# Lazy hedgie or bored hedgie?



## Kitta Furen (Jan 12, 2012)

I've had Mr. Tiggywinkles for 10 days, and he doesn't seem very active. He's eating fine, the room is at the right temperature(75 degrees), his belly is warm, he isn't overweight, and he's not experiencing any health issues.

I got him from a petstore, and his cage there didn't have a wheel, so when I gave him one, he didn't understand it at all, wouldn't touch it, wouldn't sniff it, wouldn't look at it, so now we just took it out. I've tried random things for toys; toilet paper rolls, plastic ball things, treat trails and the like, but he isn't really interested in them. What he *does* like to do is burrow, something I've never heard of hedgehogs doing! He'll trot over to the shirt I leave in his playpen, nose through the folds of the fabric, and then chill out for the rest of the time he's in there.

Is this normal? If not, what can I do to get him more active?


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## nualasmom (Nov 13, 2011)

Hedgies love to burrow! Mine is constantly trying to burrow, no matter where she is. She even burrows into my clothes when I'm holding her. :lol: How do you know that your hedgie wasn't using the wheel at night? I would definitely put the wheel back in. My hedgie NEVER wheels in front of me, but I know she loves it b/c I have a pedometer attached and can see how many miles she runs each night. But with out the pedometer and the poop trails she leaves on the wheel, I would never know that she uses it. Your hedgie is going to be the most active at night, so unless you're up between midnight to 7:00AM, you won't really get to see your little one playing with his toys. I have a friend that has a infrared video camera and ended up taping my hedgie for a few nights to see what she does and I was surprised at how active she is!


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

What kind of wheel is it? and what size is it? I would put the wheel back in and give it some time, some hedgies just don't know what a wheel is at first and it can take a bit of time for them to figure it out.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

I agree - even if it seems like he doesn't have much interest in it, the wheel should be in his cage regardless. I think I remember from another of your posts that your hedgehog is around 8 weeks. Young ones spend more time sleeping and tend to be less active than adults, and it can also take some time for them to get a feel for the wheel. But, pretty much all hedgehogs will use the wheel to some extent, and it's very important for them to have access to one. Toys, on the other hand, are kind of hit or miss; a lot of hedgehogs won't have too much interest in them, and even if they do, toys alone aren't enough to give a hedgehog the exercise they need.

I've had my boy (7.5 weeks old) for about a week and a half - the first day we brought him home he went crazy for the wheel and it was all splattered with poop the next morning, and then after that it wasn't obvious whether he was using it much because most mornings there wouldn't be anything on it. Today (9 days later) was the first time there was a poopy wheel since then, but I'm sure he's been using it at least a little bit every night. I can virtually guarantee that this is true for your hedgehog as well.


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## Kitta Furen (Jan 12, 2012)

Okay, I'll try that and see if he can figure out what the wheel is for. Who knows, maybe he just will!  Hmm...I might try that camera idea too...


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

What kind of wheel is it? what size is it? how far up off the floor of the cage is it?


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## Kitta Furen (Jan 12, 2012)

I can't recall the brand of it, but it's 7.13 inches in diameter, 2.15 inches deep, and is 1.14 inches off the cage floor. It is solid plastic and doesn't have any slits in it that could rip out his nails (I've read that's a common problem with the wrong kind of wheel). Would you like me to post some pictures?


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Kitta Furen said:


> I can't recall the brand of it, but it's 7.13 inches in diameter, 2.15 inches deep, and is 1.14 inches off the cage floor. It is solid plastic and doesn't have any slits in it that could rip out his nails (I've read that's a common problem with the wrong kind of wheel). Would you like me to post some pictures?


 You have the small wheel, should be like 12inches or so in diameter.


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## JustOnePost (Dec 27, 2011)

You'll want to invest in a bigger solid wheel that one sounds too small by the dimensions specified.

The Comfort wheel is the best wheel you can get at most pet retail stores however still has cons such as noise which can be fixed with a scrunchie and securing the wheel with the addition of it being a bit more difficult to clean if possible investing in a bucket wheel or cake wheel is a must for a happy hedgehog


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

JustOnePost said:


> You'll want to invest in a bigger solid wheel that one sounds too small by the dimensions specified.
> 
> The Comfort wheel is the best wheel you can get at most pet retail stores however still has cons such as noise which can be fixed with a scrunchie and securing the wheel with the addition of it being a bit more difficult to clean if possible investing in a bucket wheel or cake wheel is a must for a happy hedgehog


Here you go  viewtopic.php?f=43&t=14938


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