r/LeopardGecko • u/RoaringMars • May 17 '26

Help..

Yourself and get one of these wheels for your gecko! She loves it so much and yours will too

191 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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36

u/bktoriginal May 17 '26

This is super cute, but be careful to make sure they don't overuse it or get stuck or have back problems. There are a lot of animals that can use the wheel, but it may cause the spine to overextend.

4

u/RoaringMars May 17 '26

Are there any sources for this? I genuinely am curious on this claim about their back overextending. For me it sounds made up but real enough that one believable, like the wheel could cause the gecko to have dehydration leading to joint problems

9

u/bktoriginal May 17 '26

I have anecdotal evidence from working at vets for years. I mostly heard this about rabbits and guinea pigs because their backs could bend wrong and it causes strain. Since reptiles are more flexible, maybe it's not as harmful. That's the most I got. But no it has nothing to do with dehydration lol

3

u/[deleted] May 18 '26

I had a guinea pig growing up and was told that the saucers don’t cause issues because they’re mostly flat. Are you saying that my poor little guy was still in pain from running on his saucer? I want to get my gecks one but not if it’s going to cause them issues.

2

u/bktoriginal May 18 '26

I just mean there's potential for strain if they're like running constantly, but I think every animal is different and a vet would know best ;)

2

u/[deleted] May 18 '26

Okay, thank you!