# Sticky  Cage Setup discussions



## LizardGirl

I thought we had a great thread over on the other forum, so I think we should have one here too. 

Link to old thread:
http://hedgehogcentral.com/oldforum/ind ... topic=1383

Please post pictures (if you don't attach, make sure they are small) of your cages and setups. It'd be nice to keep the irrelevant chatting to a minimum as well.

I'll start with a few of the setups Inky has had...

Back when I had both wheels in:









Redone with loft:









With old wheel:









Vid of Inky Demonstrating the tube:


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## iamdbf

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Okay, here it is. A couple things, the igloo is removed (she never uses it) she likes her hedgiehat, blanket, and my shirt better. Those three items are usually not in the center, they are usually againt the side opposite from the wheel, so they take up less space than it looks. We are going to make her have two conjoined cages soon, cuz here cage is a bit small. Oh, lastly, we are going to get rid of the duct tape and use a nice wooden frame soon to keep the metal screen down. 
also, she has a different woter bottle (though you can't see it) and her purple crock water dish thing was dropped by my mom, so we have a different one now. It is actually what was her food dish in a larger version, and she has a smaller different kind food dish cuz she likes it better. (many changes, i kno)


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## drowsydreamer

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Here's my setup. Note I took the pic right after I cleaned his cage, so its about 10 times cleaner than usual. Anyway, it's a bit small, but it seems to work just fine for Turbo. Pretty self explanatory- food and water dish, fleece scraps, hedgie bag, pvc pipe, wheel, tp tube, ping pong ball, and toy truck. He doesn't use a litterbox. There's a thermometer taped to the side and just a pretty little nametag thing on the back, for decorative purposes only.

[attachment=0:30qffp9h]misc 052.jpg[/attachment:30qffp9h]


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## Hedgie17

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

i like your cage drowsydreamer! its really cute!


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## Gnarly

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

This my set up. I have a four level C&C cage (the very bottom level is storage). There is one hedgehog per level. I also have sterelite bin cages. I have been meaning to make another four or five story C&C cage pretty soon, for the ladies.


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## Scott

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*


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## jbsgirl1423

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

im going to post some pics soon of the new c&c cage i made for dodger.
its maybe a month old now and he loves it its 2ftx2ft plus a 1ftx2ft loft...


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## zoologist

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

here is my set up. it is lacking, i know.... a wheel is coming soon (waiting for the paycheck to come in the mail)
i do have a question though. I read that hedgehogs don't like heights... how do they do climbing those tubes? i like the idea of a loft and will probably want to try that....









(note: he does have a blanket he sleeps under, i just took it out for the pic)


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## Reaper

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

It isn't so much that they don't like heights it is just they are not used to heights and will walk right off a ledge. Also they tuck into a ball so their quills will help cushion the fall but that is only for very minor heights. A fall of even a foot or so can cause MAJOR injuries. So when adding a loft it is imperative that the "ramp" and loft is completely enclosed. Tubing is a perfect "ramp" but the loft still has to be without ledges.


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## lilhoglet

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



zoologist said:


> here is my set up. it is lacking, i know.... a wheel is coming soon (waiting for the paycheck to come in the mail)
> i do have a question though. I read that hedgehogs don't like heights... how do they do climbing those tubes? i like the idea of a loft and will probably want to try that....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (note: he does have a blanket he sleeps under, i just took it out for the pic)


Hi. I can't tell whether that is a towell or fleece, but if it is a towell I just wanted to let you know that you should change it as a hedgies foot/nail can get caught in the little loops. If it's fleece then just ignore what I said :roll:


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## lilhoglet

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



LizardGirl said:


> I thought we had a great thread over on the other forum, so I think we should have one here too.
> 
> Please post pictures (if you don't attach, make sure they are small) of your cages and setups. It'd be nice to keep the irrelevant chatting to a minimum as well.
> 
> I'll start with a few of the setups Inky has had...
> 
> Back when I had both wheels in:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Redone with loft:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> With old wheel:


Just wondering what kind of cage is that? I originally decided on a C&C cage for when I get a hedgie, but I also want to check out other options to see what may or may not be better.


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## LizardGirl

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

The cage there is actually a Ferret Nation 142. I use only the top section with the bottom tray, so he can't access the bottom part. I use one shelf for storage, one for the loft. (as you can see in the pics) The cage is usually around $200 plus shipping, and weighs about 90lbs I think...

Here is the entire thing: (this is before I modified it to put in a loft)


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## zoologist

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

yes, that was a towel. i switched over to fleece and got a whole new set up!

excuse the poopy wheel, i havent cleaned it yet today....


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## iamdbf

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

OMG!!! Nowhere good to sleep? by a hedgie hat or a pigloo. (look it up)


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## lilhoglet

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

It looks like there is something in the top right corner of the cage that could be something for the hedgehog to sleep under, but I can't really make it out so I don't know (or maybe I'm seeing things cause I'm exhausted lol)

If there is in fact nothing in there then for the time being you can put in an extra piece of fleece for your hedgie to sleep under.


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## zoologist

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

who, me? yes cloud has a piece of fleece thats been fashioned into a bag. its stuffed with fleece strips and he sleeps in there. its made out of the same fleece as the liner so it blends in.....


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## lilhoglet

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



zoologist said:


> who, me? yes cloud has a piece of fleece thats been fashioned into a bag. its stuffed with fleece strips and he sleeps in there. its made out of the same fleece as the liner so it blends in.....


I knew I saw something :lol: My sight didn't fail me.


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## nomisinad

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Here is my cage for the females. it has a wierd L-shape because it is a table at the same time!


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## iamdbf

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

wow. that is one of the coolest setups i've seen.


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## Animal_Crazy

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*






























bottom is for my new headgie Biggie. here is another picture with the cage floor and roof in case he is a climber


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## LizardGirl

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Wow, I really like your setup, boss! The dishes are really cute too.


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## Krisword

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

How do you make your liners? We want to make one for Q and his new set up...but I'm not really into the coroplast look. Are you just wrapping fleece around the plastic to make a cover?


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## Animal_Crazy

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

my fleece is wrapped around the coroplast


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## Gnarly

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

That's a really awsome setup Luvin_Hedgies!


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## heavenlyhogs

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

I promised my hedgies that i would treat them to nice big domains with the proceeds of what i made from the sale of the hoglets and make a donation to hedgehog welfare and see in what other ways i could help.
I really love the storage cubes but would need to divide one up to house 7 hedgies :? wondering how i will manage it.But i really love the idea of these and could donate all my cages to a nearby animal rescue centre who would welcome 5 new cages.


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## Gnarly

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Storage cube cages are etremly inexpensive to make. As long as you have the room, housing seven hedgehogs should be a problem!


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## heavenlyhogs

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

How easily accesible are they when it comes to cleaning...?


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## Gnarly

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

They are pretty easy to clean.

My cages are three panels across, and if the door is placed on the center panel, it makes cleaning any area of the cage very easy. 
I did make the mistake of putting the doors on the ends, in the beginning, but the cages were too difficult to clean (but I am a very small woman) so I had to move the doors.


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## heavenlyhogs

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

I am going to try making one of these c&c cages at a later date.
But for now i am going to modify a rat cage and will post piccies when i have finished.  it will be housing 2-4 hedgies.When pics are posted i will ask for opinion on the number of hedgies it is suitable for.


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## Krisword

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Here is our set up. We are still figuring out a way to connect the loft with the bottom...hopefully next weekend we will have that figured out. Some things need to be noted first though...that is an AC in the window...it is NOT in use, and has not been since Q came home. Secondly, we have weighed the pros and cons on Bottle vs Bowl. We have decided on a bottle.

So with that said:[attachment=0:3qg3hgso]DSCF1487 (Small).jpg[/attachment:3qg3hgso][attachment=1:3qg3hgso]DSCF1485 (Small).jpg[/attachment:3qg3hgso][attachment=2:3qg3hgso]DSCF1483 (Small).jpg[/attachment:3qg3hgso]


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## r_k_chic47

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

What made you decide to use a bottle?


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## drowsydreamer

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Am I the only one who thinks it's amuzing that everyone decided to clean their cages before posting pics on here? No ones cages are ever that clean after even one night of hedgie business. Just thought I'd point that out. (note that mine is no exception, I also cleaned before taking pics)


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## h_EDGE_hog

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Hi
LizardGirl, i have two questions to ask you. I was wondering where (what section) could i find the tube in Inky's cage? Also, i've asked about this before, to someone else, but where did you get the spinner? Thanks.


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## sagesmommy

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

drowzydreamer... I know it look like i stole your idea for the sign and thats because i did! I jsut thought it was so cute! Think of it as admiration  :mrgreen: Hope you dont mind and if you do ... u dont know where i live! hehehe


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## LizardGirl

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



> Hi
> LizardGirl, i have two questions to ask you. I was wondering where (what section) could i find the tube in Inky's cage? Also, i've asked about this before, to someone else, but where did you get the spinner? Thanks.


Heh, I'm not sure what section! I bought mine online, so it was just shipped to me. It would be with all the other dryer vents, though.

Here is a link to where I bought the tube:
http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(ziqdz ... 45zk0evrum)/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=998020741

And here is a topic discussing the Flying Saucers, there are links inside.
http://hedgehogcentral.com/oldforum/ind ... topic=4705


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## sagesmommy

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

jesirose i love your set up! one of my faves! i think i might try that, how long did it take to construct?


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## r_k_chic47

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

zosoknight, what kind of bedding are you using? Is that...broken up twigs? that's what it looks like..


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## Melissa

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



r_k_chic47 said:


> zosoknight, what kind of bedding are you using? Is that...broken up twigs? that's what it looks like..


Looks to me to be Yesterday's News Litter.


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## jesirose

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



sagesmommy said:


> jesirose i love your set up! one of my faves! i think i might try that, how long did it take to construct?


Thanks! I got the idea from a website though.

Well it took about 1 min to drill each of the holes. The men at Home Depot cut the PVC into a small piece for me, but it is not their policy to do so, so you may need to do that yourself. Then I just fitted the male and female connectors on each end and screwed them on through the holes. I am thinking I may actually be able to remove the pipe and just use one set of m/f connectors.

The 4.5" hole saw drill bit I used cost $35. The PVC supplies around $20 total. The bins were about $12 each. I still have to cut more ventilation into the lids and cage and I estimate that will take around 30 mins per bin, I have done that part with other bins before.


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## r_k_chic47

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Oh, lol. I thought Yesterday's News looked like torn up pieces of newspaper (no, not because of the name. :lol: )


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## h_EDGE_hog

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



LizardGirl said:


> Heh, I'm not sure what section! I bought mine online, so it was just shipped to me. It would be with all the other dryer vents, though.
> 
> Here is a link to where I bought the tube:
> http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(ziqdz ... 45zk0evrum)/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=998020741
> 
> And here is a topic discussing the Flying Saucers, there are links inside.
> http://hedgehogcentral.com/oldforum/ind ... topic=4705


Thanks a ton! Now i dont have to figure out how to make the ramps hedgie proof!


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## sebian

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Jesirose

The litter box in a completely different area with the wheel in it = genius! It must be a snap to clean!! I'm TOTALLY stealing your idea


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## Andy_Leigh

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Hey Gnarly, what is the plastic looking stuff around the bottom of the cage walls and where do you get it??


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## zoologist

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Hey, Mods. can this be made into a sticky? please?


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## Nancy

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Instead of this thread being a sticky, lets start a new one that is just cage setups. I was on a rat forum yesterday and they had a sticky that was just for cage setups and the person wrote a description of the cage, how they modified it and where parts were found. Comments were not allowed and were deleted so that only cage photos and descriptions where there. I thought it was a great idea. I'll make a new thread and make it a sticky.


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## Nancy

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

There ya go! Post away. 
http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=554


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## h_EDGE_hog

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

I love that idea Nancy. It's fun just to look at cages, without having to go three pages of questions
!


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## padawanslacker

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Before we go to a no-questions format . . . I'm seriously liking the storage cube cages, but I'm not sure how you make doors for them, or holes for hoses. (There's one where a hose appears to go through a cage wall in the "no questions" thread.) Also, what kind of mess do you find around these cages in the morning? I rent, and I doubt my landlord would appreciate a sprinkling of poo stains in an area exactly the shape of my hedgie tower . . .


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## Gnarly

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



padawanslacker said:


> Before we go to a no-questions format . . . I'm seriously liking the storage cube cages, but I'm not sure how you make doors for them, or holes for hoses. (There's one where a hose appears to go through a cage wall in the "no questions" thread.) Also, what kind of mess do you find around these cages in the morning? I rent, and I doubt my landlord would appreciate a sprinkling of poo stains in an area exactly the shape of my hedgie tower . . .


To make doors we left a whole section open, and then used a section of cubes to make a flap like door with zip ties. 
The wire is also pretty thin, so I'm sure if you wanted to cut a smaller hole or door, you could easily do some with a pair of wire clippers. Just be sure to sand down any of the metal that might remain, or cover it to make a smooth and safe surface.

I don't get a mess around my cage; I have plastic on the sides and this not only prevents climbing but also keeps all poops inside. 
I also have plastic shelf covering and a towel under my condo, because it's on hardwood floor and I don't want to get a scratch.


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## Gnarly

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

I'm bumping this because there were some questions in the "pictures only" cage example thread.


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## Amelia

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

What do you guys use for liner? I have been using bedding but he does most of his business in his wheel so I am starting to think that maybe the bedding is a waste of money.


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## LizardGirl

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

Most liners are made of fleece (preferably anti-pill) or flannel, or corduroy. Make sure there are no loose threads.


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## Amelia

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

can you buy them or do you just cut them out or what? sorry stupid question haha :lol:


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## LizardGirl

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

I just cut fleece to the size of the cage floor, but some people get fancy and layer them to make them more absorbent/comfortable. Nancy (*waves Nancy over*) sells some great stuff if you're not the creative type.


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## Amelia

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

yea if i knew how to sew i totally would. i did find a website where they make them though. Maybe someday in the future when I actually have time, I can figure out how to make some!


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## Gnarly

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

You don't have to sew. All you need to do is cut the fleece to the size of the floor; it won't unravel, so it's fine without a hem.


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## sagesmommy

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

the fleece that i use for sages cage i think it is pilling... or something cause every day i have to use tweezers and pull fleece out of her quills little balls of it ... and she hates it!


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## Gnarly

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

That was happening for a while with my Zeek. I would take him out of his cage and find little bits of fluff all over him; it turns out he was digging, and tearing up the fleece. I filled his igloo with fleece scraps, and now he has something to dig in, he's no longer covered in fuzz everyday and it's saving the fleece.


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## sebian

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

hehe fuzzy hedgie


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## Genevieve

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*

LOL!!! :lol:


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## Marc

*Re: Cage Examples*

Lima's home :mrgreen: I'm gonna use 2 posts because I think I need the extra pics to show how this goes together. It is 2 levels and made from 3 Sterilite plastic containers (you'll see how the 3rd one is used in the next post). We originally got the idea from http://www.freewebs.com/howellhogs/diysterelitecage.htm, but space in my bedroom is very limited so I decided to go with multiple levels instead of containers laying next to each other. Like it says in that article, don't bother trying to do something like this if you don't have access to a dremel. It also takes a lot of time, so plan ahead. I started building this at work (we have a lot of tools) a week before picking up Lima and had to stay late at work several hours every day that week to get it done before picking her up. Not just for cutting and drilling but to think out how to make it all come together and maximize floor space. Originally I was going to have the ramp just go along one long side of the cage but I realized this would still be too steep of an incline and had to make the ramp wrap around a short side of the cage too. Luckily I let my breeder know I was building this because she gave me some important info, like the need for walls on and around ramps because hedgies have bad depth perception and can accidentally fall off.

At the time I didn't realize we would need an 11" wheel which was a height problem so we got the flying saucer which is great but takes up a massive amount of room. I might still be able to put a vertical wheel in if it's just the right size and I cut out some more of the ceiling.
The ramp was smooth plastic which was too slippery for her to climb up so we lay down Glad Press'n Seal on it and then hot glue bedding onto it. When it's time to change bedding we just peel off the press'n seal and replace it.

I realize the warmer part of the cage should be the part she sleeps in but there's not much I can do to fix that. Luckily it's already getting warm and my room is already consistently mid 70s anyways but when it starts getting cold again I'll probably get a heating pad to put under the cage.

Btw, you can see her butt in the igloo.

[attachment=0:1kvirk86]cage1.jpg[/attachment:1kvirk86]

[attachment=1:1kvirk86]cage2.jpg[/attachment:1kvirk86]

[attachment=2:1kvirk86]cage3.jpg[/attachment:1kvirk86]


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## Marc

*Re: Cage Examples*

continued...

The container that rests on top is held in place by fitting perfectly around the container that acts as the floor for the 2nd level. This container is identical to the bottom one except I cut the upper half of it off with a dremel. The purpose of this is to keep the bedding from falling out when you lift off the top container.

[attachment=0:gceyiih7]cage4.jpg[/attachment:gceyiih7]

The floor of the 2nd level is glued to the lid of the 1st level so it can be removed in one piece, allowing access to the bottom level.

[attachment=1:gceyiih7]cage5.jpg[/attachment:gceyiih7]

Also the upper half of the ramp is attached to the 'floor of 2nd level/lid of 1st level'. You can see there's a wall along this part of the ramp and also the cuts in the corner of the upper floor are to add flexibility so the top container can squeeze over it.

[attachment=2:gceyiih7]cage6.jpg[/attachment:gceyiih7]

I hope I explained this well enough. If anyone has questions about building something like this you can pm me and I'll try to help you out as best I can. Also, any input on any improvements I could make would be appreciated.


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## Marc

*Re: Cage Examples*

1 more picture.. Lima's favorite sleepy spot besides her igloo is under the ramp.

[attachment=0:2zea18mg]sleepylima.jpg[/attachment:2zea18mg]


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## sarahomnia

*Re: Cage Examples*

Marc, your cage is pretty darn rad.
I like it.


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## azyrios

*Re: Cage Examples*

question. For drilling the holes and cutting the plastic, did you just use the dremel or did you use a drill. Also did you need to heat any of the plastic to stop it from cracking while drilling it.

On my first cage i cracked the plastic using a hole saw because i wasn't really concerned about the appearance of ti at the time, and just threw duct tape over it.


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## Marc

*Re: Cage*

I actually used a drill press that we have where I work. A regular drill would work but you would probably need someone to hold the container for you because the large drill bit causes the plastic to flex in and the whole thing to shake. The trick to not cracking it is to go very very slowly. I think the drill itself was actually heating the plastic because it wasn't just drilling right through. It would kinda stretch the plastic out at first making a dome pop out on the other side until it finally breaks through.


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## azyrios

i got all the cuts done and filed down. Instead of using a ramp like yours i used a 4" piece of PVC pipe alone the long side and had it extend into the bin above.

For SnG i made mine 3 levels, and modified the design. It is close to your design placed on top of a 4 foot under bet steralite bin. I will post pictures to explain myself when my girlfriend gets back from europe.


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## ana

dorasdaddy said:


> Here is our new c&c.....used the frosted vinyl cubes...found the narrower ones on clearance for half price. ended up with 30.5" x 51.5" of floor space.
> 
> http://photobucket.com/newcage


Oops! I accidentally just replied to that in the setup examples thread without even thinking, sorry...

Anyway... reposting here!

I just bought those exact same C&C cubes!

I feel bad that I haven't finished my building materials list... but I've been trying to figure out the perfect/least hazardous way to build a fantastic cage and there seems to be a problem with nearly everything that could be solid (i.e. not a cage/c&c/etc.) ...We were going to build a vivarium out of screen and melamine coated mdf, but then the formaldehyde/chemicals-in-mdf thing came up. I'm not sure what harm there is in something that's well coated and sealed, but I still don't want to risk exposing my little girl to anything that might be bad for her...

I've just about given up on building something custom from scratch (hence buying the vinyl C&C stuff), though I haven't ruled out a full on plexi-glass enclosure yet either.


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## Nancy

Another thing that works great for making a cage is plastic covered wire closet shelving. It comes in different widths as well as lengths and there are two different widths in the bar spacing. The smallest spacing even a baby would not get out of and is climb proof. Places like Rona and Home Depot will cut it to length for you and use plastic zip ties to put it together. If I was going to make a cage such as a C&C, I would choose the closet shelving. It would cost more but makes a better cage that is climb proof and no risk of hedgie squeezing through the squares.

Just as a note, when buying the cubes, make sure the spacing of the squares is no more than an inch and a half. I notice some of the cubes have wider spacing and it is not safe. Even 1.5" a small hedgie can get through.


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## Red

Here is my new setup.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/ ... G_3999.jpg

I have the ceramic heat emitter set on low. He was really curious when I switched from carefresh to a fleece liner. The fleece liner is thin so I threw a sock in his house. I might double up on the fleece, not sure yet.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v147/ ... G_4000.jpg


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## Lilysmommy

Red, what kind of food are you feeding? It looks like it contains some sort of seeds...Seeds are a big no-no for hedgehogs, even though they are in some commercial hedgehog foods. Those foods may be alright for european hedgehogs, but not for the african pygmy hedgehogs we keep as pets.


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## Red

Brown's zoo-vital hedgehog food. Its freeze dried worms and stuff. I don't like it because he is way too messy with it. Going to change back to bigger sized star shaped ones I had before.


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## Lilysmommy

You need to get him off Brown's right now. See this thread - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=45 . Brown's is no good for an AP hedgehog. I wouldn't even bother changing him over to a new food slowly, a lot of hedgehogs won't touch their old food again if they've been on one of the crappier ones and are offered a good cat food.
A mix of two or more cat foods is the best thing to feed a hedgehog. This thread - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15 has a list of acceptable cat foods for hedgehogs. Any of them on the list would be a good choice for him.


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## LizardGirl

Oh, please please PLEASE get him off the Brown's! It isn't even made for pet hedgies, let alone as a staple food. He could die of malnutrition on it. Also, if the "star-shaped" stuff is Pretty Pets, that's even worse. (It's like feeding him cardboard - which could possibly be better for him than that!)

Here is a thread with commercial hedgie food info, and a link to acceptable foods.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=45

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15


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## Red

Okeys, changed to purina one naturals chicken and oat. Thanks. Anything else? HAHAHA HES EATING IT AS SOON AS I PUT IT IN THERE!!!!


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## Lilysmommy

Here's Lily's new mansion! Doesn't have many toys in it yet, but I'll be getting some new ones for her soon. I made it out of wire cubes and these softish plastic ones. The bottom, border around the bottom, and back of the cage are done with the plastic cubes, the front and sides are done with wire cubes with one inch (I think) squares, and the top is done with wire cubes with one and a half inch squares. I used zip ties to attach all of the cubes together, and these other yellow tie things to hold the two doors shut. I used a piece of coroplast on the bottom, so she wouldn't get her feet stuck in the little holes where you attach the cubes together. The whole cage is 42.5" x 26" or about 3.5 ft x 2 ft.
[attachment=2:38z7lmfs]DSC00071.jpg[/attachment:38z7lmfs]
That's the cage with both of the doors open. There's a big one going across the cage on the top, so I cage take the wheel out or change liners easily. And there's a smaller one in the front, so I can just get her out or whatever.
[attachment=1:38z7lmfs]DSC00072.jpg[/attachment:38z7lmfs]
The cage with the doors both closed.
[attachment=0:38z7lmfs]DSC00073.jpg[/attachment:38z7lmfs]
A shot of the yellow ties that hold the doors shut.


----------



## animal<3er

Is it ok to go without anything on the bottom of the storage cube cage other than a blanket or should there be something underneath?


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## Lilysmommy

I put something on the bottom because the sections have little openings in the corners, where you attach the sheets together. I was afraid Lily could get her paw caught under one of those openings, which is why I got a sheet of coroplast to put on the bottom. It also makes for easier cleaning if any poop or messes get under the liners.


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## animal<3er

Ok so I'll try to find some coroplast for the bottom just in case. Thanks for helping


----------



## pezlin

Throwing my cage anthology here. (sorry ... all videos, with my crappy commentator voice)

When I first rescued the hedgehogs from a lady on Craigslist (2 for only $60) They were both in this cage: First Cage (Youtube). The lady was so ignorant of hedgehogs she thought they were both males (turns out they're females), and that it was ok to not change their bedding until it reeked of feces. 

I soon discovered (via this old site btw) that they should have a larger area, so I set this up in the kitchen: Second cage-area (YouTube). Better, but having them on bare tile was a pain to clean. Also, there wasn't really a good place to hide.

I switched things up a month later and added some additional hiding areas: [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnSlxtQAfHI&feature=channel_page]Third iteration. Shortly after this video was shot, I got a BJ's Club membership and bought a ton of paper towels. Every week, I'd line the tile with double paper towels to help with cleaning. At first, they didn't really get the ramp idea Sonic climbs in and Pricles would climb in. Eventually I made a wooden bridge which supported them much better.

This is the latest iteration, after I moved from the house I was sharing with my roommates to my own apartment. Latest Cage-area. It also now has an additional Flying Saucer wheel so that both Sonic and Prickles have a wheel. Since the area below is carpeted, I picked up some heavy-duty plastic sheeting so that when they do their business, it doesn't soak through the fleece and get into the carpet. There's two heating pads on timers... one under the igloo and one under their fleece cave. Also in the cave is a rock to help keep the wall in place, and another piece of fleece that sonic likes to burrow under.

Of course, the fleece is changed on a ~4 day cycle. They tend to go in the corner behind the big wheel on a rock, so that gets cleaned more frequently. They've finally learned, and don't do their business under the igloo or in their cave.

Thoughts?


----------



## Lilysmommy

I do have one question...Do you have anything covering the inside of that mesh wheel? The mesh can catch their nails and rip them off. You can use craft foam or duct tape or plastic placemats to cover it so it's a bit safer.


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## pezlin

The wheel was one recommended and made by a member on this site (unfortunately it was a while back, and I forgot his name) - a wheel that was crafted with hedgehogs in mind. Its handmade, with PVC piping for additional stability and weight accommodation. Nancy may be able to refresh my memory... these wheels were originally sold by this member, then he gave the plans to another hedgehog store. The point of the mesh is so that liquids can go through, leaving it slightly more hygenic for when they run. Also it makes cleaning a ton easier.

The mesh gaps are easily less than an 1/8" sq. I've watched them run, and they don't have an issue with nails getting stuck.


EDIT: I remembered who I purchased my wheel from... it was Vern, and from what I found out, he was a pretty respected member on this site before.


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## Lilysmommy

They might have been recommended awhile ago by someone, but that doesn't necessarily make them safe. Breeders and other enthusiasts are learning more and more about hedgehogs all the time, and continually making changes to what is considered safe and healthy for them. For instance, it used to be thought that aquariums would make alright cages for hedgehogs, but now they're not considered safe to use because of lack of good ventilation. Same for food, now a mix of cat foods is considered best rather than any commercial hedgehog foods. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with all of the best information on them. Now mesh wheels or wheels with small slits in them are considered not safe for hedgehogs because they can catch nails and rip them off. Someone else who has one of these wheels from Vern also recently had their hedgehog get caught between the crossbars and heard the hedgie scream. 
Cake Walk Supremes, Comfort wheels and Flying Saucers are recommended wheels now because most of the pee will run off, and yet they have solid surfaces that are safe.


----------



## Scintillater

pezlin: i really like your videos to see the set up for your hedgehogs. I LOVE the one where Prickles is trying to climb instead of using the ramp. too cute


----------



## pezlin

Scintillater said:


> pezlin: i really like your videos to see the set up for your hedgehogs. I LOVE the one where Prickles is trying to climb instead of using the ramp. too cute


Thanks! Yea, Prickles would often completely avoid the ramp and just attempt to hoist her sizeable behind into the container. After a while, I put sanitized rocks (Boiled for 10 min, then bleach/water mixture, then several rinses with tap water) as steps into the cage. Sonic has lately taken to climbing into the plastic container... not really sure why they choose to do that as opposed to using the bridge/rocks... but I've watched them and they seem to be ok during/after their climb. And hey, if it gets them extra exercise - good for them.


----------



## aces_spades

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



jesirose said:


> Well it took about 1 min to drill each of the holes. The men at Home Depot cut the PVC into a small piece for me, but it is not their policy to do so, so you may need to do that yourself. Then I just fitted the male and female connectors on each end and screwed them on through the holes. I am thinking I may actually be able to remove the pipe and just use one set of m/f connectors.
> 
> The 4.5" hole saw drill bit I used cost $35. The PVC supplies around $20 total. The bins were about $12 each. I still have to cut more ventilation into the lids and cage and I estimate that will take around 30 mins per bin, I have done that part with other bins before.


HI I also love your set up! I purchased my sterilite bins today and I'm just wondering if you had to heat the plastic before taking the drill to it or if the rotary drill bit went cleanly through with out cracking the plastic.


----------



## Marc

When I did my sterilite cage I didn't have to heat the plastic to drill the ventilation holes but I did have to drill very very slowly to not crack the plastic. When I added another section with a PVC pipe connection I decided not to spend 40 bucks on a drill bit I was gonna use once so I used a dremel to make those holes which worked surprisingly well. So I don't know how different it is to drill a 4 inch hole. But if you want to use a dremel, what I did was put Glad Press'n'Seal on the spot where the hole would be (so I don't get sharpie on the cage), trace the PVC pipe with a sharpie, and basically just go around the circle pushing the dremel straight in then straight out so you end up with like a 20 sided polygon. Then use the dremel to smooth it out into a circle. Then keep slowly widening it until the pipe fits thru perfectly.

Also I used PVC pipe elbows instead of a straight pipe so I wouldn't need to have it cut, and it looks pretty cool the way it curves. I used two 45 degree elbows (SPG x H fittings) and a coupler (H x H) in the middle to connect them. Cost 15 bucks total. Having the pipe curve also lets the 2 cages not be at the exact same height. There's a photo of it in the cage examples thread if you wanna see how it looks.


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## aces_spades

That's Great thanks a bunch  I looked at your setup while trying to wrangle cage options and was amazed by the lay out (although a little hesitant to attempt it on my first try). I would never have thought to turn the container upside down and create a room underneath.

I wasn't certain I had a circular drill bit anyway but I know for sure that I have a dremel. I also bought an elbow joint instead of regular piping, although it's a "t" intersection. I plan to put the two longest ends through the containers and have bought a plastic grill cap attachment to go over the extra end, I'm hoping it will provide extra ventilation and I've made sure the little bars are less then 1/2" in size. It actually looks pretty neat, like a little window really and I sealed it on the outside with silicone caulk to make sure it won't come off (although it will definetly have to air out for bit). Also there are no sharp edges on the inside, the grill pieces are softly curved plastic with no seams

Another question I had was how to connect a water bottle to the side of the container. I want to rig it so I can have the lid over top as I have three cats and it's been quite a while since I've had my guinea pigs. I'm afraid they'll be more intrepid hunter then cuddly litter mate.

I'm also wondering if anyone has posted a picture of the thermostatic heat controller? I have the heat emitter as it was saved from the clean out after my sisters newts passed away, but I would have a coronary if I came home to a nuked hedgie. I want him/her to be safe and warm, not well done

thanks so much for the suggestions and comments


----------



## drpepperheather

aces_spades said:


> I'm also wondering if anyone has posted a picture of the thermostatic heat controller? I have the heat emitter as it was saved from the clean out after my sisters newts passed away, but I would have a coronary if I came home to a nuked hedgie. I want him/her to be safe and warm, not well done


I am using the Zilla 1000w Temp Controller since it controls both my heat lamps at once. I believe that they also make one in a 500w size for just one lamp.
(http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=2533)

I don't have a photo just of the controller, but here's a photo of my cage. The temp controller sits on the upper left-hand side of the lid, and the probe hangs against the back coroplast wall in the middle of the cage. Hope that helps!


----------



## drpepperheather

If anyone was looking to build a C&C cage, I found a website with tons of different configurations that can be used for ideas. Now, this is a site for someone who actually sells these cages, so hopefully it's okay that I post it here for inspiration. If not, let me know and I'll delete it!

*http://happycages.com/Links.htm*

.


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## Yer_Daddy

here's another:

www.cavycages.com


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## Lilysmommy

Wow, Heather, that's a cool site!


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## lalaith

Has anyone ever tried a rabbit hutch? I think it may need to be specially built or modified because they typically have wide wire bottoms for the poo to fall through (which would have to be covered) and solid wood sides that wouldn't give enough light or ventilation. I do like the idea of having some of the cage separate and enclosed for a private sleeping area though. 

I am going to be moving, and would really like to have charlie live in 'family space' but in a house that is a bit more aesthetically pleasing than a wire cage on a table. 

Any recommendations?


----------



## dorasdaddy

Rabbit hutches are made from unfinished wood...this is not only very very hard to sanitize but will also harbor mites. A better alternative would be a D-I-Y vivarium, you can find instructions for building one online.


----------



## Marc

aces_spades said:


> Another question I had was how to connect a water bottle to the side of the container.


The bottle I use is from a company called Lixit. The bottle fits into a bracket that mounts to a cage by clamping onto the bars with a piece of plastic on either side and a nut and bolt squeezing it together. Luckily this works for a sterilite container too if you just drill a hole big enough for the bolt to fit through. Or you can just use a bowl. Sorry for the late response.

[attachment=0:3tc2127x]bottle.jpg[/attachment:3tc2127x]


----------



## Nancy

Marc said:


> aces_spades said:
> 
> 
> 
> Another question I had was how to connect a water bottle to the side of the container.
> 
> 
> 
> The bottle I use is from a company called Lixit. The bottle fits into a bracket that mounts to a cage by clamping onto the bars with a piece of plastic on either side and a nut and bolt squeezing it together. Luckily this works for a sterilite container too if you just drill a hole big enough for the bolt to fit through. Or you can just use a bowl. Sorry for the late response.
> 
> [attachment=0:2v4i6cmy]bottle.jpg[/attachment:2v4i6cmy]
Click to expand...

Be careful using the Lixit bottles. Unless they have changed the design in the past year or two, they often will fall off the bracket. We used to use them when we had the rats and had to wire them onto the cage because the brackets did not hold well.


----------



## Marc

No problems with it so far in the 2 months I've had it. Did the rats climb on the bottle? As far as I know, hedgies never do that so maybe that's why it's not a problem.


----------



## Hedgehog madness x

*hmmm i am trying to find a nice cage for a hedgehog im getting soon but i hear you not suppose to use ones with wire? any tips*


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## Nancy

Why are you not supposed to use one with wire? Plastic bottomed wire cages are great. As long as the wires are a hedgehog safe spacing and there is no wire on the floor, they are fine.


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## Hedgehog madness x

*Because Apparently they can get through the wires or the cages they can squish through the wires apparently... well thats what my breeder told me? what do you think? i personaly like this cage http://www.petsathome.com/find/category-is-6+small+pets/breed-is-rabbit/product-is-16909 But what do you think? i Havent bought my hedgie yet but am soon and trying to find the perfect cage but am haveing a little trouble doing so? what do you think of that cage and also has any one ever had there hedgehog manage to squish through the bars? *


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## FiaSpice

Nancy said:


> Why are you not supposed to use one with wire? Plastic bottomed wire cages are great. As long as the wires are a hedgehog safe spacing and there is no wire on the floor, they are fine.


I was told that too. Many breeders website stated that a hedgeog can climb on the wires and fall and get injured. That's why I bougt a Zoo Zone cage (witch I just saw isn't great in another topic). I guess, when I'll have money I'll look intoo a plastic bottom/wire cage.


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## Hedgehog madness x

Yeh  so is that other cage i suggested ok?


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## Lilysmommy

Hedgehog madness x said:


> Yeh  so is that other cage i suggested ok?


That cage looks good.  Hedgehogs could, I believe, escape through a hole as big as their shoulders/head (not sure, though), but they couldn't squeeze through the width of wire that most of the wire cages have. Usually, as long as the wire is no further apart than an inch, it's fine.
As far as climbing, I don't know if that's very common for hedgehogs to climb. However, if you find that your hedgehog is a climber, you can block off the wire with either flexible plastic placemat (someone has suggested weaving it through the wire), or ziptieing coroplast to the side of the cage.


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## LizardGirl

It is possible for them to squeeze through but you'd have to have a very small hedgie. The greater danger would be them getting their head through and getting stuck.


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## Lilysmommy

Okay, I have finished any renovations Lily's cage is likely to get and thought I'd post the final product. 
[attachment=2:3q17m37r]DSC00271.jpg[/attachment:3q17m37r]
The entire cage and the storage area underneath, which is the product of the first modification that I did at 12:30 am. :lol:

[attachment=1:3q17m37r]DSC00272.jpg[/attachment:3q17m37r]
Her wheel and her marble tile, along with a couple of toys.

[attachment=0:3q17m37r]DSC00273.jpg[/attachment:3q17m37r]
Her food/water bowls, more toys, and her pigloo.

Adding the last two pics in another post, silly three attachment limit. :lol:


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## Lilysmommy

Okay, here's the closer pictures of the storage area underneath her cage.

[attachment=1:mv3802pm]DSC00274.jpg[/attachment:mv3802pm]
Left storage compartment, with mostly food and random other supplies.

[attachment=0:mv3802pm]DSC00275.jpg[/attachment:mv3802pm]
Right storage compartment, with the giant cat litter food container (downsizing that to an ice cream bucket soon, lol), cleaning supplies, and her two carriers are tucked behind all that. She's got a hard-sided cat carrier and a cloth carrier from Nancy.

The second renovation that I did, you can kind of see it on the right side of the left compartment picture, was a little divider that I put in going from the back to the front of the cage, to help hold the bottom up because it was sagging. It didn't work out exactly how I imagined, but it does help a bit and I didn't care enough to take it back out. :lol:


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## sagesmommy

Wow , that cage is awesome , really pretty!


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## hedgewawa

I hated the Lixit bottles. I switced to an Oasis bottle. Will be adding water bowl tonight to see if we can eliminate all bottles.


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## Lilysmommy

sagesmommy said:


> Wow , that cage is awesome , really pretty!


Thanks!  I really like it, and how much room she has in it.


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## Hedgehog madness x

love the cage.... most of these pictures have fleece as bedding... im using care fresh at the moment bu do you think i should switch to fleece?


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## Lilysmommy

Most people do prefer fleece over care fresh or wood shavings/pellets. Care fresh can dry a hedgehog's skin out even more, which can be problematic since they already usually have dry skin. Fleece is also cheaper in the long run, since you can wash and re-use the liners, rather than continuously buying new bags of bedding. If your hedgehogs ends up liking to dig, you can still give them a chance to dig with liners by making a "dig box". Someone suggested getting a small box and filling it with fleece strips and they can dig in that. I put fleece strips in Lily's igloo for her bedding, since she never used the sleeping bags I made for her. She likes to dig through the fleece strips and sleep in them.


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## funkybee

Is there any reason why I shouldn't put my heat emmiter face down on the top of the cage? I can't seem to clip it to the cage very well. I'm just concerned that having it soo close to the bars may be bad. This the cage I have...
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=3076906


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## Nancy

Mine sits directly on top. What size emitter are you using? Some of the larger wattage emitters go past or level with the edge of the fixtures and if it does, then you can't set it direction on the top. As long as there is space between the bars of the cage and the emitter, it is fine.


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## funkybee

Its 100W and it sits about an inch away from the bars, is that ok?


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## Nancy

Yes, that will be fine. 

Does your fixture have any little holes around the bottom edge? If so, I advise you wire the fixture on to the top door of the cage. That way it can't accidentally be knocked off. I wire mine on because we have cats. If you wire it to the door, you can still open the door and the fixture stays attached.


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## funkybee

ok thanks for the help


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## Hedgehogs

Can I use this heat emitter bulb : http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2752658
In this lamp : http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2753964


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## Nancy

Yes you can. Get the 10" fixture. They spread the heat out better and are cooler to touch.


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## Hedgehogs

Do you mean a 10 inch diameter lamp? Because I currently only have the 5.5 inch one. My question was if I could use the bulb in my lamp.


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## Nancy

Yes, I mean the 10" diameter lamp fixture. The larger one spreads the heat out more and there isn't as much heat buildup in the fixture so the emitter will last longer as well. You also need to make sure the fixture is rated for heat emitters. Not all of them are.


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## Hedgehogs

Thank you.


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## sir_james186

Wow, all these cage set ups makes it look like Babbette is living in a barn with her sterilite tub!! I'm about to switch her over from pine chips to fleece, since the chips are going everywhere and its driving me nuts, but I don't know how much to put down. Is one layer of fleece enough? Or should I fold some in half and put 2 layers down? Also, a friend of mine stopped using fleece because it smelled pretty bad after only 2 days in the cage and therefore he had to change it more often. Is this generally the case? I go a full week without changing the pine chips and never notice an odor...


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## Shelbys Mom

sir_james186 said:


> Wow, all these cage set ups makes it look like Babbette is living in a barn with her sterilite tub!! I'm about to switch her over from pine chips to fleece, since the chips are going everywhere and its driving me nuts, but I don't know how much to put down. Is one layer of fleece enough? Or should I fold some in half and put 2 layers down? Also, a friend of mine stopped using fleece because it smelled pretty bad after only 2 days in the cage and therefore he had to change it more often. Is this generally the case? I go a full week without changing the pine chips and never notice an odor...


I think the amount of layers of fleece really just depends on what you would like, Mine each have 1 layer, some people double or triple it.

As far as the fleece liners smelling, That really depends on the individual Hedgehog, each of mine get changed once a week and spot cleaned daily, There's a little girl hedgie that I care for for someone from time to time and she needs her cage cleaned *daily* and her cage will smell really bad. 
So if you clean yours once a week with the Wood chips, the fleece should work out fine. 
I'd try it for a week or so and if you or the hedgie has any problems with it you can always change back.


----------



## Syker

Posted this in the cage setup example thread, thought I would post it here too.

We got a new hedgehog yesterday, and in preparation for her we build a new huge cage. (I will post pictures of the little girl in the fun stuff in a little bit) We decided to go the C&C way, since the old one we did was a two-bins-connected and we still found it a bit small.


We cut out liners out of fleece, you can see underneath where we stored a bunch of extra ones. Underneath the liners are some shelf liners, to make it more comfy and to make it even more easy to clean. We also bought a new wheel, the flying saucer.


I like the colour blue. A lot.

In the pictures, she's huddled underneath her blankies in the lower left corner. The little second floor is basically a play pit, tons of little strips of fleece (and a couple of socks) for her to burrow into. We're thinking of adding another grid on the top of that level.

This was made with one sheet of coroplast and one box of cubes (13 grids), although I had bought 2 just in case. It's huge! I hope she'll enjoy it . Let me know if there's anything you think I should change or anything of concern, I want her cage to be as good as it can be!


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## sir_james186

quick question guys
I've noticed alot of you have "sleeping bags" type things for your hedgies, and I happen to have some extra pieces of fleece laying around. I can easily sow one together, but I'm wondering how to keep the front open? Babbette loves hiding in things, but she will ignore it if she can't get inside....


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## LizardGirl

If you want, you can just toss the scrap in without sewing it... that way you don't have to worry about loose threads and she can just sleep under it 

Otherwise just sew the edges on the front over or add a different piece to sew over the edges to enclose it (not a sewing-type person, lol, hope you can understand) that way the opening is more stiff and she will be able to find it better. I'm sure if you look at the pictures it will make more sense. :lol:


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## knitfreak

I was thinking about hedgie bags the other day, and I bet if you were making a hem around the opening, you could enclose a piece of timtex in there (i use it on knitted hat brims to keep them stiffer and in shape).


----------



## sir_james186

Thanks for the advice on the sleeping bag y'all, I've got a friend working on that currently.

I've just switched over from pine chips to fleece for the cage, and while I like the cleanliness factor outside the cage (no more loose chips getting everywhere) the cage itself looks like a mess every morning! Babbette digs under neath the fleece and knocks over her food bowl, gets poo everywhere and I've never seen her wheel this messy before. I've put in 2 solid handfuls of fleece strips, but she just ignores them and likes to hide under the blanket instead. Currently I've got all the sides taped down so she'll stop doing that, but is there anything else I can do to discourage this behavior? Also, should i be worried that her cage is dirtier in 24hours on fleece then it was in a week of chips? I know the chips hide some stuff, but I'm shocked every morning....


----------



## knitfreak

I found that it helped to put a long litter pan under my guy's wheel. I use paper towel to line it and Winston never goes potty outside of this area. The litter pan extends PAST his wheel on one side, I think this helps. If it was just the length of the wheel it wouldn't be as effective as he gets off his wheel to wee (but does poop on his wheel).

If your hedgie is young the mess can be very erratic, as they get older I have noticed mine becoming more of a creature of habit. He always wees in the same spot.

Every now and then a poo is out of place, but in the morning it has hardened, so I just pick it up and put it in his litter (That gets cleaned once nightly anyways). I also vacuum out his cage for crumbs every night, I just use a little dirt devil on the liners.


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## meralgia

I see that a lot of you have the "new" wheels... not the bucket kind but the saucer. Are those "better"?


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## meralgia

Okay, I have a silly question. Two years ago, we owned a hedgie. When I read the forums then, it was all wood chips, wood chips. Now it's all fleece, fleece, fleece.

I have a mixture of dirt on the bottom, a thin layer of wood chips on top of that, and grass in the corner in a shallow bucket so I can keep it alive. I take my hedgie outside to walk on the grass for a while and she even ate a half-squished moth today.

I don't mind hedgehogs living like kings in a house made of pillows and fluff, but why is it that folks don't advocate a more natural environment?


----------



## FiaSpice

*My 2 new cages!*

A week ago, I ordered a new cage for Litchi (I talked about my old crappy ZooZone in that topic). We the new "unplaned one" I didn't have money for 2 cage (worth 89$) so I told myself... Tangelo will take the zoozone for a while. Then on kijiji, this used cage poped up for 30$. It'sd in good shape exept for some top wire that are a little bent. So I picked up both cage today.



So tomorow I'll be making some liners for both of them and I'll have to make Litchi's stand and think about a stand for Tangelo too.


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## cutietexan

wow that cage is uber cool!! like with the dryer tube and junk, that was smart. did you buy a cage with a loft or did you make it? if you bought it, where can i get one??


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## Blacknose

I'm getting my first hog next weekend and have been looking at cages. I think I'm going to get this one:










It's 100cm * 53cm * 33cm and seems like it'd probably do the job. The only thing that concerns me is that there is going to be a CHE above it which may heat the metal bars up, allowing the hog to burn themselves on them. I'm open to suggestions for cages if anyone has any recommendations, although keep in mind that I'm in the UK and that the absolute maximum I can spend on a cage is £100. Thanks for any help.


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## Lilysmommy

meralgia said:


> Okay, I have a silly question. Two years ago, we owned a hedgie. When I read the forums then, it was all wood chips, wood chips. Now it's all fleece, fleece, fleece.
> 
> I have a mixture of dirt on the bottom, a thin layer of wood chips on top of that, and grass in the corner in a shallow bucket so I can keep it alive. I take my hedgie outside to walk on the grass for a while and she even ate a half-squished moth today.
> 
> I don't mind hedgehogs living like kings in a house made of pillows and fluff, but why is it that folks don't advocate a more natural environment?


I know it's been awhile since this was posted, but just thought I'd answer if you're still waiting for one. Because hedgehogs haven't been owned as pets for all that long, we're still learning a lot about what they need and what problems we deal with in terms of health and care. We've discovered that wood chips can easily give hedgehogs mites, which will lower their immune systems if not taken care of right away, and can be very hard to get rid of, especially if they continue to get them from the bedding. It's very very rare for hedgehogs to get mites if they have fleece bedding, unless another hedgehog introduces them. Most people don't use dirt because it's so messy, and unless baked, it could have parasites in it. It's also recommended that they don't eat wild-caught bugs because pesticides are so common nowadays and could make them sick.


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## Immortalia

@ Blacknose

The cage looks fine to me. And hedgehogs don't really jump, and we try not to let them climb, so they shouldn't reach the metal bars at the top anyways. And if there is a ramp that leads up to that higher ledge, I would suggest taking it out entirely somehow, that ledge is not enclosed, meaning the hedgie can easily slip and fall off. And even at that low height, it is possible for broken bones and/or internal damage. 

You can also take out that hay rack area as well, since hedgehogs don't need hay. And that would give you a bit more room, especially once you put a 12" wheel(they need the largest size) in there, you'll find that the space can be a bit cramped.


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## Blacknose

I'm pretty sure the higher ledge is just a removable rabbit house that I won't be using as it takes up too much space and has an unprotected ledge on top of it. According to reviews the hay rack pops straight out so that shouldn't be a problem.


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## Bengall77

That looks like a great cage to me. The opening looks very convenient for taking stuff out and putting it back in, too.


----------



## hedgielover81

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



drowsydreamer said:


> Here's my setup. Note I took the pic right after I cleaned his cage, so its about 10 times cleaner than usual. Anyway, it's a bit small, but it seems to work just fine for Turbo. Pretty self explanatory- food and water dish, fleece scraps, hedgie bag, pvc pipe, wheel, tp tube, ping pong ball, and toy truck. He doesn't use a litterbox. There's a thermometer taped to the side and just a pretty little nametag thing on the back, for decorative purposes only.
> 
> [attachment=0:16bl6d06]misc 052.jpg[/attachment:16bl6d06]


I notice first and foremost that you don't have bedding in there. What is it you're using in place of the bedding? And is it easier on clean up? I got bedding with my hedgehog set up, so that's what I"m using right now, but perhaps in the future, I might switch...


----------



## hedgielover

In drowsydreamers set up and many others in the thread fleece lining is used. Any kind of strong absorbent fabric can be used as long as it doesn't have loops or loose threads that can catch toes. Mose people use fleece or something similar because it does not fray so you can just cut it to the size of the cage and not sew it. 

I find it way easier than bedding because I never quite got the hang of scooping or dumping out bedding and the fleece just lifts right out. Also it is cheaper because I don't have to buy a new bag every month and easier and faster to clean on a daily basis. Also liners don't have dust so if you have to do a wipe out of the cage in case he spills water or pees under the liner. It's a spot clean only not a clean to get all the dust out. Dust is also bad for a hedgehogs respiratory track and can cause illness. some bedding is low on dust but most have at least some and liners have none so that makes them far superior in my opinion.


----------



## hedgielover81

Well, once I have used this bag up, I will look into the fleece. That seems like it would make cage cleaning a lot of easier too, and it seems like it will be easier on little Sonadow. Thank you so much for your help!


----------



## Rollo

The box by his wheel is a mini sand box that has meal worms hiding in it. 
Then he also has 4 different patterns of fleece.


----------



## LizardGirl

Added a fabric "wall" to the lower part of Inky's cage, thought I'd share a pic...










Hasn't changed much but it's more recent.


----------



## Pipkin

LG I love your cage set up, I'm just curious but what's in the 4 bowls for inky?


----------



## LizardGirl

Haha, from left to right is:

Regular mix
"I like this food better" and "still being introduced" food mix
Water
Treats and new food


----------



## FiaSpice

Here it is, my New set up for Litchi!

























(I made a little spill in her cage, I took care for that)

I didn't tought of taking a pic of the stand my dad made, I'll take another one soon

Tangelo's set up


----------



## Linsoid

What is everyone using as side railing for their ramps? I am probably going to acquire a nice cage with ramps and want to "hedgie-proof" it. My little guy has proved to be a bit of a climber, so its essential that he doesnt fall.


----------



## LizardGirl

I use vinyl dryer vent tubing. It's easy to use, especially if you need to curve it around two sides of the cage to make the ramp not too steep.


----------



## silvercat

I've seen a lot of people also use coroplast. there was one (or more) person who actually used some of the squares from the C&C cages bent into a C shape


----------



## Linsoid

Would it be alright to use the tubing over an already existing ramp? I hadnt thought of it until just now, but it seems like a good idea

Ive seen Chloroplast mentioned several times. What is it, and where in the world does one buy it? I thought it was something along the lines of the flimsy cutting boards that come in packages of three or so, but now i am not so sure.


----------



## cutietexan

Linsoid said:


> Ive seen Chloroplast mentioned several times. What is it, and where in the world does one buy it? I thought it was something along the lines of the flimsy cutting boards that come in packages of three or so, but now i am not so sure.


its basically just flimsy plastic, i guess. its kind of hard to describe :l i dunno what stores you can get it from, but i know you can buy it at this website. http://guineapigcages.com/buycc.htm

its a little pricey though.


----------



## leannem

It's like corrugated cardboard but plastic. it's actually fairly sturdy. you can buy it at places like home depot but they often only have white or transparent. They are used for signage mostly and can be found in a variety of colours at signage shops.


----------



## Linsoid

Ohhh, Okay that makes so much more sense now. I went to home depot last night and said Chloroplast and the kid looked at me with the oddest look, haha. I may just use that for railings then. I know this is a silly questions... but what is the best way to cut or create a hole to slip a zip tie through?


----------



## leannem

Yeah, the home depot employees definately don't take intelligence exams before they get hired. I hate Home Depot! Lol.

In the coroplast? Just stick one side of scissors through it. You'll have a small slit that you can push the zip tie through. Try to make the slit run in the same direction as the corrugated bits instead of cutting across them. That way you won't compromise any of the strength in it.


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## Linsoid

I probably should have been able to figure that one out myself, haha. Im assuming its fairly easy to but through as well? I'm hoping to fit the pieces to the levels that are already in a cage. Sadly the levels in the cage are grated, and bad for hedgie.


----------



## emilymarieasb

Rollo said:


> The box by his wheel is a mini sand box that has meal worms hiding in it.
> Then he also has 4 different patterns of fleece.


*I love how you've put fleece inside the cage and put the top over it. Nice idea so your hedgehog doesn't move the liner all around 

Also, I like the sand idea, but is sand safe for hedgehogs? I wasn't sure since like, I've read that kitty litter is bad since it can get caught in their private areas.*


----------



## kristin777

so, i've had naomi for almost a month now, and i've been designing her cage and i just finished it today.  i'm super excited, so here are some pictures. my pictures are kinda cruddy sorry!

this is the whole thing, i made her two floors.









this is her top floor where she sleeps and stuff.









and this is her bottom floor minus the tubing because it's attached to the lid that comes off when i remove the top floor. 









let me know what you guys think!

oh and a quick question, what types of cat food do you guys feed to your hedgies? i just bought meow mix because that's what the ppl were feeding her before but i want to get her something more nutritional.


----------



## LarryT

kristin777 said:


> so, i've had naomi for almost a month now, and i've been designing her cage and i just finished it today.  i'm super excited, so here are some pictures. my pictures are kinda cruddy sorry!
> 
> this is the whole thing, i made her two floors.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> this is her top floor where she sleeps and stuff.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and this is her bottom floor minus the tubing because it's attached to the lid that comes off when i remove the top floor.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> let me know what you guys think!
> 
> oh and a quick question, what types of cat food do you guys feed to your hedgies? i just bought meow mix because that's what the ppl were feeding her before but i want to get her something more nutritional.


The bins will need alot of holes drilled or burned into the sides for ventihaltion.
The way you have it All the fumes/smell will be trapped inside for your hedgie to breath with no escape.
Meow mix is not good for cats or hedgies.
Here is a link to reapers approved cat food list  
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=15
P.S. what is that in the litter box?


----------



## kristin777

LarryT said:


> kristin777 said:
> 
> 
> 
> so, i've had naomi for almost a month now, and i've been designing her cage and i just finished it today.  i'm super excited, so here are some pictures. my pictures are kinda cruddy sorry!
> 
> this is the whole thing, i made her two floors.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> this is her top floor where she sleeps and stuff.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and this is her bottom floor minus the tubing because it's attached to the lid that comes off when i remove the top floor.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> let me know what you guys think!
> 
> oh and a quick question, what types of cat food do you guys feed to your hedgies? i just bought meow mix because that's what the ppl were feeding her before but i want to get her something more nutritional.
> 
> 
> 
> The bins will need alot of holes drilled or burned into the sides for ventihaltion.
> The way you have it All the fumes/smell will be trapped inside for your hedgie to breath with no escape.
> Meow mix is not good for cats or hedgies.
> Here is a link to reapers approved cat food list
> http://hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewt ... p?f=6&t=15
> P.S. what is that in the litter box?
Click to expand...

i've drilled holes in the sides all over it. and yeah i went and got chicken soup for the cat lovers soul lean kind. don't think she likes it but i think what i'm gonna do is mix it up a little in my blender and add some meal worms to it, and maybe some fruit or something so she can get all the nutrients in one.

and that in the litter box is shredded newspapers.


----------



## kristin777

oh and a heads up, i'm getting yesterdays news since i've been informed that is the best to get for hedgies, just waiting for next paycheck to roll around and going to a different county to get it because pet depot does not carry it.


----------



## LarryT

kristin777 said:


> oh and a heads up, i'm getting yesterdays news since i've been informed that is the best to get for hedgies, just waiting for next paycheck to roll around and going to a different county to get it because pet depot does not carry it.


You are on the right track


----------



## kristin777

awesomeness.  thanks for letting me know newspaper is a bad idea, and thanks for being so nice about it too. oh and btw, i watched your video of little jerry on your site, and i heard needtobreathe in the background. i love them! good choice of music muh friend. and what was that he was running around in? just a play area or what? that's a good idea and i need something like that.


----------



## LarryT

kristin777 said:


> awesomeness.  thanks for letting me know newspaper is a bad idea, and thanks for being so nice about it too. oh and btw, i watched your video of little jerry on your site, and i heard needtobreathe in the background. i love them! good choice of music muh friend. and what was that he was running around in? just a play area or what? that's a good idea and i need something like that.


Thats just an old super pets cage bottom :lol: 
I like to use the plastic swimming pools as well  but with it being winter good luck finding one :lol:


----------



## kristin777

oh ok well cool!
i bet i can find one of those somewhere, one that someone isn't using.

and yeah for real :lol: unless.....walmart is hiding them in the back somewhere......i have friends that work there.


----------



## tscanio45

*Re: How should I setup my cage?*

Hey, this is my first post. I just got my first hedgie about 2 weeks ago and he is doing alright. His name is Edge (for edge the hedge). He is only 3 months old so he is till very timid of the new environment. I was wondering if i should change his bedding from the apsen bedding to a fleece liner. If I change the liner to fleece, wont the pee absorb into the fabric. I was wondering how often you would have to wash the fleece liner and would a regular fleece blanket work. Would it be more effective if I got a litter area in there for him? I look forward to hearing from you all.


----------



## krbshappy71

*Re: How should I setup my cage?*



tscanio45 said:


> Hey, this is my first post. I just got my first hedgie about 2 weeks ago and he is doing alright. His name is Edge (for edge the hedge). He is only 3 months old so he is till very timid of the new environment. I was wondering if i should change his bedding from the apsen bedding to a fleece liner. If I change the liner to fleece, wont the pee absorb into the fabric. I was wondering how often you would have to wash the fleece liner and would a regular fleece blanket work. Would it be more effective if I got a litter area in there for him? I look forward to hearing from you all.


Some people use litterboxes, yes. I use the fleece and change it out once a week. I pick up the little poopies through the week and wash the wheels every day. Washing the wheel every day will help quite a bit, in my opinion.
Fleece blankets work, just ensure there are no strings or decorative threading, embroidery on it. Strings easily get caught on their tiny toenails, toes, legs. I also check mine for hair strands as we have long hair, and long dog hair. Those hairs can also cause injury to the hedgie the same way strings do.


----------



## tscanio45

Thanks im going to start making one out of a fleece blanket i have. Also i'm going to go ahead and make a bag and bed for him too. I think I'm going to find a small tray to make into a litter box... I hope the cage comes out nice... I'll post pics when I can.


----------



## paisleyk

Hi! I'm new here and a new hedgehog owner. Right now my hedgie Oliver lives in a guinea pig/ferret cage and I was thinking about ways to make a larger cage. I came across this cage idea a while ago (but it's for a bunny). What do you guys think? Would this be safe for a hedgehog? (of course with a few modifications since he's smaller than a bunny)

http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/ ... unny-hutch

Thanks!


----------



## Hedgieonboard

It looks really nice but theres a few modifications I think would have to be done. One main thing would be to make sure there is enough ventillation, sometimes when only one side is open there isn't. I can't tell from the picture but the spaces in the grate may be too large. The only other thing I can think that may be a problem is that it may be hard to clean. It has a nice clean look to it which I love and if you end up finding a great way to modify it for a hedgie I'd love to see pictures, Good luck on your project


----------



## dormouse04

Hi!
I recently just got a new job, and once all the vet bills are paid of for Nala (soo worried about her) I want to buy the girls a nice new cage set up. My space is very limited because my room is very small and I have to share space at school as well. 
Do any of you know an affordable cage set up (I have dishes and tubes and igloos and a wheel in there. I'd have two wheels but Nala never cared for it. She'd rather run up and down the inside of my pant leg) suitable for two hogs? The girls have never been away from each other; they are sisters.


----------



## tracie

I'm am trying to figure out the best way to house four hedgehogs. If I'm gonna make a C&C hedgie tower (3 cubes long, 1 cube wide), do I need to connect it to the wall or something so it doesn't fall over? Or is it stable?

Or, I was gonna connect a couple sterilite containers with PVC pipes, then put two hedgehog homes on top of a card table and two underneath. 

And then I need to put storage somewhere...

Any thoughts?


----------



## tie-dye hedgie

Tracie, are you trying to house all of them together or separately while being next to each other? Also, how many are boys or girls?


----------



## tracie

I'm trying to house them separately. I don't know if they're boys or girls yet. They're still babies right now.


----------



## Faifai

I have a question related to lighting... Is it safe to have a 50w regular light bulb on for 12 hours a day?


----------



## Nancy

Faifai said:


> I have a question related to lighting... Is it safe to have a 50w regular light bulb on for 12 hours a day?


Yes, a light bulb can be left on forever.


----------



## LizardGirl

Nancy said:


> Faifai said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have a question related to lighting... Is it safe to have a 50w regular light bulb on for 12 hours a day?
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, a light bulb can be left on forever.
Click to expand...

Nancy, I'm assuming you mean "whenever" and not "forever"- just checking.

Lightbulbs are pretty much always safe to have on, though you are right, the 12 hours is the right amount of time to have it on for each day.


----------



## Faifai

All right, thank you. I just wanted to be sure the bulb wouldn't explode or anything from being on 12 hours straight.


----------



## Nancy

LizardGirl said:


> Nancy said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Faifai said:
> 
> 
> 
> I have a question related to lighting... Is it safe to have a 50w regular light bulb on for 12 hours a day?
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, a light bulb can be left on forever.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Nancy, I'm assuming you mean "whenever" and not "forever"- just checking.
> 
> Lightbulbs are pretty much always safe to have on, though you are right, the 12 hours is the right amount of time to have it on for each day.
Click to expand...

I meant exactly what I said. A light bulb is safe to leave on forever and it won't explode, catch on fire or do anything strange. She didn't ask about timing, she asked if it was safe.


----------



## LizardGirl

Okay, sorry about that.


----------



## tracie

tracie said:


> I'm am trying to figure out the best way to house four hedgehogs. If I'm gonna make a C&C hedgie tower (3 cubes long, 1 cube wide), do I need to connect it to the wall or something so it doesn't fall over? Or is it stable?
> 
> Or, I was gonna connect a couple sterilite containers with PVC pipes, then put two hedgehog homes on top of a card table and two underneath.
> 
> And then I need to put storage somewhere...
> 
> Any thoughts?


I still haven't really gotten an answer yet... I'm thinking it would be better to do the C&C cage. If I stack them and make it a tower (like at the beginning of this thread), should I nail it to the wall so it doesn't fall over?


----------



## LizardGirl

I'm not sure how you would nail it to the wall, but I'm sure there is a way you can use a little L shaped thing like used for bookshelves to attach it. I agree it would probably be a little flimsy and need the support.


----------



## nougat

Yeah L brackets should be fine. Install them through the inside of the cage and drill them in place. There's also furniture brackets, tv/furniture straps and tv adhesive straps.


----------



## nikki

Just remember that if you make a "tower" there's a good chance your hedgie will only use the bottom level, alot won't use ramps or levels.


----------



## nougat

nikki said:


> Just remember that if you make a "tower" there's a good chance your hedgie will only use the bottom level, alot won't use ramps or levels.


I think she plans on housing one hedgehog per C&C cube.


----------



## nikki

oops....  ... that's what I get for not reading carefully...lol


----------



## Faifai

Aaaaaah!

Hedgeworth sleeps under a fleece blanket. But he also poops in it and makes a general mess and ends up sleeping with his poop. Besides the health concerns, I got tired of such a yucky mess so I cleaned up, took the blanket out, put an upsidedown box in the cage on top of a paper towel (with a doorway cut out of course), and stuffed some more paper towel strips inside.

Was this too harsh, or was it the right thing to do?

I kind of wish I had gotten him one of those igloos now... =_= I guess I'll have to go get one if I want to be able to see him in there, instead of hoping to gain x-ray vision to see through the cardboard box.

Anyone want to explain to me how to deal with a hedgie pooping in their sleeping place? I know babies are poop machines but this is ridiculous! lol.


----------



## tracie

Faifai said:


> Aaaaaah!
> 
> I kind of wish I had gotten him one of those igloos now... =_= I guess I'll have to go get one if I want to be able to see him in there, instead of hoping to gain x-ray vision to see through the cardboard box.


An igloo would be a good idea. Poop will get on a box and you won't be able to clean it off. Igloos are very easy to clean.


----------



## JESSJAMES

So I'm just wondering.. what do you guys all line the base of your C&C cages with? Just more coroplast like for the siding?


----------



## Shelobe

JESSJAMES said:


> So I'm just wondering.. what do you guys all line the base of your C&C cages with? Just more coroplast like for the siding?


Yep.


----------



## JESSJAMES

Wasn't sure if this is where I post this or not.. But I got Hercules new cage (almost) set up!



Just have to work out how I plan to connect the top to the bottom now.. but other than that, he's now out of his little cage, and into a spacious cage! 

Still have to replace the wheel, and buy better bedding stuff.. and then toys.. but for now, all is good! 

p.s ignore the bag of shavings in the corner, they're cedar shavings! never going back into his cage. That's the bag he came with.. I wonder if someone on craigslist will swap me that bag for some aspen shavings.. hmm.


----------



## LarryT

JESSJAMES said:


> Wasn't sure if this is where I post this or not.. But I got Hercules new cage (almost) set up!
> 
> 
> 
> Just have to work out how I plan to connect the top to the bottom now.. but other than that, he's now out of his little cage, and into a spacious cage!
> 
> Still have to replace the wheel, and buy better bedding stuff.. and then toys.. but for now, all is good!
> 
> p.s ignore the bag of shavings in the corner, they're cedar shavings! never going back into his cage. That's the bag he came with.. I wonder if someone on craigslist will swap me that bag for some aspen shavings.. hmm.


Don't mean to bash your setup but that wheel is very dangerous for hedgies.


----------



## Nancy

JESSJAMES said:


> Wasn't sure if this is where I post this or not.. But I got Hercules new cage (almost) set up!
> 
> 
> 
> Just have to work out how I plan to connect the top to the bottom now.. but other than that, he's now out of his little cage, and into a spacious cage!
> 
> Still have to replace the wheel, and buy better bedding stuff.. and then toys.. but for now, all is good!
> 
> p.s ignore the bag of shavings in the corner, they're cedar shavings! never going back into his cage. That's the bag he came with.. I wonder if someone on craigslist will swap me that bag for some aspen shavings.. hmm.


I suggest you not make the top level so high up. Instead of setting it on top of the grids, you can use zip ties and attach it lower down. Being lower means a shallower shorter ramp which often means hedgie will be more likely to use the upper level.


----------



## JESSJAMES

Nancy said:


> I suggest you not make the top level so high up. Instead of setting it on top of the grids, you can use zip ties and attach it lower down. Being lower means a shallower shorter ramp which often means hedgie will be more likely to use the upper level.


Oh good suggestion! I like that idea actually. Will it be stable enough though just being stuck midway by zip ties?

And yes, I know that wheel was bad. He now has a comfort wheel. The Silent Spinner is just what he came with when I got him and I hadn't had time to change it by then!


----------



## Galvon

I don't know if this is where I post this but oh my goodness do I ever love C&C cages. Sandslash's cage was way too small for him now that he's fully grown so I sold it along with his old wheel on Craigslist and used the money to buy C&C supplies. 

Home depot only had one pack of grids left and it was opened so they gave them to me for 10$ and there were like 12 grids in there I think. I made the cage about 1.5 grids wide by three grids long and he now has a TON of room. I just cant believe how easy and cheap it was!

I would also like to add that Sandy ADORES his CSW, so he sends his thanks to Larry. I almost had to take it away the first night because he was wheeling for like seven hours :lol:


----------



## Nancy

JESSJAMES said:


> Nancy said:
> 
> 
> 
> I suggest you not make the top level so high up. Instead of setting it on top of the grids, you can use zip ties and attach it lower down. Being lower means a shallower shorter ramp which often means hedgie will be more likely to use the upper level.
> 
> 
> 
> Oh good suggestion! I like that idea actually. Will it be stable enough though just being stuck midway by zip ties?
> 
> And yes, I know that wheel was bad. He now has a comfort wheel. The Silent Spinner is just what he came with when I got him and I hadn't had time to change it by then!
Click to expand...

Yes zip ties will hold the level in place. Use lots of them, they are cheap. :lol:


----------



## Spencer13

i see most of the users here use fleece as the bedding. Im wondering if u guys use fleece, wouldnt the hedgehog poo on it? Do u guys change the fleece everyday? and Do i have to train my hedgehog b4 using fleece ? Cuz im afraid if i use fleece, the next morning, it would be poo all over. my hedgehog poo alot ~


----------



## LarryT

Spencer13 said:


> i see most of the users here use fleece as the bedding. Im wondering if u guys use fleece, wouldnt the hedgehog poo on it? Do u guys change the fleece everyday? and Do i have to train my hedgehog b4 using fleece ? Cuz im afraid if i use fleece, the next morning, it would be poo all over. my hedgehog poo alot ~


Yes they poop all over it. Each morning I spot clean all the cages,meaning picking up poops lol.
I usually change the liners every 3 days or so, I take them outside and shake them off real well and then wash them in the washing machine with a non-scented laudry detergent. Nancy taught me that if you put alittle vinger in the rinse cycle it will remove any lingering smell.


----------



## silvercat

LarryT said:


> Spencer13 said:
> 
> 
> 
> i see most of the users here use fleece as the bedding. Im wondering if u guys use fleece, wouldnt the hedgehog poo on it? Do u guys change the fleece everyday? and Do i have to train my hedgehog b4 using fleece ? Cuz im afraid if i use fleece, the next morning, it would be poo all over. my hedgehog poo alot ~
> 
> 
> 
> Yes they poop all over it. Each morning I spot clean all the cages,meaning picking up poops lol.
> I usually change the liners every 3 days or so, I take them outside and shake them off real well and then wash them in the washing machine with a non-scented laudry detergent. Nancy taught me that if you put alittle vinger in the rinse cycle it will remove any lingering smell.
Click to expand...

You can also use a bit of baking soda with or without the vinegar. If using it with, don't use too much in case of some elementary volcano action. That's never happened to me but I'm sure it could if someone got carried away.


----------



## Tarynsgate

I'm going to add a 2nd sterilite bin to the whole 'hedgie-habitat' ensemble, but I wanna know if the hedgie will readily explore the 2nd bin soon after it's attached?

I plan to make one bin with shavings (this is sleepy/dig/food place) with the other one having the wheel, toys and drinking bowl on fabric. Would this work or will this just make hedgie lazy and sleep at the wheel?


----------



## hedgielover

Tarynsgate said:


> I'm going to add a 2nd sterilite bin to the whole 'hedgie-habitat' ensemble, but I wanna know if the hedgie will readily explore the 2nd bin soon after it's attached?
> 
> I plan to make one bin with shavings (this is sleepy/dig/food place) with the other one having the wheel, toys and drinking bowl on fabric. Would this work or will this just make hedgie lazy and sleep at the wheel?


It really depends on the hedgehog what they will do with a second bin. At first I would put food in both just in case your hedgehog decides to stay in one bin.


----------



## Tarynsgate

hedgielover said:


> Tarynsgate said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm going to add a 2nd sterilite bin to the whole 'hedgie-habitat' ensemble, but I wanna know if the hedgie will readily explore the 2nd bin soon after it's attached?
> 
> I plan to make one bin with shavings (this is sleepy/dig/food place) with the other one having the wheel, toys and drinking bowl on fabric. Would this work or will this just make hedgie lazy and sleep at the wheel?
> 
> 
> 
> It really depends on the hedgehog what they will do with a second bin. At first I would put food in both just in case your hedgehog decides to stay in one bin.
Click to expand...

Hmm, would it be cruel to put more food in the 'sleeping/digging/eating' bin than the one where her wheel is so if she's still hungry she has to go to the other bin?

On another note, would it be better if I made a loft instead?


----------



## silvercat

Tarynsgate said:


> hedgielover said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tarynsgate said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm going to add a 2nd sterilite bin to the whole 'hedgie-habitat' ensemble, but I wanna know if the hedgie will readily explore the 2nd bin soon after it's attached?
> 
> I plan to make one bin with shavings (this is sleepy/dig/food place) with the other one having the wheel, toys and drinking bowl on fabric. Would this work or will this just make hedgie lazy and sleep at the wheel?
> 
> 
> 
> It really depends on the hedgehog what they will do with a second bin. At first I would put food in both just in case your hedgehog decides to stay in one bin.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Hmm, would it be cruel to put more food in the 'sleeping/digging/eating' bin than the one where her wheel is so if she's still hungry she has to go to the other bin?
> 
> On another note, would it be better if I made a loft instead?
Click to expand...

I would strongly recommend against limiting the food in one of the bins. Instead you could use treats though, having them only in one bin and not the other, to encourage movemement between. A loft runs into similar challenges as a second bin.


----------



## Kenzi

I was initially concerned with this as well, I made a loft out of a smaller bin (about the size of a large shoe box) and I connected the two with a tube. When Mila was just 6 weeks old, she would go into the loft and poop everywhere. I got a little dish for a second litter pan, but it didn't really matter to her (she would still poop everywhere). I was also concerned that she might feel trapped and become dehydrated or hungry, but soon enough I realized that Mila was gaining weight, and still using her wheel down in the main bin. So I stopped worrying about that. Now that Mila is older (14 weeks old) she definately has better control of her bowels and only poops in the main bin. The 'Loft' as I call it is her little bedroom with just a snuggle sack in it. She is active in the main bin at night, but sleeps in the loft all day. I haven't found a reason to provide food and water in her loft.


----------



## K_Sora

After checking out all of the different setups that people are using I've decided that I'd like to build my own cage. I'd like to use a combination of sterilite tub and either a cube or wire closet shelving. 

My question though is, if I were to try and make a loft at some point would it be more secure to use the c&c and connectors that come with it or will zip ties be sturdy enough to support it if I go with a shelving option?


----------



## Needlenose

I think I've settled on this cage.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2753643

Question: Do you think it's safe to set the CHE lamps right on top of this cage?

Discuss.


----------



## Nancy

That is an awesome cage. There are two ways you can use it. The wire floor is not safe so, you can either cover the floor with coroplast, or you can slide the metal mesh out and use the plastic base. I have seen people cover the metal mesh and use the plastic base like a drawer for hedgie supplies. Either way, it is a great cage.

Yes, you can put the heat emitter fixture right on top of the cage. The fixture is slippery when sitting on top of the bars so it is best to wire it on so it can't slide off.


----------



## Needlenose

Kewl thanks for the info! I'm thinking I'm going to get some of that coroplast stuff to put over the wires as that would probably make the most of the floor space. But I do kind of like that storage space idea! Now then...how to wire the fixtures on...


----------



## Nancy

The fixture's I got have a couple of small holes near the edge of the fixture. I used some wire through the holes and then around the wires of the top of the cage. I put it on the lid so I could lift the lid without having to move the fixture each time.


----------



## Needlenose

(Runs down stairs excitedly to check the CHE fixtures.) :x Curse you Flukers!!! >.<


----------



## susanaproenca

K_Sora said:


> After checking out all of the different setups that people are using I've decided that I'd like to build my own cage. I'd like to use a combination of sterilite tub and either a cube or wire closet shelving.
> 
> My question though is, if I were to try and make a loft at some point would it be more secure to use the c&c and connectors that come with it or will zip ties be sturdy enough to support it if I go with a shelving option?


The connectors that come with the wire cubes are not sturdy enough, so I'd recommend you using zip ties.


----------



## K_Sora

Thanks susan. I'm glad to have that confirmed. That was one of my main worries about c&c cages, it just looks like a certain amount of pressure in particular spots would mean trouble. :shock:


----------



## Nancy

Needlenose said:


> (Runs down stairs excitedly to check the CHE fixtures.) :x Curse you Flukers!!! >.<


If it doesn't have holes, you can add them easily. A drill and small drill bit will easily drill through the metal about 1/2" up from the edge. Make sure you unscrew and remove the emitter first so you don't risk breaking it. If you don't have a drill, a hammer and small nail will work as well.


----------



## Needlenose

Nancy said:


> If you don't have a drill, a hammer and small nail will work as well.


Ah thanks, that was my next question. :mrgreen:


----------



## karennoel

I've been searching both instore and online and can't seem to find these tiny bowls I'm seeing in everyones cages. Any ideas where to look?


----------



## HedgehogsAnonymous

With the C&C cages,what are you using on the bottoms and what are you doing for heating? I'd like to make one of these for my boys but I'm still working on the logistics of it. 

Thanks!


----------



## shaelikestaquitos

karennoel said:


> I've been searching both instore and online and can't seem to find these tiny bowls I'm seeing in everyones cages. Any ideas where to look?


The dollar store.


----------



## silvercat

karennoel said:


> I've been searching both instore and online and can't seem to find these tiny bowls I'm seeing in everyones cages. Any ideas where to look?


I have small glass bowls that I use in Annabell's cage. They are actually from a President's Choice Creme Brule Christmas Dessert. Possibly your local grocery store has a similar dessert. The bonus is you get to eat it first!! (And they WERE YUMMY!)


----------



## Quilled1

K_Sora said:


> Thanks susan. I'm glad to have that confirmed. That was one of my main worries about c&c cages, it just looks like a certain amount of pressure in particular spots would mean trouble. :shock:


I've been looking for a larger cage (the one that came with Emma is 18" x 30" which comes out to 3.75 square feet of space instead of the recommended 4). My boyfriend has these cubes and I too was worried that the thing would collapse :| 
Got plenty of zip-ties though.

My other concern was that when I put a temporary pen to play in together out of the panels (completely supervised by me sitting in it with her) she kept trying to shove herself through the spaces. I'm afraid if she keeps doing this while I'm not around she'll get stuck or hurt herself. Is there a way to prevent this?

I'd love to make her a cage out of these but I want to make sure it's 100% safe.


----------



## Nancy

Quilled1 said:


> K_Sora said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks susan. I'm glad to have that confirmed. That was one of my main worries about c&c cages, it just looks like a certain amount of pressure in particular spots would mean trouble. :shock:
> 
> 
> 
> I've been looking for a larger cage (the one that came with Emma is 18" x 30" which comes out to 3.75 square feet of space instead of the recommended 4). My boyfriend has these cubes and I too was worried that the thing would collapse :|
> Got plenty of zip-ties though.
> 
> My other concern was that when I put a temporary pen to play in together out of the panels (completely supervised by me sitting in it with her) she kept trying to shove herself through the spaces. I'm afraid if she keeps doing this while I'm not around she'll get stuck or hurt herself. Is there a way to prevent this?
> 
> I'd love to make her a cage out of these but I want to make sure it's 100% safe.
Click to expand...

How much does Emma weigh? If she is 275 grams or under, she can get through the openings. If she's a bit larger, she still might be able to if she tries hard enough. Is she a baby? If so, I'd keep her in the cage she is in until she is full grown.


----------



## Quilled1

thanks Nancy.
Not sure on the weight but she is a little over 3 months old now.
I'm been amazed at the tight spaces these little guys can squeeze themselves into :shock:


----------



## HedgehogsAnonymous

I just finished building my boys a C&C cage, I used just under 400 zip ties to put it all together (that includes zip tying in the coroplast sides). And I'm adding more zip ties when I see a spot that I think can use it. 

I started building the cage last Tuesday, and finally finished on Saturday (I took Friday off haha) and moved the boys in. They seem to really like it, I haven't seen them attempting any climbing...but Gin and Rum are on the chubby side so I don't think they could reach anyway. Every morning I come in to find that Whiskey has redecorated  

Before I built the C&C cage I was using two very large sterilite bins and a solid bottom guinea pig cage my mom used when one of her ferrets was recovering from cancer surgery. They all worked great, but I decided were taking up too much space in my living room. 

If we decide to add anymore hedgies to our herd, I'll definitely be building more C&C cages. It was a lot of fun. I think the hardest part was putting in the coroplast, I couldn't work it out so I could just fold up the sides like a pizza box.


----------



## shaelikestaquitos

This is Kashi's new cage! My boyfriend helped me bring a giant piece of coroplast home for me while I carried bags of fleece home. It was snowing like crazy and we had to walk uphill to get to my place, but it was worth it ^-^

It's almost 2x3 in terms of how many grids we used. I think I may need a second CHE lamp because the cage is so large... but yeah it's HUGE.

Work in progress...









Eventually going to paint a little sign saying "Kashi's Home" or something on the piece of coroplast I used to block off that part 









From top 









From the side









it's pretty empty right now, but I'll eventually add more toys and such  I'm also getting those towel racks to make a cage roof over the part that isn't covered yet. I wanted that part to open and close for convenience.

I'm still wondering where the best place for putting my CHE is :| suggestions?


----------



## K_Sora

Questions about this cage!!

http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Interacti ... _rhf_p_t_1

I've seen some comments about this cage being on the flimsy side.

If you were to use zip ties to reinforce it could it be similar to using c&c?

Reading some of the comments there are issues with the PVC bottom, but if you use a liner instead of bedding that would help with being able to keep the are as well as the bottom themselves clean right?

I really like how big this cage is and if you go for the plus version it comes with a top. Also being able to expand on it easier seems like a big bonus to me.

Any thoughts on the matter?

edit: I realized that even though the ramp seems pretty low to the bottom of the cage it still might need to be covered to be on the safe side. Haven't found anything on the dimensions of the ramp when its down.


----------



## silvercat

K_Sora said:


> Questions about this cage!!
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Interacti ... _rhf_p_t_1
> 
> I've seen some comments about this cage being on the flimsy side.
> 
> If you were to use zip ties to reinforce it could it be similar to using c&c?
> 
> Reading some of the comments there are issues with the PVC bottom, but if you use a liner instead of bedding that would help with being able to keep the are as well as the bottom themselves clean right?
> 
> I really like how big this cage is and if you go for the plus version it comes with a top. Also being able to expand on it easier seems like a big bonus to me.
> 
> Any thoughts on the matter?
> 
> edit: I realized that even though the ramp seems pretty low to the bottom of the cage it still might need to be covered to be on the safe side. Haven't found anything on the dimensions of the ramp when its down.


One of the comments I remember reading about this cage is that the panelling on the sides is actually quite low, so you would need to build it up still with coroplast, or another material, to keep your hedgehog from climbing. I eyed the cage a lot contemplating buying it but then C&C cubes came on sale in my area. I've always been hesitant about doing the C&C cage because of thinking it would be a lot of work. But it's really not. You can make a cage about the same dimensions of that one for about $50 all in (CAD). Where as on that one you would still need to spend money to modify it to make it hedgie proof.


----------



## K_Sora

Very good points. It is hard to tell how high up the base goes. I'm glad I have lots and lots of time to decide which way to go. There are so many options for cages its going to take forever to decide. :mrgreen:


----------



## susanaproenca

Col. Mustard's set up. It's a 2x2 C&C cage.

She has one of the small igloos but she is very attached to it and won't sleep anywhere else so I won't replace it. She is small enough to fit in it though.


----------



## susanaproenca

Pete's set. up. It's a 2x2 C&C cage as well.


----------



## thegiggleb0x

in my apartment, we have a large storage/washer & dryer closet.. but it is just full of random things right now! i was thinking i could clean it out, and move my hedgehogs cage in there. does anyone have a setup similar? i think i would be able to keep a better control on her light in there, and i think the heat would retain well in the closet also... does anyone think this is a bad idea, per se?


----------



## ShutUpAndSmile

thegiggleb0x said:


> in my apartment, we have a large storage/washer & dryer closet.. but it is just full of random things right now! i was thinking i could clean it out, and move my hedgehogs cage in there. does anyone have a setup similar? i think i would be able to keep a better control on her light in there, and i think the heat would retain well in the closet also... does anyone think this is a bad idea, per se?


I the only problem I could think of is the lack of ventilation in the closet. If the closet has a vent and stuff I can't think of anything else.


----------



## toblerone

I have a question regarding C&C cages. Is the height of the coroplast to keep hedgies from climbing up the walls or to keep them from climbing high enough that they can slip through the squares?


----------



## Lilysmommy

toblerone said:


> I have a question regarding C&C cages. Is the height of the coroplast to keep hedgies from climbing up the walls or to keep them from climbing high enough that they can slip through the squares?


Both, really, especially for smaller hedgies that might still be able to squeeze through the small squares. The biggest concern is to prevent climbing on the walls at all, though, since even a short fall can injure them.


----------



## toblerone

ok shucks, i was really hoping that i could make the coroplast walls a bit shorter, allowing for more ventilation, and then cover the crates in a plastic mesh [that wouldn't melt from the heat] to keep the hedgie from being able to squeeze through the squares. However, I think the mesh covered crates might allow for an even easier climb for the hedgie. [the mesh would give the hedgie more hand and foot holds...eek!] so 8in. in height for the coroplast would be sufficient? or is there any other solution to be able to have shorter solid walls on the cage? or should i just suck it up and go for taller solid walls?


----------



## NoDivision

thegiggleb0x said:


> in my apartment, we have a large storage/washer & dryer closet.. but it is just full of random things right now! i was thinking i could clean it out, and move my hedgehogs cage in there. does anyone have a setup similar? i think i would be able to keep a better control on her light in there, and i think the heat would retain well in the closet also... does anyone think this is a bad idea, per se?


I have done this. In my apartment it is storage/hvac, so the door to the room itself has a LARGE vent on it for good air circulation. One of my previous apartments had a storage/laundry roomthat has a vented door as well - is yours like that? If it is, then I definitely think it's a possiblity.

I have Sherlock's cage in this storage room where he has his own light (with a high spectrum/daylight bulb since there is no natural light) and his own oil filled space heater. I really love having Sherlock off in his own room - it's good for both of us! I don't have to worry about keeping my whole apartment one temperature, or shutting off my lights early for his benefit, or keeping music and TV super quiet. And no running noisy hedgehog keeping me up at night. And it's great for him because he gets a really warm room (if you decide to do this I really reccommend putting an oil filled space heater in there - it will heat a small space like that really quickly and give really even heat, and can save you a lot in your energy bills. I keep my apartment thermostat set to about 65 while sherlock is a toasty 75!) He also gets privacy, perfect darkness for his comfort, a perfectly regulated light schedule, and well, it's just cool to have your own room!


----------



## toblerone

Do hedgies climb cages that have vertical bars? like these 
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2754677
or like the ferret nation cage bars?


----------



## toblerone

Also, sorry for all the questions, I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my hedgie and wanna get everything into place and figured out before the little guy/girl comes!


----------



## CoxMD

Always assume they can climb anything with bars. These lovely little critters have ways of surprising us. :lol:


----------



## HodgepodgeHedgehog

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



drowsydreamer said:


> Am I the only one who thinks it's amuzing that everyone decided to clean their cages before posting pics on here? No ones cages are ever that clean after even one night of hedgie business. Just thought I'd point that out. (note that mine is no exception, I also cleaned before taking pics)


haha...ik i'm new to owning a hedgie, but mine is about that clean...i'm still getting sorted out, but still...


----------



## thegiggleb0x

NoDivision said:


> thegiggleb0x said:
> 
> 
> 
> in my apartment, we have a large storage/washer & dryer closet.. but it is just full of random things right now! i was thinking i could clean it out, and move my hedgehogs cage in there. does anyone have a setup similar? i think i would be able to keep a better control on her light in there, and i think the heat would retain well in the closet also... does anyone think this is a bad idea, per se?
> 
> 
> 
> I have done this. In my apartment it is storage/hvac, so the door to the room itself has a LARGE vent on it for good air circulation. One of my previous apartments had a storage/laundry roomthat has a vented door as well - is yours like that? If it is, then I definitely think it's a possiblity.
> 
> I have Sherlock's cage in this storage room where he has his own light (with a high spectrum/daylight bulb since there is no natural light) and his own oil filled space heater. I really love having Sherlock off in his own room - it's good for both of us! I don't have to worry about keeping my whole apartment one temperature, or shutting off my lights early for his benefit, or keeping music and TV super quiet. And no running noisy hedgehog keeping me up at night. And it's great for him because he gets a really warm room (if you decide to do this I really reccommend putting an oil filled space heater in there - it will heat a small space like that really quickly and give really even heat, and can save you a lot in your energy bills. I keep my apartment thermostat set to about 65 while sherlock is a toasty 75!) He also gets privacy, perfect darkness for his comfort, a perfectly regulated light schedule, and well, it's just cool to have your own room!
Click to expand...

super awesome!! i will have to explore the closet, it is currently full of random objects.. but I'm pretty sure their should be some sort of vent in there, and the doors are double.. that pull out.. weirdly.. not sure what kind of doors they are, but thank you for the input!!  i will post if it is gunna work out!

also.. thinking about building a c&c cage.. and i don't know if target sales are nationwide, but until the 9th of this month, they have wire cubes on sale for 14.99!


----------



## Mcericville

I have a question...

I really don't want to get a wired cage, as I'd like to be able to keep an eye on my hedgie more clearly (picking him up in two weeks). I've also heard stories of hedgies chewing on, climbing and hurting themselves on the wires, and I've heard that certain cages with wires end up with the wires overheating from a cermaic heat emitter. 

I'd like to get a glass cage, if at all possible, and was wondering what you guys would think about an aquarium type setup? I was also thinking about building my own, with a sliding glass door. 

Thoughts?


----------



## NoDivision

glass tanks and aquariums are really not recommended. There are a lot of problems with them and they just don't provide enough ventilation. You need something that has good air flow so that you can properly regulate heat and so there is nice clean breathing air for your hedgehog. 

Hedgehogs do not chew on cage bars, because they're not chewers like rodents are. And I don't think any of us here have had problems with the wires heating up dangerously from a CHE - it certainly doesn't happen with C&C cages. And the danger of climbing and getting hurt is something you can easily fix by putting coroplast (or another smooth surface) walls about 8 inches up the side of your cage. 

There are also no visibility problems in a wire cage, so I'm not sure why you don't think you wouldn't be able to keep an eye on your hedgehog in one. You can see into them just fine.


----------



## Mcericville

Thank you for your help!


----------



## NoDivision

So here's a question... when I see people's ferret nation cages, they often don't have any kind of coroplast etc at all lining the walls. I assume because the bars are vertical, and there are no crossbars to grip onto, there is a pretty low change of the hedgehog climbing.

I ask because my new cage has vertical bars much like a ferret nation. I was initially planning to coroplast them (I know I have to do some on the bottom half of the cage since it has some lower cross bars and weird holes) but I'm just kind of like... well... people seem to have no problems with ferret nations. 

I am re-using the coroplast from Serlock's current cage, so I have a limited supply. 

Thoughts?


----------



## shaelikestaquitos

NoDivision said:


> So here's a question... when I see people's ferret nation cages, they often don't have any kind of coroplast etc at all lining the walls. I assume because the bars are vertical, and there are no crossbars to grip onto, there is a pretty low change of the hedgehog climbing.
> 
> I ask because my new cage has vertical bars much like a ferret nation. I was initially planning to coroplast them (I know I have to do some on the bottom half of the cage since it has some lower cross bars and weird holes) but I'm just kind of like... well... people seem to have no problems with ferret nations.
> 
> I am re-using the coroplast from Serlock's current cage, so I have a limited supply.
> 
> Thoughts?


I don't see a reason to if your bars are vertical, and as long as the bars are spaced in a way that stops your hedgie from escaping/attempting to escape and getting hurt.
Also, the coroplast on the bottom would be awesome for keeping your liner nice and clean and flat  You could fold them excess pieces to the bottom and clip them at the ends so that it doesn't move ^_^


----------



## NoDivision

Mm, yeah, the only vertical bar along the bottom is on the front side where the doors are, and i's about an inch up from the floor. The next vertical bar is about 6 inches up - but if a hedgehog could reach that with their front feet, there would be nothing to climb onto with their back feet, if that makes sense XD 

Being able to clip the liner down would be AWESOME for Sherlock, because I am sick of his liner diving >.>


----------



## Nancy

You can weave thin plastic strips in and out of the bars up to the height of the first horizontal bar. I did that in my Ferret Nation both when the ferrets had it and now that the hedgehogs have it.










The dollar stores sell numerous things that will work. There are thin plastic placemats which is shown in the photo. They come in many different patterns and work perfect. They also sell solid colour children's play mats that also work great and the same thin plastic is also used in disposable cutting boards. Isn't the dollar store great! :lol:


----------



## NoDivision

That's a great idea, Nancy. I need to do a dollar store run soon anyway to look for some new bowls, so I'll see if they've got anything like that.


----------



## toblerone

Hey HHC!! I was wondering if I could get some input on my cage set up? I want to make sure it safe and all that good stuff before I bring my little girl home hopefully this weekend!








The cage all put together








Looking to the right [i will be placing a paper towel in the litter box and the tupperware top under the wheel but haven't yet because I'm just doing test runs to make sure everything works]








And to the left [there's also no kibble or water for now, not till the hedgie arrives]








Top view








With the cage door open








View of entire cage

Does everything look ok and safe?! Also please give suggestions! I'm all ears to make some changes! Does the wheel height look ok? I was afraid to make it too high, but now when I put it in the cage I'm worried that it is actually too low...And finally, what does everyone use to keep the doors to their hedgehog cages shut? For now i'm using these things [I don't know what to call them] and they work ok, but they're kind of annoying and loud when I have to shove them between the wire and my wood support beam.








Ok and my "real" last question is where do you place your thermometer for the thermostat? Right now I have it dangling along the middle of the back wall of the cage and have been placing some other thermometers [which you might see in the pictures] randomly about the cage just to see how the heat ranges from place to place. 
Thanks again for everyone's help thus far!!!


----------



## Nancy

To hold my cube grids doors shut, I use elastic and S hooks. Tie the elastic onto the wire of the grids of either top or door, then tie the S hook on to the other end of the elastic making it long enough to stretch past a couple of the squares and you can hook it onto one to hold it tight. 

Yeah, I know my explanation is horrible. You can sort of get the idea by the picture. The elastic is screwed to the side of the cage, but the other end has the S hook on it. If you want, you could even use the thumb latch clips like are on dog leashes but I've used S hooks for 7 years without a problem.


----------



## toblerone

Thanks nancy! That is a big help! I will give it a shot! I think it will work out well since it will stretch over the wood support bar!


----------



## tokihog

Toki will be getting a new cage next weekend and I would like any input that you all feel would help. What would be some good ways to make the ramp hedgie safe? I am thinking about getting a dryer hose and just replacing the existing ramp with it. I don't know what I am going to use to make the loft safe yet so please share with me what some of you have done to make a hedgie safe loft.










This is the cage. Sorry for the small pic, it is all I have for now and will be posting more soon. the cage is 31 in. wide 20 deep and 44 tall and the door is 13x13 so it will fit a CSBW and hopefully be large enough to not make cleaning a pain. I am open to any thoughts and ideas!


----------



## bj1998

is this ok? how do i do the ramp? i already have the tote and the aquarium... :?:


----------



## CanadienHedgie

bj1998 said:


> is this ok? how do i do the ramp? i already have the tote and the aquarium... :?:


You already asked this. So again, 
"Aquariums aren't suitable cages. They don't provide enough circulation. If you search this thread for aquariums it says all over not to use them.

You're already using a plastic bin for the top, why not use one for the bottom as well?

For a ramp you'd want to use a plastic dryer vent tube. The ramp MUST be enclosed. Also, many hedgehogs won't even use a ramp/second level. To keep them together, you'll have to use zip ties.

But I don't think one bin on top of the other is a good idea. How is a good supply of air going to get into the bottom bin if the whole top is closed off from the other bin sitting on it. Even with a lot of holes, it wouldn't be good.

Why not do this, like someone else suggested, you have room (according to your bedroom pic):
search.php?t=1860 Last post on page."


----------



## bj1998

lol i just read the other sorry you didn't have to do this again... :? :| :mrgreen:


----------



## persephone

I redid my cage for Twitch with a loft! She has been up and down the little venting tube non stop since I built it yesterday. I was so afraid she wouldnt use the loft, but she loves it  

























And since it is a double level cage, I went ahead and got the bottome level ready as well  
Stay tuned to see who will be inhabitating it!


----------



## hedgiebum14

my hedgehogs cage she has 5 rooms (but the bathroom and the kitchen are togetehr -.- trust me i didnt decide that!


----------



## DirtyShisno

I'm getting my first hedgehog here in a couple weeks but i have a few questions about my cage idea. I've got an old jewelery case i'm planning on using. Would that have enough ventilation if the top only has a mesh material over it?


----------



## Guest

DirtyShisno said:


> I'm getting my first hedgehog here in a couple weeks but i have a few questions about my cage idea. I've got an old jewelery case i'm planning on using. Would that have enough ventilation if the top only has a mesh material over it?


 :| We'd need a picture of what your talking about cause my mind is envisioning this being too small and having a ventilation issue but without seeing exactly what it is I cannot say :|


----------



## Nancy

What are the dimensions? I can't imagine any jewelry case being large enough for a cage. You need at least 4 square feet floor space.


----------



## DirtyShisno

Nancy said:


> What are the dimensions? I can't imagine any jewelry case being large enough for a cage. You need at least 4 square feet floor space.


The jewelery case is 2 foot X 6 foot and about 18 inches deep. its an old display case like you would see at a jewelery store. i'll try to get pictures tomorrow when i can find the camera without waking my dad.


----------



## Guest

DirtyShisno said:


> Nancy said:
> 
> 
> 
> What are the dimensions? I can't imagine any jewelry case being large enough for a cage. You need at least 4 square feet floor space.
> 
> 
> 
> The jewelery case is 2 foot X 6 foot and about 18 inches deep. its an old display case like you would see at a jewelery store. i'll try to get pictures tomorrow when i can find the camera without waking my dad.
Click to expand...

If it is glass then for ventilation reasons it is not recommended


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## Kalandra

I'd still be worried that the smell of ammonia from the urine will collect in the bottom of the cage. Is the case one of those that has sliding doors on the back? Could they be replaced with a mesh door? If so, that could be one modification to provide adequate ventilation.


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## elise5211

Oh cool! So the jewelry case will be flipped over, and there were be glass on the bottom and sides? I think as long as you have a coroplast bottom for easy cleaning, you're good to go. 18 inches is pretty deep, so you probably wouldn't even need a top so she doesn't escape. A mesh top would be good for in case she does try to escape or if you need to keep other animals from getting in.


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## DirtyShisno

Here is a picture. It did have sliding doors but these have been removed and replaced with plexiglass which i can easily put holes in if you think it would help. the top was a big piece of glass which has been removed. The white thing behind the xbox is a heater with a temperature gauge until i get get a better heating unit for better climate control. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


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## emilyinwaiting4

*Re: Cage Setup Examples*



Animal_Crazy said:


> bottom is for my new headgie Biggie. here is another picture with the cage floor and roof in case he is a climber


What do you have underneath the fleece at the top? Thanks


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## Hedgieonboard

I don't think that member comes on anymore but I believe they have coroplast underneath the liners


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## pitbullgirl101

toblerone said:


> Hey HHC!! I was wondering if I could get some input on my cage set up? I want to make sure it safe and all that good stuff before I bring my little girl home hopefully this weekend!
> 
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> The cage all put together
> 
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> Looking to the right [i will be placing a paper towel in the litter box and the tupperware top under the wheel but haven't yet because I'm just doing test runs to make sure everything works]
> 
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> And to the left [there's also no kibble or water for now, not till the hedgie arrives]
> 
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> Top view
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> With the cage door open
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> View of entire cage
> 
> Does everything look ok and safe?! Also please give suggestions! I'm all ears to make some changes! Does the wheel height look ok? I was afraid to make it too high, but now when I put it in the cage I'm worried that it is actually too low...And finally, what does everyone use to keep the doors to their hedgehog cages shut? For now i'm using these things [I don't know what to call them] and they work ok, but they're kind of annoying and loud when I have to shove them between the wire and my wood support beam.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> Ok and my "real" last question is where do you place your thermometer for the thermostat? Right now I have it dangling along the middle of the back wall of the cage and have been placing some other thermometers [which you might see in the pictures] randomly about the cage just to see how the heat ranges from place to place.
> Thanks again for everyone's help thus far!!!


I was wondering where did you get that oober cute "tent" at??


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## GoldenEyes

I just had a cage design idea and wanted to, I guess brainstorm it out, and see what other people think about it before I start making it.

Okay so i'll be using storage cubes, obviously putting coroplast(sp?). I was think 2 levels, as in two cubes going upwards, the top part will be for the hedgehog, I dont really want to put a place that they have to climb to get to. The top section will be 2cubes by 2 cubes, is this big enough? I saw some other pictures of cages of that size and they looked good. 

The bottom part is my great idea. I literally have over 200 books in my room, because I am a book "hoarder" as my mother says, and I have run out of room for them in my... well in my dresser lol. SO I could fill the bottom of the cage with my books  Is this a good idea or will my books get ruined from hedgie matter? Maybe if I put double the coroplast(sp?) one on the top layer and one glued somehow on the roof of the bottom layer.... hmmmm...

Any other suggestions?


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## ShutUpAndSmile

That would be fine. :3 With one layer of chloroplast it's unlikely that the books will get ruined unless there is a hole in the chloroplast. It's used for outdoor signs. It's pretty hardy.


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## GoldenEyes

Awesome!  I'm so excited now!!! 2 - 3 more weeks til I pick my baby up!!


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## Kalandra

Before you put the books under it, pour some water in the cage in the corners to see how it holds and if it will drip. I mention this because I took in a C&C cage with a rescue that leaked. The cage had a bad urine odor to it, despite the fact it looked really clean. I found that urine had found a couple of spots to seep through and had dried inside the coroplast itself. Hot vinegar & water cleaned it out, but it did leak. The vinegar water did drip out the bottom of the cage while I was cleaning it out. Something to watch out for before putting books under it.


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## CyndaquilsMommy

Hi! I'm new here, and a soon to be hedgie mom. I have been doing my very best to find out everything I need to know, and I think I'm doing pretty well  But I wanted to check with you guys because obviously you'll know better than I. I have her cage almost completely set up, and I wanted to ask for any tips you could offer.
So far I have the little house, a heating mat underneath it, two bowls (water and food) and I need one more for treats, a Storm bucket wheel and a litter box underneath filled with paper pellets. There's a plastic tube because I read that they enjoy them, and the bedding is the carefresh colors. 
Also, the litter box is an disposable aluminum pan, and I wanted to make sure that was alright. 
I know I still need a digital thermometer, and a ceramic heating bulb.









The setup









Her house with a heating pad underneath









Wheel, litter box, bowls and plastic tube









The cage - its a rabbit cage you can buy at petsmart. The walls are 7" high


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## ShutUpAndSmile

CyndaquilsMommy said:


> Hi! I'm new here, and a soon to be hedgie mom. I have been doing my very best to find out everything I need to know, and I think I'm doing pretty well  But I wanted to check with you guys because obviously you'll know better than I. I have her cage almost completely set up, and I wanted to ask for any tips you could offer.
> So far I have the little house, a heating mat underneath it, two bowls (water and food) and I need one more for treats, a Storm bucket wheel and a litter box underneath filled with paper pellets. There's a plastic tube because I read that they enjoy them, and the bedding is the carefresh colors.
> Also, the litter box is an disposable aluminum pan, and I wanted to make sure that was alright.
> I know I still need a digital thermometer, and a ceramic heating bulb.
> 
> The cage - its a rabbit cage you can buy at petsmart. The walls are 7" high


Carefresh usually isn't recommend. It's dusty and can cause an URI. Plus I believe it can stick to genitals. And in the quills. Also heatpads are generally used for the sick and the old. You shouldn't need one. Plus since she may feel she has no other option to sleep there even if it's to hot. Plus I see it isn't covered so it will get hot fast and even though 90-100 isn't hot to us it's very hot to a hog. If you are going to use it put it on the outside.


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## CyndaquilsMommy

Carefresh usually isn't recommend. It's dusty and can cause an URI. Plus I believe it can stick to genitals. And in the quills. Also heatpads are generally used for the sick and the old. You shouldn't need one. Plus since she may feel she has no other option to sleep there even if it's to hot. Plus I see it isn't covered so it will get hot fast and even though 90-100 isn't hot to us it's very hot to a hog. If you are going to use it put it on the outside.[/quote]

I wasn't going to leave the heat pad uncovered, I just hadn't made a trip to the store yet to grab some fabric. Also, I took what you said into consideration and just went with the fleece liner - I wasn't originally because her previous owner said she isn't potty trained and I was going to use the carefresh until she was. 
I have also added the thermometer, heat lamp, and light (hooked up to a timer). The ceramic bulb is a 60 watt - I'm going to see what temperature it keeps the cage at and if I need the 100 watt I'll exchange it.


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## shaelikestaquitos

The cage looks great, CyndaquilsMommy!
The only thing I would suggest is that instead of the heat pad, use two of those CHEs on either end of the cage  That would provide more even heating ^_^


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## readthebook

Are the C & C cage supplies people talk about getting at Walmart the Whitmor cubes? How many do most people need? Also, can you purchase the cloroplast as one whole sheet or do you cut to put on on the bottom of the cage and then cut others to stick on the side of the cage? 6" is what is generally recommended up the sides? Thanks


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## stringmouse

*first hedgie house*

This is the set up I have going for my first hedgie (see photo at the bottom) I am getting her from Terrapin Hedgehogs, a local breeder with 10 yrs experience and rave reviews. (Stasi is also very nice and answers all my dumb questions)

There's still a couple weeks before I get to bring her home, so I wanted to get opinions on the set up and make whatever changes necessary.
Here's what I have:

*103 qt bin with holes perforating the lid and a three rows of holes around the sides, 7 inches up.
- contains medium sized igloo hide, felt strips for burrowing, water bottle (this is what the breeder uses, so I will continue), & ceramic food dish.
- I have a couple solid ball cat toys, but will be getting some other ones as well.
- not shown: fleece liner

*4" PVC tunnel connector (shown unattached)
- the connectors on each end will actually go inside the bins, making the tube removable for easy cleaning/moving.

*slightly smaller bin (not sure of the actual size) with large sections cut out of the lid and three rows of holes around the sides, 7 inches up.
- contains Carolina Storm wheel and litter tray (Carefresh naturals)

*space heater 
- still need digital thermometer, but plan to get one soon.

*clamp light, regular 60 watt fluorescent light bulb
- still need timer, but plan to get one soon.

We do keep our apartment relatively warm, around 70-75 degrees, so once I get the thermometer, I can adjust the space heater settings. I would like to get a CHE, but will have to wait until next month.
I am also going to get a playpen for the living room, so she has more room to roam in the evenings. I am usually home from work at 5:30-6pm and don't go to bed until about 1 or 2 am. So we will have plenty of playtime together.
I did look into C&C cages, but have limited space, so I decided against it, but like I said, she will also be spending time outside of her house.
And I would leave the lid off of the larger bin, but I have 2 curious kitties I need to keep out. Plus the room is not totally hedgie-proof so I would worry about her escaping.

QUESTIONS:

I was thinking of having the light on her cage run from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, is this an okay time?

Also, is this going to be adequate ventilation? I originally planned to also have three rows of holes drilled around each bin about 2 inches from the bottom, but I read that was bad, I guess because she'll try to climb and get her toes stuck or something? I'm not sure, but I didn't drill there yet. The lid on the larger clear bin is a LOT thicker and harder to cut than the green one, otherwise I would have just given it the same treatment rather than just the rows and rows of smaller holes. I also looked at the hardware store for a hole cutter, but it was out of my price range. I might see if I can borrow one from someone to drill some larger, like 2-inch holes around the outside of the lid.

I wasn't sure about the type of litter to get, is Carefresh okay?

I also bought a hypoallergenic dog shampoo (for sensitive skin) :http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11562363 
will this work, or should I get something else for bathtime?

Opinions/Suggestions?


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## hanhan27

Hi there, and congratulations on the exciting decision to get a hedgehog!  I bet you are very excited.

The light schedule looks fine to me. As long as it's 12-14 hours and similar to the actual day and night times, it will work. It also sounds like that will work out with the time frame you'll have to spend time with her. 

Your ventilation should be fine. You were correct in not drilling holes too far down the side. Little hedgie toes and nails can get caught in small holes.

You don't actually need to use litter. More often than not, hedgehogs simply choose to poo where ever they please rather than poo in a litter box or a certain area. Luckily, they eliminate as they run so most of it usually ends up on the wheel. In my opinion, Carefresh doesn't sound like a good option. I would stick to using fleece liners in both sections of the cage. Here is a link to a thread reviewing Carefresh: viewtopic.php?f=51&t=14922

The shampoo isn't scented and it's hypoallergenic, so it should be okay, but you may find that it dries your hedgehog's skin out a lot. A lot of us here at HHC use Aveeno products with oatmeal in them for bath time as it's not so harsh on our hog's skin. I personally use this stuff: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod. ... aram=16475 The packets last a long time (I'm still on the first one after at least 10 full baths :lol: ) and it's reasonably priced when you consider the fact that you'll probably only be bathing your hog once a month or so. I'm willing to bet at some point in time, you will encounter dry skin with your hog, so if I were you, I would get this stuff right off the bat. :lol:

It sounds like you are pretty well prepared! I do want to add that you should really consider using a bowl for water. Bottles can and have hurt tongues & chipped teeth. Also, it takes quite a bit of effort for small animals to get just a few drops of water from a bottle and in that time, they are standing there with their neck craned up in an unnatural drinking position. Not to mention cleaning bottles is a real pain in the butt. It has to be done daily and you can't just put dish soap in there and shake it around, you have to use a wand in there to really scrub it. Even then, bacteria can still be left behind. I haven't heard of a hedgehog yet who didn't catch on to using a bowl. 

Also, the PVC pipe connecting the bins should be solidly attached to both bins rather than just resting there. It wouldn't be very hard for your hog to move the PVC pipe and escape.

Don't forget to share pictures when you bring your quilled friend home!


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## packrat

I don't understand the light cycle's effectiveness. My hedgie stays under his hat under his igloo until I take him out at night. He doesn't come out during the day, ever. So when it's light in the room, I don't think he can even tell. Is this normal?


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## stringmouse

hanhan27 said:


> Hi there, and congratulations on the exciting decision to get a hedgehog!  I bet you are very excited.
> 
> The light schedule looks fine to me. As long as it's 12-14 hours and similar to the actual day and night times, it will work. It also sounds like that will work out with the time frame you'll have to spend time with her.
> 
> Your ventilation should be fine. You were correct in not drilling holes too far down the side. Little hedgie toes and nails can get caught in small holes.
> 
> You don't actually need to use litter. More often than not, hedgehogs simply choose to poo where ever they please rather than poo in a litter box or a certain area. Luckily, they eliminate as they run so most of it usually ends up on the wheel. In my opinion, Carefresh doesn't sound like a good option. I would stick to using fleece liners in both sections of the cage. Here is a link to a thread reviewing Carefresh: viewtopic.php?f=51&t=14922
> 
> The shampoo isn't scented and it's hypoallergenic, so it should be okay, but you may find that it dries your hedgehog's skin out a lot. A lot of us here at HHC use Aveeno products with oatmeal in them for bath time as it's not so harsh on our hog's skin. I personally use this stuff: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod. ... aram=16475 The packets last a long time (I'm still on the first one after at least 10 full baths :lol: ) and it's reasonably priced when you consider the fact that you'll probably only be bathing your hog once a month or so. I'm willing to bet at some point in time, you will encounter dry skin with your hog, so if I were you, I would get this stuff right off the bat. :lol:
> 
> It sounds like you are pretty well prepared! I do want to add that you should really consider using a bowl for water. Bottles can and have hurt tongues & chipped teeth. Also, it takes quite a bit of effort for small animals to get just a few drops of water from a bottle and in that time, they are standing there with their neck craned up in an unnatural drinking position. Not to mention cleaning bottles is a real pain in the butt. It has to be done daily and you can't just put dish soap in there and shake it around, you have to use a wand in there to really scrub it. Even then, bacteria can still be left behind. I haven't heard of a hedgehog yet who didn't catch on to using a bowl.
> 
> Also, the PVC pipe connecting the bins should be solidly attached to both bins rather than just resting there. It wouldn't be very hard for your hog to move the PVC pipe and escape.
> 
> Don't forget to share pictures when you bring your quilled friend home!


Thank you so much for the suggestions. I think I will go ahead and return the Carefresh and the water bottle. I did buy a smaller plastic bowl, I guess I can use that for food, and use the ceramic dish for water.

It's going to be a while before the set up it totally ready, but I am still having trouble dealing with the wait! Ugghh, it's going to be, like, 3 more weeks. lol


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## hanhan27

packrat said:


> I don't understand the light cycle's effectiveness. My hedgie stays under his hat under his igloo until I take him out at night. He doesn't come out during the day, ever. So when it's light in the room, I don't think he can even tell. Is this normal?


Without a light cycle, hedgehogs can start to sense the seasons - in their minds, when night time lasts longer, that means it's winter which means it's time to hibernate. Using natural light through a window means your hedgehog is experiencing long days during the summer and short days during the winter - sensing this is what can cause a hibernation attempt. Hedgehogs attempting hibernation due to not having a consistent light schedule has and does happen.  As far as not coming out during the day, that's because he knows it's day time. If he didn't know that, he would be outside runnin' around. 



stringmouse said:


> Thank you so much for the suggestions. I think I will go ahead and return the Carefresh and the water bottle. I did buy a smaller plastic bowl, I guess I can use that for food, and use the ceramic dish for water.
> 
> It's going to be a while before the set up it totally ready, but I am still having trouble dealing with the wait! Ugghh, it's going to be, like, 3 more weeks. lol


The waiting is the worst. And then once your hedgie is home, you're going to be itching to take it out every hour or two for probably at least the first week. :lol: But then your rational side will kick in a realize it's not fair to the hedgie to be harassed all day long. Ha!

I would stick with ceramic or glass bowls for both food and water. Plastic bowls can be chewed up and tipped over pretty easily. You can get nice ceramic ones at chain pet stores for a couple bucks. I think Pyrex is sold at Walmart.


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## Lexxy

This is NOT my finished cage 

I am hoping to get my hedgehog the last week of Feb/first week of March.
I have to "claim" my hedgie when my breeder sends out an email of the available 4 week olds, then two weeks later I can pick him up.

I am determined.
So I started my hedgie cage earlier this week.
It's not even close to being done, hopefully this weekend I can pick up some choroplast.

Also, does anyone know where to get the grid connectors in a store, not online? :/
I'd really like to add a storage area underneath the cage


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## JoanneJ

Lexxy said:


> This is NOT my finished cage
> 
> I am hoping to get my hedgehog the last week of Feb/first week of March.
> I have to "claim" my hedgie when my breeder sends out an email of the available 4 week olds, then two weeks later I can pick him up.
> 
> I am determined.
> So I started my hedgie cage earlier this week.
> It's not even close to being done, hopefully this weekend I can pick up some choroplast.
> 
> Also, does anyone know where to get the grid connectors in a store, not online? :/
> I'd really like to add a storage area underneath the cage


Lexxy where do I find this type of material I would love to make a cage like this for Lucy my 2 year old Hedgie.
I look forward to seeing the finished product of yours.
Thank you for your time
Joanne and Lucy


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## WTroxtell

Lexxy said:


> This is NOT my finished cage
> 
> I am hoping to get my hedgehog the last week of Feb/first week of March.
> I have to "claim" my hedgie when my breeder sends out an email of the available 4 week olds, then two weeks later I can pick him up.
> 
> I am determined.
> So I started my hedgie cage earlier this week.
> It's not even close to being done, hopefully this weekend I can pick up some choroplast.
> 
> Also, does anyone know where to get the grid connectors in a store, not online? :/
> I'd really like to add a storage area underneath the cage


I am working on the same kind of setup for our soon to be Waffles. I have made a 3 level (2 grids deep, 3 grids wide), I figured it would be better to have the living level higher since heat rises and it will give me 2 levels for storage and later on I might even turn the second level into the primary level and the 3rd level a loft. I haven't been able to find any of the connectors locally Staples sells them but online only. If you don't mind spending $20 you can go to Bed Bath & Beyond and you will have extra grids plus it comes with 20 connectors.



JoanneJ said:


> Lexxy where do I find this type of material I would love to make a cage like this for Lucy my 2 year old Hedgie.
> I look forward to seeing the finished product of yours.
> Thank you for your time
> Joanne and Lucy


JoanneJ I was able to purchase the grid material and connectors at Bed Bath & Beyond in a pack, you get 17 grids + 2 shelves(which can easily be used as grids plus 20 connectors for $20 here is the link http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product ... 73&RN=303& You will probably have to ask for them, they keep them in the back of the store. I purchased 3 boxes and was able to make a 2 x 3 and 3 levels with a top cover and had 1 panel left and a good bit of connectors.


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## vasogoma

This is my little Agatha's cage, I have a bigger aquarium (250 liters) where I will put her when she grows up, right now she is still little  Aaaand I know it is still missing the exercise wheel, I am on it don't worry  Also, newspaper as a bedding until I get the aspen on Monday, good or bad idea?
BTW, in case you didn't notice, the visible hedgehog in the cage is a plushie, Agatha was sleeping at that time


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## moxieberry

vasogoma said:


> This is my little Agatha's cage, I have a bigger aquarium (250 liters) where I will put her when she grows up, right now she is still little  Aaaand I know it is still missing the exercise wheel, I am on it don't worry  Also, newspaper as a bedding until I get the aspen on Monday, good or bad idea?
> BTW, in case you didn't notice, the visible hedgehog in the cage is a plushie, Agatha was sleeping at that time


Assuming by aquarium you mean a glass tank - those aren't a good choice for hedgehogs, they don't allow for very good air circulation. Plastic bins like the ones in the picture work well, so I would suggest staying with that choice instead, though you'll need a larger one. Even though they're small as babies, they need about 4 sq. ft. of floorspace in the cage; 2 sq. ft. is considered the minimum, not counting the space taken up by the wheel, litter box, etc. As for the newspaper, I'm not sure whether the chemicals in the ink would pose a problem, but it still wouldn't be my choice (unless you have nothing else) because it pretty much isn't absorbent at all. Unless you're dead-set on using aspen bedding, you should consider fleece liners; almost everyone here uses those, they're preferred over shavings for multiple reasons.


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## hanhan27

I *think* I saw a post from LizardGirl a while back that said the ink used in newspapers isn't toxic, but I'm not 100% on that. It might be a good idea to send her a message if you're going to use the newspaper for a bit.

I also suggest using fleece liners. Cheaper, easier, better for your hog, and way more fun!


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## Nancy

Most newspaper ink now is made from vegetable colouring, but not all. I wouldn't use it just in case. Also, wet newspaper is cold.


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## vasogoma

Thanks for the advice, as I said it is only for the weekend, but now I am not sure if I should find an old shirt and cut it in a way it fills the whole cage or just wait as I was planning to do. I am pretty sure I don't want to risk it, so I guess I will go shirt-hunting for a new bedding


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## Lilysmommy

Besides the comments on the newspaper and such, I just wanted to add a note of caution with the litter box - it looks like you're using clay litter? It's less of an issue with girls than with boys, but just be careful if you decide to keep using it. It can get stuck in private parts, especially the clumping kind. A lot of people will use just plain paper towels, or something like Carefresh or Yesterday's News cat litter.


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## vasogoma

Thanks for the advice! Gotta check if it is clay litter, I'll search for a different one if that is the case, it was the only one non-clumping dust-free. Again, thanks to everyone for your helpful advices


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## jellyblubbers

New to being on here, but here goes. I set up my cage with three plastic bins connected with PVC. I have one that is for just for his wheel and litter box. But my darling Russell really, really loves to roll around in his litter box vigorously and the litter just goes everywhere anyway. Does anyone think it would be a problem for him if I just take out the fleece liner in this one bin and cover the floor with his litter. You know just make the whole bin, his litter box and keep the wheel in there. I feel like it would be fine, just not sure if there would be weird psychological side effects. Like him just wanting to poop on his fleece in the other bins. He seems to know that the litter box is where he should go, since in the morning that's where most (still a little new at the litter box thing) of the poo is. I do use the non clumping cat litter type since that's what my breeder started him on.


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## vasogoma

Hey guys  an update of my cage setup. 
-New liner, in the end I decided not to use aspen in fear of mites and instead I bought fleece.
-Added a wheel made by myself. I have to wait till I receive my first paycheck from my new job at a pet shop in order to buy a CSW, but I think that for now this one is working. She is not very fond of using it but today I had to clean it, I think that she might be using it and I just haven't had the luck to see her using it. Isn't it a little ironic that the wheel will cost more than my hedgie? xD

Pending:
-Find a litter that is not clay, that is non-clumping and that is dust free. I've been searching everywhere in here and I can't seem to find it. This is the exact moment when I say "it sucks to live in such a small city like Queretaro". If I still can't find it, I will end up getting it shipped from Mexico City or even going all the way there to get it by myself.
-Get a bigger plastic cage, since I tried carrying the 250 L fish tank I had and decided it was not a good idea for me to use it or else I wouldn't be able to clean it as much as I would like to.
-Get an igloo. Same as the wheel, I will buy it as soon as I receive my paycheck. I even found a place here in Mexico where I can get it cheaper since I won't have to get the igloo shipped all the way to taco land.
-More toys. She only tried once to play with the toilet paper roll and she didn't like it. I tried playing with her with balls and she was just not interested, I'll continue searching for something I think will interest her. I read something about bells, I will try to get one that is not sharp at all so she wont get cut.

What do you think? Everything okay? Suggestions on anything I am missing are incredibly appreciated 

Edit: I forgot to add the image >.<


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## Lilysmommy

Looks great now! And your changes that are still planned all sound great as well.  I can't remember if anyone's mentioned this to you already or not, but you could try using paper towels in her litter box, if you're having a hard time finding non-clay litter. Some hedgehogs like to pull the messy towel out and sleep with it, or like to shred it, but it'd be worth a try, with as much trouble as you're having finding a litter!


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## vasogoma

Lilysmommy said:


> Looks great now! And your changes that are still planned all sound great as well.  I can't remember if anyone's mentioned this to you already or not, but you could try using paper towels in her litter box, if you're having a hard time finding non-clay litter. Some hedgehogs like to pull the messy towel out and sleep with it, or like to shred it, but it'd be worth a try, with as much trouble as you're having finding a litter!


This is actually a great idea! She is already using her litter box, any idea on how to make the change so she understand that it is still intended for that?


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## Rainy

I would make sure to keep the litter box in the same location. Put the paper towel under the litter and then every day just have less and less litter in there until it is just the papertowel. If she has a problem with that, then you can just move her poop from the fleece onto the paper towel.


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## vasogoma

Perfect, thanks a lot!


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## Draenog

Interesting topic, going to read it when I have more time!
When I got my hedgie, I got the cage and the other stuff all along with her. It's for guinea pigs and big enough, but kinda low. A 30 cm wheel _just_ fits in. So I'm thinking about getting a new cage, if I get a hedgehog again. I really like the C&C cages but I'm not sure if they sell those things in my country - I've never seen them before. I've seen chloroplast, but not those square grids.


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## MLL389

I was wondering what you all think of my cage....



















I just ordered a fleece liner for him, so i'm going to stop using the aspen. I also am going to try the paper towel thing in his litter pan.... he doesnt really use it at all right now. Ive read about the open ramp, im not really sure what to do about the upper level. I actually bought this from a hedgehog breeder, hedgehogs by vickie, so I was very surprised to find out that he could really injure himself, although he doesnt go up top now much anyways, when I get the liner, I think I will move his food and treat bowls. Any other input would be greatly appreciated!


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## Lilysmommy

Unfortunately, those cages are really not recommended at ALL, even though they're sold by a breeder. It looks to me like it's too small (you want to have a lot of space for moving around after you put in the house, wheel, etc. so 4 square feet is recommended on here), as you've already realized, the ramp and upper level are both very dangerous since they're not enclosed (and that ramp is a broken ankle or leg waiting to happen), and the sides are easily climbed by a bored or adventurous hedgehog. You could make this cage safe for him, but...to be honest? Personally I'd scrap it and get a new cage that's going to bigger, safer, and easier to work with for you. A lot of people like to use C&C cages, which are a very cheap way to make a nice, roomy cage for your hedgehog. You can also buy large rabbit cages from the store if you're not a big DIY person (though C&Cs really are easy to make), or even using a couple of plastic tubs can make a better cage. There's plenty of examples of all of these options on this thread and the other Cage Examples thread, and the C&C instructions can be found here - http://www.guineapigcages.com/

If you really can't afford to get or make a new cage at the moment, the best way you can make that cage safe is by taking the ramp out so he can't get to the second level at all. You can enclose it, but I think it'd be more difficult than it's worth. You'll also want to get some coroplast or some plastic placemats (you can find these cheap at a dollar store) to ziptie around the sides so he doesn't decide to try climbing the walls.


----------



## MLL389

Yea I paid so much for it, im sorry I got it :| I can't afford to get a new one right now, but im going to try taking out the ramp. I havent had a problem with him climbing yet, only in his playpan, so Im not so worried about that. I'm going to look into about making him a C&C cage, possibly once I get my tax return ill be able to. Thanks!


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## Lilysmommy

Yeeeeah, I'm sorry you got caught by those cages. :? At least he doesn't use the second level, so he won't miss anything anyway, but it's good to take that ramp out just in case. Looks like you might need to try using wire cutters or something to clip it loose, or maybe it'll just swing up so he can't get to it? Also, you might try emailing the breeder and asking if you can return it for your money back, given how unsafe it is. This may get you nowhere, and it may turn out horribly, so it's just a suggestion, but I know I'd try. It's ridiculous that they're sold for that amount of money when they're too small and not safe. Make sure you post your new cage when you get it up and going, it's always fun to see new C&C cages!  Also, I know you've posted a couple other times already, but welcome to the forum anyway.  Glad you found us here!


----------



## MLL389

Yea Ill try to email.... probably wont be able to do anything though, Ive already had the cage for about 6 months. Do you think a different animal would be able to use the cage? I could probably sell it, but I dont want to give it to someone that will be unsafe for their animal as well.

And thank you!  I've already learned so many things that I didnt know before, and I'll be able to make the improvements now so Dexter will be safe and happy


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## MLL389

So I've been looking at examples of C&C cages all day. I dont have much room to make it wide, so i could go up. If I do 3 levels of living for Dexter, probably 1-2 cubes deep by 3 cubes wide, will it be sturdy enough? I dont want it to tip over, especially if he gets going on his wheel or something.


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## Lilysmommy

I'm not sure whether it could be used for other animals, to be honest...If the bars aren't too wide, it might be okay for a hamster or something...? I'm not positive though.

A lot of hedgehogs won't use second levels, so it's a game of chance when you put multiple levels on a cage. If you can do two cubes deep, by either two or three cubes wide, that'd be plenty of room for him! The C&C cage I had for Lily was 2x3 and was more than enough room for her.


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## Melly

This is my Millie's cage


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## Viridis Lupus

Hello, wich pipe diameter a hedge can travel inside between 2 cages?


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## Lilysmommy

Most people use the 4" diameter pipe.


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## Viridis Lupus

Thanks, Lilysmommy!

About the spacing between the cages`s bars, what is the adequate range? I`m thinking in buying a chinchilla cage.


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## shaelikestaquitos

Viridis Lupus said:


> Thanks, Lilysmommy!
> 
> About the spacing between the cages`s bars, what is the adequate range? I`m thinking in buying a chinchilla cage.


Chinchilla cages are fine. Just remember that second levels, unless blocked off, are not recommended (and from what I remember chin cages tend to have more levels). You want a cage with bigger floor space than one that is taller with more levels.


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## bubbzz

Hello i just got my hedgehog recently and had the newspaper pellets down for the whole cage since that's what the lady at the pet store told me but felt that it was really uncomfortable and i always like when my pets feel comfortable so i thought about putting grass on the bottom. this is what it looks like, any recommendations or opinions on it? I'm all ears.


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## Lilysmommy

The biggest thing I see...Your wheel isn't very safe. Silent Spinners have been known to catch and rip nails off hedgie toes when they're running, because of the slits. You can possibly make it safe by putting tape or something over the slits, but that just creates a mess because the shape keeps the pee and poop in. I'd highly recommend finding a new wheel - the only safe petstore wheel is a Giant Comfort Wheel. If you can afford it though, I'd suggest one of Larry's wheels as the best option - http://www.carolinastormhedgehogs.com/t ... wheel.html They're silent, very easy to clean, and completely hedgie safe.

For the bedding, I'd also highly suggest fabric/fleece liners. They can be as simple to make as getting a fleece blanket and cutting it to fit your cage. They can be washed and reused, there's no chance of allergies, they're cleaner (as far as not getting bedding everywhere), and they're comfortable for your hedgie. You can make mini-blankets or fleece strips for cuddling and sleeping in, too. The reason fleece is so often recommended is because the edges don't fray once they're cut, so there's no strings to catch on legs and toes. Be careful with leaving towels in (though I know you said it's not usually in there). The loops can catch nails, especially if the hedgie tries to dig at it with their front paws.

Other than that, it looks great!  Very few mistakes and they're pretty simple ones to fix! The wheel is the most important thing, and I'd honestly try and get it changed as soon as you can. Also, welcome to the forum!  I hope you stick around, we love new members!


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## bubbzz

i'll try i just lost my job and i'm getting a new one soon, (hopefully) so i'll be able to get a new one, and yeah everyone says to get fleece for the bottom, but i don;t really have a washing machine of my own, and am not able to always do it so i'll see what happens  but yeah we will see what happens also she's not very active either, i haven't seen her go near her wheel unless she was sleeping under it. :S


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## Lilysmommy

With the kind of base it has, and no bedding over it holding it down (like with using shavings or Carefresh), the wheel might be wobbly or unsteady when she tries to get on it, or to walk on it. Keep in mind that they usually won't run if being watched though, or if there's any light. Is there any sign that she's used the wheel at all - poop or pee on or around it? Try weighting the base of the wheel down, or ziptieing it to the wall of the cage to steady it and see if she gives it a try then. I'd try taping over the slits before doing this though, just in case. A poop/pee mess is preferable to a mess of blood from her ripping a nail off. 

Also, on the subject of not very active...Do you have a thermometer and heat set up for the cage? Do you know what temperature it is? Sometimes if they're not warm enough, they won't be as active, even if they're not cold enough for a full hibernation attempt.


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## Jazzie

This is my cage setup currently. I haven't gotten my little guy yet, so I still have lots of time to change it before I get him. I know I've got a water bottle in there and I've read that water bowls are better so I plan on changing that. His litter pan is one of the corner ones currently, and I'm wondering what would be a good thing to use as a litter pan for underneath his wheel? Also, the light for his light schedule is not shown as I don't have it set up yet, nor do I have the thermostat yet, its on its way in the mail.  Sorry if the pictures arn't the greatest, they're taken with my phone.


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## Lilysmommy

Looks great! I would honestly just take the little corner litterbox out, or use it as a rock garden for hiding treats in. It's easiest to potty train them when you have a litter box underneath the wheel, with how much they go on the wheel. If you check in the small mammal section of the pet store (where you found the corner litterbox, I'm sure), they usually have big square litterboxes that are used for ferrets. It'd be big enough that you could set the Comfort Wheel in it if you wanted. Alternatively, you could just use a small plastic container that fits underneath the wheel - you'd just want to make sure the sides of the container aren't high enough to discourage the baby from climbing over them and getting to the wheel.


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## silvercat

Lilysmommy said:


> Looks great! I would honestly just take the little corner litterbox out, or use it as a rock garden for hiding treats in. It's easiest to potty train them when you have a litter box underneath the wheel, with how much they go on the wheel. If you check in the small mammal section of the pet store (where you found the corner litterbox, I'm sure), they usually have big square litterboxes that are used for ferrets. It'd be big enough that you could set the Comfort Wheel in it if you wanted. Alternatively, you could just use a small plastic container that fits underneath the wheel - you'd just want to make sure the sides of the container aren't high enough to discourage the baby from climbing over them and getting to the wheel.


For the litter pan - I would suggest waiting & see if your hedgie litter trains. Annabell has a litter tray (which is the bottom of a large tupperware, about the size you would put cupcakes in) then I used the lid to put under the wheel. When she gets up or is just generally playing in her cage & not wheeling, she always used her litter box.

As for under the wheel, in the past I've used a baking sheet from the dollar store with some paper towel over it.


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## Jazzie

silvercat said:


> Lilysmommy said:
> 
> 
> 
> Looks great! I would honestly just take the little corner litterbox out, or use it as a rock garden for hiding treats in. It's easiest to potty train them when you have a litter box underneath the wheel, with how much they go on the wheel. If you check in the small mammal section of the pet store (where you found the corner litterbox, I'm sure), they usually have big square litterboxes that are used for ferrets. It'd be big enough that you could set the Comfort Wheel in it if you wanted. Alternatively, you could just use a small plastic container that fits underneath the wheel - you'd just want to make sure the sides of the container aren't high enough to discourage the baby from climbing over them and getting to the wheel.
> 
> 
> 
> For the litter pan - I would suggest waiting & see if your hedgie litter trains. Annabell has a litter tray (which is the bottom of a large tupperware, about the size you would put cupcakes in) then I used the lid to put under the wheel. When she gets up or is just generally playing in her cage & not wheeling, she always used her litter box.
> 
> As for under the wheel, in the past I've used a baking sheet from the dollar store with some paper towel over it.
Click to expand...

Thanks lilysmommy and silvercat. I'll try looking for something for under the wheel here soon and if he doesn't use the corner one then I'll just change what it's used for.


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## LizardGirl

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but that wheel is too small for a full grown hedgie. You'd be better off getting a large sized one.  (If you already plan on doing this, sorry to bring it up again!)


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## Jazzie

LizardGirl said:


> I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but that wheel is too small for a full grown hedgie. You'd be better off getting a large sized one.  (If you already plan on doing this, sorry to bring it up again!)


Nope, no one had mentioned that to me, so thank you for letting me know  I figured it might be a little small so before he starts outgrowing it I'll find a bigger one. Thanks again!


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## EtherealRose

bubbzz said:


> i'll try i just lost my job and i'm getting a new one soon, (hopefully) so i'll be able to get a new one, and yeah everyone says to get fleece for the bottom, but i don;t really have a washing machine of my own, and am not able to always do it so i'll see what happens  but yeah we will see what happens also she's not very active either, i haven't seen her go near her wheel unless she was sleeping under it. :S


If you don't have a washing machine I don't see why the grass wouldn't work - looks like it can be easily washed and dried - as long has your hedgie isn't eating it that should be fine. You may need to wash it more often though because it probably isn't absorbing the urine very well.

I started out with the silent spinner wheel and just used clear white medical tape to cover the wholes in the middle of the running pad - if you look closely there are 4 or 5 ~1inch slits - those are what I covered and he ran safely on it for a good month before I bought the CSW. You may not see her run a lot unless you are up during the night - Durzo usually runs on his wheel around 1-3 am then 4-6 am and will stop immediately if I turn on lights or even the computer monitor due to the brightness haha. One way you may be able to tell if she is running is if there is urine/poop on her wheel in the morning. Lots of hedgies just go on the go haha.

Good luck on finding a job!!


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## Nancy

bubbzz said:


> i'll try i just lost my job and i'm getting a new one soon, (hopefully) so i'll be able to get a new one, and yeah everyone says to get fleece for the bottom, but i don;t really have a washing machine of my own, and am not able to always do it so i'll see what happens  but yeah we will see what happens also she's not very active either, i haven't seen her go near her wheel unless she was sleeping under it. :S


You don't need a washing machine to wash fleece. Do it by hand in the sink then hang over the shower rod to dry. Fleece dries quite quickly.


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## bubbzz

thank you so much for your help, she's running on her wheel and loves it i fixed it up also and it's safe thank you all for your help


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## kailey lane

I meant to post this in this thread but instead posted in the other,so ill just repost.here is my set up
Here is my first attempt at making a c&c cage i was a bit over safe with getting 10inch walls but its my first hedgie so better safe than sorry.She enjoys her loft.i added the extra bottom storage for space and Because its much easier to clean and care for her when its waste level instead of on the floor.i just biult a lid for it today.The room she is in has its own thermostat and is kept at 76 degrees.prinkles turned 9 weeks on fridayhere is her home


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## LizardGirl

She is so cute, and you did a great job on the cage!


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## kailey lane

yeah im still in aw of how cute she is lol and thank you! i went a little crazy over making it exactly how i wanted it from when i saw the pic on the other thread a few months ago im finally happy with it after weeks of tinkering and adjusting.

whats insane is we added the storage bottom level while the cage was already put together,let just say that was one of the hardest and most awkwardly heavy things me and the bf have done,it was very touch and go for a while lol lots of balancing,but its done lol.


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## hanhan27

kailey lane said:


> whats insane is we added the storage bottom level while the cage was already put together,let just say that was one of the hardest and most awkwardly heavy things me and the bf have done,it was very touch and go for a while lol lots of balancing,but its done lol.


I did the same thing! I had my C&C cage set up for like a month or two and then I decided to add the bottom storage level. :roll: Let's just say that I learned my lesson, lol.

Your cage really does look great! Attractive AND safe. And hey, I recommend left and right for people to make their coroplast walls a bit higher than the usually recommended 8". Helps hold in heat if you use CHEs AND, in my opinion, is a bit more safe if you have a climber.  Safety should always be our number one priority with our little ones, with posting pictures of them to HHC being a close number two.


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## Draenog

Looks nice but why do you make the walls so high, and then put fleece over them? My hedgie would just climb the fleece. They can climb vertical if they want and if they have something to hold on.


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## kailey lane

hanhan27-thank you so much,yeah i love this set up.and yeah adding the bottom part afterwards was a nightmare lol its funny that someone else has done that too lol.i was dead set on making it look nice and be safe first and foremost im pretty proud lol for my first try at least,and compared to some iv seen i think i did good.you cant tell from the photos but the fleece is an amazing royal purple tie die and it is pretty awesome.



Draenog-well that is because i just got done with it and was the easiest way to attach it for now,my girl wont even climb my shirt so it was fine for a bit,this pics was right after i got the tube and fleece and had done a rough set up for the night since it was almost 2ambut i have already attached it to the inner wall so it doesn't go all the way to the top,now the fabric comes to about 2 inches shy of the top of the plastic.


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## kailey lane

hanhan27-thank you so much,yeah i love this set up.and yeah adding the bottom part afterwards was a nightmare lol its funny that someone else has done that too lol.i was dead set on making it look nice and be safe first and foremost im pretty proud lol for my first try at least,and compared to some iv seen i think i did good.you cant tell from the photos but the fleece is an amazing royal purple tie die and it is pretty awesome.



Draenog- well that is because i just got done with it and was the easiest way to attach it for now,my girl wont even climb my shirt or even stand up on the wall ever(i know that doesnt mean she wont) so it was fine for a small amount of time.These pic were right after i got the tube and fleece and had done a rough set up for the night since it was almost 2ambut i have already attached it to the inner wall so it doesn't go all the way to the top,now the fabric comes to about 2 inches shy of the top of the plastic.but i understand your concern


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## Draenog

Mine loves to climb I guess  but good that you changed it!


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## Viridis Lupus

Hi everyone!
My hedge lives in a rabbit cage, i'm planning to make some modifications and create a bigger home. One will be an external shelter(conected by a proper sealed hole in the bars) and the other, will be an external litter box. The cage's gate is about 10.5 x 13 inche; i'm planning to connect either another cage or some box/container to make an external litter box in that space. Te problem is, that even if i attach a new shelter or the new cage/container for the litter box, there will be 4 inches high of difference; it was a rabbit cage and i removed the wired bottom.
*If i make a ramp, will she climb to use the attached litter box or it is not likely? She already pee and poop in blankets of towel paper.*


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## irise235

Here's my hedgehogs cage. Its made of sealed wood (not sure if thats the correct term) and has a glass front. The plant and all is a reflection so it looks like the left side of her cage also has glass but it doesn't. Its got a mesh top and a ventilation strip thats kind of hard to see but its under the sliding doors its like 120cm long, 60cm wide and 50cm high (i think). She has an exoterra daylight lamp which uses a timer to turn on and off (12hour cycle) and she has the heat emitter lamp as well from the professional series.
She has also got a rabbit cage which is like 100cmx50cm but she's not using it atm.
let me know what you guys think.


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## LizardGirl

Your viv looks great! The only thing I'm worried about is how it's ventilated? It looks pretty enclosed.


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## Kalandra

LG she says that it looks like it is glass, because of the reflection but it isn't.

I'd love to see other angles of the cage, it looks great.


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## irise235

hey yea it doesn't have a lot of ventilation. Its only open at the top (mesh) and it has a hidden ventilation strip in the front that runs along the whole front. I leave her cage open twice a day once in the morning and once at night for a total of around 2-3 hours. So I think there aren't many issues because when I open her cage it doesn't smell much worse than outside her cage. I also spot clean every day and do a thorough cleaning every 3 days.


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## irise235

here are more pictures of the cage. In one of them you can see the other side, that its also wood and the storage area under it. The temperature on one side. And the ventilation strip on the front.


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## irise235

And finally the top showing that the top has mesh. And random pictures of her


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## Kalandra

That looks great. If it had a couple of ventilation grommets in the side it would get better airflow.


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## irise235

thats true but i don't think she needs it. There is enough ventilation in my opinion.


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## LizardGirl

That looks great.  Sorry I missed the bit about the ventilation strip, with that and the top, there should be plenty of airflow. It's a very attractive setup!


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## irise235

thanks  when i got the csw i was like OMG its so huge i hope it fits through the door. It does thankfully XD


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## fairywinged

leannem said:


> Yeah, the home depot employees definately don't take intelligence exams before they get hired. I hate Home Depot! Lol.
> 
> In the coroplast? Just stick one side of scissors through it. You'll have a small slit that you can push the zip tie through. Try to make the slit run in the same direction as the corrugated bits instead of cutting across them. That way you won't compromise any of the strength in it.


I don't mean to get off topic but I was a Home depot employee and we do have extensive training we know chloroplast as poster or sign board though. Please do not put down all employees maybe it was just that one kid you asked. Also The Home Depot is a great place to work or was when I worked there two years ago. They are kind to their employees and try to help them in life as much as they can like offering scholarships and stuff they are a great company. I just took offense to that statement it was very generalized and kinda rude.


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## Skittles

For Skittles I have her normal cage and a playpen
[attachment=2:2ri3d8e6]PLAYPEN VIEW1.jpg[/attachment:2ri3d8e6]
This is the playpen I made for her, with two small pet fences, a clear plastic table cloth and a whole lot of zip ties! The setup and toys in there always change
And her cage, it looks so small in these pictures! I swear it is not that small (it is a rabbit cage), I still greatly regret not buying a ferret nation right off the bat after seeing all the great cages you guys have! I'm on the look out for a cheap one and in the mean time save my money for a new one if a used one doesn't come around.
[attachment=1:2ri3d8e6]CAGE VIEW 3.jpg[/attachment:2ri3d8e6]
[attachment=0:2ri3d8e6]CAGE VIEW2.jpg[/attachment:2ri3d8e6]
I have ordered a new wheel from Larry T, just waiting for it to arrive! (I live in Canada so nothing gets here fast lol)


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## SouthernSweet

very nice, I love the pipe maze!! I love your Hagen items, too; I don't see them as often as I'd like in pet stores.


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## Skittles

Skittles said:


> For Skittles I have her normal cage and a playpen
> [attachment=2:3b0236gz]PLAYPEN VIEW1.jpg[/attachment:3b0236gz]
> This is the playpen I made for her, with two small pet fences, a clear plastic table cloth and a whole lot of zip ties! The setup and toys in there always change
> And her cage, it looks so small in these pictures! I swear it is not that small (it is a rabbit cage), I still greatly regret not buying a ferret nation right off the bat after seeing all the great cages you guys have! I'm on the look out for a cheap one and in the mean time save my money for a new one if a used one doesn't come around.
> [attachment=1:3b0236gz]CAGE VIEW 3.jpg[/attachment:3b0236gz]
> [attachment=0:3b0236gz]CAGE VIEW2.jpg[/attachment:3b0236gz]
> I have ordered a new wheel from Larry T, just waiting for it to arrive! (I live in Canada so nothing gets here fast lol)


I found a Ferret nation on Kijiji for $80 bucks, I can't decide if it's worth it to upgrade. I don't really have they money for it right now. GAHHHHH!!!! I don't know what to do!


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## LizardGirl

Is it a one level or two? What type of cage do you have currently?


----------



## PokeyCutie

The cage I built is a C&C cage. I wanted to know if its hedgie safe? The cubes I used were the older kind with 9 squares across (the smallest). It looks safe to me but I figured I should ask the experts


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## nikki

The cubes with 9 squares across are safe, its the ones with 5 squares across that aren't safe.


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## PokeyCutie

Ok thanks Nikki, Oh, and I sent you another updated email


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## Don Ricci

This is Mitch's cage setup, minus litterboxes (a shallow one for under his wheel and one for the corner) because it's Major Cage Cleaning Day™ and my dad hasn't surrendered the one for under the wheel yet (he's nice enough to help me clean sometimes) and Haymitch is still in his playpen downstairs but sound asleep in the other one, because he decided that a clean litterbox was in fact for sleeping in instead of using as a litterbox, and I didn't want to disturb him just yet.








The door is open because it's always open, it's wire and so if it's closed he'll climb it, and also I don't want him hurting himself somehow on the water bottle holder that I can't seem to get off of it. Instead I've improvised with a piece of plexiglass that I put there when he's in his cage, though I take it out when I'm cleaning or if I take him out or sometimes just when I'm in the room to supervise and make sure he doesn't climb up and fall out. The mesh on the walls is too high up for him to ever reach, I've watched him try. There's also food and water dishes next to his house, though the food one is kinda hard to see.
Luckily he's a well behaved hedgie and doesn't cause much trouble (I'm hoping that he will continue not to). He uses the bathroom in his litterbox and he doesn't burrow under cage liners or anything, though sometimes he drags the paper towels out of his litterbox, but that's about it.
The cage was actually custom built by my dad when he was eighteen and has seen numerous occupants up to Haymitch, mostly rats but including a couple gerbils. You can also sorta see his food off to the left and some of his other stuff to the right. There's also more of his stuff on the floor down there and even further off to the left.


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## ilovemater101

HELP!!!

Due to problems with the breeder, I got my hedgehog, Loki, almost a week early and his cage wasn't finished! There are no stores in my area that sell coroplast! Is there a substitute I can use? Please help! I need to fix his cage so it is more livable and less duct tapes!!!


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## moxieberry

Have you tried looking for sign stores or large hardware stores? As far as I know Lowes and Hope Depot both have it, although they may call it something else, such as "corrugated plastic". Sign stores also carry it. For a temporary solution you can use cardboard (which would have to be replaced pretty soon, but would buy you a few days), or plastic place mats, which you should be able to find at a dollar store.


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## ilovemater101

Lowes does not have it, I checked their store and all they had was ceiling stuff. I can't find any sign shops that sell it, because they are all design studios. None of the hardware stores around here sell it.


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## laurentj23

Go to home depot. They have it arnd the door section. I got the large one for only 10.95 or you can pay more by trying fedex stores. They charged a lot more though..


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## ludo_love

I am hoping to adopt a 10 wk old hedgie soon that needs a new home, so I've started working on my set up. It is definitely a work in progress and I would greatly appreciate any suggestions or safety concerns you notice. A couple notes, I will be putting up a plastic border around the base so he can't climb, and I wasn't planning putting them around the top compartments because I didn't think they were tall enough for him to really bother climbing seeing as how he could probable stand up and be almost there , do you think that's ok? Also there is no wheel because I'm still awaiting it's arrival from Amazon, but I plan to put a flying saucer wheel in the bottom right. I have food and water dishes but didn't put them in yet, and the thing in the bottom corner is a little scrap box for digging. I plan to get a litter tray for under his saucer. It is hard to tell from the picture because the plastic is see through, but I would like it noted that the top compartments are blocked off around the tubes so he can't fall off, and the duct tape is temporary until I think of a better solution. What do you think?


----------



## ludo_love

I would also like advice as to where to place the heat source and thermometer with the above set up. I have one of those dangling digital thermometers and plan to get a CHE.


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## kurai18

Those slinky tunnels look like such a fun idea but are they easy to detach from the cage?
Also, are they coated in the inside as well, or is the wire exposed?

I bought a really long slinky tunnel made for ferrets for Pineapple and it looked like this with a wire slinky frame covered in clear vinyl:









Pineapple loved it but she kept pooping and peeing in it.. and because the slinky kept scrunching up it was really hard to clean between the ridges.
I tried to stick my hand in it and wipe it with disinfectant wipes but it was impossible to clean.
Finally I took it outside and washed out the inside with a garden hose
but then all the moisture got caught between the ridges, and since the wiring was exposed in the inside it got all rusty by the time it finally dried.
I had to throw it away since I wasn't about to let Pineapple play in a rusty tunnel.

You might not have as much trouble as I did cleaning it since the tunnels aren't that long,
but being able to clean it is just an aspect you might want to consider. I'm still sad that my tunnel didn't work out  
I hope yours does! Your cage looks like so much fun


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## ludo_love

Well the ability to detach and clean it is a concern that I'm working on, haven't quite figured it out yet. for the moment it's just zip tied and duct taped so it's fairly easily removed but i'm trying to figure out a better solution like elastics or something. It's still a work in progress


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## Folly

Has anybody bought these? http://www.walmart.com/ip/Whitmor-White ... ed/5005200
I can't tell from the description or the pictures how many grids you get. They're not available in-store anywhere near me so I can't just go look v_v any help would be awesome.


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## Viridis Lupus

Hello, i want to make my hedgie a new home. In my country, the c&c's cage are slightly bigger. The spacing is about 5x5 centimeters (1,96 x 1,96 inches). Would it be safe for my hedge?

Heres a pic of one unit, with a total of 30x30 centimeters (11,81 x 11,81 inches):


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## Lilysmommy

They look a bit too big for my comfort...Do you guys have wire shelving there, by any chance, in home improvement stores? Something like this - http://images.lowes.com/product/convert ... 6532lg.jpg I know I've seen Nancy recommend it numerous times for cage lids, if nothing else. I think someone has said that you can have them cut it to size at a home improvement store, so you could get several pieces for each side of the cage. The only problem is I'm not sure how expensive it might be. I would guess it would end up being more expensive than using the cubes, but it would also be much safer.


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## laurentj23

fairywinged said:


> leannem said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, the home depot employees definately don't take intelligence exams before they get hired. I hate Home Depot! Lol.
> 
> In the coroplast? Just stick one side of scissors through it. You'll have a small slit that you can push the zip tie through. Try to make the slit run in the same direction as the corrugated bits instead of cutting across them. That way you won't compromise any of the strength in it.
> 
> 
> 
> I don't mean to get off topic but I was a Home depot employee and we do have extensive training we know chloroplast as poster or sign board though. Please do not put down all employees maybe it was just that one kid you asked. Also The Home Depot is a great place to work or was when I worked there two years ago. They are kind to their employees and try to help them in life as much as they can like offering scholarships and stuff they are a great company. I just took offense to that statement it was very generalized and kinda rude.
Click to expand...

Lol!


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## Viridis Lupus

Lilysmommy said:


> They look a bit too big for my comfort...Do you guys have wire shelving there, by any chance, in home improvement stores? Something like this - http://images.lowes.com/product/convert ... 6532lg.jpg I know I've seen Nancy recommend it numerous times for cage lids, if nothing else. I think someone has said that you can have them cut it to size at a home improvement store, so you could get several pieces for each side of the cage. The only problem is I'm not sure how expensive it might be. I would guess it would end up being more expensive than using the cubes, but it would also be much safer.


Thanks, Lilysmommy, i think i've seen it here, i'll take a look to buy some. Safety in first place, i wanna give my hedge a bigger home.


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## Viridis Lupus

What about this dog fence?










Instead of using it in the hexagon shape, i would make it retangular, giving my hedge a home with those dimensions:
width: 55cm (*21.65 inches*)
depht: 1.1 meters (*43.30 inches*)
height: 65cm (*25.59 inches*)
bar spacing: 4.23 cm (*1.665 inches*)
Would it be safe? I would cover the "hooks" with epoxi.


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## Shell

I actually have that dog fence and I use it as Percy's play pen, or to block him from getting under dresser's ect.. It was a worry because he can get his head out and I can see him getting it stuck so I put duct tape on each of the bottom pannels and it stopped him from doing it.


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## Viridis Lupus

Thanks, Shell. I think i'll buy it. I'll use the coroplast, it should give an extra protection.


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## Viridis Lupus

I've contacted the manufacturer and he customized the dog's cage, making it more safe to my hedgehog. Thanks everyone. 
Now, about the bottom of the cage... i'm having trouble on finding coroplast in my city. Is there another material wich could i replace it?


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## Lilysmommy

Hm...I'm not sure, really. I know people have brought up plexiglass before, but that's probably a rather expensive alternative. Perhaps you could order coroplast in smaller pieces online? Or maybe you could just put down plastic of some sort (like a tablecloth, or a plastic tarp) that would be waterproof for the bottom, and set the cage over it. Then for the sides, you could find some plastic placemats or something similar, to weave through the bars? I know Nancy has mentioned that as a good climbing deterrent before, so it might be an option.


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## Draenog

They don't sell coroplast here like they do in the US, so I've used plywood for my C&C cage. I've made it water (and mite) proof with shelf liner.


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## Viridis Lupus

Many thanks Lilysmommy and Draenog for the help. I've walked a lot in the commercial block searching for plastics as Lilysmommy suggested... then i found some pre-fabricated paper cases from coroplast. (those boxes with elastics that holds paper sheets). Thay are smaller than the cage's size, but a found an economical 10 cases kit and i'll join them with silver tape. Well, thanks again.


----------



## bassman1977

I notice a good many of you use a cloth on the floor of the cage instead of the traditional bedding, chips, pellets, corn cobs, etc. What are the advantages and disadvantages. Are the hedgies fairly clean? I don't have my hedgie yet so just researching the best practices. Lots of different ideas out there. Have you guys tried to litter train inside the cage or are they pooping predominantly in and around their wheels?


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## Lilysmommy

Glad you found something Viridis! 

Bassman, yeah, most people on here highly prefer and recommend fleece/fabric liners. They have a ton of advantages - they won't give your hedgehogs mites (wood beddings can introduce mites), they don't get caught in sensitive areas (males are especially at danger for getting small pieces of anything caught in penile sheath), they don't (usually) cause allergies for human or hedgies (some people have problems with wood beddings, and there's been a few cases on here of hedgies swelling up from aspen bedding - also, cedar is not safe for any small animals, and pine is only safe if kiln-dried), they're reusable so they cost less in the long run (just have to wash a load maybe once a week or every other), and they don't dry the skin out (as Carefresh and other paper beddings sometimes can - these can also sometimes have mites). The only disadvantages I can think of are you have to watch for long hairs (hedgies can get them wrapped around legs and cut off circulation), so you need to check them over, especially after washing. They're also not always good at odor control if you have an especially stinky or messy hedgie. Most people don't have problems with that though, and some that have can usually find other ways to manage the odor (open box of baking soda by cage, air purifier) before resorting to a particle bedding.

As far as hedgies being clean, it really depends on the individual. Some poop EVERYWHERE. Some tend to keep it limited to their wheel and surrounding area (and owners will usually roll with that and put a litter box under the wheel to catch "run off"). A very few will even poop or pee off their wheel, in their litter box only. But really, most hedgehogs are going to at least poop on their wheel, even if they get good at litter training as far as not pooping elsewhere in their cage. It's no guarantee though.


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## Viridis Lupus

Well, now just there's just the cage liner left to give my hedge a new home. 
I've bought a lot of fleece and some flannel. I was thinking about making a "flannel sandwich" (in this case, the fleece would be the bread). 2 layers of fleece and 2 of flannel between them. Would it be better than just 2 of fleece?


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## Lilysmommy

Are you planning on sewing them? If so, the flannel/fleece idea sounds like it'd make a great liner, very soft and absorbent. If you don't want to sew, just fleece is probably best, to avoid frayed edges producing threads to wrap around legs. You might also want to make a couple liners so you can change them out and wash the dirty one.


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## Viridis Lupus

Thanks, Lilysmommy, i'll take the option 1. I'll cut the fabrics and ask for help on carefully sewing.


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## Viridis Lupus

Hey everyone. I decided taking the fabric to a seamstress. But theres a small problem, some loose ends. Anyway, i tested and the loose lines cut easily, they looks like a very thin nylon or something like that. Is it hedgehog safe or should i take it back to the seamstress and ask for a extra protection?


----------



## Nancy

No, they aren't safe. The seams should be on the inside.


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## hedgielover

That kind of seem is not safe for a hedgehog. 

Liners should be sewn with a seem hidden on the inside of two layers so that there isn't any thread above or below that can snag or fray. 

To do this most people sew together two pieces of fabric leaving a gap along one edge and then turn it inside out, then you get all your seems and frayed edges on the inside of the liner. Then you sew up the gap with a tight straight stitch or hidden stitch. 

Your liner looks like it was done with a blanket stitch around the outside which leaves lots of thread on the outside of the liner. If your hedgehog digs at the edge of the liner he/she could easily pull up the seem enough to get a toe or foot caught underneath. Even if the thread breaks easily and your hedgehog manages to pull his toe or foot off, that action would probably leave a small piece of thread wrapped around your hedgehog's foot that was pulled tighter before ripping off the liner. 

I know first hand that this piece of thread could be nearly impossible for you to see, cause your hedgehog's foot to bleed, eventually cause a strangulation injury from lack of blood flow and result in an amputation. These injuries are very common for our little pets and the only way to mitigate the chance of it occurring is to eliminate as much thread and hair from the hedgehog's cage as possible. 

I am very careful about loose hairs and threads and my hedgehog still managed to get a very small nearly invisible fiber from something wrapped around his toe (I think maybe he tried out the cat's scratching post when I had my back turned for about two seconds :roll: ) . The only way I knew something was wrong is that it was bleeding, I kept it clean and waited for it to heal and when it didn't heal and instead turned black I went to the vet who found the fiber with his magnifying goggles. And the toe was amputated. It was really not fun for me or Koloth.


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## Viridis Lupus

Thanks a lot, Nancy and Heather. I'm very sorry to hear about what happened to Koloth, both of you were brave to withstand the situation. I'll take the liner to the seamstress and ask for a repair. If not possible, i won't use it. Safety first!


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## Nancy

Probably the easiest fix would be to sew some bias binding around the edge to cover the blanket stitching. It's only the visible blanket stitch that isn't safe.


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## stupiedshannon99

*Re: Cage Setup discussions- Litterbox ??'s*

Ok, so I am not new to my hedgie, but I am very interested in the fleece for the cage. I am going to try this. But my question is the "litterbox" under the wheel. I have read and read and besides the "corner litterbox" what are you all using to catch the poop under the wheel? I have tried to figure it out but have been unlucky. So can you share what you use for the rectangular litter box. 
Thank you guys.


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## alexvdl

Shannon, 
(answer slightly xposted from other thread)
This is what we did in order to give Reginald space to sit in front of the wheel and do his business we got one of these.

Black Plastic Serving Tray: http://amzn.com/B005QRO6MU It's a 12"x12" so it should fit completely undermost wheels, and it fits pretty well in the base of Larry's Storm Wheel. It gives him enough room to do his business in front of the wheel, but Reginald kept trying to crawl underneath the tray, so Maggie put holes in the tray using a lighter and a nail, then used zipties to secure it to the base of the wheel. You can see it here, right next to Reginald and his anklyosaurus buddy.


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## Sar-uh

I am using a large rabbit cage (with coraplast) for Zelda right now since that what she came with, however I think it's about time I switch to C&C. She runs so fast on her wheel that the cage rattles terribly, and since she and Petunia's cages are in the bedroom, it tends to wake me up  

Has anyone had issues with cage rattling noises when it comes to C&Cs? They look like the walls all fit together nice and snug.


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## Vivalahedgielution

*Cage Setup discussions - "stairs"/tunnel over high area*

Hi folks. Semi first timer here.

I have been doing as much research as possible these last few weeks BEFORE I receive my little bundle of hedgie joy to try to give him/her the best, safest and happiest home possible. I have eeeeeeverything you might possibly need for a hedgie and I would wager that even though I am a nit of a novice, I have investigated just about every page here and could probably take a quiz! haha (Can you tell that I am a student? hehe )

Anyways, we had a hedgie as a kid in my daycare growing up and that was about the time that you could just barely get hegies in Washington state. That being said, Not too many knew too much of their care needs. However, I learned then that they can make great pets and so here I am today preparing to get one and give it it's deserved furrever home with all the information and advice I have learned here. 

So, that leads me to my question.

After lots of looking here, I couldn't find any specific threads on what the best path to make between a loft and a the ground level of a cage. Right now I have the wire top and plastic bottom cage that I have connected with (what I believe is called C+C?) the wire shelving that you can zip tie together; many of the people on the site have posted pictures of cages similar to this. Of course I have zip tied board that a hedgie cannot climb nor get caught in to the wire, so no worries there.  I simply wish to make the cage (the wire top and plastic bottom) larger to run around and access the larger of the two wheels and other hidy-houses (which according to lizard girl's posts and several other sites and people, all of my equipment appears to be hedgie safe and approved ). It is nice to have options so I thought maybe that applies to hedgehogs as well. ;D

Well as you can see in the picture I have attached of the cage (I do not have a pic of my full set up yet - this is just a pic of the cage from petco), the grey part is pretty high to just easily climb over should the hedgie want to access the attached part of the roaming space/wire and boarded attached cage I have made. I have seen nothing on here about the best way to make what would be essentially stairs. Some people use dryer hose. some people PVC (I think) pipe (Which also i have heard is actually unsafe... thoughts? concerns? comments?) What is the best method to allow or help my hedgie to cross up over this grey area WITHOUT cutting a hole through the cage? I have considered having my friend that works with wood make me a small, study aspen "staircase" ( a solid triangle with little bars across so that it can easily walk up it - similar to the bars on the comfort wheel put out by brand 'superpet' ). This would fit right in front of the sliding wire door you see on the front of the cage and another leading into the wire-board pen. Thoughts?

Sorry this is so long, I just want it to be very clear as to how I plan to set up my cage. I really want my hedgie to be as safe as possible and the safety and quality of life of my little pet takes presidence over appearance. So anything you can tell me that can help me out would really really be appreciated!  Thanks!


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## ashley_thisbe

Just switched from pine to fleece tonight! Her nose is running, and I couldn't get a Dr. appointment before tomorrow, so I hoped it would help. She doesn't seem to like it much, anything I can do to improve the transition?

Ashley


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## Sar-uh

ashley_thisbe said:


> Just switched from pine to fleece tonight! Her nose is running, and I couldn't get a Dr. appointment before tomorrow, so I hoped it would help. She doesn't seem to like it much, anything I can do to improve the transition?
> 
> Ashley


Maybe make a dig box?


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## alexvdl

Why two litter boxes?


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## ashley_thisbe

The two litter boxes are only temporary. She was using the bigger one when I had pine bedding, but I was concerned that now it is too tall for her to get into, so I put the little one in there to see if that worked any better. I was super surprised though, because since I brought her home she's been all about using a litter box...hopefully the pattern continues!


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## sessigirl

I know stitching can seriously hurt a hedgehog so has anyone tried Heat N Bond? its a no sew adhesive and I was wondering if that would be safe?


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## nikki

Stitching, if done properly, isn't dangerous. Heat and Bond would get expensive to use to make liners.


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## Sugargliderlove

I recently switched from a 2x4 C&C cage that sonic was in and a medium sized guinea pig cage that Sprinkles was in to each of them having a 110 qt bin cage. The C&C was taking up a really large portion of my small room. They have both fleece liners. With the bins it is easier to see them playing and its easier to clean the cage. Also with switching Sprinkles she can not climb up the side of the cage.


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## Vivalahedgielution

To those of you that read my post on my curiosity of dryer tubes, I decided to modify the cage itself by inserting PvC pipe to allow Hubert into the play area of the pen. Attached are 3 pictures so that all of you can let me know if it looks to be hedgie safe and hedgie fun. :lol: 

Things to keep in mind:
- ALL parts of cage from top to bottom are secured with zip ties should he ever decide to dig his way out, he will not be able to and will not be hurt in an attempt.
- the tube can be capped if need be (If you see a round thing with a square, that'd be it)
- Any and all fabrics in the cage are high quality fleece (No towels, strings, etc.)
-The balls do NOT have any holes in them
- I don't believe (and will monitor of course) that he can ever grow large enough to climb atop anything within the cage to get out and fall.
- The cage is heated by space heater and is close to a floor board heater. Obviously it is atop a coffee table and isn't directly touching or near enough to over heat him or burn/hurt him.
- I put shavings (any and all shavings in or around his cage are ASPEN) under the fleece liner of his cage and play pen should he have an accident (not make it to his litter pan). 

**Is this a good idea (the above mentioned item)? He keeps burrowing under the red liner to sleep instead of getting off his wheel and walking to his hut. Maybe since he is little still he just gets so tired with all the exercise. :lol: **

- There is a dig fleece area for him under the grey house that is in front of the tube between the 2 pens. The entrance to the grey house is directly in front of the tube and the fleece dig scraps are directly to the left of said tube. If you were facing the entrance of the grey hut, the scraps would be right under where the stair-looking part is. 

** would he be more likely to actually use the dig scraps if I got him a box to put the fleece strips in? (I ask because of the above mentioned burrowing). **

- The big wheel's litter pan has shavings, a bit of plastic wrap and paper towels (incase the urine doesn't get soaked up by the aspen shavings and would destroy the cardboard). 
** Is the plastic safe? I have never seen him tear anything up but sometimes he digs (see above haha). However, I'd rather replace a box than my pet.  **

Ok! I think that should explain most of it. Take a look at the attachments and tell me what you guys think ( PLEASE  ).


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## Vivalahedgielution

Just a couple extra pics of the scrap area and big wheel w/ litterbox. 

(above post contd.)


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## alexvdl

-Instead of using plastic wrap around a cardboard box, you could pick up a rubbermaid/tupperware plastic container if you want something pretty deep. Otherwise a plastic tray would work well. I use this one. http://amzn.com/B005QRO6MU

-A lot of hedgehogs like to burrow under liners because they feel comfortable sleeping in tight places. People use heavy items or velcro to weigh them down if they don't want them there, and other people just let them do it.

-There really isn't a lot of need to use a layer of bedding and THEN a layer of fleece. A single layer of fleece is pretty good at absorbing pee (hedgehogs don't pee much), but if you're worried, you can use a couple layers of fleece, or other people sew together a fleece/flannel/fleece sandwhich for warmth and absorbency.

That should answer your question, and the rest is really up to your hedgie. All hedgies have variable personalities, and what one likes another won't. Some will sleep in pigloos, some will sleep only in soft sided containers. A sleepsack will mimic the feel of burrowing under a liner (though without the weight) so many hogs use those. SOme hogs will only use a specific blanket or hat. as long as the cage is safe, your comfort level and your hedgehog's will be the big factors.


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## Vivalahedgielution

Ok! Well thanks for the tips. I probably will switch to the Tupperware. I found that bow and it was just the perfect size so I didn't want to give it up! haha But you're right, I'd bet a plastic bin would be better. As for the burrowing, he did have a bed and he would dig at that and simply didn't like it. So now, the main part of cage is primarily aspen until I can get Velcro. I might even just stick with the bedding. That's what they used at the breeders and he seems to really like that about the best. We'll see. If anything, I'll have extra fleece to lay out on the carpet when we're playing so if he goes potty, he'll do it there instead. lol


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## alexvdl

Lots of hedgehog owners use bedding for various reasons. Reginald was on bedding for the first couple months until we got him a bigger cage. Eight square feet of bedding would be ridiculous, and therefore we stick with fleece. Of course, we often wonder about whether or not Reginald misses his bedding. He liked burrowing a lot. 

Most of the people on the forum prefer fleece, and there are a lot of reasons to use it, but if fleece works best for your situation, then I feel like that's what you should use.


----------



## Vivalahedgielution

yeah. I'll need to buy some serious Velcro. Hubert is a huuuuge burrower. You should see him get nestled in the morning. It takes a full 2 mins. of digging around before he decideds that he can't get through the bottom of his pen. lol :lol:


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## Sar-uh

*Siiiiigh* I am so discouraged. I have been trying to build a new C & C cage for Zelda all week, and I keep hitting bumps in the road. First I couldn't believe how hard it was to get the connectors to fit on the panels. I eventually became so sore and frustrated that I opted to go the zip tie route. Now I'm having issues with cat-proofing it. The panels wouldn't serve as a lid because they were heavy and caved in. So I tried to build the walls up like this:










But hubby says he thinks the cats can still jump in from the bed. 

I'm ready to give up and just keep using her old cage.


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## momIImany

Sar-uh 
When I put my C&C cage together, I didn't use the connectors either. I used the zip ties, 3 ties per side. Mine is a 2x3 square cage too with storage underneath. (For extra support, I used squares on the floor of the storage area too) I put a top or lid on mine. The back three squares (of the top) are zip tied to the cage and not movable. The front 3 (top pieces) are zip tied to the back top squares and lifts up - like a hinge. This makes it easier to clean and take out the wheel and the bottom coraplast to clean and put fresh fleece on. I use the small black binder clips to attach the liner so Mimzy doesn't liner dive. I use strips of fleece to tie the front lid down for security purposes. This would be secure enough - with coraplast sides - for the cats. I also used a piece of clear plexi-glass in the front so I could see inside the cage without having to look down into the cage.


----------



## Sar-uh

momIImany said:


> Sar-uh
> When I put my C&C cage together, I didn't use the connectors either. I used the zip ties, 3 ties per side. Mine is a 2x3 square cage too with storage underneath. (For extra support, I used squares on the floor of the storage area too) I put a top or lid on mine. The back three squares (of the top) are zip tied to the cage and not movable. The front 3 (top pieces) are zip tied to the back top squares and lifts up - like a hinge. This makes it easier to clean and take out the wheel and the bottom coraplast to clean and put fresh fleece on. I use the small black binder clips to attach the liner so Mimzy doesn't liner dive. I use strips of fleece to tie the front lid down for security purposes. This would be secure enough - with coraplast sides - for the cats. I also used a piece of clear plexi-glass in the front so I could see inside the cage without having to look down into the cage.


I tried to do that with the top, but the squares didn't overlap enough to rest on top of the cage, and they bowed down in the middle. How did you make yours fit? Do you have a picture?


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## momIImany

Sar-uh,
I did not overlap any of my squares, they are connected side by side and end to end with zip ties - same with the top. To make it a little sturdier, use small strips of wood at the top - along the sides - *like floor molding*. the triangular kind works well. It braces up the top, supports it and can be zip tied to the cage. Leave about 4"-6" in the front (along the sides) so you can take out your coraplast. I use a florescent light strip on one side of mine at the top that does the same. I'll post some pictures when I get an adaptor for my phone. I can't get the pictures off of it till then. Sorry. :?


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## momIImany

Sar-uh,
http://www.lowes.com/pd_3901-1487-126+8 ... g_rating|1 You'll only need one piece and cut it to size to frame the top of the cage out.


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## Sar-uh

momIImany said:


> Sar-uh,
> I did not overlap any of my squares, they are connected side by side and end to end with zip ties - same with the top. To make it a little sturdier, use small strips of wood at the top - along the sides - *like floor molding*. the triangular kind works well. It braces up the top, supports it and can be zip tied to the cage. Leave about 4"-6" in the front (along the sides) so you can take out your coraplast. I use a florescent light strip on one side of mine at the top that does the same. I'll post some pictures when I get an adaptor for my phone. I can't get the pictures off of it till then. Sorry. :?


I didn't explain myself very well. I did what you did, connected the squares side by side, end to end, but the top lid still wouldn't rest on top of the cage (not securely, anyway). I may try to add the wood you recommended and perhaps have it stick out a little extra so the lid won't cave in. Thanks for your suggestion


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## alexvdl

I'm really confused as to why clicking your lowes link goes to a page where they ask me to stand by, and there is a graphic of people standing in line. It's a cool graphic and all, but what the heck?


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## momIImany

No clue alexvdl. Mine goes straight to the site I wanted to show. Sorry.


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## alexvdl

This morning when I clicked on it again, it went straight to the wood molding. Weird.


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## momIImany

Here are Mimzy's cage setup pictures.
[attachment=2:2zehmmy6]Camera pictures 007.jpg[/attachment:2zehmmy6]
[attachment=1:2zehmmy6]left side of C&C cage.jpg[/attachment:2zehmmy6]
[attachment=0:2zehmmy6]right side of C&C cage.jpg[/attachment:2zehmmy6]

These are the originals without the top on and without the front plexiglass. 
I finally figured out how to post the pictures - Yeah!!!


----------



## just_jen3

Hello everyone! I'm brand new to the hedgie world and I just got my first baby on Sunday. This is what I have as a cage set up. I bought a bi-level habitat online, but when it came in the shelf was broken. Customer service just sent me a whole new set up since they couldn't replace just the one part. I decided that since I had two cages I would stick them together. I don't use the shelf, but I use the ramps so she can get back and forth between the two cages. I made sure that where they come together is covered safely so she can't get a foot caught or hurt herself. I also attached some felt for traction and she walks up and down without any issues. She has places to dig, balls, toys, water on both sides, food dishes, a snuggle bag, igloo, wheel, and a litter box. 
I have two heating elements, one CHE over her wheel, and a nocturnal heat bulb above her igloo. Both are governed by a thermostat.

I am open and welcome any questions, comments, or suggestions. If you see something wrong or think I can do something better please let me know. 
Thanks!


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## momIImany

Wow, 2 cages put together. She/he will love it. Does part of the top come off or how do you clean the cages and get the hog out? I don't know about the nocturnal heat bulb - isn't that a red heat lamp? If it is, the hedgie won't like it on at night. They like total darkness, that's why we all have the CHE's instead. Heat without the light.


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## just_jen3

She does! Not liking the red bulb might explain why she prefers sleeping on the side with her wheel. I thought that since hedgehogs couldn't see color that the red light wouldn't bother her? The box had me sold on that idea too. Lol. The cages had two doors a piece, one on top and one in the side. We connected the two side doors to make the double cage and then we get her out through the top (which can be a trick sometimes). The whole top is easily removed after undoing the clasps so major clean up is pretty easy.


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## Lilysmommy

Cage looks pretty good to me! I agree about the red bulb - I would get rid of it and get another CHE. Hedgehogs can see the light, whether it's red, black or otherwise, and many of them will be less active because of it, or not active at all.


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## msredhead

I found this while searching for coroplast to make Auri's new cage. I think I might just buy it - only $20 shipping, and customizable! http://www.guineapigcagesstore.com/cand ... UnJnRfiigQ


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## momIImany

msredhead said:


> I found this while searching for coroplast to make Auri's new cage. I think I might just buy it - only $20 shipping, and customizable! http://www.guineapigcagesstore.com/cand ... UnJnRfiigQ


I like that site. Lots of great ideas like the drawers made of coraplast. Let me know how they are when you get it.


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## Harley_quinn

I just wanna say thank you to those who have corrected my cage mistakes previously. I just thought I'd post my improvement on my hedges cage. harley Quinn really wants to thank you! She's never been so happy and comfortable. Do note that there is a water bottle inside, but she does have a dish which she prefers. The bottle is only for the purpose as back up incase she spills her water and she isn't left all night without any. So far there's been no accidents. Thank you again!


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## momIImany

Love it Harley_quinn. How does she like the elephant? Is it hard to get her out of there?


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## Harley_quinn

She loves her elephant. There's a big opening in the rear and I put a large ring in the trunk to keep the nose open. She can easily crawl in and out of it.


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## Hedgehogluvr386

Here is the photo-strip of my cage!  Finally finished!   
(ps the bottom pic says "I was sleeping..." but the text was cut off)


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## coopdavillage

After looking at everyone elses cages i almost feel as though mine is too much but Ruby seems to like it. I have however found that using the aluminum flexible tubing is a big problem because it makes it very difficult to get to her to help here socialize and its impossible to clean. Because of that we will be switching here cage ramps to half a pvc pipe this weekend. 
And interesting thing that i have found out though is that Ruby does not seem to like fabric or most specifically felt. She will not sleep on or under it at all and will instead push it out of the way.

As for adding the dual 150 w CHE's I would be very weary of that. From what i am experiencing even one can be very hard to manage the temperature with.


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## 4BlindMice

I'm bringing my hedgie home in 2 weeks! I have the cage all set up- Can you guys take a look & let me know if anything isn't Kosher?

As of now I know I need to get Coroplast up on the second level & a new ramp - I have the coroplast just haven't gotten around to installing it yet. What do you guys use for ramps? I really need to get on that but I have no clue whats good to use. The one lamp heats the cage just fine- We keep a warmer house so I just got a 150W heat bulb & it seems to heat thoroughly (I've moved the thermometer to several different locations for a few hours & it's heated it all the way to 80 degrees without a problem.) Now that I've got heating figured out, I'll readjust all those wires so it's not jsut sitting up there like that. I still need to make some litter pan liners & get an igloo - the one I bought was the small one, doh! but I have the 4'' PVC pipe for her, some cat toy balls (with no holes!), & I stole a few hotwheels from son- Oh & you can see she has her own hedgie beanie buddy too! & of course I have the CSBW 

Am I missing anything & how does everything look?


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## reedwoman814

My only question, 4blindmice, is are you sure that the area beneath the shelf is getting warm enough with the lamp on top?


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## 4BlindMice

reedwoman814 said:


> My only question, 4blindmice, is are you sure that the area beneath the shelf is getting warm enough with the lamp on top?


Yea, I put my thermometer under the shelf area too, that's actually where I've kept it the most b/c I was worried about it too.


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## reedwoman814

Great.


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## coopdavillage

For those that like the C&C cages but maybe want to make your own I recommend the link below. It is a 4x8 sheet of 1/8" plastic for bathrooms that is very flexible and can be used in place of the coroplast. We just changed our cage for Ruby this weekend because she would not come out of the aluminum flex tubing making it hard to re-socialize her and she apparently hates ramps.... But since we had some cubes already available we made our own.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202090190? ... WRjTVe2Bio


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## velooyuotn

I am going to be building a vivarium for my hedgies, the dimensions are 40Lx20Wx(15-18H) I haven't figured out what height would be the best. I am getting 2 hedgies and was wondering what is the best way to build a partial but 2nd floor that is safe? I just need the space to be big enough that a hedgehog could walk up, and be able to turn around. I plan on putting the treat bowl there, assuming my hedgie will go up there.


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## 4BlindMice

Okay- this is the last time I'll post a picture of my cage asking for feedback, promise! :lol:

I used a 4'' laundry tube like others have suggested for the ramp. I really wanted to just add sides & a hard bottom to the ramp the came with the ferret nation but I haven't been able to figure it out (suggestions on this?) I'm a little concerned about the slope of the ramp, is it too steep? I've tried to figure out how to make it less steep but I'm out of room... Am I over thinking it or is it actually too steep? Also- are those bowls too deep? *Tottttal newb! sorry*


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## Nancy

Yes, your ramp looks too steep. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of when I used the loft in the FN. 

I had the loft area in the lower setting and used the loft as the bed area and food and water underneath the loft. I used stiff plastic and wove it in and out of the bars on the ramp. I used plastic hardware cloth and arched it up over the ramp and attached it at the sides of the ramp. It worked great but I found plastic hardware cloth once, and have never seen it since. Something like plastic embroidery sheets would work also. 

Once the ramp was in place, I cut fleece about twice the width of the ramp and about 5 inches longer. The fleece covered the ramp and at the top of the ramp I shoved it down between the gaps. It held the fleece secure and also prevented little feet from getting caught in the gaps. The fleece not only provided good traction for hedgie but also kept the ramp clean. I changed the fleece on the ramp when I changed liners.


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## coopdavillage

one difference is you are using a flexible tube and you need a rigid tube. Such as the link below. 
http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202907344? ... WeO7J3n-9I

one thing I found out is that the tube listed above allows for a steeper slope without any problem because it creates its own steps inside. However the hedie can tend to hide in it and not come out and it can be hard to clean.


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## 4BlindMice

Thanks Nancy & Coop!

Ill check our Lowes (we don't have a home depot) for those, I was looking at this & wondering if I could fix it safely if it would work as a ramp too: 
http://www.amazon.com/Super-Pet-FerreTr ... QAAYGNF8CW

The more I play around with this hose I have for a ramp the more I severely dislike it. So if I can't find anything better she just won't have a 2nd level. I don't have her yet so I don't even know if she'll use it but I want something that will be safe for her to at least TRY it with. If she will use it, I plan to build her her own ramp that I know is safe, secure, & not too steep. I'm just not liking the stuff I'm finding premade to work with but don't wanna put all that effort into building the custom ramp if she won't use it.


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## coopdavillage

The Ferret Trail tubes are the best for tubes in my opinion. They are see through so the hedgie can hide a little but you can still see it, they come apart (with a little work) which makes them easy to clean or you can just us a bottle brush. They also have ridges to act as steps and they are very sturdy and safe. The only downfall of them is they are more expensive. To keep it from being too steep you can add 2 elbows and have it come around the one side. That will allow her to go up and it not be too steep.

But make sure you keep the boxes if the get the Ferret Trail tubes so that you can take them back if the hedgie doesn't like them 
Mine loved the tubes but I was using the metal ones and never got to see her.

Another suggestion would be to make/buy a cover for the igloo, that will give the hedgie a comfortable secure place to sleep. You can find them in other places on this forum or online.


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## Alyybear

This is my 4x2x2 foot hedgie "cage". It is made from xpvc by me (with some help from family and bf). The towel is only there for TONIGHT as the liner is dirty, I bought more fabric today to make several liners so that this doesnt happen again. I plan on putting lots of fun things in there for him as time goes on, I work two jobs and have only had him for about 2 weeks so havent gotten around to getting more fun stuff for him yet X_X. The wheel is huge but fits great in this cage! Its a 15" cake wheel 

The ventilation holes are 14" up, and mesh or some other type of covering for them is coming soon, juuuuust in case.




This was my prototype design...I think it came out pretty dang close! :


And here is a cute picture of him exploring 
(the red is from the breeders mark)


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## Alyybear

I think I'm going to have to paint something awesome on the front of this...


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## velooyuotn

What material is xpvc? is it lightweight?

I'm making mine out of melamine and it's slightly smaller then yours. I love you design though!


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## Alyybear

Thanks! Xpvc is short for expanded pvc, its very lightweight, water proof, flame retardant, and flexible. I chose this over melamine since melamine is heavy and this cage would probably weigh a ton if made from it, plus all those other qualities I mentioned rock too (I also have a bunch of reptiles, so I need those qualities ). The downside is unless reinforced in some areas it can be a little too flexible (although thats easily fixed), and you do have to special order it from a plastics manufacturer. It can be pretty pricey, but not too crazy, this whole setup cost me about $180 (mats, hinges, screws, etc).


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## velooyuotn

Thank you for all that info. I already bought the material for my cage =/ but hopefully it wont be as heavy and should be under $100. If I ever need to make a 2nd cage I'll look into xpvc!


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## Alyybear

The only thing I know people have made from melamine personally have been rack systems, which are inherently heavy since there are just layers upon layers of it in one rack. Hopefully your cage wont be too heavy


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## coopdavillage

You need to trim or cover the hinge bolts with a cap. they can easily poke out a hedgie eye or get caught on them.


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## Nancy

It's very nice looking, but there needs to be either screen or plexiglass down at hedgie level so hedgie can see out.


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## Alyybear

Why do they need to see out? Just curious. I already planned to add something on the bottom because I cant see in easily without opening the cage, and I like to see my hog


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## Alyybear

I will definetly cover the bolts 
This is only the second thing I've ever built, so thanks for all the tips


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## coopdavillage

Some other questions would be what are you using for a heat and light source?


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## Alyybear

I will be using a Radient heat panel when the temperatures drop, but the cage is in a heated room about 78-80*F always, and the lights are on a 12-12 cycle. At some point soon, though, I will be getting him his own timer and LED strip lighting.


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## Tavia06

Herro,
I just have a general question. I am having some trouble with making the second level of my c and c cage accessible... I bought the soft dryer vent tube... and I have found a way to make it work so that Prickly Pear isnt trying to scale a shear cliff to get up.. but it means i have to turn the tube into a spiral like a spiral staircase. My question is... how do i get it to stay that way..... and how the heck do i encourage her to climb up and down it?? its pretty dark... because it is like gunmetal grey plasticy stuff. Anyway my c and c cage is a 2x2 on the bottom and the loft is 2x1 up top and the opening I pre cut for her entrance is on the side of the chloroplast where i left the "cube" out... anywho I would really really really appreciate any and all suggestions on how to get her loft working. thanks a lot eh!


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## coopdavillage

You can try making sure it stacks on itself or you need to use something like a cardboard tube to run it around. you can also do an image search on google for C&C cage and look how they set up the ramps for critters and see if you want to do something like that instead. Problem with the tubes is they may not want to come out, there can sometimes be stray metal edges and its very hard to clean (all from own experience).

hope this helps


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## Kelcey

Oops, I didn't realize this was here. I did my own thread, not sure how to post a link to it from here.


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## hailey&penelope

I had to get creative last minute because the cage I had for Penelope was just way too small. As a new hedgie owner, I had no idea how much space they truly need, especially with that big ol wheel!
So I upgraded her from a 2x1 wire cage to a large plastic bin I got from Walmart. I bet you're wondering what those cardboard pieces are doing, and for now, they are wall extensions. I don't think she could climb out unless she piled up her liner and used that to get her up a little higher but it's definitely not worth the risk. So I just taped cardboard around the open edges so she can't climb those walls. 
Her set up is pretty straightforward- wheel on the open side, food/water bowls and litter box on either side in the middle, and then there's her sleeping bag and my shorts that she likes to cuddle in as her bed/hide-out area. There's also a toilet paper roll in there in case she wants to play around. Her previous owner left me with some fleece liners and I think those are working pretty well for her. I have a lamp that points toward her for the daytime hours. I leave one side closed with the lid because that's where she likes to go burrow and warm up and sleep.

Are there any improvements I can make?
Any other ideas for wall extensions besides cardboard?
Is this escape proof enough?

Thanks!


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## velooyuotn

instead of cardboard, use plastic sheets... with cardboard they can use their nails to make holes and climb out

i dont think ur cardboard is tall enough, when a hedgehog gets bigger they can just stand on top of things and climb out

everything else looks great though


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## Nancy

Sorry to say but that is too easy to escape. There needs to be higher sides made of plastic so hedgie can't get a grip. Also hedgie could easily stretch up and get out over the half side. How are you going to heat it? 

To be honest, I think a 2 x 1 C&C cage although smaller, was a better option and easier to make escape proof. You can always get more grids and make the C&C larger. 

I deleted your other post so there aren't two the same.


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## nikki

I have to agree with Nancy, that cage is an escape waiting to happen. Your hedgehog would be a lot safer in the smaller cage until you can get her something bigger. A small safe cage is a lot better than a bigger dangerous cage.


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## Annie&Tibbers

My tiny friend's palace is constructed with laundry baskets connected by pvc pipes. The bottom of each section is is layered with corrugated plastic with pillowcase-style liners.

The laundry baskets are Rubbermaid soft plastics that are easily cut with a simple X-Acto/boxcutter/razor. I like them for being relatively cheap ($10), widespread (Ronas & Canada Tire carry them), extremely easy to disinfect, too slippery for mealworms to climb if they escape, and have fantastic ventilation (I find solid bins still reek of plastic even after getting holes drilled in them).

[attachment=2:rrchj2ym]cage_overview.jpg[/attachment:rrchj2ym]
My tiny friend does not believe in climbing. In his opinion, it is simply Not Done. This means I can leave the open grid exposed at hedgehog-height, and leave the top open. I don't recommend this setup for climbing-hedgehogs. Lighting is attached to the central post (out-of-view). Heating is by ambient space heater, with a spot CHE when necessary.

To the right of the cage is a blue tupperware. This is hedgehog's Emergency Kit: the bag contains kibble, fleece, sleep-sack, water/food dishes, and handwarmers, while the box is modified with a ventilated top to serve as an emergency-carrier. It wouldn't work for a full-scale city-wide catastrophe, but it's sufficient for an apartment fire-alarm evacuation.

Each "room" has a different purpose. The front two are for running-around messy activities that need easy-access.

To the left is a wheel-room (including, at the moment, a fleece-diving sleepy hedgehog). In addition to the normal liner, it has a secondary layer of fleece to allow liner-diving for camping trips. Hedgehog has thoroughly rejected any more conventional attempts at a litter-box, so we've compromised with a smaller fleece square that is replaced each night without generating as much laundry as a full liner would (and absorbs pee so makes "camping" under the liner below the wheel less distressing).

To the right is his water/food/treats area (no treat-dish at the moment). The eating area is an ocasional home to the digbox (oatmeal & mealworms in a low ziplock box), or an open space for rolly-toys (currently a (solid) catball, sometimes a toy truck).

[attachment=1:rrchj2ym]cage_play.jpg[/attachment:rrchj2ym]
In the back right is the fleece forest. The "forest" is strips of fleece hung from dowels for easy removal.

At the moment, the forest playroom includes a small tile, intended for splatting on hot days but more commonly used as a slippery-turn-point (hedgehog bolts straight at wall, suddenly stop-skid-turns, bolts off somewhere else), a usually-ignored stuffed rat, and a cuddle-sleep-sack. This room is quite popular for post-breakfast pre-run naps.

The sleep sacks I sew are slightly different from others I've seen on this site. Instead of having closed 3 sides (in a bag), they're closed on 2 sides (like an origami hat). The cage-sacks are cotton on one side, flannel on the other; hedgehog flips them inside-out depending on his personal, highly-variable preference. I make alternate ones for cuddling with me that are that waterproof-baby-fabric on the outside (protecting my pants from pee) and flannel lined.

[attachment=0:rrchj2ym]cage_sleep.jpg[/attachment:rrchj2ym]
The back left is the sleeping zone, the darkest corner least likely to be bumped by klutzy humans. It has an extra layer of fleece-liner to permit liner-diving (sometimes diving to sleep under the liner under the pigloo!).

The pigloo is stuffed with fleece scraps (3cm x 3cm squares) to let my tiny friend burrow, as he approves of burrowing to an equal extent that he disapproves of climbing. The entry features another fleece-forest of fleece strips hung from dowels. The mini-forest is where extra food and water dishes are kept when little hedgehog is living solo for a night (in case he spills the primary dishes), or isn't feeling so healthy (so he doesn't need to commute for essential needs).

[attachment=2:rrchj2ym]cage_overview.jpg[/attachment:rrchj2ym]
All the sections are connected with 4" PVC pipe tunnels. Most of the connections are tri-junctions, allowing for entry into every cage directly. The longer straight sections are cut off straight pipe, using a pvc pipe wire saw (although a regular saw, heat knife, etc all work fine). The pipes are difficult to fully reach for spot-cleaning, so such an extensive network would not work with a hedgehog who isn't at least gently potty-trained (mine goes in the wheel-room 6 days a week before stomping poop all over his tunnel).

When hedgehog doesn't wish to be disturbed, he takes a nap in the very center of the tubes where he cannot be reached. It's also a cooler surface for when he wants to splat. He also seems to like retreating into the fully enclosed area when he's feeling insecure, probably because it's fully contained.

Tiny hedgehog loves his cage enough that when he's out for supervised playtime, he tries to find ways to break back into his cage. In response, we closed the "front" end of the tunnel with a slotted cap. This allows for airflow, hedgehog-spying, and is easily removable during playtime so hedgehog can find his way back into the cage without resorting to extreme tactics.

My friend rotates through which rooms he uses, particularly in picking different places to sleep seemingly at random. For a while, he had a 5th room, but that was apparently just Too Much space and never used.


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## Annie&Tibbers

Er, that last photo should've been hedgehog showing off his tunnel, not a repeat of the cage-overview:

[attachment=0:1izt4mgn]cage_tube.jpg[/attachment:1izt4mgn]


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## nikki

I would be worried about an escape. Some hogs won't think of climbing for months or years then decided it time to escape. My thought is its better to be safe than sorry when it comes to hedgies escaping. Its easier to put a lid on now than try to find them after they escape and possibly get hurt. I can't count how many times we here "my hedgehog has no interest at all in climbing", then a few months later they're posting that their hedgehog has escape and they need help finding them.


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## ebliquid

Hey guys new to the site, I have been a hedge hog owner years ago, and just recently gotten 2 hedgies, male and female. well about a month after we got them the girl went crazy so we moved her to her own place just in case. Well we are now owners of 6 hedgies. the babies are doing great, they are almost 4 weeks old, anyway, back to the topic. I built a C&C cage, so far I hate it. couple of questions. the clips they come with get in the way of the plastic tray thing. (it is chloroplast, but am not sure how to spell it properly), so they teeter totter. The male is not liking it right now, he keeps trying to stick his head through the squares, so what plastic are you guys putting around I still want it somewhat visible thru there. The girl apparently is a digger as the fleece liner is wadded up all over the cage, question there is how do I keep her from moving the liner around? I am not sure if wrapping the liner will be enough. any help would be great.


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## Lilysmommy

You might get more views and responses if you make your own thread to ask your questions on. 

For C&C cages, most people do use coroplast. Personally, I only used the clips that came with the cubes for the top - I just used zip-ties for the rest of the cage (and reinforced the top with zip-ties as well). How high up the sides does the coroplast go? It should go up 8-10" in order to keep a hedgie from climbing or getting their head caught in the squares. Size of the squares is another concern - the ones making up the walls of the cage should have 9 squares, so they're small enough to avoid hedgie getting stuck. The male trying to get his head through makes me think maybe they're the ones with only 6 squares?

I would inquire on the breeding forum as far as the female's cage - even if the babies are 4 weeks old, she could still potentially attack and hurt them if the cage is messed with too much. So it'd be best to get opinions from a breeder on that. If she's in a C&C cage though, you might need to do careful modifications as a temporary solution until you wean & separate the babies in the next week or two - if they climb or try to explore, they can get through the C&C cubes pretty easily. But like I said, best to ask a breeder about the risks of that and what to do exactly. Once you do separate the babies, it'd probably be best to put them in something like Sterilite tubs until you get things set up for them or rehome them - cheap & more secure than most other cages (though Nancy has mentioned she had a baby boy climb out of a sterilite tub with nothing to climb on!).


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## SennieSky

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum and a soon to be new hedgie owner. I've had rats for a long time and thankfully, I think, a lot of my items will transfer over well. I have an extra SCN (single CritterNation) cage that I'm planning on modifying for my new little guy. They have a 36"x24" footprint, which seems as if it would be really nice and roomy. I wanted to share my plan and see what everyone thought.

I'll be picking up Coroplast today or tomorrow. I was excited to find a place that sells the 8'x4 sheets, nearby, for only $15. They will also cut the sheets in half for me, to make them easier to get home in the back of the truck. So, my plan is to use the coroplast to make a tray with sides to prevent climbing up the wires.

Initially I'm just going to make it one level and use the top shelf for storage. I may work on using the coroplast to build a second level and enclosed ramp in the future.

I already make and use fleece liners for my rats, so that will be easy. I'm considering making them in such a way that they will open so that I could insert a sheet of coroplast inside to make it more challenging to burrow underneath. Does this sound like a good idea?

I also thought I would make something similar to the Cavy Bistro Kitchen. I could then have the wheel in this area with bedding. I'm not sure if I should use bedding in this area or just put a potty under the wheel and use fleece there too. Also unsure of whether it would be best to put food and water in the kitchen or just outside. Any thoughts there would be appreciated. I have the feeling though that it will just depend on my specific critter and how he uses the space.

I currently only have Silent Spinners. So, I'm going to use tape on the little slits until I can get a bucket wheel. Would that be OK?

The only area I'm really unsure about is heating/light. The cage will be in our office/pet room which stays quite warm on it's own. I can use a space heater set to the correct temperature to come on if it gets chilly in there for some reason. But do I need lights on a timer. If I'm going to do that is it better to just get a timer and hook some sort of heat light to it to kill two birds with one stone. Just not sure how to go about this, so suggestions on the most cost effective way to go would be much appreciated!!

Anything else I'm not thinking of??

Thanks so much in advance! I'm delighted to have found such a great forum.


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## SennieSky

Oh duh, I found the thread on Heating for Dum...er Simplified! LOL


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## prickleypair

Here's our 1st cage, which has dramatically changed after getting two more hedgehogs. And our chubby Malcolm wouldn't climb back up to his upper cage with the food and water once he got to the bottom cage.


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## Itstrist

*1st time hedgehog owner cage HELPP!!*

So I'm picking up my new hedgie in about a week. FIRST one ever and I'm SO excited I've spent hours on HHC learning as much as I can and I just have a few questions. I'm using fleece liners, I have bought 3 or 4 different ones to use at different times and measured them out to my cage so I can double them up. Is this enough or should I add something in the middle? The breeder I'm buying from uses water bottles but I've read a lot of mixed reviews so I think I'm going to offer bowl and bottle to see which my baby prefers.. Also I'm getting my cloroplast this week, how high up on the edges should I get it? Last but not least, I was wondering if anyone has bought from Millermeade farms and if so if what they can tell me about them. I've read a lot on their website and they seem reputable but I'm not sure... Thanks so much!! I'm posting pictures of my cage below so feel free to give advice, anything is welcome!! Note that I do not have my wheel yet my parents ordered me the carolina storm bucket wheel for Christmas  also I do have a 150 watt CHE with a repti temp 500r that will turn on the lamp if it's too cold it's just not shown here.


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## Lilysmommy

Usually 8-10" of coroplast is recommended, if I remember correctly. Sounds like you're all set for your new baby!  The cage looks great. The only thing I can think of is that you may end up wanting a smaller igloo - hedgehogs tend to like tighter spaces to sleep in and a smaller igloo would take up less space as well. It looks like you have the largest size, giant or something like that? A step down to the large would probably be just fine, I think it's the size most people use.


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