Can Hedgehogs Play With Toilet Paper Rolls?

If you have a pet hedgehog, then you have probably already bought them a lot of toys to play with.

Despite this, like all animals, hedgehogs often just like to play with things that aren’t really toys. Dogs like to play with sticks, cats like to play with cardboard boxes, and hedgehogs like to play with toilet paper rolls. 

If your hedgehog has started playing with toilet paper rolls, then you might be questioning whether this is safe for them. Especially if you are fairly new to owning a hedgehog.

In this guide, we’ll be taking a look at whether, or not, hedgehogs can play with toilet paper rolls, and why they are so attracted to them. 

Can Hedgehogs Play with Toilet Paper Rolls?

Yes, hedgehogs can play with toilet paper rolls! Of course, from a practical perspective, there is nothing stopping your hedgehog from playing with toilet paper rolls, but you might be unsure if this is safe.

Any good hedgehog owner will be cautious about what they allow their hedgehog to play with, so this caution isn’t a bad thing. But, it is perfectly safe for your hedgehog to play with a toilet paper roll. 

There are lots of expensive toys on the market that you can buy for your hedgehog, and as a good owner, you have likely spent a fair amount of money on these toys.

But, hedgehogs are no different from other pets, and they will often neglect their expensive toys in favor of something that costs you absolutely nothing. For hedgehogs, it is toilet paper rolls that are the ultimate lure. 

It is difficult to tell exactly why hedgehogs love toilet paper rolls so much, but for whatever reason, they are one of the most popular toys for this pet.

So, next time that you are in the pet store, and you’re looking at all the ‘small animal’ toys, you might want to put your purse or wallet away. Your hedgehog would much prefer some new toilet paper rolls, and you probably already have plenty of these at home.

Are Toilet Paper Rolls Safe for Hedgehogs?

Even though toilet paper rolls are one of the most popular hedgehog toys, you might still not be sold on the safety of these tubes.

After all, your pet hedgehog is like your baby, so, understandably, you don’t want any harm to come to them. But there really is no need to worry, as toilet paper rolls make perfectly safe toys for hedgehogs. 

If you are still concerned about the safety of the toilet paper rolls, then you could cut them down before giving them to your hedgehogs. Hedgehogs like toilet paper roll because of their tube shape, but some owners worry that their pets could get stuck in the tubes due to their length.

If this is something that you are worried about, then you should cut your toilet paper rolls in half before you give them to your hedgehog. 

This is really easy to do, all you need to do is take a pair of scissors and cut lengthwise down the middle of the roll. That way, if your hedgehog does ‘get stuck’, they will always be able to maneuver their way out.

However, in most cases, the risk of your hedgehog getting stuck is very slim. Additionally, you should always supervise your hedgehog during playtime, so if they do get stuck, you will be there ready to help. 

Why do Hedgehogs put their Heads in Tubes?

Even though toilet paper rolls are one of the most popular toys for hedgehogs, the exact reason why they like them so much is pretty unclear. Some people think that they like these tubes because it allows them to hide their faces, which they find fun, but there is another possible reason behind this behavior.

A lot of hedgehog owners believe that their pets love to play with toilet paper rolls so much because hedgehogs love bugs. While bugs do not live in toilet paper rolls, they do live in small, cave-like structures, with single openings, like toilet paper rolls.

So many owners have theorized that hedgehogs enjoy playing with toilet paper rolls because it makes them feel like they are hunting out bugs. 

However, the exact reason why hedgehogs enjoy putting their heads in tubes isn’t clear.

All we know is that these simple pieces of household waste are one of the most popular toys for hedgehogs. So, instead of throwing your toilet paper rolls out with the rubbish, put them aside for your hedgehogs to play with. 

Summary

In short, yes, hedgehogs can play with toilet paper rolls. In fact, these are one of the most popular, and cheapest hedgehog toys that exist. So, keep your empty toilet paper rolls to one side so that you can give them to your hedgehog to play with.