What is the best wheel for your hedgehog?
Getting the right type of wheel for your hog is very important as they spend a lot of time on it. They can run a lot during the night, more than you will realise. There are lots of different types of wheels out there so it can get confusing as to which is the best one. I personally only use bucket wheels, when I got my first hog I did have one of these rigid Savic wheels below but after a few months I knew it was not the best or that it would last long.
A few reason why these types of wheels are not the best for your hog:
❌ These types of wheels are all plastic parts with a metal stand, when the hogs run the plastic rubs on plastic. This not only creates noise but wears down over time (I bought two Savic Wheels in one year... before changing to a bucket wheel which is still going many years on).
❌ The ridges can cut their paws, especially if your hog likes to run a lot.
❌ The angle of the flying saucer is not good for your hogs spine. Your hedgehog will outgrow it quickly and while running their stride will be longer than what the saucer can offer.
The best wheels are the bucket wheels:
✔️ These wheels turn very smoothly
✔️ They are silent as they are mounted on an ball bearing wheel
✔️ They last a long time, I have had one of my Tic Tac bucket wheels for over 5 years now and it still works like it is brand new
✔️ The bucket is strong and smooth on the surface so that little feet don't get hurt but also don't slip off the wheel
✔️ They should be 30cm/11.5" or more in diameter to allow sufficient space for your hog to stretch their legs when running
I highly recommend the bucket wheels from Tic Tac Wheels, mine have lasted so many years and they are super sturdy. They are worth it! This is not a advertisement and is 100% my recommendation, I have the 11.5" wheels but they do now offer a larger 13.5" too.