The tiny and prickly hedgehog can be one of the friendliest pets that you can have. Once you earn their trust, the quills on this animal will no longer be a source of concern, as the animal will allow you to cuddle them all you want.
While hedgehogs are not a high-maintenance pet, the few needs that they have must be met so they can lead happy and fulfilling lives.
One of those needs is regular exercise. If you do not exercise your small one, they risk becoming obese, which predisposes them to several health risks.
Toys offer you one of the best and simplest ways of exercising a hedgehog, as the animal can play with them without you having to be there.
Unfortunately, it is only in recent times that hedgehogs have become popular or even legal as house pets. As such, there are not many toys that have been specifically designed for hedgehogs. This makes finding the ideal toy for your quill ball a difficult task.
Fortunately, we have done the heavy lifting for you. Here are reviews of the best toys for your hedgehog available today.
Being prey animals, hedgehogs in the wild always have to be on the lookout for danger. To aid their chances of survival, they will routinely dig out dens or find tunnels to hide and sleep in. Even though your pet hedgehog might have been born and bred in captivity, those survival instincts are still deeply wired in them. As such, giving them a toy that resembles a natural hideout would be greatly satisfying to them.
The Natural Wooden Tunnel Tube by NiteAngel is one such toy. In addition to being a tunnel, it also has holes that allow your little one to peek out to check for “danger.” This toy allows the animal to exercise their instincts while encouraging them to explore their enclosure.
Additionally, since it is made from natural wood, the critter can chew on it to keep their teeth in shape.
You can also place treats in the tunnel to encourage them to explore it. What’s more, your little one can sleep there when they are tired.
This toy is cheap and lightweight, serves a variety of functions, and feels natural to your pet hedgehog, which is why we have it as our top pick.
This Treat Ball by Wheeky is a fun toy that allows you to offer your pet hedgehog both physical and mental stimulation.
With a diameter of only 2.8 inches, it is small enough for your prickly one to roll around and even pick up if they want to. It comes in a bright yellow color with orange decorative carrots. Critters such as hedgehogs are known to have a liking for these colors.
This ball has adjustable openings where you can place treats. When you put the treats inside, you will be triggering your pet’s instinct to forage.
Therefore, in addition to getting exercise by pushing around this ball, they will also be getting mental stimulation by trying to figure out how to get to the treats inside.
This ball is quite affordable, making it one of the best toys for hedgehogs for the money.
Pros
Provides physical exercise
Encourages foraging for mental stimulation
Cheap
Cons
Some critters give up on it if they are unable to figure out how to get to the treats inside
This exercise ball is designed so you can place the pet inside. They can then decide where they want to go. It is made from shatter-resistant plastic, so it does not break easily when they bump into hard surfaces. With a diameter of 10 inches, this ball has more than enough space for your pet to not feel too confined.
It also has sufficient ventilation to ensure that the animal breathes comfortably while inside. You will find several grips in its inner surface that allow the animal to have greater control over the ball’s direction.
The best part about this toy is that you get to let the hedgehog out of its enclosure and out into the open without the fear of losing them.
The Lee’s Kritter Krawler Jumbo Exercise Ball gives the animal a good workout and provides you with great entertainment. As such, be prepared to pay the price, as it is a premium product.
This puzzle playground by Kaytee will be immense fun for both you and your pet. For you, it tests your mental fortitude and patience to create a play unit or jungle gym for your little one, while for the critter, it allows them to have numerous playing and hiding spaces.
The Kaytee Puzzle Playground allows you to place treats in various parts of the pen for your pet to find while playing. This stimulates them mentally and allows the animal to exercise their natural nesting and hiding instincts.
What is more, you can expand the pen to provide your prickly one with even more stimulation.
The only downside to this toy is that you will need time and patience to set it up correctly; otherwise, you can get frustrated.
Sometimes, your hedgehog needs time to themselves, and it is not out of spite for you or anyone else. Hedgehogs are nocturnal creatures, meaning they sleep during the day and come out at night to go about their activities.
As such, it is necessary to give them an alternative hiding spot in their enclosure where they can lounge during the day. This Igloo Hideout by Kaytee is an excellent hideaway for your critter.
It comes in a variety of colors to add to the décor of your little one’s enclosure. It is also translucent to allow you to observe your pet as they are chilling. It is designed to encourage the hedgehog’s natural nesting instincts.
This Igloo is easy to clean, in addition to being stain resistant. Don’t worry about its durability; it is made from sturdy plastic to ensure longevity.
If you are looking for a hideout toy that might not harm your prickly one, the Hideaway Grass Hut by Prevue is a great choice. This hideaway is a hand-woven grass activity center that aims to satisfy your pet’s instinct to burrow, explore, and nest.
You can place treats and small toys inside to allow the animal to entertain themselves when lounging in. This is because at 11 inches long, 9 inches wide, and 6 inches wide, your pet will have more space to do more than just sleep.
That’s not all: It is made of 100% all-natural sisal tassel that will not harm the hedgehog when they decide to nibble on it.
Pros
Made from all-natural materials
Encourages nesting and exploration
Spacious
Cons
Might not last long
7. Dahey Cute Hedgehog Mini Chair Small Animal Swivel Seat Toy Plastic
This toy plastic swivel seat by Dahey might be more for you than for the animal, as hedgehogs are not exactly known for sitting.
Nonetheless, it makes a great addition to the animal’s enclosure. What you will love about it is that it makes for a great photo prop. If you are a picture person, this mini chair will allow you to take mesmerizing photos.
Also, you can use it as a decorative piece for the cage or for placing the animal’s toys and treats.
The seat is plastic while the base is made from metal, which means that it is sturdy enough to support your small one.
Pros
Great photo prop
Sturdy design
Decorative piece
Cons
Might take a while for the hedgehog to like it
Buyer’s Guide: Picking the Best Toy for Hedgehog
Look out for the following things when choosing a toy for your pet hedgehog.
Safety
This is the most important consideration, as you don’t want your pet hurting themselves during play. When it comes to safety, avoid any toy that has sharp edges, as it can hurt the animal. If the toy is great but has sharp edges, then consider smoothening them out.
Color
Hedgehogs have been observed to be attracted to bright colors. As such, it is plausible that they will be more likely to play with brightly colored toys.
Most Popular Types of Hedgehog Toys
Hedgehogs have a liking for certain types of toys. The following are options that you should consider.
Wooden Tunnel Tubes
As mentioned, hedgies love tunnels, as it is in their nature to hide in such places. Therefore, a tunnel tube will always be a great toy for a hedgehog. However, not all such toys are made from materials that the animal can ingest safely.
This is why it is best to go for wooden tunnel toys. However, first make sure that the tunnel does not have any sharp edges or splinters that could harm the animal.
To make it more fun for the hedgie, consider putting treats inside and then watch them go hunting.
Barrel Roller
This is a wooden toy that your pet can roll around, and it usually has a tingling ball inside that makes noises as the hedgehog pushes it around. It provides them with both physical and mental stimulation.
Knot Nibbler
If your hedgehog is a chewer, you should look into getting them these kinds of toys. However, ensure that the toy is made of things that are safe for your hedgie to chew on. As such, when choosing a knot nibbler toy, it is best to go for those that are made of wood and dyed with organic vegetable colors.
This will ensure that your pet’s health is not at risk when they nibble on the toy.
Hideout Toys
Hedgehogs typically hide when they are feeling stressed or agitated. As such, a hideout toy comes in handy when the animal needs some time off.
You also need to consider the material that a hideout toy is made of. The best hideaways are made from wood or grass fibers. Additionally, make sure that the hideaway does not contain any things that could injure your pet.
Conclusion
One of the most important things you can do to keep your hedgie happy is to give them adequate mental and physical stimulation. This ensures that they do not become bored, which can make them susceptible to stress. Also, considering that hedgehogs are solitary creatures, they require more stimulation than animals that can live in pairs.
Toys provide you with a simple method of providing that stimulation to your hedgie. They ensure that your pet not only stays fit but also improves their cognitive skills.
Nicole is the proud mom of 3 rescue fur babies, Baby, a Burmese cat; Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway; and Mac, a Lab/Mastiff. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes (and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship) and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts' knowledge with pet lovers across the globe....Read more
