Bedding & Wheel Questions

Hi Everyone,

I have two questions.

1) How do you know if a wheel is too small? I have a 10 inch wheel, and Lexie isn't very big. However when she is in it her back almost touches the axle in middle. Is it time to upgrade? She's only about 12-13 weeks old so she may grow some more.

2) We had some trouble at first with bedding because it made Lex sneeze. It was recycled paper but it was a fluffy kind, not pellet kind. (I'm allergic to other bedding) So we switched to a pellet kind of recycled paper which is great. She likes it, we like it. No sneezing from either her or me. The problem is I worried it wasn't fluffy enough to play in because the other stuff she would push around and build with it. So we bought some carefresh so that she can burrow in it. Well...the carefresh is NOT a hit. Anywhere that it is, she won't be. My husband poured some in her hut, and she slept under her tent for a while before I realized the carefresh was in her hut. Its also in her tube and she won't play in that anymore either. I've removed it now but i'm wondering if anyone has had a hedgie with such a strong aversion to a specific bedding before and if they got used to it or if they just had to use something else? The problem is we bought a huge, expensive bag of it! :laughitup:

Oh well, we love her more than the bedding so if it has to go...it will!

It sounds like your wheel is too small - I highly recommend a Carolina Storm Wheel, they are awesome!

Rachel-
A lot of bedding bought from stores like Petsmart and petco have a satisfation gaurantee. I have been playing the "picky bedding game" with my poptart. I've checked the back and returned the ones with my receipt. I've had poptart over a month and the lady used Aspen, which I've heard great things about (vs pine and cedar) I bought two different brands of Aspen and he broke out with itchy bumps with both of them. Scratched till he bled, especially under his ears and stomach. The lady refuses to return my phone calls since I bought him so I am learning as I go too. I then switched to carefresh, he sat in the same spot for an hour! He hated it. So then I bought scrunched paper..it was okay for a day but is also a no-go. I bought the off brand of recycled paper bedding from Petsmart and he loves it and his rash is clearing up too. He likes to burrow so I am not pushing it with the fleece since his rash is clearing up although I have a few large squares on hand just in case.
The wheel - the lady I bought poptart from "supplies the Nashville zoo" with their hedgehogs for learning purposes. I just went in June so I know they don't have a hedgehog exhibit but maybe behind the scenes learning. I think she was trying to impress me. She told me to not purchase a wheel bc I wouldn't need it. She said she had a wire mesh one 8" at the largest for all of her hedgehogs, if they wanted it but she told me his litter hadn't been introduced to a wheel. I bought one anyways and I like the silent spinner brand 12". It has ridges to help him grip so he doesn't slip. It is also solid surface and very quiet and sturdy. Easy to clean and rather cheap at $30. He will wake up around 6 p. every day to drink and run for about 15 minutes and sleep till about 1 a.
-I hope this helps you. Good luck with the bedding. It took me some juggling.