Playing with your Hedgie.

[dizknee]

I hear everybody talking about playtime... What does your playtime usually consist of? When I take my little BarbaPIC out he just wants to walk around, sniff things, try to squeeze through areas and last night had a wonderful time biting and pulling on the sleeve of my shirt.

I would love any suggestions on how I can make his life alot more fun.

[shirleytx]

I am quite new to hedgie's also I've had Daisy for nearly 2 months. I let Daisy have free run of the hallway, I use a grid barrier at one end and keep all bedroom doors shut. I put down some blankies, plastic pipes, a house, and assorted balls, toys, etc. and sit there with her. She runs around through things, under things, pushes things around until she has had enough and then she will crawl back under her blankie which is when she gets cuddle time and then back to her cage. Sometimes she will sit with the family on the sofa and run between me and my son (under very careful supervision so as not to fall of).

[paris26]

I have two different playpens set up. One for the boys and one for the girls so I can let two hogs play at the same time. They are actually the small animal pens that you can get at Wal-mart for $10. I'll try to find a pic. I hook two of those together for one play area. I put PVC pipes, a spare wheel, cat toys,etc. I let the hedgies wander around and I hide a few mealies or freeze dried crickets for them to find too. I've also let them explore my dining room with supervision. That's one way I can get my biggest girl to really move her butt and get some exercise. The great unknown is a wonderful motivator

[Melissa7746]

New to Hedgies also...I set him on my bed and talk to him until he uncurls..he likes to huff ALOT! then he goes in his playpen..I got mine from wally world also..I have a wheel and toys that go in there and when hes done he will try and crawl under anything that resembels a blankie...

[HedgieSpirit]

My setup is similar to Paris' I have two small animal playpens that I connect to form one big playpen. I have a bunch of boxes and tunnels and small toys that I put in there. I set it up in the living room so I can lay in there and watch tv. She enjoys the boxes and other toys I have in there for her but she really LOVES to climb all over me.

Another fun activity is cricket hunting :)
-Set a few live crickets loose in the bathtub
-Add hedgie
-Enjoy the fun!
Chloe absolutely loves this. I sit in there with her and we are a hunting team. lol. Sometimes she will get frustrated if she can't find a scent trail so I point to a cricket and she will run over towards it and chase it until she can trap it in a corner then she gobbles it up! Fun stuff :)

[barton]

so cute i want to try this cricket thing but i can just picture me cheering her on and her just sitting there like "what do you mean your not gonna feed me them" and my boy would probably just huff at them...he is a fraidy pig...but maybe i will try it out at the least it should be entertaining even if i am the one catching them in the end

[HedgieSpirit]

Yea, if it turns out your hedgies aren't the hunting type, you can just stick the crickets in the freezer for a bit and then your hediges won't have to chase them :)

[Tampaquillowner]

I have an plastic sterilite filled with tissue paper (a big hit with everyone), a cat krinkle sack (picked it up at petsmart), an a tp tube for them to play with. I used to use the same playpen as described above but then I discovered that if I put them in the bathroom using the gate as a barrier they will play much longer (instead of going to sleep). They love to sniff all around and explore all of Bella's toys and they will play with their toys more. They seem to tube more when they are in the bathroom too. Also the bathroom is linoleum so its MUCh easier to clean than the carpet if someone has an accident.

[HedgieSpirit]

Chloe always has accidents when she is out of her cage. So, when I got the playpens, I also got a cheap shower curtain and a vellux blanket. I put the shower curtain down and the blanket over it and then I put the playpen on top of those so accidents are fine :) Its the only way my parents would ever let me have her out in our living room (the carpet is brand new). I have found it works very well. When she goes potty I spot clean and then once a week or so, I just throw them in the laundry :)

[PrettyHate]

Chloe always has accidents when she is out of her cage. So, when I got the playpens, I also got a cheap shower curtain and a vellux blanket. I put the shower curtain down and the blanket over it and then I put the playpen on top of those so accidents are fine :) Its the only way my parents would ever let me have her out in our living room (the carpet is brand new). I have found it works very well. When she goes potty I spot clean and then once a week or so, I just throw them in the laundry :)

What type of shower curtain is it? I was thinking of getting one of those heavy plastic ones to put down on the bottom of my playpen- so that way I could just spray it down with a disinfectant, and wipe it down. Is that the type that you put in the laundry?