Reference Do NOT ever use these for cavies either

[Ly&Pigs]

Wheels and exercise balls are very dangerous to cavies. Want to know why?

1. Their spines/backs are not designed to bend like a hamster/gerbil/mice/rat/etc. meaning they can seriously injure their spines in a ball or wheel.
2. Feet/nails can be trapped in wires/holes causing serious injury.

It doesn't matter how they are marketed or labeled. Petstores and other stores sell these items to make money from unsuspecting consumers. Do the petstores and manufacturers care if your cavies get hurt by these items, most likely not as they continue to market them.

For the safety of your cavies, please do not let them run in wheels or exercise balls. Toss them out or donate them to rescues who specialize in smaller rodents that can use them. Some members have even taken balls, split them in half and used them for hay containers.

 

[theresaj]

Yeah, my relatives thought it would be fun to get my piggy an exercise ball thing and I would try to explain that a pig's back cause of their body structure doesn't have the ability to bend as a mouse or a hamsters does. They looked at me like I was from another planet!

 

[pennykit&amanda]

I'm glad that I never thought of putting mine in an exercise ball or wheel. I mean, just look at them, they don't look like the type of animals to run in/on one. I don't even like the thought of putting my rats in exercise balls, they would much rather run on the couch or bed, I even avoid putting my hamsters in them for the same reason.