Hedgehogs are notorious for creating insanely messy wheels during their nightly marathons. This can vary slightly from hog to hog, my current hedgehog will poop anywhere and everywhere in the cage and especially while running on his bucket wheel. Other hogs will hop off the wheel to do their business in a dedicated corner of the cage.
Can You Stop a Hedgehog From Pooping in Its Wheel?
I have some bad news for anyone hoping to cease the nightly wheel scrubbings. It is not possible to stop a hedgehog from pooping on their wheel.
In the wild, hedgehogs defecate while they run, and that behavior is simply not going to disappear when you place them in a cage.
It can feel overwhelming to wake up every morning to a trashed wheel and the stinky aftermath of an enthusiastic night of running!
You might not be able to stop the act itself, but I have quite a few tips and tricks to make cleanup a breeze that have made my personal cage cleanup routine so much easier
How I Keep My Hedgehog Wheel Clean!
Method 1:
Strong dish degreaser sprays and extremely hot water are going to be your best friend! I wait until the afternoon when my hedgie is asleep and won’t miss his wheel and spray it down heavily with soap to soak either in the yard or in lying on its side in my bathtub (depending on how nasty he’s gotten it). After around 30 minutes of soaking the previous night’s mess easily rinses away.
Method 2:
Another easy way to keep things clean is to apply a layer of Glad Press’n Seal Plastic Wrap directly to the surface of the hedgehog wheel. You can tear off a long strip to cover the entire wheel and then easily peel it off at the end of the night with zero scrubbing.
I’ve had amazing results with using press n seal with my hogs. If you use plastic wrap you absolutely must keep a close eye on the wheel to ensure your hog doesn’t try to chew on it. I’ve had zero issues with my hedgehog trying to eat the plastic and I switch it out every 2-3 nights. Some hedgehogs will chew on anything and everything in their vicinity while others don’t care about new additions to the cage. If your hog likes to nibble on everything I don’t advise using a cling wrap like this, a fleece cover would be a safer option for curious hedgehogs.
Method 3:
If you prefer a zero-waste option that can be reused, you can also buy reusable fleece wheel covers for sale on Etsy that make cleanup a breeze! These are easily attachable and completely cover the plastic wheel and can be tossed into the washing machine.
You’ll be cleaning your hedgehog’s wheel constantly so it’s very important that it’s easy to clean! Hedgehogs are rarely bothered to hop off of their wheel before doing their business and will just keep happily trundling along through their mess. When picking a hedgehog wheel it absolutely must be made of one solid piece. Having a great wheel is an important part of keeping your hedgehog healthy, check out my wheel guide here if you’re in the process of picking one out.
