# Potty Zone



## Pickle (Sep 11, 2011)

Sorry this will be my last question today  

I've noticed Pickle's potty area is right beside her wheel if not directly IN it. I noticed some wheels have a potty tray under the wheel, is this a common thing for Hedgies? To do their business with their butts hanging out of the wheel? lol 
I was going to purchase a little corner potty today, but thought I should ask the experts here. Is a tray under the wheel better than a corner potty?? I thought I could train her to go in the corner rather than all over her wheel. MOST of it ends up in her shavings but the wheel gets pretty poopy every night.


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## Guest (Oct 3, 2011)

A litter tray under the wheel is best they eliminate as they run so a majority ends up on or near the wheel.

On another note:

What kind of shavings is your hedgehog on?

Aspen is the most safe but can still harbor mites

Pine and Ceder cause respiratory issues and can harbor mites

CareFresh is very dusty and messy for most hedgehogs


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

unfortunately poopy wheels are just a part of hedgie ownership so really your best bet is just to plan a little extra time in your morning routine to clean the wheel/s. yes a litter box under the wheel can really help keep the smell down and keep things kinda contained to one area so it's an easier cleanup. as far as the corner litter box, some will take to litter box training, but most won't. most hedgies just use the wheel. what kind of shavings do you have her on? i had a few on white carefresh and found that it was so much more work everyday to clean it up, even spot cleaning seemed to be a pain for some reason and it got to be expensive. i use fleece liners now and they are a lot easier to clean up if any poop does get out of the litter box then you can just pick it up and put it in the litter box and then at least once a week (mine are changed daily, but it doesn't have to be that often once a week or a couple times a week should be fine) just throw the liners in the washer with about a cup of vinegar (helps take out the urine smell) added to the soap (something with no perfumes or dyes in it, something unscented) and water and you're good to go. much easier and quicker.


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## Pickle (Sep 11, 2011)

TWCOGAR said:


> A litter tray under the wheel is best they eliminate as they run so a majority ends up on or near the wheel.
> 
> On another note:
> 
> ...


The bag reads "Canadian White Softwood Shavings" They seem really nice, not strong smelling and not dusty. Oh please tell me these are safe  She came with this large bag of shavings when I bought her from her previous family.


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## Pickle (Sep 11, 2011)

shawnwk1 said:


> unfortunately poopy wheels are just a part of hedgie ownership so really your best bet is just to plan a little extra time in your morning routine to clean the wheel/s. yes a litter box under the wheel can really help keep the smell down and keep things kinda contained to one area so it's an easier cleanup. as far as the corner litter box, some will take to litter box training, but most won't. most hedgies just use the wheel. what kind of shavings do you have her on? i had a few on white carefresh and found that it was so much more work everyday to clean it up, even spot cleaning seemed to be a pain for some reason and it got to be expensive. i use fleece liners now and they are a lot easier to clean up if any poop does get out of the litter box then you can just pick it up and put it in the litter box and then at least once a week (mine are changed daily, but it doesn't have to be that often once a week or a couple times a week should be fine) just throw the liners in the washer with about a cup of vinegar (helps take out the urine smell) added to the soap (something with no perfumes or dyes in it, something unscented) and water and you're good to go. much easier and quicker.


So her whole cage bottom is covered in fleece? What do you use as litter?
If the White Softwood shavings that i'm using are safe, I will at least use up the rest of the bag. She's lived her entire life on shavings so I'm not sure she'd really enjoy the switch to fleece?


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

i've never had any problems switching any of my hedgies over to liners, they've all taken to it really well. i use a paper towel now in the litter boxes for my boys and just switch it out and sanitize the litter boxes in the morning when i clean the wheels, but you can also use a non clumping, dust free litter. a popular one used by many on here and by me before switching to paper towels is called yesterdays news. yes the whole bottom of their cages is covered in fleece, i actually go the easy, cheap way and get fleece blankets from like goodwill or another thrift store and sanitize and wash them several times before using them. some people sew their own fleece blankets though if you are crafty. i've never heard of the shavings you're using i don't think, but i'm tired so maybe i just can't think right now lol. just a personal choice of mine, i try not use anything for any of my animals that is stored in a warehouse (other than food of course) cuz even if it doesn't harbor mites if it is stored by something that is infected with mites it can easily infect the bags around it no matter what they are. plus it just saves me money not having to always buy bedding.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I've got 3 hedgies & they are all different! One goes in the wheel, one goes on a paper towel in the corner & one goes in a corner litter box! :roll: 

I use & love fleece. However, I do have some carefresh & some yesterday's news. Mostly because they came with the hedgies.

My Pepper has the corner litter box with yesterday's news. She came with it & ues it, so I keep it in there for her. However, she will also go in her wheel.

Zoey doesn't go in her wheel, but wouldn't use a litter box, so she just goes on a paper towel in the corner.

Cholla messes up his wheel nightly. I usually keep a paper towel in his litter box. But every once in a while I switch it up & put carefresh in there. (it's so dusty & messy though, I'm really just trying to use it up)

So...that probably doesn't help much! :lol: But, basically, you can see what your hedgie likes. My personal recomendation is fleece all over the cage, a litter pan under the wheel with a paper towel. If that doesn't work, you can try something else.


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## lmg_319 (Oct 4, 2010)

I agree with PJM!

I have a litter box under the wheel (A CSW with the litter box it comes with) and I use Yesterday's News in it. I have used paper towel as well but Holden actually only uses the ltiter box, and I find Yesterdays News is more absorbent or else I have to change the paper towel a few times a day. Sometimes when I'm at school I can't do that for him. You could try both! If the shavings are safe, try using those in the litter box since your hedgie already knows them. There have been some hedgies trying to eat Yesterdays News litter, so you would just have to see what yours is like.


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## Pickle (Sep 11, 2011)

Thank you for all replies! I'm going to get a potty tray tonight hopefully her aim will be good, lol.


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## 3dgsuperfan (Sep 12, 2011)

My little guy actually goes in the corner before running on his wheel so I'm fortunate he keeps his wheel clean. I'm going to set up a pan where he goes and hope he starts going in the pan.


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## nicole1389 (Oct 3, 2011)

Ok I have a question addition. I am a new hedgie owner and I was wondering what you use for a litter pan? (pictures greatly appreciated). I saw some litter boxes at the pet store and they had hamster size, and then giant rabbit size and nothing in between. Plus they were all made for corners. My hedgehog poops a bit on his wheel, but mostly he gets off and poops under or behind his wheel. Or if hes sleeping and just needs to go poopie, he'll run to the side of his igloo and then go back inside. (wheel and igloo are on opposite sides of the cage so I don't really want to get two litter boxes). And I've noticed that he really likes everything to be away from the walls of his cage so he can walk all the way around. What kind of container or tray would you recommend? Is there anything that I could make myself? Again, I'm a visual learner lol so any pictures would be a great help, and thanks so much for all this great info! It's helping a lot!


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## Guest (Oct 6, 2011)

My camera isn't working so I found a picture of what I use under my Carolina Storm Wheels sometimes.

I alternate between this:









(Not this exact size but a aluminum tray if you get the idea found in most supermarkets)

With Yesterday's News as litter but my girls get all dig crazy so I usually just double fold up paper towels either way they use these as their disposal area.


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

I use a homemade litter pan, I can't find one in my area that fits under my wheel  its made of some coroplast and i used masking tape over the top for no sharp edges, I believe it was LilysMommy who posted about making this, in addition to TWCOGAR i too use yesterdays news litter, it works great and im happy with it along with my hedgie


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