can't figure out wheel??

Hello all! I am new to this forum and found it while looking for some answers about my new hedgehog, Zero. It's actually a really convenient site considering that I have three chins as well. Basically, my problem is this. I've had Zero for about a month and his cage has a wheel in it that I bought from hedgehogs by vickie (don't worry I don't buy anything else from her lol) the problem is he can't figure out how to work it. he sniffs it, stands in it, and leaves. he dosn't even try to move it. When he's in there and I try to move it, he just rides it and then leaves. He didn't have a wheel in the cage he was in when I bought him, so I gave him a while to figure it out, but with no luck. any suggestions?

He may never really like it, get it. Only one of my three uses her wheel, the two boys ignore them, although one, will occasionally stand and rock in it. My bf thinks he hears his at night, but only sees Rocket sleeping occasionally on in, as if he didn't have a house and a bag to sleep in. Some won't ever do it while you're watching. Some people know theirs uses it because they poop on it, Lily gets off hers to go, so that won't always tell you. Maybe Zero's just a closet runner.

My hedgie is the same way. The only thing she uses her wheel for is to poop around! But still keep the wheel in. There is always the possibility that when he is older, he will magically start to use it!

tskoffina said:

Maybe Zero's just a closet runner.

Click to expand...

That's funny.

Our Nuance runs in the wheel, she LOVES it. Fray, on the other hand, likes to hide underneath it. She wants nothing to do with the wheel.

You might want to try another wheel. If the pitch of the wheel is angled too far one way, your hedgehog's feet may slip while he is running. Some don't seem to care about a little slippage others will stop running. My Rose is one of those that won't use a wheel if her feet slip.

I don't think Vickie's wheel allow you to change their pitch, but if it does, try to readjust its angle to see if that helps. If that doesn't work give another wheel a try. Otherwise, provide plenty of out of cage time to allow your hedgehog to run around. In the time before wheels, we allowed ours run of a secured room for 2-3 hrs each evening to give them exercise.

Good point Kalandra. I missed that it was a Vickie wheel. Unless they have changed recently, they are not angle adjustable and many hedgehogs will not run on them because of the angle.

What I have found with babies, is they catch on to a wheel much quicker if the wheel is angled slightly inward. That way, if they do slip, they slip in, rather than falling out of the wheel. It makes for a messier hedgie but it's only for a few days until they master the wheel and then it can be angled level. The weight of the hedgehog will usually tip a level wheel enough for drainage.

Trying a different wheel often works. I have some that won't use a comfort wheel, yet others that prefer a comfort wheel. I have a couple of heavy metal wheels that are loved and preferred by some.

Usually though, given any wheel, most hedgehogs will run so make sure the tread is level or tilted slightly back.

Sunshine, I can't remember if Fray had a wheel before she left here or not. I used to give all babies wheels but it was around that time that I quit doing it as it made for such messy babies. I'll have to look over my notes and see if I'd mentioned a wheel with her. :thinking:

You could try one of the spinner saucer wheels, I've had some luck with those. I had one hedgehog that wouldn't touch her wheel, but she loved her saucer.

Yeah I have two flying saucers for my chinchillas I just didn't wanna spend another 75 bucks for one lol. Well I guess you get what you pay for. And in response to other comments, there really isn't a mechanism that allows the wheel to be tilted back but i just put a wedge under the stand and hooked the wheel to the back part of the cage, so it's tilted now and we'll see if that works. Thanks for the tips!

I got my hedgehog and the "special deal of a cage and everything" from Vickie so here's a few warnings (since I got Kiah last May)

Cage- if you got the metal cage from here- you need to get a new one. The bottom is metal, and if you're trying to keep it warm, you may end up burning the litte one's feet. The rest of her cage isn't very Hedgie-safe either. I still have it somewhere is storage trying to think of what to do with it.

Wheel- You can gt a silent slying saucer at Petsmart for 17 bucks. Our hedgehog loves it, and it's really easy to wash. The bucket wheel you got from Vickie will start an annoying sqeek (if you're hedgie decided to start running) around 3-4 months.

Good luck with your Zero! Hopefully he'll start running and keeping youup at night- haha.

Yup, hedgies are okay on the plastic saucer wheels, which are a lot cheaper than the metal ones. I think I reember hearing though that some heavier hogs can't use them though. Oh fuzzy memories...

Kendra

Think he figured it out

Hello all. Well, it's been a while since I tilted it, and for the first time two days ago, I saw poo spread around the whole inside of the wheel, and more this morning so i'm supposing that's proof of running lol. He's stilla closet runner though, I haven't seen him running.

I didn't buy the cage from vickie, I built one. I learned all about bad cages w/ the chins. Thanks again!

You may never see him run on the wheel. I've had a few that would dive off their wheel and hide if you walked into the room, and if you were lucky enough to sneak in and surprise them they would freeze on their wheels... the only evidence you got was a dirty wheel the next morning.