5 Best Hedgehog Wheels That Really Run (2024 Review & Guide)

For those of you, who are in a hurry: Here’s my top pick, the Exotic Nutrition Silent Runner 12″.

I spent hours searching for the best hedgehog wheel. It was really not easy to find one that is large enough, easy to clean, silent, safe and stable. During my research, I came across other websites promoting products, that are either too small or of bad quality. So I thought it might be interesting and helpful to share my point of view with you.

In this article I’m going to review the following 5 hedgehog wheels:

Exotic Nutrition Silent Runner 12” (Best hedgehog wheel overall)
Suncoast Sugar Gliders Wodent Wheel Senior (Runner up)
Felix & Fido Spin Safe 15″ (Largest)
Treadmill Wheel (11″ Green; flying saucer) (Best flying saucer)
Ware Manufacturing Flying Saucer 12″ (Flying saucer runner up)

Best Hedgehog Wheel Reviews

All the products in this list meet my requirements on safety and can be considered to be the best hedgehog wheel.

Exotic Nutrition Silent Runner 12″

The Silent Runner Wheel is very well-liked by many hedgehog owners. This variant is 12 inches in diameter and was specially designed for hedgehogs.

The closed wheel design offers bean-shaped openings for your hedgehog to access and leave.

2 ball bearings ensure smooth and silent spinning. Some buyers complain about terrible noise, while most confirm the silence. Especially in the case of a hedgehog exercise wheel, noise can be connected with improperly attaching. I found a video that shows the easy assembling and gives you an impression of the “noise” it makes in the end.

This is a safe wheel, there is no crossing center axle, that not only eliminates the risk of tail or fur entanglement. It although offers more free movement.

The track itself is textured in favor of more grip. It can be replaced with an auto-clean track with a drainage system or a sandy track for nail filing. Both have to be purchased separately.

The Silent Runner is a free-standing wheel that also comes with a cage mount. So it’s suitable for wire cages as well as bins or hedgehog playpens. When you use the stand, you have to ensure that it doesn’t move.

Disassembling is very simple and cleaning easy as a result. There are no nooks for feces to hide. The front panel ensures stability but can also be removed if you want.

Diameter: 12 inches

Pros:

Silent through ball bearings
Freestanding and attachable
No crossing axle
Textured running track
Durable plastic
Easy to clean

Cons:

On stand it might slip over the bottom if not additional fixed

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Suncoast Sugar Gliders Wodent Wheel Senior

The Suncoast Sugar Gliders Wheel belongs to the popular hedgehog wheels. It’s 11 inches in diameter and when you use the stand, it is 12 inches high. Even if I have recommended a slightly higher diameter of 12 inches I think this wheel works very well for hedgehogs.

However, if your hedgie is very big, you should be aware of the closed wheel design. The Openings are quite small in this case and another option might be the better fit for your pet.

With 4.6 stars out of 5, this Suncoast Wheel is best-rated by its customers. For the quality you get, the price is really ok, as it is average compared to other ones. Plan to have a durable toy you can use for years.

You won’t find an exercise wheel that is completely silent, but this one gets surprisingly near to it.

The running track has a flat and solid surface which is good for providing injuries. If you want, you can DIY an additional wheel cover with fleece or a cage liner.

The axle is completely covered by the tail shield, which covers other potential risks. The front plate protects your hedgie from flying off the wheel. Besides hedgehogs usually prefer enclosed wheels.

Even if it comes with a stand, you can attach it to wire cages with zip ties from the metal base. Just be sure to make this very properly so that there are no places that can create noise.

There is only one thing I really can complain about. It is hard to clean, especially when used by hedgehogs. Disassembling is difficult but necessary in our case as hedgehogs like to poop while running. Getting feces out of the wheel is tough.

Diameter: 11 inches

Pros:

Good value for the money
Really silent
Solid and flat running track
Safed axle through the tail shield

Cons:

Hard to clean
Small openings

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Felix & Fido Spin Safe 15″

Another good wheel for hedgehogs in giant size is the Felix & Fido Spin Safe. This 15 inches large wheel is originally designed for chinchillas and one of the largest I could find. Some people will complain about the price, but honestly, it is made of very high-quality materials. All parts are made of wood and metal, you won’t find any plastic.

The ball bearings make spinning very silent, but it can be loud when it is bouncing against the bars of the cage. You can prevent that by following every single step exactly like it is said in the instructions.

Safety is ensured by a flat and wide running surface and an axle-free design. If you need a wheel cover, you can use fleece for this purpose.

Even if I like this wheel very much, I won’t recommend it because of a combination of price and potential noise. With such an expensive wheel everything should work out perfectly.

You should although have a close look at the height. In some cases, your cage might simply be too small for this one.

Diameter: 15 inches

Pros:

Sturdy
Natural design through wood and metal
100% safe

Cons:

Price
Makes noise when not correctly attached

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Treadmill Wheel (11″ Green; flying saucer)

Treadmills or flying saucers are a completely other type of wheel. They can be a very good alternative as some hedgies don’t want to run in a traditional wheel. An important feature is, that they are tail-safe by nature.

This saucer wheel is all made of powder-coated metal and very durable. Especially when it comes to the sturdy base is this material is a real feature. It will be hard to turn this one around while running. In my opinion, this is a big safety bonus.

In contrast to other flying saucers made of plastic, this one made of powder-coated metal is very durable.

The ball bearing makes the treadmill silent but definitely needs some maintenance. The center cartridge must be oiled occasionally for smooth and silent running. When cleaning, water and soap contact must be avoided with the cartridge. Apart from that, cleaning is possible in a breeze.

A flat running surface prevents curvature of the spine. Moreover, there are no potential sources of injuries.

The whole wheel stands very stable because of its heaviness this is even when it’s placed on top of loose bedding.

As most things about flying saucers sound very positive, there are some cons too. In some cases, feces are scattered around through the momentum. This can be quite disappointing when they land on your floor. Another thing that you should have in mind is that treadmills need more cage space in the hedgehog habitat.

Diameter: 11 inches

Hight: 7 inches

Pros:

Durable powder-coated metal
Safe
Silent
Easy cleaning

Cons:

Feces might be scattered around
More ground space needed

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Ware Manufacturing Flying Saucer 12″

The Ware Manufacturing Flying Saucer is the second treadmill in my review. First, it makes a good impression as it is toe-safe, has a solid running surface and is affordable. Also don’t overlook, that it’s a silent spinner. Your hedgie won’t wake you up when he runs on the wheel at night.

Flying saucers from this manufacturer are usually very good, so I thought this might be a good recommendation. Sadly that is not true for the large 12-inch wheel. The toy itself can’t bear much weight, so the spindle is often cracking after 1 or 2 months in use.

As you guess, I do not recommend this wheel. But if you are on the search for a smaller flying saucer you can give Ware Manufacturing a chance and try the 7.25 inch or the 5-inch versions a try.

Diameter: 12 inches

Height: 7.5 inches

Pros:

Toe safe
Solid running surface
Affordable wheel

Cons:

Cracks easily

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Why should you buy a hedgehog wheel?

Hedgehogs are very active animals and they have an inherent instinct to run. In the wild, these nocturnal critters make it over several miles per night. Actually, they can run up to an impressing 12 miles with a top speed of 12 mph. Calculated to their size this is more than a marathon. [1]

Due to these facts, it seems obvious, that hedgehogs need a possibility to run in their cages. In most cases, the wheel turns into the primary source of exercise. This does not only reduce boredom but is essential for the hedgies’ health.

What to consider when choosing a hedgehog wheel (Buying guide)

There is more to choosing the best hedgehog wheel than just looking at price and noise level. Depending on your and your critters’ needs, several types of wheels can be a good fit. In this article, you will learn more about the different aspects of this kind of exercise option.

Size

The right size is one of the most important qualities your exercise wheel should fulfill. Some blogs tell you that it should not be less than 7 inches wide. I think this is not enough. Hedgehogs are fairly large critters and therefore I recommend 12 inches in diameter.

Even if your hedgehog will use smaller wheels, it is important, that his spine is not turned in any unnatural positions. If this is disregarded it can lead to issues with spine curvature in the long run.

When looking for wheels that fit this criterion, you will see, that most are ineligible. Anyhow, sometimes you will have to make some compromises and if it is because of cage size. Have in mind, there might be additional space needed for the stand or some hedgehog bedding underneath the wheel. Because of this, I decided to review wheels up from a diameter of 10 inches.

Compatibility

In most cases, the compatibility is tied to the cage size as mentioned in the paragraph above. So have in mind, that the wheel should not be as high as the cage. In some cases this is a good argument for a flying saucer. If you don’t know what that exactly is at this point: you will figure it out in our reviews.

There are freestanding or cage-attached exercise wheels for hedgehogs. Attached ones won’t suit for plastic bins and all cage types without wire bars. Freestanding wheels will work with every cage, as long as they fit in.

Safety

Safety, of course, is a very important aspect you should have in mind when choosing the wheel for your hedgehog. When buying things for your pet you should always be mindful of potential causes for injuries.

You should have an eye on parts that could harm the feet or tail of your beloved pet. In the case of a safe exercise wheel, this means, that you should avoid open hinges or axles by all means.

The same stands for holes and small gaps. Complete open wheels are often a good choice but you have to weigh in a lack of stability due to the wheel design. This is the reason why most products I recommend are somewhat closed. I’ve never had problems with injuries with these.

Prefer soft and textured surfaces.

In the case of freestanding wheels make sure that there is no way they can flip over.

Noise

If you want to get your sleep at night, this is the factor you should have a close look at. As hedgehogs are nocturnal your friend will most likely run all night long. It’s very important to get a quiet wheel though.

If the exercise wheel makes much noise or not is mainly dependent on the materials that are used. You should definitely look for ball bearings if this topic concerns you.

Most metal wheels tend to turn into quite squeaky wheels at some point. You can easily fix this with some lubricant (vegetable oil will do the job) for your and your hedgies’ comfort. If the hedgehog cage is far away from your bedroom you can be more tolerant of the noise.

Generally, my list only contains silent hedgehog wheels. Make sure to assemble things properly and keep everything up to get the most out of this feature.

Sturdiness

Sturdiness is important not only from the safety perspective as these typically do not tip over. If you choose a durable wheel your hedgie can run in it for years to come. Even a wheel from very good quality and at the pricier end of the range can be more favorable when you take this into consideration.

To gauge the sturdiness you should take a look into the reviews of each product.

Materials

There are 3 different materials that are often used for exercise wheels:

Metallic wheels: Most durable, but can become squeaky. You can fix this as mentioned with lubricants like plant oils. Don’t place these direct under ceramic heat emitters as some can get to warm for your hedgies’ feet.
Plastic wheels: Long-lasting and easiest to clean. It can bring problems with heat when placed under an emitter.
Wooden wheels: The most natural and often good-looking wheels. Sadly they are not easy to clean as the wood can absorb liquids like urine. Often they start to smell at some point.

Ease of Cleaning

Usually, plastic wheels are the easiest to clean. Especially when they are completely open you can simply put them into the dishwasher.

Independent from the materials all surfaces should be reached without obstacles. Generally, the more minimalistic the design, the easier to clean, is the rule.

Wheels of metal or plastic can be cleaned with a brush, warm water and mild detergent without much effort. If necessary you can disinfect the toy every now and then.

When you make your choice, have in mind, that wooden surfaces are usually the hardest to clean. And you have to clean them properly as hedgehogs like to make their toilet when running.

Features

Some running wheels come with features that are fun or make maintenance of the cage easier.

Most notably there are 2 things that are practical or exciting:

Hedgehog wheels with litter boxes
Hedgehog wheels with odometer

Wheels you should not buy for a hedgehog

There are two types of wheels that you should not choose for your little hedgie. Both can lead to serious injuries.

Crossbar wheels can cause accidents when your hedgehog tries to get off while the wheel is still spinning.
Mesh Wheels can take hold of the hedgies’ toenails or even legs. Bleeding wounds or broken bones can be the result.

Conclusion

My top pick is the Silent Runner from Exotic Nutrition and here I’m going to tell you why.

Compared to my runner up there is especially one main difference: the Silent Runner is easy to clean. If you don’t want the front panel you can easily remove it and let your hedgie run without it. I think the 2 bad reviews are overweight and come from incorrect usage. Every wheel will cause some problems like noise if you don’t install it properly. When a hedgehog is not fitting in this wheel, he will fit in no one.

If you found that your prickly pal doesn’t want to run in a wheel, just try a flying saucer. As it is very sturdy and from metal, I recommend the Treadmill Wheel. It won’t break easily and I think it will last for years in most cases.

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