[DianeCee]

When I first got Prickles, I bought him a bunch of cat toys like balls and even little stuffed toys that are mini hedgehogs.
He doesn't even look at them.
My son made a wooden car and we gave that to him and he loved to bite the wheels and push it around. So we started trying wood things, it seems to be all he is interested in.
He loves his wheel at night from the poopy evidence. Ha ha ha

Anyway, is that how hedgies "play"? Biting things?
Its adorable but is it actual playing?

 

[Kalandra]

I'm going to guess he is more or less try to taste the wooden toy as it smells interesting. Hedgehogs do not typically have the drive to bite on or gnaw on anything like a rodent or even a dog has.

Personally, I wouldn't use such items, especially if they are biting them, as I would be fearful that such a hard item could cause them to damage their teeth.

Toys can be a hit or miss item with hedgehogs. It all depends on the personality. I've had some that would kick a ball around their cage, where others ignored everything. Some liked tubes or blankets to explore under, and some liked to move/rearrange them. I try to watch what their personality is like and tailor the toy attempts to that.

 

[writergirlmel]

When they bite things, they're tasting them. Hedgehogs do not have very good eyesight, so they taste their environment. When something smells interesting, they taste it. Wood absorbs scent and has a scent of its own, so it's more likely to smell interesting than plastic. Also, since they don't have hands, they have to either push things or carry them with their mouths to move them.

In the end, most hedgehogs aren't to play the way most people expect pets to play. They climb over things, burrow under things, go through tunnels, push things around, taste and tug on certain things, run around, etc. They don't generally play fetch, pounce, or bat things.

Also, keep in mind that hedgehogs are nocturnal and, for lack of a better word, shy. Most of their play occurs at night in the cage, and many hedgehogs won't play as actively in front of people as they will alone. For example, the aftermath of Fitzgerald's nightly activities tell me he runs on his wheel, digs in his dig box, and plays with his toy hedgehog and crinkle balls, but I've never seen him play with the crinkle balls or hedgehog (despite putting them in his play area regularly), and if he sees me watching him on the wheel or in the dig box, he immediately stops.

Finally, as a side note, make sure you freeze any new wood toy 24-48 hours before introducing it to your hedgehog, as wood can harbor mites. The most common sources are wood and/or paper bedding and litter, but it's better safe than sorry, in my opinion.