# Hedgehog safe exercise ball



## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

I have an idea to make a hedgehog safe excessive ball...well it wouldn't be a ball but it would be a thing you could but your baby in so they could roam around, but be safe from getting into things, safe from injury, and safe from other pets. How many people would be interested in something like this? Just trying to get an idea??


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## Shainahmac (Jun 23, 2014)

Not sure how it would work but I think it would be a great idea or toy if it existed! Especially for cage cleaning time!


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

I might be interested in something like that. I have no way to hedgie safe proof a room in my house so they are confined to a play area, normally the couch or exploring under a blanket.


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

I am working on a design right now, I am going to make a prototype for olive with a 3 D printer. My old highschool has one and as long as you bring your own printing material, the plastic, you can use it.


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## Teddi4211 (Apr 30, 2014)

I would be interested in something like that. I know the normal ones are risky, so I've never thought about it much. But if there was a completely safe one, I would definitely get Adella one so she could run around a bigger space and not get into things!


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## tony21 (Apr 8, 2014)

I'd be interested, would be cool to let bell roam around without having to make sure she's behaving.:grin:


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## vulpine (Jul 17, 2014)

I might be interested too.  Like someone above, I can't really hedgie-proof a room either, and I'd love to give her some freedom without having to worry.


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## rubydissolution (Feb 24, 2014)

I think the overall issue with exersize balls is that you are letting your little friend, hedgie or otherwise run around in a ball that at first is clean. Then they pee in it and continue to run, thus covering themselves in the pee. Then they poo in the ball and get covered in that. So they are running around coating themselves in their excrements. Unlike the wheel where the run off goes into the litter box or the liner there is no place for this stuff to go but back on the animal. And hedges with their sensitive noses would be more effected by the smell of their urine in a small enclosed space.


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## Teddi4211 (Apr 30, 2014)

I knew that was a problem, but I believed the main issue is toes and feet can get caught in the air holes, injuring them.


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

I don't know how you make all the pee go in the litter box or poop because half does but the other half doesn't and if I tilt the wheel too much olive won't use it. That's with a bucket wheel. Also it's not going to be usable without supervision. I mean you don't have to keep as close of an eye on them but I don't think it's possible to make something that the excrement can drain out of without there being that issue with the slots in it... I mean it's not really that hard to just pull them out and wipe it down real quick. This is going to be more so for the safety of their feet and nails. Also every time I take Olive out to play I pull her out into her play pen, she poops and peeps pretty fast then I let her roam and play.


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## rubydissolution (Feb 24, 2014)

I'm not saying it all drains out. BC all hedges get poopie feet lol. I'm saying most of it, specifically pee drains out as she runs. Momentum stuff. In a ball it has no where to go. Exactly how often are you planning on taking ur hedgie out of the ball? Bc Demi does her business at will and rarely is it all at once. Also are you going to watch her the entire time to know when she pees? How dirty will she get in the meantime? I used to be OK with the idea of a ball until I read the forum about them. These were all valid points others raised and I agree with them.


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## Teddi4211 (Apr 30, 2014)

I agree those balls are completely unsafe for hedgehogs and shouldn't be used. However, I just think that if someone can think of a solution, I'm listening. But I can see how it could be done. At least with my girls, they sort of poop in the first minutes they wake up. So if it's lights out at nine, then I take them out at ten so I rarely get pooped on. Therefore, they could go in the hedgie-safe ball and use it without pooping or peeing on themselves.


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## rubydissolution (Feb 24, 2014)

Maybe Demi is weird...she doesn't go all at once. She poops a little when she's first up, then a little more half hour later, and pees randomly in between there lol!


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## Teddi4211 (Apr 30, 2014)

Huh. Neither of my girls do that, so that's a relief :lol: I can see how it would be an issue for a hedgehog like yours though


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## rubydissolution (Feb 24, 2014)

Only time she let's it all rip at once is when she's in her bath....so that's normal at least.


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Unless your hegie is constantly peeing and pooping I don't see it as a huge issue. I mean to make a device that is safe for them is a challenge on its own. I don't see it as something that can be used for extended amounts of time (over an hour) and I still think no matter what there will still need to be some supervision with it. Like if Olive went in it like her wheel I would just pop her out real quick and wipe it out and continue to let her play.


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## rubydissolution (Feb 24, 2014)

I'm just saying I wouldn't put my hedgie in it. I'm not meaning to make a huge deal out of it.


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Yeah, well if you ever litter train your hedgie there will be a ball waiting


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## Teddi4211 (Apr 30, 2014)

Are you planning on selling them?


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Yes just in small amounts though maybe on etsy or ebay...


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

There are two main problems with a ball, the fact they use as a bathroom and ventilation is bad, and the issue with toes and the slits.


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## NewHedgieOwner100 (May 31, 2014)

I think it would be really cool if you could manage to find a solution. But, I have been racking my brain for a while and just can't seem to think of a way you can make it work.


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

I have some ideas, especially with some newer materials and not what everyone is thinking of, Also it's not going to be a "ball" it's going to be a different shape. And yes Nikki that's what we were talking about, a safe ball.


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## ReggieBoi (Dec 13, 2015)

Anh updates on this idea, Alex? I'm very interested!


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## FinnickHog (Dec 1, 2014)

This thread hasn't been updated since 2014, and the original poster has been banned. 

The general consensus around here is that there's no such thing as a safe ball for hedgehogs. It's best to just let them roam free and hedgie-proof the room.


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## MMeinzer80 (Mar 6, 2016)

We made this for playtime downstairs. It's made from 4" PVC and he can't crawl over it. He loves going around on the inside.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Be prepared for him to figure out how to climb over that, I used to put my newly weaned babies into a childrens wading pool that was 8 inches deep and they were able to climb out of it. These were 6-8 week old babies. Hedgehogs are great escape artists.


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## MMeinzer80 (Mar 6, 2016)

nikki said:


> Be prepared for him to figure out how to climb over that, I used to put my newly weaned babies into a childrens wading pool that was 8 inches deep and they were able to climb out of it. These were 6-8 week old babies. Hedgehogs are great escape artists.


Of course he's supervised during his time there. But we have watched him try for hours to get out and he hasn't. It's funny for us to watch, probably not for him though.


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