# Making a cage more fun for a hedgie?



## ChubbyPuppy74 (Sep 30, 2012)

Nutmeg gets up every night around 7-8 pm, and is usually only running around for an hour or so. She has no medical problem she eats, drinks and poops normally. She runs on her wheel every night but that's about it. She loves to squeeze herself in small places where it's extra warm she loves to run through things the only toys she will play with is small tennis balls. Her heat is a constant 76 degrees in her entire cage, there is no light by that time in the room and no noise. So i don't believe its something that is bothering her. What can I do to make her cage more fun for her? I tried a dig box she quickly got bored with it.

Here's what she has in her cage now


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

PVC pipes and/or oatmeal tubes are often fun for hedgies to run through and hide in. I believe it was Kalandra who mentioned making little fleece "stuffies" for her hedgies to carry around - little squares/balls of fleece that are also stuffed with fleece. Does she like to roll the small tennis balls? Maybe she'd like rolling a solid cat ball with a bell in it (but that might also startle/scare her and turn her off the toy).

Something I did with Lily that we both loved - I had a number of objects in her cage that became treat hiding spots. A rock garden, several silk aquarium plants (the plastic ones can be pretty sharp and pointy, so I stuck with silk because I'm paranoid :lol: ), a couple small stuffed animals (the little mini Beanie Babies they gave away with kid meals at McDonald's for a long time), and a little bird toy - http://www.superpetusa.com/product-list ... -treat.htm

I either hid frozen crickets (that was the usual hiding treat), the "aliens" or mealworm pupae, or a couple of cat treat brands that I tried out with her and felt were safe & okay ingredient-wise. You could also hide things like small pieces of cooked meat or small pieces of fruit/veggie, too, if there's any she really likes. Lily got so into the treat hiding game that if I didn't have crickets, she got quite upset when she'd run for her hiding spots and not find any. I have a story about one occasion somewhere on here. :lol: She also dragged one of the aquarium plants that I always put a cricket in into her igloo with her - I think she was hoping to have it "grow" more crickets in the night and wanted to be ready. :lol:


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## GoodandPlenty (Feb 4, 2012)

This sounds just like Sophie. She doesn't have 'fun'. Lots of hedgies don't. That's just not what they do. She doesn't play with toys at all. She sleeps like 20 hours a day. She's a bit over a year old now - healthy and happy as far as I can tell.

She runs on her wheel for a little over an hour a night (way down from when she was younger). Other than that, hiding and/or sleeping is 'what she does'. She has an igloo house stuffed with fleece pieces for a burrow. She has three PVC tunnels. Two are open, and one is stuffed with fleece pieces from end to end to make a burrow. She has favorite spots, but they change from time to time.

She often seems happiest when she is jammed in the tightest space possible. That's why two of her hideouts are set up with prepared burrows with lots of fleece pieces.

Not the burrow video I was looking for, but a good one.
(2:47)
front-tunnel-burrow-12-10-2.mp4





(38:55)
room-tour-13-01-12.mp4


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## ChubbyPuppy74 (Sep 30, 2012)

Thanks guys, 

Lilly- I've tried oatmeal tubes but she doesn't how unstable they are, I haven't tried PVC pipes I'll have to look for some. Her little cat toy tennis balls have bells in them and she is always pushing them around during the night but that is the limit she likes to do. Strangely nutmeg is not a huge eater, and she gains weight fast and easy and the only meat I can always get her to eat is meal worms but they are fatty for her other than that she will take one bite and leave it. I've tried chicken, turkey and ham. Veggies I've only tried broccoli. I haven't tired frozen crickets yet, I'll have to see how she takes to them. 

I know nutmeg loves to explore, so I think if I have more places she can plow through and explore the more willing she will be to come and stay out for more than two hours. For the PVC pipes what size should I get? Nutmeg is larger than most hedgies.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I think PVC pipes would be better at staying put than oatmeal tubes, but I haven't tried them, so I can't say for sure. If they do tip a little, you could try putting a fleece cover on them - perhaps the static cling from fleece against fleece would keep it in place? Or you could add a square of velcro (the sticky hook half of velcro) and see if it sticks to the fleece a little better. If she likes exploring in and going through things, you could also try things like cardboard boxes, cereal boxes, etc. 

Hopefully she likes frozen crickets...it'd make a great game for her if she does! If she doesn't, another thing you could maybe try is the Wellness Healthy Indulgence packets - they're little packets of meat chunks in gravy. Lily was a thousand times more enthusiastic about them than just plain cooked chicken. She'd wake up out of a dead sleep in her igloo and come out with her nose going if she smelled them.

For PVC pipe, I know most people get the 4" wide ones. I would think those would be big enough for her, but if not, you'll have to check if they have bigger sizes...I'm not sure.


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## sklock65 (Jan 9, 2013)

Henry loves running through PVC pieces in his playpen and we even have one secured to the side of his cage. I have to clean that one daily because he runs through it all night between wheeling and eating so it shows definite signs of pitter patter from poopy little feet! We have small pieces as well as elbow shapes and a larger T-shaped piece. All are 4in diameter which is plenty of room for him to run through and even turn around in. They have lots of options at Lowes but I am pretty sure the 4in was the biggest. Henry always takes a detour path if it includes running through a PVC piece when he has the option...and they are relatively cheap so it's worth a shot!


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