Anybody have data / opinions on Wheels???

Exersize wheels: I have been using exersize wheels for a while but I am starting to wonder.

I don't think they are hurting reproduction.... but also don't think they are helping.

I am about to increase my number of breeding groups to keep up with demand to 24 - 1.3 breeder enclosures total. While the wheels aren't too hard to keep up with, they are definately an expense, and something else to keep up with.

I have a group that should have reproduced over a month ago but still is not pregnant. I had not observed any mating. I removed their wheel 2 days ago and last night he was taking care of business big time. Did it have anything to do with the wheel??? who knows.

I am just curious to know if there is any researched info on this subject.... I am also looking for individual opinions.

How much benefit is there to providing wheels? Does it increase / decrease reproduction rate? Does it effect overall health good or bad?

i use wheels and no issues with the whole breeding thing with my original group. My second group is getting up to size now and it helps to keep down chewing as well since they arent left bored. They use the things ALL the time!

I'm on the line whether or not to leave a wheel with my breeding groups. As far as I can tell, only the fathers really use the wheel often. The females are usually busy enough with babies to not really worry about using a wheel.

I wouldnt take it from the holding bins, I think they need them to keep from chewing out or eating each other lol.

I do not use a wheel, and so far ive got two trios bulking up from their first breeding and no chewing on the wood or tubs. they hide more than anything even at night so I do not use them, but seeing how ive only had them a few weeks i cannot add to much to this:cool:

I provide wheels to all the groups, breeder, feeders, growing out tanks, etc. I can say I've observed the male waiting for a female to hop off the wheel or catching her while she's eating to mate her. Since ASF's like to do a bit of a chase as part of their mating rituals, in my opinion, having the wheel doesn't impede that. From the amount of litters and big waddling female ASF's I've got, wheel or not, the boys are getting the job done. :D

My ASF have a wheel in their tub and I have babies every 3 to 4 weeks, if that helps.

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

I wouldnt take it from the holding bins, I think they need them to keep from chewing out or eating each other lol.

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Yeah, definately not taking them out of the grow up tubs!!!

I know they will reproduce just fine WITH the wheels. I guess really my question is... Will removing the wheels from the breeding tanks have a negative effect in any way?

Well the only thing I can think of Mike is it gives them more exercise, something to do and I believe reduces stress in the colony. I have seen some of my dominant females who one minute are chasing and schooling the other females settle down and run the wheel with them the next minute. I think it may help distract from colony "politics" but that's just my take on this very social creature.

No wheels at all, currently have 3 cements tubs for breeders and 3 for grow ups.

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Anybody have data / opinions on Wheels???

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Well I know man invented them and I'm pretty sure the idea has taken off pretty well.....

oh you meant exercise wheels!....

never mind....

:P

Lol!!!

Well, I took the wheels out a few days ago to observe the differences. Tonight they went back in!!

In two of the tanks they pulled all of the lab blocks out of the hoppers, and chewed them up and spit them out! I have never had this happen before

In another tank they destroyed a water bottle ( I use 10oz almost egg shaped plastic bottles that are almost impossible to get a tooth on)

In another tank one of the females had an open wound that was bad enough for me to have to feed her off. (guessing she got in a fight with a cage mate)

In another tank 12 babies dissapeared over night.

And tonight in all the tanks... even though the wheels have have been gone for days, the males were still jumping up in the air where the wheels used to be... Just trying to do their favorite thing...

Lesson learned.... If they are used to a wheel and are producing well and are happy... let them keep their dam wheel!!!

Just be glad Mike that they aren't intelligent enough to make little protest signs to march around the tank with. You do NOT want unionized, ticked off ASF's! :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by mcavana

Well, I took the wheels out a few days ago to observe the differences. Tonight they went back in!!

In two of the tanks they pulled all of the lab blocks out of the hoppers, and chewed them up and spit them out! I have never had this happen before

In another tank they destroyed a water bottle ( I use 10oz almost egg shaped plastic bottles that are almost impossible to get a tooth on)

In another tank one of the females had an open wound that was bad enough for me to have to feed her off. (guessing she got in a fight with a cage mate)

In another tank 12 babies dissapeared over night.

And tonight in all the tanks... even though the wheels have have been gone for days, the males were still jumping up in the air where the wheels used to be... Just trying to do their favorite thing...

Lesson learned.... If they are used to a wheel and are producing well and are happy... let them keep their dam wheel!!!

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Mike that is so strange you talk about them chewing up all the food.

I had just separated the breeding group that I wanted to sell, and put the male back in with the others. He was being a pain the behind with the other males, so we put him in a maternity tub over night to cool off.

Overnight he chewed up ALL of his food, and left these little crumbles everywhere. Then he went and began to chew some of the wood that separates the food from the rest of the tub through the hardware cloth.

The guy went nuts, I couldnt believe he freaked out so much by just removing him into a tub by himself with nothing to do.

So yea, I'm keeping the wheels too!

LOL!

People have no idea how amazing these animals are. Such a complex social structure... and now as we have discovered, they are totally capable of temper tantrums!

I think if they start out with wheels they should keep them.

I keep my ASFs in groups of 4 or 5 with one male to a group.

One of my cages is too small for a wheel and just never got one. Right now I'm testing a new hopper in it, but the mesh is a bit small so I'm unsure if they can get through it or not.

My point being, I think that once you give them wheels, they may get upset if you take them away, but they probably don't know the difference if they never had them in the first place. I also think the additional exercise is probably healthy.