There are many different opinions on wheel covers and whether or not they are safe and cleanly. Personally, I love wheel covers. I've heard so many times over that wheel covers are dangerous, cause urine burn, snagged nails, etc. Usually I see these things in hedgehog Facebook groups that are run by people that aren't breeders and have never tried out a wheel cover for themselves. I have been using covers for years with many hedgehogs and would like to share my experience with them.

Lets start with whether or not they are cleanly. Wheel covers will wick away urine while the hedgehog is running and their feces will ball up and roll off the wheel. That sentence alone should answer that question. I find that wheel covers are much cleanlier than a wheel without one.
If you've ever owned a hedgehog, you've seen what a non-covered wheel looks like after a whole night of running. Its not a pretty sight! Wheels without covers will be caked with urine and feces. Some of the urine will run off while the wheel is turning but since the feces just gets trampled all over the wheel, most of the urine does too and it becomes a muddy mess. When they run for hours in their own poop and urine, the feces starts to cake onto the hedgehogs feet (often adorably referred to  as poop boots).
When wheels have fleece covers, the moisture is absorbed and wicked away from the hedgehogs feet. Yes, eventually a wheel cover will get saturated in urine. That's when its time to throw it in the wash! If you don't clean your covers regularly, of course it could cause urine burn. Urine burn can also happen from cages that aren't cleaned regularly. It's important to any animals health to keep their living space clean. I recommend cleaning cages at least weekly. I wash all of my covers every 5-7 days. Some hedgehogs are messier than others and a cover may need to be washed more often.  I have NEVER had a case of urine burned feet, because I wash my covers when they are dirty. 
As for the feces, it almost never sticks to the wheel cover because the urine is wicked away and the cover wont be wet like a non-covered wheel. Poop boots can still happen but definitely not as frequently.

The other issue I see discussed are that wheel covers can cause snagged nails and are therefor dangerous. This one boggles my mind because most consider fleece bedding a safe option. Hedgehogs run around their cages as well, so why would fleece only be dangerous when on a wheel cover? Wheel covers are literally made with the same fleeces used as bedding which are blizzard and anti-pill fleeces. 
I've been using wheel covers for about 4-5 years and have never had a snagged nail. I don't doubt that a snagged nail could happen if the hedgehogs nails aren't trimmed regularly, but the same goes for fleece bedding. 

Lastly my favorite thing I hear, "Wheel covers are for lazy people. Just wash your wheel!". My wheel cleaning day consists of removing the covers and shaking them out (because I use pine shavings for bedding, which sticks to the fleece), putting them in the washer on a double rinse cycle, shake out the clean wheel covers into the washing machine to remove the remaining shavings, throw them in the dryer, vacuum the shaving out of the washing machine, wash the actual wheels with hot soapy water, then add a clean wheel cover to the clean wheel.
If I didn't use wheel covers, I would soak the wheels and wipe the feces away with a scrub sponge. Which of course is also hard work, gross and not fun to do, but its definitely not quicker or easier than the ritual that I do every week. 

Do I think wheel covers are better than a non-covered wheel? Absolutely not.
Do I think its cleanlier to have wheel covers? Absolutely.
Do I think that everyone needs to use a wheel cover? Definitely not.
Do wheel covers cause urine burn? Nope, not if they cages are cleaned properly.
Do wheel covers cause snagged nails? Not if they are trimmed regularly. 

It all comes down to preference! Personally, the cleaner feet is the winner for me!

There are many cage options but the safest cage for a hedgehog is a sterilite bin/tote. Simply because they cannot climb the sides or get their legs stuck like they could if they were in a cage with bars. 
One question we get asked a lot is if they can use the lid of a tote cage. Some people like to use the lids to protect their hedgehog from other pets or for placing the heat lamp more securely. Lids can absolutely be used, but they must be altered to provide proper ventilation.
There are a few different ways to alter a lid and a few people have very generously allowed me to use their photos as examples so that you can see the different ways to make your lid.

This cage was done by cutting the entire center out of the lid and replacing it with hardware cloth. The hardware cloth is zip tied to the remaining lid frame. Depending on which wheel you have and the height of your tote cage, you may need to leave a section of lid open for the wheel to fit. This Carolina Storm Bucket Wheel fits perfectly in this tote.

This cage is similar to the first cage but has a spot cut out for the wheel to fit. This cage was created using the following tools:

• Dremel with a cutting disk - to cut the sections of lid out
• Soldering iron - to melt holes for the zip ties (can also use a drill)
• Hardware cloth 
• Tin snips - to cut the hardware cloth (can also use heavy duty wire cutters)
• Good quality zip ties

These cages were done using wire storage cube grids. The middle section of the lid was cut out and the grids were zip tied onto the remaining lid. Notice the photo on the left has cut out a section for the wheel to fit. It still offers protection from cats but it leaves just enough room for the wheel to fit through.  
 
These are just a few examples of altered lids but it gives you a good idea of how it can be done. 

Hedgehog mites might sound scary but they aren't that uncommon. Good news though, they are easily prevented and/or treated!

What are mites?
Mites are tiny little arachnids that infest hedgehogs and damage their skin and quills. 

Possible symptoms of mites:
 

• Scratching
• Dry skin
• Quill loss
  
• Weight loss
  

If your hedgehog has one of these symptoms, dont stress out. Hedgehogs commonly have dry skin, so not every itch is a sign of mites. Baby hedgehogs go through stages of quilling, they lose their smaller baby quills and larger adult quills push through the skin. As you may imagine, quilling is extremely irritating. Quilling is another cause of both itching/scratching and also shedding quills.

How do hedgehogs get mites?
Hedgehogs can get mites from most beddings (including shavings, paper bedding and pellets) and also from other infected hedgehogs.

I think my hedgehog has mites:
If you suspect your hedgehog may have mites, you should seek treatment from a knowledgable exotics veterinarian. Usually mites are diagnosed by taking a skin scrape and putting the slide under a microscope. If the infestation is bad enough, sometimes the mites can be seen with the naked eye.

Treatment of mites:
Most breeders and veterinarians will treat an infested hedgehog with Revolution. Revolution is very easy to apply on the hedgehogs back and will last 30 days. Most hedgehogs are successfully treated with one dose of revolution but more severe infestations may require a second dose.

Some veterinarians may suggest Ivermectin. ONLY TOPICAL Ivermectin should be used. Ivermectin can be easily overdosed which makes the injections very dangerous. Which is why I personally recommend Revolution.

How can I help prevent mites?
Freeze all unopened bedding for 48 hours in a chest freezer. Alternatively or in addition, you can buy food grade diatomaceous earth and sprinkle it in their bedding. 

Can my other pets get mites?
These mites are hedgehog specific. This means only hedgehogs can get them and they cannot spread to other animals like your dogs and cats. 

Thats it! So if you suspect your hedgehog may have mites, dont freak out! Just seek a knowledgable veterinarian to get a diagnosis and treat accordingly. 

'Im seeing so many posts from breeders and pet owners about the use of chicken brooders as a heat source. It really kills me to see people recommending them and felt the need to explain why I personally do not recommend them.

Hedgehogs need their ambient temperature to be between 72-80 degrees. Ideally, I like to keep mine at 75-80 degrees. Hedgehogs in captivity cannot hibernate properly. If a pet hedgehog's ambient temp (meaning their air temperature) gets below the recommended range, they can attempt hibernation. If a hibernation attempt is left untreated, it will be fatal to your hedgehog. This is why we require certain heat sources to keep our prickly pets toasty and warm.

I have a Brinsea Ecoglow brand chick brooder. Its not a cheapo brand, its one of the top brands of chicken brooders. I have the Brinsea 20, which means its suitable for up to 20 chicks. I have used it with chicks and had great success. The way the brooder works is that the chicks crawl under the brooder and push their backs against the heat plate to warm up. Chicks need to move to the heat source when they are chilly so that they can warm up. While it may minimally heat up the ambient temperature directly under the heat plate, it definitely doesn't heat up the ambient temp of the entire cage, and therefor would be useless for use with a hedgehog. A hedgehog wont stay directly under the brooder at all times. They are nocturnal and will roam their cage and run on their wheel most of the night which makes a brooder an unsuitable heat source for a hedgehog.

I think every breeder can agree that a reptile heating pad can cause severe burns on hedgehogs and aren't recommended. When using a heating pad with a hedgehog, it will not warm the ambient temperature enough. When the hedgehog gets cold, it will retreat to the heating pad and wont move until its completely warm, which can result in serious burns. If the ambient temperature of the entire cage is kept at the appropriate temperature, the hedgehog wont need to retreat to an area to warm up, which means it wont ever attempt hibernation. The same goes for a chicken brooder. A chicken brooder works the same way as a heating pad, the animal must be touching the brooder to get warm. 

A heating pad like the zoo med under the tank heater (popular, well known brand) gets approximately 105-110 degrees. As stated above, heat pads can cause severe burns in hedgehogs. They can also cause severe burns in snakes if there isn't a thermostat to regulate the temperature, but hedgehogs need AMBIENT temperature.
I did my own little test and brought in my Brinsea chick brooder to test the temperature difference of the brooder vs a heating pad (reminder that a heating pad is known to cause burns in hedgehogs). If I hold my hand against the brooder plate, it eventually gets too hot for my hand to comfortably stand the heat. Using a infrared thermometer, my brooder is at 127 degrees which is significantly higher in temp than a heating pad, which is known to cause burns.  

Since brooders do not raise the ambient temperature of the whole cage (like a ceramic heat emitter or an entire room that is heated to the appropriate temperature) they are not a sufficient heat source for a hedgehog. When you also add in the fact that these brooders get quite a bit hotter than a heating pad, its quite obvious that these are dangerous and should only be used for their intended purpose- chickens.

The only heat sources that are safe for a hedgehog is a ceramic heat emitter hooked to a thermostat set to the required temperature or to heat an entire room with a space heater with a digital thermostat.

I understand that heat emitters can seem like a fire risk. They do get hot to the touch! That's why its extremely important that emitters be secured in place and be plugged into a thermostat. Rooms heated with space heaters can be equally dangerous if not properly used. That doesn't make a brooder an appropriate heat source for a hedgehog.

African pygmy hedgehogs need to be kept at a temperature of 75-80 degrees. When the winter months come along, there are some things to consider to make sure your hedgehog stays warm. If a hedgehog gets too chilly, it will attempt hibernation. Pet hedgehogs are not equipped to hibernate, a hibernation attempt can lead to death.
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​   1.  The first thing to consider is the cage type. Midwest cages are quite long and may need multiple heat sources. Barred cages are open and don't hold heat well. Monitor temperature with multiple thermometers throughout the cage. You may need to bump up the temperature of the heat source.
I prefer plastic tote cages, they hold heat pretty well.

   2.  Dont keep the cage on the floor. The floor can be cold and drafty. Try putting the cage on a stand or dresser.

    3.    Keep your cage against an inner wall and away from the windows. Exterior walls and windows are drafty.

If you notice your hedgehog being lethargic, walking with a wobble and/or has a cold belly, this is likely a hibernation attempt. Warm your hedgehog by placing them on your bare chest or belly.
Do not warm your hedgehog in a bath, the quick temperature change could lead to shock.
Once your hedgehog is warmed up, you will need to figure out how to keep your setup warmer and less drafty. If your hedgehog does not improve within 30 minutes, a visit with the veterinarian is needed.

There's a few things to consider when choosing the right cage for your hedgehog. You'll want a cage that is the appropriate size, can be sanitized and is safe for your hedgehog. Some cages will need to be altered with coroplast to provide a safe space for your baby.

Totes

I always recommend totes for cages. I find that the 105-106 qt totes from Walmart and Home Depot work the best for us. They are by far the safest cages for your hedgehog.

Pros

You can buy totes just about anywhere and they come in a variety of different sizes (105qt is minimum).

Totes have solid walls which holds in heat and prevents climbing injuries (No bars or platforms).

These cages are super easy to sanitize and clean.

By far the most inexpensive caging option.

Cons

Totes aren't the prettiest cages to look at.

The lid will need to be altered for the lamp to sit on (See blog post about altering lids).
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gPros

These are affordable cages.

This cage is a large size and provides lots of floor space.

A great option for people who prefer fleece bedding.

It's possible to cut coroplast to fit the floor and walls of this cage (coroplast should be 10" for the walls)

Cons

You may need to purchase the "Plus" version of the cage or purchase a top panel for the lamp to sit on and/or to keep your hedgie safe from other pets.

These cages were designed for use with fleece and not great for loose bedding options.

Because the walls are wire, these cages don't hold in heat well.  With it being a long cage, you may also need two heat lamps to maintain the correct temperature for a hedgehog.

Even though the bars are vertical, I have seen broken legs from this cage. It will need to be altered with coroplast to cover the bars and make it climb-proof.
(You could replace the whole floor with coroplast and add tall walls of coroplast to improve this cage).

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C&C Cages

Pros

Since C&C cages are made of grids, you can add more grids to create the size and shape of the cage.

Another great option for fleece bedding.

Because you are making it yourself, you can make the coroplast taller to help hold in heat and prevent climbing.

Cons

These cages take a bit of preparation and time to make.

The grids have bars and will need to be altered with coroplast (10" tall) to prevent climbing. There is a solid grid option as well. 

You will need to build a "lid" to safely secure the heat lamp.

These cages can be a bit more challenging to clean if you are using loose bedding.

LIke the Mid West cages, these don't have walls and will be harder to hold in the heat (unless you make the coroplast taller than the minimum 10"). Depending on the size of the cage, you may need more than one lamp. 
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Critter Nation Cage

Pros

CN cages are very well built and will last forever.

These cages provide lots of floor space.

Add on units are available for these cages to make them taller.

CN cages have a shelf for storage. 

This is one of the few cages where both the doors open wide for easy cleaning.

The lamp can be secured to the wire shelf.

Cons

CN cages are very pricey.

The walls of this cage needs to be covered with coroplast (10" up the walls).

Ramps must be removed. Hedgehogs can fall off ramps and injure themselves.

These cages are HUGE and take up a lot of unnecessary space.  Your hedgehog will only use the floor space of the cage while the top area will go un-used because hedgehogs aren't climbing animals.

Wire/plastic cages

pros

The plastic makes it easy to clean and sanitize.

The lamp can sit right on top of the wire cage.

Cons

The bars will need to be altered with 10 inches of coroplast to prevent the hedgehog from climbing and injuring themselves.

Some of these cages have ramps and platforms that will need to be removed.​​

Aquariums
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There are better caging options than an aquarium.
Tanks are designed to hold water/humidity and have poor ventilation, both of which will cause respiratory illness in hedgehogs. The only aquarium I would allow my babies to use is a 65/75 gallon. A large aquarium like a 75 gallon has a larger width which allows for more air flow.

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