Hedgehog Happiness

[jayyne]

I am the third (or so) owner of a hedgehog named Percy. I have no idea how old he is. I've had him for a few months now. He is very hissy but I'm not timid to pick him up and move him around. I take him out regularly and let him roam around the house...since he doesn't move very fast I don't put him in a plastic ball.
My question is, how can I tell if he's happy? This hedgehog doesn't appear to like me (or anybody) very well. He runs on his wheel ALL NIGHT LONG. I was reading on another website about how so-and-so's hedgehog runs for a half hour, or an hour...this hedgehog runs all night, and I'm not exaggerating. I am the first owner to give him a wheel.
I've tried to play with a little ball with him, no interest. He really, REALLY hates to be awake if there are lights on, even if I take him out at 8:00 or later.
Also, a local pet shop employee is also an exotic pet breeder and owns lots of hedgehogs. She recommended I use Yesterday's News litter, which I do...it keeps the odor down that's for sure. Is this uncomfortable for the little guy though?
Thanks!

 

[PetoftheDay]

Congratulations on your new guy! Maybe he's just working off all the excess energy he stored up in all those homes with no wheel! What is his coloring? Just curious!

 

[Kalandra]

Some hedgehogs just run a lot more than others. I have two who are serious runners. I have odometers attached to their wheels. Some nights they may only run 3 miles, where others they run much much further. I have recorded nights of 11 miles, but their average is around 6 or 7. For times... I've seen nights where they had 7 hours of recorded running.

Some of it may be stress from the new home, and he may settle down. But it may not. I have one who didn't run but about 3 miles a night in the beginning but has since picked up the pace and now I see 5-7 each night, some nights there are spikes up in the 9-10 mile range.

 

[addictedtochins]

Is he happy? Well I have a chin named Sammy who I got as a scared bitey 2 year old boy. He still will bite, not too often anymore, but he is very happy now and seems to enjoy being a silly bad boy

 

[jayyne]

Wow, how do you put an odometer on a wheel? I want to do that! He "runs" so much (although kind of putts along) I'd love to know how much.

As for coloring...I really don't know what exactly you'd call him. Very...average looking hedgehog, he basically looks just like every other brownish hedgehog I've seen online but I can't figure out exactly how to tell which color. I've seen color charts but they all kind of look the same to me LOL