7 Enrichment Ideas to Show Your Hedgehog Some Love

Providing enrichment opportunities for your hedgehog is an important aspect of pet care as these activities can have a profound impact on your pet’s mental and physical well-being. Hedgehogs without access to regular enrichment may become lethargic, bored, and/or exhibit behavioral issues, underscoring the critical role these activities play in promoting their overall health.

But adding enrichment to your hedgehog’s daily routine doesn’t have to be complicated. We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite enrichment ideas designed to help encourage your hedgehog to play and explore, which in turn helps make for a happier, healthier hedgie.  

Wheels

Given their sleepy daytime demeanor, some hedgehog owners are surprised to learn that their prickle pals can be quite active little athletes in the middle of the night. In the wild, hedgehogs have been found to regularly travel several miles during the night in search of food, so providing your pet hedgehog with room to run is essential to their health and happiness.

Wheels can be an easy, space-saving way to cater to your hedgie’s need for speed, but picking the right wheel is important for their safety. Wheels should be at least 11 inches, have a solid running surface (no wire mesh), and sturdy enough to handle enthusiastic runners. Additionally, diligent daily cleaning is imperative as hedgehogs typically relieve themselves while running, swiftly soiling the wheel's surface. Our Squeaky Clean Cage Cleaner helps make wheel clean-up a cinch! 

Dig Boxes

While hedgies may have poor eyesight, their keen sense of smell makes them fantastic foragers. In the wild, they’re able to detect prey (insects, worms, etc.) up to 3 inches underground. Dig boxes are a great way to provide your pet hedgehog with a unique foraging experience that supplies both mental and physical stimulation. 

A dig box should consist of hedgie-safe material and treats for foraging incentives. A few safe materials you can use are fleece/ flannel strips, tissue paper, shredded craft paper, aspen wood shavings, cleaned river rocks and pebbles, and small cuddle toys. Providing varied treats each time they explore the dig box helps keep this an exciting, fresh activity. Some of our hedgehogs’ favorites include live or freeze-dried mealworms or wax worms, strawberries, blackberries, cooked carrots or squash, Really Good Hedgehog Food Kibble, scrambled eggs (unseasoned), or tiny bits of apple.

Tunnels, Hides & Tubing

Hedgehogs are adept at finding places to hide and can squeeze themselves under and into surprisingly tight spaces. We’ve had more than one game of hide-and-seek with some of our more creative prickles. Providing them with safe spaces to snooze and snuggle, especially during daylight hours, is important for their overall well-being. Some of our favorites include igloos, fleece houses, PVC pipes and elbows (we recommend 4” to ensure your hedgehog doesn’t get stuck), and naturally-shaped hides.

We also know some hedgies can be big fans of tubing (running around with and exploring toilet paper/paper towel tubes). However, if planning to experiment with tubes with your own hedgehog, we recommend cutting a long seam in the side of the cardboard tube to make sure you can easily remove the tube if your hedgie gets stuck.

Playpen

We love providing our herd with opportunities to explore outside their enclosures. For outside play, we use a small playpen to keep them from getting too far afield, while providing them with a chance to explore the grass, leaves, and even occasionally the beach. However, we always remain close at hand as we have a number of natural predators in our area that might appreciate a hedgehog appetizer (hawks, owls, raccoons, opossums, etc.). For inside explorations, we’ll sometimes incorporate the same playpen OR we’ll use a small kiddies pool lined with shavings to give them a designated area to explore/stretch their legs.

Toys

New hedgehog owners might be surprised to learn that hedgehogs enjoy and play with toys just like other pets do. While every hog has its unique preferences, some general favorites include: 

• Balls including crinkle balls, ping pong balls, and even tennis balls 
• Small stuffed animals to push and drag around 
• Mint-scented and catnip scented toys (while hedgehogs aren’t chewers, we still recommend that you avoid toys with small parts and feathers) 
• Jingly toys (such as balls with a bell) 

Puzzle Feeders

Puzzle feeders, especially treat balls, are a great way to provide mental stimulation while fulfilling your hedgehog’s innate foraging instincts. They’re also a great way to feed hogs that are prone to being overweight and/or overeating. Our favorite is the Wheeky Treat Ball - our hedgies (especially Hermes and Parcheesi, our long-eared hedgehogs) can’t get enough!  

Agility Courses

For hedgehog enthusiasts seeking to elevate their enrichment efforts, agility courses offer a compelling avenue for enrichment. Crafting a custom course not only fosters mental and physical stimulation but also incentivizes continued engagement from your hedgehog. This innovative enrichment activity allows for a fusion of various stimulating elements, seamlessly integrating climbing challenges, interactive toys, and strategically placed treats to maintain momentum and motivation throughout the course. If you haven’t yet heard of her, we recommend checking out a remarkable little hedgie named Pepper, who is a ninja on her agility courses.

We’d love to hear about your favorite hedgehog enrichment activities. Share your ideas in the comments below!