Hedgie keeps falling off wheel!

[SnufflePuff]

Puff doesn't usually let me watch her run on the wheel but right now she started running on it while I was in the room and I noticed that she keeps slipping and even falling off sometimes! I think it's because she's running diagonally so that half her body is almost off the wheel. It's a 12" Comfort Wheel and it's secured so it's not like it's pushing her off and I was thinking about getting another one but would that even help if it's just the way she runs? I feel so bad for her though because she's so determined! She tries to run so fast that the wheel gets ahead of her and then she slips and slides off and then hops back and runs even faster like she's determined to beat it! It doesn't seem like she's getting hurt and it's not a big drop and she always lands softly in her litter box so should I be concerned? Or just let her keep doing her thing?

[basmati]

I have no experience in this--so, take the following with a grain of salt. Hopefully someone has a hedgie that does this sort of thing and can help you out.

I am not sure about getting hurt, but running on the edge sounds like a good chance for twised ankle joints and such. Since she runs even faster after falling out, it may be her entertainment. Perhaps she is one for extreme sports, living on the egde so to speak. Otherwise, if she tends to run diagonally on the wheel, maybe a flying saucer is more her style.

Can you change the angle of the comfort wheel?

How does she move outside of her wheel? Is she able to run in a straight line?

[SnufflePuff]

Originally Posted by basmati

I have no experience in this--so, take the following with a grain of salt. Hopefully someone has a hedgie that does this sort of thing and can help you out.

I am not sure about getting hurt, but running on the edge sounds like a good chance for twised ankle joints and such. Since she runs even faster after falling out, it may be her entertainment. Perhaps she is one for extreme sports, living on the egde so to speak. Otherwise, if she tends to run diagonally on the wheel, maybe a flying saucer is more her style.

Can you change the angle of the comfort wheel?

How does she move outside of her wheel? Is she able to run in a straight line?

She seems to move just fine outside her wheel so I don't think it's WHS or anything like that, at least I sure hope this isn't some sort of early warning sign I don't think I can really change the angle of the wheel, so maybe if she continues to do it I'll get a flying saucer. I was just worried she wouldn't learn to use a flying saucer because she's only ever had upright wheels, but maybe she will? Maybe she is just an extreme hedgie but either way I think I'd rather pay the $20 for a new wheel then the who knows how many hundreds vet bill for a twisted ankle. I might be getting another hedgehog eventually, do you think I could clean the wheel I have and re-use it for her?

[basmati]

It sounds like wheels are used and used as far as I can tell from reading the threads. Another idea may be a wider wheel, I don't know the dimensions of the cake walk supreme, if you want to stay with the traditional approach. Hopefully others can help you out with your diagonal hedgie extreme