[Vask]

Everyone that owns a hedgehog has this same experience, the filthy morning wheel.. This seems like the perfect place for a new innovation. I can see this being quite plausible with one of the reaper wheels due to its smooth surface. Im thinking just a sort of angled piece of plastic that it a consistent 1mm away from the wheel surface. All large debris would be swept to the side as the hedgie runs. The torque created by a running hedgehog is actually quite considerable so this would cause little to no resistance issues. The angle of the plastic would have to be quite steep in order to prevent debris from getting stuck and smearing across the wheel.

Issues i foresee:
devising a solid mounting point for the sweeper.
making the sweeper removable.
tweaking sweeper location so it does not impede hedgehog running but also doesn't cause sweeping directly overhead.

Any tips or input is appreciated.

I have also been considering designing a treadmill of sorts which would completely eliminate debris issues.

 

[dorasdaddy]

Two major issues you missed...

1. You would have to put a crossbar back in the wheel...that is the major downfall of the comfort wheel because it can rub on the back of larger hogs.

2. Alot of hedgies are bi-directional runners...meaning they will run one direction for a little bit, then turn and run the other direction for a bit then start over again.


Also, with a treadmill i think you would be wasting time...dont think many if any hogs would know what to do with it and there would be a bigger potential for falling and being scared of it therefore not getting any exercise.

 

[Vask]

- I was thinking of connecting to the base instead of a crossbar
- Did not know about bi-directional running, that would definitely be an issue

- There has got to be some better way then the wheel. The major issue with my current design for the treadmill is stopping. By using a heavy flywheel, a gentle acceleration caused by the weight of the hedgie on the 15° tilted treadmill surface would result. But.. when the hedgehog stops running, there is still stored momentum that would cause the treadmill to continue moving.. That could actually be solved by having the flywheel be semi-light so the "coasting" effect of the mill would only be half of the running surface.. so when the hedgehog stops running, it will coast to a stop before he/she reaches the end.

 

[dorasdaddy]

ataching it to the base would create and obstacle for the hedgie....i think it is easier to just clean the wheel...hedige poop is the consitentency of tooth paste...all you are going to end up with is a smeared mess, which will be even harder to clean than before.

And as I stated before, there seems to be way too big of a risk of injury to the hedgie esp when there is a proven method out there.

 

[Vask]

There would obviously be some kinks to work out as with any new innovation. But im just thinking as-all.

 

[Vask]

Well, related to a post i made earlier, i finally got jeffrey to like his wheel; i threw a bunch of bedding in it and turned it sideways, now hes all over it. He just doesnt like plastic surfaces too much for some reason. Except for sliding.

 

[dorasdaddy]

what kind of wheel is it? if it is a comfort wheel then be careful of the hole in the back...may be better to get him a flying saucer if he likes the sideways orientation better. did you get the bigger cage made so he can have it full time?

 

[Vask]

I covered up the holes in the back, i am definitely going to get him a flying saucer. I am 50% done my cage for him, i just need to get a base for it.. im going with corrugated plastic just to get it done for him sooner. Ill work on the 2nd level later. I am going to have a ridge go down the center of the cage to keep bedding in one side, he loves digging out a nest under the pvc i cut in half for him. He packs his blankets in with him too.

 

[dorasdaddy]

you need to cover the coroplast, and a ridge will not stop the bedding it will still stik to his quills and if he wants it on the other side he will push it over the ridge...it is just a potential hazard for the hedgie....the best option would be fleece liners

 

[Vask]

Yea, i was planning on fleece liners. So should i just pile a bunch of bedding on one side for him? He REALLY enjoys digging in it.

Edit -I just ordered the coroplast i needed; the shipping cost more then the plastic. -.-'

 

[Shelbys Mom]

What a lot of people do for hedgies that like to dig is get some fleece and cut it into strips and pile that in a corner or in a box or igloo ect...

Some of mine also like to dig in toilet paper. Just tear it off in around 4 to 5 square strips and pile it up.

 

[Vask]

Kk, that sounds good. He loves to dig in large blankets too, but i wouldn't want that in the cage with him un-supervised so strips is a good compromise.

 

[Vask]

Ok back to the wheel modification.
After watching him run on his comfort wheel for 3 hours i have decided that it is best to modify this design to something more useful and safe.
First off:
- Cutting down the walls to about a 1"(2.2 cm) hight. (they will be sanded to be smooth and safe)
- Designing a new (heavier) stand that angles the wheel at about 5°.
- Putting a ball bering in the wheels rotational axis.
^ The wheel has a tremendous amount of wobble and this slows the terminal velocity. He can run fairly fast and this is quite limiting for him... The bearing will provide a smooth and stable rotation for him. I may remove the center post .. but it seems like he uses it as a brace so he doesn't start spinning out... correct me if im wrong here, but this seems to be beneficial. 5° seems perfect, right now its a bit flatter then that so he is running faster then the wheel can accelerate, allowing him to go over the top of the center bar... Note: very low profile to allow easy mount/dismount. <1cm between bottom edge and base/floor.

Possible issues: The wheel will be too efficient and will spin too fast for him...

 

[silvercat]

Ok back to the wheel modification.
After watching him run on his comfort wheel for 3 hours i have decided that it is best to modify this design to something more useful and safe.
First off:
- Cutting down the walls to about a 1"(2.2 cm) hight. (they will be sanded to be smooth and safe)
- Designing a new (heavier) stand that angles the wheel at about 5°.
- Putting a ball bering in the wheels rotational axis.
^ The wheel has a tremendous amount of wobble and this slows the terminal velocity. He can run fairly fast and this is quite limiting for him... The bearing will provide a smooth and stable rotation for him. I may remove the center post .. but it seems like he uses it as a brace so he doesn't start spinning out... correct me if im wrong here, but this seems to be beneficial. 5° seems perfect, right now its a bit flatter then that so he is running faster then the wheel can accelerate, allowing him to go over the top of the center bar... Note: very low profile to allow easy mount/dismount. <1cm between bottom edge and base/floor.

Possible issues: The wheel will be too efficient and will spin too fast for him...

If you're going to all the trouble (& expense!) of modifying the comfort wheel so it's slanted, why not just get a flying saucer? The cost in the end might be about the same.

 

[Vask]

I have bearings, and all the tools i would need to do this. Its not really hard and i dont mind spending the time to do it for my hedgehog. I also do not have a ton of $ to throw around so might as well not waste it.

 

[Nancy]

I've been trying for years to devise a way of making a treadmill. That I can see, there is no way to make it safe that a little toe won't get caught under the tread, or that the hedgehog won't slide off the end when he is finished running. I considered a barrier at the end but there is a risk of a leg, toe or nail going off the end and getting caught. I know others have tried to think of a way to make a safe treadmill and nobody has yet.

There have also been those who tried to think of a way to make a wheel cleaner. A scrapper is going to need to be up high on the wheel so little toes don't get caught and then the scrapings are going to fall on the hedgehog.

The best and most ergo friendly wheel is a level running surface. Anything on an angle such as the flying saucers makes for an un-natural running position with possible stress to the joints. Flying saucers have not been used long enough to know what problems they could be creating. This is where a treadmill would be a good idea if it could be made with no risk of the legs, toes or nails getting caught.

 

[Vask]

So, i have been thinking.. if the treadmill is a semi-long device. Say like... 15" or so... falling problems would not really be an issue, + instead of it being a hedgehog driven device, it could use a small electric motor coupled with light sensors on the treadmill to sense when the hedgehog is on it. A 2nd light sensor towards the back could trigger the motor to spin down, so the hedgehog does not fall off. Obviously this device would require some training to get the hedgehog to run on it but it could definitely be done.

Another idea is having a curved treadmill. Gravity powered, the bottom flattens out the top is a 20° slope, when the hedgie is running, it starts moving because he is on the front portion. When he stops; he sits at the flat part which exerts no force in the direction of the devices motion. The hedgehog would never fall off, he could control his speed, no debris on the device, nowhere for him to get caught.

 

[LarryT]

Good luck with the treadmill idea
I just bought a Cake Walk Supreme :mrgreen:

 

[Vask]

^^ Thanks, A friend of mine works for a company that produces conveyer belts, so i think i have a pretty good change of having a working prototype sometime soon.

 

[dorasdaddy]

Ill be praying for the little ones feet and toes. Moving parts like that just seem too big of a risk for too small of a reward....the wheel works, why try to get rid of it? Especially when you have been told how dangerous it could be to your little one.