Best Hedgehog Wheel

The best hedgehog wheel will be one of the most important products you purchase. A good wheel can actually improve their health, happiness, and overall well being. Hedgehogs require a wheel because they love to run and can actually run up to 12 miles at 12 MPH!

But, you have to be careful when choosing a wheel.

There is proof that some hedgehog exercise wheels cause injury to backs, legs, and feet. To avoid that, a good wheel should be 10.5″ or 12″ in diameter. It should also have a soft surface without gaps or ridges. Because you want to avoid injuries that are a guarantee with unsafe wheel options, we have listed our top four picks below. Additionally, we have included suggested ways to make a wheel safer or to alter mechanical characteristics to suit your hedgie.

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These ones are not widely heard of using in hedgehog cages in the U.S. or Canada. They are popular however in Asia, but would not pass as a good choice in other parts of the world. This is because of the gaps in the track your hedgie will be running on.If your hedgehogs nails are too long, or if your hedgie misses their step – it could end in injury. Which is why we want to mention first that we recommend this wheel ONLY if you will be providing a fleece wheel liner to accompany it. Once that safety measure is applied, the wheel is still a tad noisy, but provides a stable running opportunity and is easy to clean.

• Won't melt under ceramic heat emitter
• Tail safe feature that isn't supposed to catch their tails
• Rust resistant and easy to clean
• Added wheel cover provides safety and easy wheel cleaning

• The space in between the bars have harmed hedgehog's feet, tearing nails right off if not modified
• Their feet and limbs are also likely to get stuck, bruised, and broken if not modified
• Not the quietest option, it can be very squeaky
• Most in the hedgehog community view these as dangerous when used bare

Using this mesh wire wheel bare can be dangerous for their limbs, so adding a fleece wheel liner will lessen this worry. Wire spindle wheels with spaces between support bars should never be used. A tip shared by a long term hedgehog owner convinced us it was worthy of sharing. All you need to do is measure and cut two pieces of fleece and sew them together! Then, add some binder clips that will hold it in place on the wheel's surface. Alternatively, you can hot glue gun the liner to the wheel so it's easy to just pull off. This makes it easier for cleaning because it's quick and simple to remove. Have a second fleece cover made for when the primary one is in the wash!

Fleece Washing Tip: If you are using fleece as your wheel cover or cage lining, a good tip is to avoid using dryer sheets with them. The dryer sheets wear out the materials wicking ability to absorb liquid. Your lining should consist of at least two layers of fleece, and your hedgehog's nails should be kept trimmed. Washing these every day or two is sufficient and saves a ton of time that would be spent scrubbing your wheel!

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Sometimes hedgehogs do not show an interest in their wheels – no matter what type or how many wormies their human puts on it – it's a no. Which is why we loved this tip shared by the community – try a saucer! There are other forms of exercise you can do if your hedgehog doesn't find wheeling interesting – but at least you need to give them the option to do it. One day you could discover them wheeling.

This 12″ diameter running space variation of exercise is safe – just follow our modifications below to make sure you weigh down the base. Sometimes owners have found the wheel toppled over in the morning after their hedgehog ran a marathon, which is why we suggest weighing it down. Another thing is that, if the hog is too light and they stop running, they may continue spinning on it unintentionally as the momentum of the saucer continues. So, with that being said, this is not for lighter than 300g hogs. Always check the instructions before use.

• Safe and solid surface for toes and nails
• Very quiet as your hedgehog runs marathons
• Smooth spinning motion provides a fun second exercise option to a wheel
• Hedgehogs who refuse to use a different type of wheel may like this option better

• If your hedgehog is not fully potty trained, urine and feces can fall off
• Has a weight capacity of 450 g
• It could fall over when in use if not modified
• Can be easily broken by constant running and will need replacing

To address the concern of falling poop, adding a litter pan underneath will make a big difference. Also if your hedgehog is potty trained, the mess won't be as bad. The issue of it possibly toppling over can also be solved. At the department store, large nuts can be purchased then glue gunned or taped to the bottom of the base.

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Another community favorite – and our own – is the Kaytee Comfort Wheel. It does have its quirks that are easily adjustable, but nevertheless, it is safe and reliable. It is easy to clean, submersible in water, easy to adjust if it becomes loud, and hedgehogs enjoy the smooth ride. Don't confuse this hedgehog wheel with its documented-to-be-dangerous cousin, “the Kaytee silent spinner”.

• Smooth and safe surface
• Easy to clean
• Options to attach it to the cage or stand alone
• Ball bearing design offers “whisper quiet” use

• The ball bearing can become loose requiring easy maintenance
• May not be as quiet as hoped (see modifications below)
• Urine and fecal matter may stick worse requiring longer soaking
• If it is too slippery, the hog may not want to use it

If the wheel is noisy, use pliers to pinch the white clip on the front so you can remove the rod inside. Apply Vaseline, coconut oil, or olive oil to the rod and put back together. If the wheel becomes wobbly there is also something you can do about that. You know those things you are always losing? Hair ties? Just wrap one around the area where the stand connects to the wheel at the back!

Cleaning Pro Tip

Place a rubber stopper inside the spindle hole when you separate it for cleaning. Since the hole only comes up to about two thirds of the wheel's height, when plugged, you can soak the wheel for however long you like in just hot water. Dry with paper towel, put it back together, and in the cage it goes! Unlike the Carolina Storm Bucket Wheel, this wheel is safe to submerge.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Possibly the highest rated and most recommended of all wheels in the hedgehog community, this Carolina Storm Bucket Wheel is a phenomenal choice. What makes it so? Most hedgehogs love the smooth surface, the tilt, and 10.5″ diameter. If you're worried about cleaning it, we have a safe option for that too. With over 243,000 customers, this wheel keeps on being the number one choice for hogs and hog parents.

• Three adjustable height settings
• Tilt mechanism to promote easier and safer running
• Comes with an extra ball bearing, zip ties, and care sheet

• Weekly spot checking of bolt tightness – not really a con just a good practice
• Try not to get the bolts wet or the wheel will become loud – easy fix just add petroleum jelly or vegetable oil
• Some hedgehogs take a little bit to get used to this wheel, with some slipping off it – for that, there is a cover fix!

• If you need to tilt the wheel because your hedgehog is having a hard time running or staying on it, just easily force the wheel back or forth by holding the base and pushing the top part. The wheel is not glued to the base so just a little nudge and the wheel should tilt.
• In case the wheel gets noisy, it is likely due to the bolts getting wet during cleaning. If you use a wheel cover, this eliminates the issue, but adding some petroleum jelly or oil to the wheel bearing will help. After applying the jelly, run a hair dryer and spin the wheel. Then repeat for the other side of the wheel. Also, check for loose bolts every week! Like a wheel on a car, wheel bearings on the best hedgehog wheel also need tightening!
• To adjust the height of the wheel, just easily pull the wheel up or down and it should easily adjust! Instructions for all modifications and scenarios come with purchase!

There may not be one perfect hedgehog exercise wheel for every perfect animal out there, but each model we have suggested can be modified to suit their individuality. We really like the “Kaytee Comfort Wheel“, but not just because so many people have attested to its quality and long length of use (up to 4 years)…

Because it's safe from the start without any modifications. And we use it on our own beloved mascot, Quilly! We love that you can easily clean it by using our little rubber stopper in the middle trick we mention above. The 12″ diameter of it makes it a perfect option for new and old, big and small hedgehogs. We have no complaints using this one ourselves.

Our two runner ups for the best hedgehog wheel is “The Carolina Storm Bucket Wheel” (which we have owned in the past) and then the “Ware Flying Saucer.” The Carolina wheel is a custom wheel made in the USA. Inspired by the need for a new and safe wheel for the hedgehog community, the CSBW has been a popular savoir when it comes to quality, safety, and enrichment.

Because many hedgehog owners have admitted their hedgehogs won't use any type of wheel, we recommend the “Critter Ware Flying Saucer” to have handy. It could also be purchased along with another wheel and used as a separate activity from time to time. You wouldn't always want to run on the same treadmill at the same window watching the same zamboni go by on the lower hockey rink at the gym – would you? No, sometimes you want to face the water fountain!

Then there is one more we think is an okay option if you add a fleece liner to it – the “Kaytee Run-Around Wheel“. Just because they are fairly sturdy on their own and offer a smooth rotating motion to them. As long as the fleece liner is added, we think it is safe. We just don't like that it may not be as quiet as the others we recommended.

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