# New Hedgie!! How to keep wheel smell clean??



## Lux (May 27, 2009)

Hi there!! I adopted an adult Hedgehog and she is not litter trained. She just like "go" in the wheel, and every morning her crate smells really strong. I wash her wheel every morning but it seems like cage absorbs and keeps that pee smell. Any advice? Thanks !! =)


----------



## Shelbys Mom (Mar 27, 2009)

Most Hedgies "go" in their wheel.  I tuck a paper towel under the front of mine. Or I get the large puppy pads and cut them into 4 pieces and put one under the wheel. that way it wont soak through to your liner. you could also put a litter pan under the wheel with the paper towel in that then all you have to do is clean and disinfect the litter pan.

What kind of bedding do you use?


----------



## drpepperheather (Dec 19, 2008)

What I do to solve this problem is use a plastic lid with a layer of paper towels on top as a "litter pan" underneath Ziggy's wheel. This catches all the pee and poo that slides off, and makes clean-up super simple. I just take the whole thing out in the morning, wash the lid and the wheel, put down a new layer of paper towels, and then put it all back in the cage. Since this is the only place Ziggy goes potty, it keeps the smell off the liner and lets me get away with going longer between liner changes.


----------



## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

I use a small glad plastic bowl filled with yesterdays news litter..I then slide it under the wheel to catch all the run off.
The cage needs to be cleaned at least once a week to prevent smelling


----------



## Lux (May 27, 2009)

Thank you all for your feedback!! The wheel that Snow uses is not letting anything to run off, it just pretty much stays in the wheel. In the morning the whole wheel is wet and smells :shock: I am afraid to use wheel that is made out of wire or has holes on the surfice so that she wont break her legs. So what kind of wheel can I use that will allow stuff to run off? I like the flying saucer idea, but it looks like it will catch all the pee just the same, and it will take more room in the cage :? Ah, if anyone would create a wheel liners  
Thanks!!


----------



## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

What kind of wheel are you using? If it is a comfort wheel, you can bend the wire stand a little and get it to pitch forward slightly to allow for more run off.


----------



## Lux (May 27, 2009)

To ShelbysMom, I used wood pellets, and now I am trying fleece =) 

To dorasdaddy, yeah looks like we are using comfort wheel. Gonna try to bend it today !!  

Thanks !!


----------



## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

be careful with it....a slight bend is all
you need.


----------



## vkanev1 (May 26, 2009)

All hedgies poop in their wheel - it doesn't really smell that bad - it might be the diet that makes it so smelly. You can also try care fresh litter - it has baking soda in it to cut down on and absorb wettness and smell. I ususlly notice an odor only when I try some new food item...


----------



## Shelbys Mom (Mar 27, 2009)

Fleece is great to use!
And once you switch to fleece and get the wheel angled for the run off you could put a short "litter pan" (this could even be a small baking sheet) under the wheel and you can put paper towels or the wood pellets in the litter pan.

And the flying saucers actually don't catch the pee it runs off the front. of course poop does get stuck on it but not bad and they are easy to clean and very quiet.


----------



## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

vkanev1 said:


> All hedgies poop in their wheel - it doesn't really smell that bad - it might be the diet that makes it so smelly. You can also try care fresh litter - it has baking soda in it to cut down on and absorb wettness and smell. I ususlly notice an odor only when I try some new food item...


I think care fresh may be on the do not use list?


----------



## Shelbys Mom (Mar 27, 2009)

I think some people still use carefresh. I personally won't because it can absorb the oils from the Hedgies skin and cause dry skin (which a lot of Hedgies have trouble with anyway) and I've heard that it is dusty too. I wouldn't want them to breath in the dust. 
Some people use it so it may not be that bad I don't know.


----------



## Lux (May 27, 2009)

So, I did bend the wire holding the wheel soo that pee doesnt collect inside. It seems working, and I changed fleece back to wooden pellets. It seems like fleece just holds pee on the surfice, and absorbs really slowly, wooden pellets though just fall apart on the contact with moisture, so I can see where the mess is right away. I just gonna put some fleece pieces for her to play with. Heh now her cage smells like wooden pellets again


----------

