tear up that glider while mine can run on those wheels for a week with no problem.

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: glidergrl1513] #367004
08/21/07 11:41 AM
08/21/07 11:41 AM
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,338
Lenexa, KS
TracieB Offline
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Lenexa, KS
Originally Posted By: glidergrl1513
Is this the thread Tracie and Teresa were looking for?
http://www.sugarglider.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=5&Number=341842&Searchpage=1&Main=33421&Words=+Furf&topic=0&Search=true#Post341842
Thanks Hollis - that is the thread that I was thinking of. (I did a search for "bloody", but that one didn't come up. dunno )

My concern in the other post was more for just raw/plain sandpaper without any sort of "covering" on it - like the hardware cloth. I couldn't remember the exact details of that thread, but thought it was just plain sandpaper that was thought to have caused the paw injury. Maybe Furf will come along and give more details on that glider's injury.

Besides that thread I don't recall others, in my time here, pertaining to injury by sandpaper. Again, it's just something I had always seen cautioned against whenever sandpaper or nail trimming inserts were mentioned.

Interesting topic Randy.


Tracie
1 wonderful husband - Chris
1 goofy Yorkie - Dexter
2 naughty kitties - Chloe & Alek

Waiting at the Rainbow Bridge:
1 spoiled Yorkie, Myles - April 5, 1993-June 5, 2007
1 sweet :wfb: Xavier - August 5, 2007-May 20, 2010
2 sweet :grey: :grey: Nara & Alkina - February, 2006-November, 2011




Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: glidergrl1513] #367300
08/21/07 05:18 PM
08/21/07 05:18 PM

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RANDY
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Originally Posted By: glidergrl1513
120 is actually pretty coarse in comparison to others that are out there. I've seen 600 grit which is very fine.


Hollis: I agree totally. I wasn't going to say anything since the 120 was working for her; but I think the 400 or 600 grit would be my choice if I were going to make one.

Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #367307
08/21/07 05:33 PM
08/21/07 05:33 PM

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RANDY
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Originally Posted By: 7glider7
.....I typically switch the gliders between cages every 3-4 days so it's switching whether or not they are exposed to the nail-o-matic.....


Jen: Why do you switch your gliders to different cages every few days? That would seem to be a little stressful for then to be in a different cage all of the time??

Originally Posted By: 7glider7
.....but that post where it was in there for 1 night and the glider had bloody paws, I feel like something else has to be going on...either the nail-o-matic wasn't in there right maybe? Or the glider hurt its paws on something else.....but it doesn't make sense that 1 night of running would tear up that glider while mine can run on those wheels for a week with no problem.


Precisely the point I was trying to make earlier. thumb When something happens...especially if it is stressful like an injured glider....folks sometimes jump to conclusions that are not necessarily supported by the facts or the situation. Right now I don't have an opinion, one way or the other, about the safety of the nail trimming devices. It doesn't hurt to be conservative about their use until we know the whole story; but I think it is a little premature to state categorically that leaving them in the cage full time is a bad idea.

Last edited by RANDY; 08/21/07 05:34 PM.
Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: TracieB] #367312
08/21/07 05:40 PM
08/21/07 05:40 PM

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RANDY
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Originally Posted By: TracieB
.....Interesting topic Randy.


Thanks!! It's interesting to see what pops out of the woodwork when you ask the right questions.

Last edited by RANDY; 08/21/07 05:41 PM.
Re: Can Nail Trimming Exercise Wheels Be Dangerous?? [Re: ] #367687
08/22/07 12:50 AM
08/22/07 12:50 AM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,725
Upstate NY
glidergrl1513 Offline
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Upstate NY
The effect sandpaper has on gliders feet probably has a lot to do with the environment the glider is exposed to. If they've never climbed/played on anything rough, there would probably be a higher risk of the feet getting hurt. Those gliders who regularly have branches in their cages are more accustomed to harsher textures than those who have nothing but fleece.

I live in the country, so I go barefoot a lot. Walking across a gravel driveway doesn't bother me at all since I do it all the time. But when my cousins from Atlanta or NYC come up, their feet can't handle it. I'm thinking it might be something like that?


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