# African Pygmy Hedgehog Advice



## Jaggerous (Dec 7, 2011)

Hey Everyone,

I am interested in getting an APH in September and I have been doing my research and found some conflicting advice.

1. A wheel. Some people say its a necessity and others say its bad for the hedgehog. I should be able to provide my hedgehog time to free roam in my flat but that may not always be possible. Is a wheel a good or bad idea?

2. Substrates/Litter training. Some articles have said litter training is possible. If this is the case I was thinking of using fleece bedding and keeping the soiled area to a minimum and having two fleeces that I can interchange each week. Then I can wash one (without soaps, possibly a pet friendly disinfectant) and have one in the cage. Other articles say to use news paper or aspen woodshavings. So again what path do you guys reckon is the best one to go down?

Many thanks :2thumb:


----------



## yugimon121 (Oct 4, 2009)

Jaggerous said:


> Hey Everyone,
> 
> I am interested in getting an APH in September and I have been doing my research and found some conflicting advice.
> 
> ...


Hello and welcome to RFUK!

1. A wheel is a must must must! I use the silent spinner, but there is also the bucket wheel and the flying saucer. regardless, a wheel is absolutely necessary, its the hedgehogs favorite toy/exercise.

2. Hedgehogs can be litter trained, but most either poop on or under their wheel. I have a fleece layer under the entire cage and i place newspaper and woodshavings (dust free) as the litter substrate under her wheel.


----------



## Jaggerous (Dec 7, 2011)

Awesome. Its all in the works but I'll add a wheel to my list of things to get.

I read elsewhere that they tend to poop on their wheels so all in all that substrate arrangement sounds like a good plan.

Thanks very much


----------



## yugimon121 (Oct 4, 2009)

Jaggerous said:


> Awesome. Its all in the works but I'll add a wheel to my list of things to get.
> 
> I read elsewhere that they tend to poop on their wheels so all in all that substrate arrangement sounds like a good plan.
> 
> Thanks very much


Oh they poop ALOT on the wheel, expect to be cleaning it quite often!


----------



## Andy King (Nov 5, 2009)

I sit a cat litter tray in the substrate and fill the tray with substrate then have the wheel on top of that as my hedgehog poops pretty much only on or around the wheel. it means i can take the wheel out, tip the small amount of substrate away and replace it regularly.

i use the 12" flying saucer Flying Saucer Wheel 12" - Chinchillas, Rats, Degus: Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies

you can remove the wheel from the base and makes it easier to clean


----------

