# Kind of a Rant



## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

I was on eBay looking for a Carolina Storm Wheel for a good price, and I stumbled across this (I think I attached this right):

[attachment=0:2gmdn2dq]Screen Shot 2013-02-08 at 4.47.11 PM.png[/attachment:2gmdn2dq]

Naturally, this made me a bit frustrated. So I logged in and messaged the seller, just being polite but telling him that it wasn't good for hedgehogs to use that type of wheel, yet it's one of the first things that comes up when you type in "hedgehog wheel". I wouldn't want any hedgehog getting hurt or anything because they didn't know.
I sent the message and a while later got an email back, with just three words.

"it is fine."

..um, what? Excuse me, but no, it isn't. People who just want to make a quick buck off animals make me so bad. :x I gave him a link to the site (I like to try to spread the word to anyone involved in hedgehogs) but it just makes me so mad.

Some people. And to think, there are more on there. There are a few cages that are advertised as hedgehog cages that have small mesh wheels and open lofts and bridges. *sigh* I wish they at least included a disclaimer or something saying it's actually not the best for hedgehogs. But no, it's all about making money.

I could go on and on.


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## Nathiriel (Nov 30, 2012)

I guess you can only hope that the person who is buying the wheel knows what they should be looking for, unfortunately not everyone does their research


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## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

Yeah, I mean if I hadn't found Hedgehog Central I'm not sure what supplies I would've ended up with :?


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## Skittles (Aug 2, 2012)

Obviously that wheel is no good for hedgehogs, but I don't think they are good for any animal for the same reasons


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## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

I agree. Hamsters are what they are mainly targeted towards, but I feel like any animal with small feel could get caught. :?


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## SouthernSweet (Jul 25, 2012)

I believe the only animals mesh wheels are recommended for are gerbils, and that's only because plastic wheels are risky for plastic ingestion.


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## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

I wouldn't imagine a chinchilla even fitting on that either. It says 11'' but still.. I saw one in person and the mesh squares aren't too small, either. I'm sure a hedgie hand could fit through if it made it in just right.


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## Twiggy22 (Jan 22, 2013)

I hate those wheels. I personally have seen a couple of hamsters feet get caught in them and they have had broken legs or paws with it. I work at a pet store and right now we are working on getting those wheels out of our animal cages but it just seems to not come fast enough. :sad:


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## Mury821 (Jan 30, 2013)

I hate that... Ezra's previous owner had worked at a pet store and so he automatically thought he was some sort of hedgehog expert. He had an incredibly small cage, the cheapest food he could find, large superworms, a water bottle that he could barely reach, a mesh wheel, corncob bedding, and no where to sleep. I had to change everything. I just hope someone does their research before buying a mesh wheel for their hedgie. People who don't do research before buying a hedgie really make me sad. >.<	Whenever people see my hedgie they always think he's so "cool" and just assume that they can find one anywhere and that they just need food and water and nothing else. It makes me almost sad for even letting certain people see him... The seller doesn't deserve the money they're probably going to make off some poor, uneducated hedgehog owner.


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## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

It's pet stores like those who make me so sad. I almost would like to work at one who sells hedgehogs for a part time job just so I can instruct people and lead them to this website. I wish I could just save them all, or at least instruct people on how to care for them better. I want to print out a care sheet for pet stores and ask them to distribute them when they sell a hedgehog, but you can't save every one. I guess that's just what this website was made to combat; inexperienced hedgehog owners. I wish there was a counter for every hedgehog that's been saved because of this website. It'd be great to see.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

These kind of wheels are one of the only problems I have with the exotic pet store near me that sells hedgehogs. They do pretty well as far as pet stores go - they separate males and females, they include igloos, wheels, and have proper heating, and they use Carefresh bedding instead of wooden shavings. The only two points where I disagree with them is they feed hedgehog food (a mix of several hedgehog foods, I'm not exactly sure which ones they include, which makes me wary), and they have those wheels. I tried asking an employee about them once and he said they've used them for years and never had problems, so they won't switch. :roll: Ah well, though...like I said, they generally do pretty well. They're also very strict in general with customers handling any of the animals in the store - it's not allowed unless you're seriously interested in buying the animal, and only then. For some animals, like the large parrots they sell, you're actually required to visit the store several times to handle the bird and get to know it before taking it home, and for reptiles/amphibians, you have to buy the set up at the store, or show a picture of the set up & know the water levels to prove that you know how to give the correct habitat. Definitely could be worse! Just wish they'd change the dang wheels!


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## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

Some pet stores don't even know, but I think one look at how fragile hedgehog's feet are, I would put two and two together. I just hope that the word gets out about this website to more people. When I got Bruno, his owner had the water bottle so high up I doubt he got nearly enough water, he'll be getting a bowl as soon as I get home today as I'm a student. I guess it's just people being uninformed.


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