# Enrichment safe for injured hedgie?



## Tyrannosaurus (Aug 18, 2013)

Hello, I posted once before about leg issues with my baby girl Porkchop (born 5/27/13). For the last two months she has had issues with her legs collapsing and now from walking as though her knee is her ankle, her knee busted open. She also has always pottied where she sleeps so she is prone to skin infections on her lady parts, even though I am very careful about keeping her clean.

So, my question is what kind of enrichment toys can she have (preferably that I can make) that won't involve a ton of climbing or running? I'm going to make her a digging box because she loves to explore. She was so obsessed with her wheel that I believe it is a major factor in her legs giving out because she would run until she hurt herself, even though I bought her a Carolina storm wheel, I had to take it away for her own safety. I feel like she's bored all the time now. She bonded very strongly to me while I was taking care of her when sick so whenever I take her out, she just wants to climb on me and go into my sweater, but I work 4 nights a week and I'm worried she's unhappy in her cage. 

Any suggestions on safe toys (and how to make them) would be amazing.


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

A dig box might be perfect! You can use a tissue box or something with an opening, fill it with soft fleece strips and hide food or treats inside. Minimal movement required, just nosing around and some digging with front legs.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Maybe check with some people who have WHS hedgehogs for their ideas? I know that someone (Kalandra? Nikki?) set up a cage with effectively little barrier-lined paths for their hedgehogs to lean on as they got around...


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## Tyrannosaurus (Aug 18, 2013)

Her main issue is that she can't use her legs well from the knee area down when her legs act up (eventually they get better) so she tips over. Or she gets too enthusiastic that she hurts herself. 

I made her a dig box and so far she hasn't done much, but I just turned off all the lights


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## Tyrannosaurus (Aug 18, 2013)

Happy to say she went bananas in the dig box Lol she won't eat mealworms, so I used cat treats. Mostly she just likes fish. I figure if I have a digging box w/ aquarium stones and one w/ fleece, that's two toys. 

Not sure what else to do. I did read that someone used an old pill bottle w/ beads in it for their hedgie and it rolled it around the cage to make noise. Not sure if most hedgies enjoy that.

Does anybody use like....grass to walk on inside (I live in Minnesota so most of the year she can't go outside)?? If so, is it a hit?


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Fleece forest -- dangle strips of fleece from the top of the cage for her to explore in.

My small friend likes tug-of-war activities. He yanks on fleece forest strips if I attach something solid to the dangling ends (a bell was popular for a few months, then ignored; replaced it with a large plastic bead (like, 1" diameter, ridiculously too huge to ever be a choke-hazard) that has been more popular). He also likes a squid small-dog toy with elasticized legs.

My friend ignored the pillbottle (with catfood inside; I didn't have any beads of appropriate scale at the time), a solid-surface cat-ball, and a pingpong ball.

I made him a maze of pvc pipe-tube (a few feet long, connecting cage-sections) that he absolutely loves.


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## VicTheBear (Oct 15, 2013)

You could change the pill bottle idea up a bit and put holes just small enough that the treats inside could fall out when it's rolled or could be pulled out by your hedgie. I do this with my hedgehog who has WHS and my cat because it's too funny to watch them work so hard for their treats  I think the Kong toy is the commercial version for dogs? Tubes and tunnels or dark places to explore are also a favorite, as long as they are made of safe materials.


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## Tyrannosaurus (Aug 18, 2013)

Oh gosh these are awesome ideas!! So going to make the pill bottle treat dispenser this week (I'm currently making DIY levels for my ferret cage, and a few ferret beds). I also am going to see if my bf will go for that PVC pipe maze! Her cage is a plastic tote and I feel like she needs a bigger space so the maze would really change things! Is the ventilation in it okay? Maybe I should make some small holes along the top. Maybe the maze could go through an extra "room" with the hanging fleece forest. Ohh I have so many ideas for these suggestions :-D


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## Tyrannosaurus (Aug 18, 2013)

Also, Porkchop likes tug of war too! Sometimes she clamps down on her sweater she stole from me, then i tug lightly on the other end. She loves it!


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

For the PVC maze, I have openings to the outside world (junctions back into his cage) every... 6 inches? It's totally fine for ventilation most of the time, but every few weeks he'll pee in it and that pretty much necessitates immediate cleaning.  

You can buy a big long stretch of pipe, then cut it really easily with pretty much any type of saw. If you don't have anything appropriate, you can get a wire with handles (a pipe-saw for cutting in tight places) for about $3.

For a while, I had little fleece-fringe on the openings so that he would go through them every time he went in and out. He once tugged a entire curtain in and stole it for snuggles; it was totally adorable. He's also dragged his fleece blankets in before, or just through the pipes to reorganize things to his liking.


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## Tyrannosaurus (Aug 18, 2013)

That is so freaking adorable!! My bf works for his dad who is a contractor so he can grab tools I could see Porkchop sleeping in it, although she has a heat pad under her usual sleep spot. Porky is so bad about pooping and peeing everywhere and laying in it, I'm sure it'd have to be washed daily.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

If you're pretty sure you'll need to do frequent-cleanings, you might want to go for more long straight bits, fewer junctions, so you can just reach in with a cloth and wipe things out. I find that pee can get caught in the junctions, which requires taking everything apart to get it clean, le siiigh...

Heh, during the hot summer months, my little friend pretty much camped in his tunnels all the time. He also hides out in there if we have too many strangers over (dinner party = hiding hedgehog) that smelly funny. I think it's become his little den of safety. This can make it aggravating if I want to steal him for cuddles and can't reach, but luckily, he's open to being bribed with mealworms.


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## Tyrannosaurus (Aug 18, 2013)

I wish Porkchop ate mealworms! She's eaten maybe one, reluctantly, since I brought her home as a baby in July. My rats go crazy for them, but she just won't. However, cook a fish fillet and she goes bananas. Do you by any chance know where people get those like....wire cage squares people use to make custom hedgehog cages? I keep seeing them and I'd LOVE to make her a custom cage, but I have no idea where people get them from or what they even are. When I make custom levels for my ferrets I just sew fleece over cooling racks and zip tie them to the cage. These don't look like cooling racks though.


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## Tyrannosaurus (Aug 18, 2013)

Ooh nvm went through page by page of the cage set up thread and somebody said they're organization boxes you can get at Walmart for $20! Going to Walmart tomorrow


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

You got it! They also carry the same basic concept at costco, kmart, linens'n'things, bed bath & beyond, target, home depot, blah blah blah. The keywords to ask sales-clerks for are "modular grid shelving."

Another user (Good&Plenty, Sophie's parent) uses wire closet shelving effectively as an alternative. The pieces are long, so you have fewer options in the modularity, but it's another thing to check out as a potential material.

Most people end up using zipties on the corners instead of (or in addition to) the provided connector-locks for added security.


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## Tyrannosaurus (Aug 18, 2013)

Thank you! I have a bunch of zip ties so no problem! They're so handy! Those would also make great levels for my rats when I redo their cage :-D 

Porky didn't seem too interested in the fleece filled dig box. She just knocked it over (along with her food and water dishes, which she seems to be knocking over a lot lately).


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