# How should I play with my hedgehog?



## Brambleback (Aug 8, 2015)

I've had my hedgehog for about a month now and I take him out of his cage around 30-45 minutes every day and put him on my coffee table (which is decently big) and just watch him walk around while I give him some treats.

This, despite how cute he is, seems boring for both me and him. Is there any fun suggestions you guys have about playing/bonding with your hedgehog?


P.S. I do have a little playpen thingy but it is about the same size as his cage and it always seems like he is desperately trying to escape instead of just relaxing.. T_T


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

First, if you have a hedgehog safe room that is great. If not make a hedgehog fort for you both to hang out in. Couch cushions, pillows, make it fun and drape a blanket over it. Then you go in there and be a awesome jungle gym. 

Also playtime doesn't necessarily equate to relaxing if you have a playful hedgehog. Think of preschoolers at a park. Their parents didn't bring them there to relax, they are brought to the playground to play and burn energy. If you have a playful hedgie, that is what your playtime will be like.


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## megan6o6 (Aug 12, 2015)

What I do is hedgehog-proof my room, set up tunnels (PVC tunnels work great), and let my hedgie have free run of my room for a few hours. Here he can sprint, hide, climb, and eat if he wants. This way he is not bored and I love watching him run and have fun! If this isn't an option for you, try going into a decent sized bathroom and doing the same. To really have fun they need to explore and run! Cuddling is nice, but it isn't as thrilling.


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## Luis (Aug 13, 2015)

There are many fun ways to play with your hedgehog, all of which can be enjoyable for both you and your pet. These are my favourite four:

Personally, I tend to spend most of my time playing outside with Luis. He is naturally very curious about the outdoors and seems to enjoy this best. I either let him roam freely in a garden contained by large rocks or use a large wooden playpen that I construced out of wooden planks. If you do not have an outdoor space available, there are many other alternatives, however I know that this is the kind of play that Luis likes best!

Alternatively, I let him romp around in a hedgehog safe room and explore, although he does not like this quite as much as being outside, it is still interesting for him to have a change of environment. The most important things to make hedgehog proof are loose wires and electrical sockets, spaces underneath furniture (stuff them with a towel to prevent them from disappearing underneath them), and the removal of all things sharp or potentially hazardous. Basically, act as if a human baby is about to visit. I tend to also lay down some newspaper to prevent unwanted stains. I then fill the room with some of his favourite toys (cat balls, bubble wrap, plastic bags, toilet paper tubes, kleenex boxes etc.) and sit inside the room with him for half an hour or so, letting Luis climb over me, explore the toys, and roam freely.

During the last while I have even constructed a cardboard maze and placed it in the safe room. This one takes time, but is well worth it and very entertaining. All I do is take about 10 cardboard boxes of varying sizes (but still large enough to accomodate Luis), cut holes in them, and connect them with small amounts of tape. I like to use shoeboxes because you can easily remove the lid to check on your hedgehog while they are exploring. I then place some of his favourite treats inside some of the boxes, add some bubble wrap, tissue paper, and bedding, and away we go. Luis can spend literally hours trying to find all of the treats and pushing around the bubble wrap.

Lastly, you can bond with your hedgehog by simply cuddling them and carrying them around in a blanket or sleeping bag. You can do this while watching television, checking emails, or even while on the phone. They love to burrow in something soft to curl up and sleep, and it is very, very cute when they do. Luis isn't always in the mood for cuddling (he is more of the exploring type), but loves this at the end of a long day exploring the backyard.

Hope that this helped!


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

Luis said:


> I either let him roam freely in a garden contained by large rocks or use a large wooden playpen that I construced out of wooden planks.


Please make sure you always closely watch your hedgehog and are within reaching distance of him if he is not in a covered play area. Hedgehogs are prey animals, and it's not all that uncommon for predators -- both in the air on the ground -- to decide they'd make a good snack during playtime that isn't in a protected enclosure and/or closely supervised.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Adding to what Mel said. 
Outside you have different factors to consider than inside play. 
Plants, it's somewhat easy to check your house plants for toxicity, plants outside can be a whole new challenge in that area. 
Also if any pesticides fungicides or insecticides have been used in the area, they can get into your pets system. 
Insects outside aren't raised in a sterile environment and walk through all kinds of ick. Also they could harbor internal parasites.
Wild animals will go to the bathroom pretty much anywhere, and they also can harbor collective nastiness. Locally, roundworm is spread by raccoon feces.


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## octopushedge (Apr 26, 2015)

writergirlmel said:


> Please make sure you always closely watch your hedgehog and are within reaching distance of him if he is not in a covered play area. Hedgehogs are prey animals, and it's not all that uncommon for predators -- both in the air on the ground -- to decide they'd make a good snack during playtime that isn't in a protected enclosure and/or closely supervised.


Seconding this. Worse, I've seen people put hats or coloured ribbons on their hedgehogs to make them easier to see, which is basically like putting a giant neon sign on top of your hedgehog. It only takes a second for a hawk to swoop down and take off with your hedgehog.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Play pens in general give us a false feeling of security. They are safely in the pen so we can walk away for only a second. Similar to the baby bath seats that used to be common. The problem was parents would feel the baby is safely sitting in the seat and step away for a second.

Inside if you step away and your hedgehog is in a playpen, you have a general idea where they are. They are at the least in the house, if not still in the room.
Outside if they escape the playpen, well there isn't much security of mind where they are.

I think we all agree that playtime outside just takes extra precautions.


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## Luis (Aug 13, 2015)

Thank you for adding to my comment about playtime outside, I completely agree with everything that you have said. Basically, in order to take your hedgehog outside it has to be supervised no matter what.


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