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wheel cleaning tips!

9K views 20 replies 17 participants last post by  LittleHedgie 
#1 ·
Some of us Hedgie parents own a hedgie who is quite messy when they run on their wheel, let's face it EVERY single hedgie parent has a lovely gift that their precious ones leave behind in the morning. Sometimes it is every morning, like my baby Hazel.

Every morning I grab my brush and go to my bathroom sink and scrub like there is no tomorrow! It takes probably 5 minutes each morning. Not hard, but sometimes I am in a rush and wish there was a faster way! I love Hazel to death but that girl is for sure a little runner!

I have heard that baby wipes work wonders! Has anyone else tried this idea out?

And lastly what are your tips that you would like to share?

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Usually I fill my wheel with hot water for about 10 mins to let it soak while I do something else (brush my teeth, shower, etc) so everything is soft and I don't have to scrub. Then I put soap on a washcloth and wipe the wheel down. It works great!
Hope this helps-- cleaning wheels can be a total pain!
 
#3 ·
The wheel itself makes a big difference. Sophie's wheel gets washed every morning with soap and hot water and it goes well; no soaking at all and washed clean in just a minute or two. I take a moment to protect the bearing from getting wet, but that's about it.

(Total running time: 23:40. Cued to start at 12:57.)
Washing the hedgehog's wheel.
 
#11 ·
I actually find wheel cleaning really easy now... It had me flummoxed at first though!

We have a CSW and a flying saucer and we clean them the same way: into the (empty) bathtub, sprayed with Honest Co. bathroom cleaner, let sit for 5-10 min, and spray with the shower hose on jet. 90% of the time everything washes right out. Sometimes I have to go after a little stubborn bit with some toilet paper but other than that I do not scrub at all.
 
#13 ·
I definitely wouldn't risk it. There's other cleaners that can be used that are safer. You can even just use a 50/50 vinegar/water mix. I used that, then had a bottle of diluted chlorhexidine solution that I followed it with. You can buy chlorhexidine online, not sure where else. I got the bottle I had from my breeder.
 
#15 ·
That is exactly what I do as well (I have a bucket wheel)... N I don't need to soak it in water or anything so the bearings never get wet.. But I'm pretty sure the only issue with the bearings getting wet is they would start to squeak, and then u could put a few drops of like olive or vegetable oil on them (personally I would stay away from WD-40 or things like that, just in case the hedgie decides to have a taste lol
 
#16 · (Edited)
Ok I'll keep doing what I'm doing. The good thing is I only have to clean the wheel and the pan under. Once in awhile a little around it. The other bin where he eats and sleeps in his igloo I've only changed every two weeks. He doesn't ever pee or poop in that side that I've noticed. I clean the side with the wheel only about every ten days.

Also, I know many bathe their hedgies, but his feet always look clean to me. Not sure hiw he does it but my breeder did say it's rarely necessary to give them baths. Maybe he washes his own feet.
 
#17 ·
Try this I don't think it'll work really well if you have your hedgehog in the same room as you. Because little feet running on plastic can be noisy. And make sure that your hedgehog's nails aren't sharp, they may get caught in the plastic. It's just a thought. I would supervise your hedgehog the first time your hedgie is using it. But I strongly recommend wiping it down with a 50/50 vinegar and water solution.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Do not try the above solution. It's not safe to put anything on the wheel at all. It's too likely for the nails or feet to get caught or tangled in the plastic even if they're not sharp (which the front ones often are unless clipped very frequently). Cleaning the wheel only takes a few minutes of the day, and it's part of having a hedgie. Shortcuts don't usually work out very well, and the risk of injury to your hedgehog isn't worth saving a few minutes of your time.

Edit: Commented to say the same thing on the video. This is why I'm very skeptical about most youtube pet care videos. Many to most of them contain incorrect or downright dangerous information - you have to be very careful about which ones you decide to take advice from.
 
#21 ·
i usually wash the wheel in the bathtub and i start by running hot water in it, and then i scrub it off while the water is still inside :) after you get most of the poo off i dump out remaining water and i DO wash it down with baby wipes! it usually takes less then 5 mins to do all together :)
 
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