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Posted by: kazkoSince I keep multiple Wodent Wheels in each of my cages, I have many to care for. The trim tracks that are available have a high cost to them and they dont last too terribly long, so I decided to experiment with DIY trim tracks.

I found two key things to allow this happen. One is the really neat and simple track connector that can be made out of FRP panel vinyl connectors. The other is endless shop roll sandpaper. I bought 240 and 320 grit and I recommend 320 or higher. The 240 really is too course for this purpose. Im sure I will tweak the specs as time rolls on.

One of the problems with purchased trim tracks for the Wodent is that they are sewn to the plastic mesh. This allows them to collect poop in a serious way and it is very hard and almost impossible to clean. They are also very hard to install, especially after they get old. I wanted to experiment with a way that does not attach the sandpaper to the mesh track and I came to find that it is rather easy to do it this way and much easier to manage.

So I have created two experimental wheels using my homebrew items.


WODENT WHEEL SOLID (using original track)


A slice of vinyl FRP trim makes a fantastic track connector in the Wodent wheel

Lengths of track

Homebrew items installed

All together now

Installed into cage



WODENT WHEEL MESH (replace original track with mesh)


Cut mesh to length and width of original solid track, stuff into back panel of wheel first, insert new track connector and assemble

Measure out sand paper from shop roll

Sand paper held in place with packing tape

Mesh wheel installed and ready for use




It will be interesting to see how these hold up to use and to see which one is preferred. Both will be much easier to clean and maintain now.

Something I might continue to look at to make it even easier to manage a trim track is to come up with a way to apply the sandpaper outside of the mesh wheel with a quick disconnect. Maybe use velcro on the ends or come up with a solid plastic ratcheting strap to wrap around the entire wheel to hold it on.

If you can quickly add and remove the sandpaper without having to take apart the whole wheel, it will be easier to just put it on once a week for standard nail maintenance and it will be so much easier to clean the wheels without needing to take them apart.

Posted by: GoldwingerIt's 05/07/09, about 2 1/2 months since I rescued my Jack. He was rescued on 02/22/09 and was in such pitiful shape. He was eating bird food, his fur looked awful, he weighed 200 grams and he had over groomed himself completely bald on his head and he was ALONE.

I took him to the Vet, had him neutered, changed his diet to leadbeaters, fresh fruits and veggies; not frozen, (minus the corn) that I cut up everynight for them all, give him fresh cooked protein as well almost everynight too and he is just beautiful now. He gets Vionate Vitamins and Rep-Cal Calcium supplements and has a very good appetite.

I did introductions with my two girls Luna and Milk Dud and they took right to each other. They get along so well and they all seem very happy together.

Jacks hair is growing back, his fur looks much better and he has lost weight. I know he still has a long way to go but he looks so good I can hardly believe he's the same glider that I rescued. I watched him actually run in the wheel tonight. Use to be he could only walk in it because he was so over-weight and never got any exercise before. It was so cool seeing him actually run. He no longer waddles like a duck when he walks and can now jump and glide.

I can hardly wait to see what he looks like in another 2 1/2 months. I'm taking him to the Vet later today to get his nails trimmed. He's the only one I need to do it with for some reason.

I'm ordering quite a few nail trimmer tracks for my wodent wheel's. Each cage has two wheels in it now and I'm hoping that Jack will keep his nails trimmed down in one of them. I just got two more as each cage only had one in it and Luna is a wheel HOG. Maybe now Jack can get some exercise. My Vet gave me three wodent wheels and I've put two of them to good use. I'm debating what to do with the last one. Maybe just save it in case I get another glider and need one in the quarantine cage.

I hope to keep seeing good results with Jack as well as the others as I am still trying to get them bonded to me. If nothing else at least they are bonded to each other and I have plenty of time to work with them to get them to bomd to me. I have alot of patience and can do this at their pace. I try to always remember that baby steps are okay and just move forward everyday that I can.

Seeing Jack now compared to what he looked like just pushes me to try to convince people how important it is to get two gliders. They should never be alone to become depressed, sad, lonely and bored. Over-grooming is just the first step before self-mutilation.

Pictures of Jack and Luna and Milk Dud can be seen in my photo Album. God Bless and good health and happiness to all of our suggie babies.

Posted by: kazkoOnce upon a time I was cleaning my cages. I had my 12" Wodent Wobust Wheel apart to clean and left the track lying on the ground to dry. Along comes a puppy who takes the track outside to chew on. I caught it in time but what I didnt realize was that I had left the track connector on one end of the track and I didnt retrieve that piece from outside so it became lost to the world.

Searching and searching online for some sort of track connector replacement piece, I finally came across what I was looking for. FRP (Fiberglass Reinforced Paneling) is what you might cover a bathroom wall or commercial kitchen with. For this, they have 8ft long vinyl strips that butt connect the panels together to form a clean look. Once I knew what I was looking for, I found the FRP trim pieces at Home Depot expertly hidden amongst all of the other wall trim and moldings.

I had always wanted to experiment with converting a wheel to a mesh track so I went about doing that as well. I cut the plastic mesh the same length and width as the original track. I used the plastic mesh seam side for the outside and the cut side for the inside. I had to use a medium screwdriver to slowly and patiently force the cut side mesh track into the inside wheel wall piece. Then I inserted the track connector and then installed the outer wall with little problem.

The thing came together and works like a champ. And after taking photos of it and deciding that I should compare it to the Stealth for sizing, I finally came to realize that the Stealth uses that exact same RFP butt strip that I was trying to locate for such a long time. It sure helps to know the name of what you are looking for, I tell ya...

I placed this into the Nut House cage last night and all five of them spent lots of time spinning around together. Pican tends to go inside of a wheel to eat, so a mesh wheel will do some good in that cage. I'll keep the smaller 11" Wodent Sr's in there as well to manage nails.



















UPDATE: FOUND IT!

It looks like a piece of bacon now.

Posted by: kazkoI fed three pomegranate buds to the sugar shack tonight. They tore through them in ten minutes, so I guess it was a hit. I cant wait to try the bottlebrush that has been growing out back.

Posted by: kazko

Posted by: kazko
This is a photo on the inside of Robins nestbox showing her webcam and her metal radiant warming wall which she wont be using for many months to come.

Posted by: MTolEastern Exotic Veterinary Center
4001 Legato Rd, Suite 200
Fairfax, VA 22033
703-654-3100

Posted by: kazkoI recorded three minutes of the Nut House 5 sugar glider cage barking after a storm passed over. It is just the single cage and I believe you can hear four of them in this segment.


/images/terrys/20090427_Gliders_Barking_Nuthouse.mp3

Posted by: MTolto make the links blue and clickable - type "["url"]" wwwwlink "["/url"]" without the "" around the characters

Posted by: shavon1106How old will Sugar Gilder have a baby?
I have a boy and a girl Sugar Glider
they are six month old, when can they have
BABIES??

Posted by: shavon1106My Sugar Glider lives in a small
cage, in the bathroom at my mother's
room, and one day in the morning, my mom
hear a voice then she think it is a the
Sugar Glider's sound, then she wake up
and saw her right beside my mother's bed!!
My mother is like very surpire and scared
a little. We only buy the sugar glider like
the second day >_<

Posted by: tishaThis semester is almost over...I'm more than ready for summer break. I only have 2 more semesters until I get my associates degree....but I still have 2 years after that for my Bachelors! This semester has really run my into the ground...I'm hoping that a few months off will be just the refresher I need to get prepared for fall semester. I never realized HOW draining it would be to work 40 hours a week AND go to school..Thank god I don't have any skin kids yet or I'm not sure how I'd manage!

A lot of good things should be happening soon. My boyfriend got the job at OG&E and will be making the big bucks as soon as his background check goes through...My birthday is in 13 days...and I hope to start intros with Panda and Jersey this weekend (after Panda has her fecal test). I hope intros go better with them than it did when I tried to get Jersey in with my boys. *Fingers Crossed*

I hope that everyone is doing well. It seems like our entire country has been under a tremendous dark cloud of stress lately. I'm ready for the sunshine and I'm really hoping that the summer will bring what I'm hoping it will bring!! A sense of relief and relaxation. Lord knows we all need it.

 

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