# What do you do with your hedgie?



## stonehaven (Mar 13, 2009)

So I'm often asked what I do with a hedgehog? 
I tell them Stoney likes to run on his wheel, climb all over me, eat bugs, hide in the couch, and sit out in the yard when it's warm.

So I figured I ask: What do you all do with your hedgies? What do they like to do, especially in the summer when they can go outside more?
I'm looking forward to hearing about your hedgies!


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Lily mostly likes to snuggle up and sleep on me, or in her giant blue blankie on me. But if I put her down on my bed or on the floor, she'll sniff around and explore while I watch. I haven't gotten a chance to take her outside much yet, because I only just got her last August, and was still getting her used to me. I'm looking forward to this summer with her, though!


----------



## azyrios (Feb 2, 2009)

vex used to have free roam or my room until i found out he wasn't litter trained, so i got him a play pen with vertical bars and he figured out how to climb out. Usually i watch him run around the floor exploring and play tug of war with his beanie babies and hair scrunchies. I also make obstacle courses out of cardboard boxes and i watch him navigate them in order to find the mealie at the end. I haven't won yet =(


----------



## cynthb (Aug 28, 2008)

Indoors, we let them play in a playpen-type enclosure or climb over and snuffle us while we watch TV / read.

In the summertime when it's warm enough for them to go outside, we bring one to my husband's parents who have a back yard, for a closely supervised roam in the grass. We also sometimes bring them one at a time to a local dog-free park, again under close supervision. It's so amazing to bring a rescue hedgie that has never been outside and watch them just sit there and take in all the new smells with the little nose twitching in overdrive!


----------



## Marc (Mar 16, 2009)

We've only had Lima for 1.5 weeks so we haven't tried much yet. Just holding her while watching tv or playing guitar. Sometimes I let her roam around the bathroom while I'm taking a shower.

I'm just curious, how exactly do you take your hedgie to the park? I live in an apartment with the fire escape being the closest thing we have to a yard (she's obviously not going out there) but there are a ton of parks here.


----------



## r_k_chic47 (Aug 28, 2008)

I was wondering the same thing - How do you keep your hedgehog from wandering off? I know they can run pretty fast and it would be hard to catch a little animal running on the ground, as a tall human :lol: Do you keep them on a leash or something?


----------



## azyrios (Feb 2, 2009)

i'm sure you can use a play pen of sorts. I know you can buy one from petsmart that is 4 feet diameter and folds up with yard spikes.

No matter what you will have to constantly supervise them, and not look away, as vex can climb out of a vertical bar play pen, and if it isn't held down he can lift it up and go under, and he is only 350g. If he starts running across the room i can catch him, but he likes to play hide and seek, and if i look away for a second, the game has started.


----------



## r_k_chic47 (Aug 28, 2008)

Oh, I meant when you take your hedgehog outside or to the park :lol: Sorry about that.


----------



## azyrios (Feb 2, 2009)

lol that's what i was talking about. Take the play pen to the park and set it up
that way he can play in the grass but can't run away easily, he would have to scale the cage. It is easier to catch a climbing hedgehog than a running one.


----------



## gml (Sep 1, 2008)

Actually, what we do is take both of us, and always stay very close to the little one. Outside, ours have tended to be fairly cautious moving about, so there's no danger of them scooting off. But basically, cynthb stands on one side of the hedgie and I stand on the other, about three or four feet away. They snuffle about, often coming to sit on our shoes for the familiarity of it, before heading out again. Obviously, it needs to be a dog-free park, but the worst that's ever happened was our albino Ruby ended up being the center of attention of a Grade One class out on a field trip. 
Always be prepared to scoop your little adventurer, too, if there's even the slightest sign of trouble.


----------



## Ahava (Mar 25, 2009)

I sit there playing with him--haven't let him wander much outside of his cage yet though because of his constant going to the washroom and if we let him go free we would probably be stepping in stuff all night. Most people seem okay with letting their hedgehogs roam though. Just wondering, do the younger ones grow out of the constant "going" ?


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Yes, babies often don't pay much attention to where they potty. They don't really have manners yet, and they probably don't have the best control over those particular bodily functions yet, either. Lily pooped on me quite often in the first few months I had her, but in the last four months, she's only pooped on me once, and that was because I woke her in the middle of the day and didn't give her a chance to poop in her cage.
One thing you can try is after you've had him out for a few minutes, put him back down in his cage to give him a chance to potty. You might want to remove his bed before doing so, as he may want to make straight for that. Then give him a few minutes to do his business, and you may avoid at least one mess. :lol:


----------



## zoologist (Sep 2, 2008)

Cloud is on a leash whenever he is at the beach. He also has a collar with a tag.... just in case.
Cloud uses a ferret harness and lead and it works quite well. i also have an adjustable 'ignuana' harness that adjusts to a more snug fit and is less bulky. very good for keeping an eye on your little rascal.

indoors Cloud has freerange of my room when its clean. His favorite place to sleep is under a giant stuffed turtle at the foot of my bed on the floor. He will sleep on the couch in a towel while im watching TV. during the summer i take cloud do the beach and he sits in the sun or sleeps in my bag.


----------



## Tasha (Feb 24, 2009)

Henry adores his wheel, going places he knows he shouldn't (such as under the couch which i have now managed to block off) and anything that means im not around!

Only had him a month now so still trying to get him to bond. I love the idea of taking him outside though. Will have to see how much he likes my by the summer.


----------

