Critter Crazy Hedgehogs

                                                      

My hedgehogs are African Pygmys. These little guys need to be kept above 70 degrees at all times. Less than this can result in hibernation and may even put your pet at risk for illness. Hedgehogs should live in temperatures between 72 and 85 degrees. This will keep your hedgehog happy:) 
A small hermit crab under tank heater can be used under a cage. It is safe to use on the plastic cages and should be placed under the sleeping area of the cage (the igloo). A red reptile heat lamp may be
 needed in winter, you can use both if you choose. Always use one or the other all year if your
house is kept cooler than the temperatures stated above or if your hedgehog's cage is kept on the floor. I prefer hedgehog cages be at least a couple feet off the drafty floor, away from direct heat or cold (windows, vents and ducts, fans, outside doors, heaters and air conditioning units.) It's important if you choose to use a heat lamp that you are using the red reptile bulbs (night bulbs). Nocturnal animals can not see the red light so it will not disrupt their sleep schedule, as using a regular white bulb as a heat source would. It also doesn't hurt to place a reptile thermometer
in or next to your hedgehog's cage so you can always tell if your hedgehog is to hot or to cold!

                                Bath Time:

On top of keeping your hedgehog's cage clean, you will need to keep your little quilled friend clean as well! I give my hedgies a bath about once a month. It tends to depend on the hedgehog, some seem to stay cleaner than others. Bath time should still stay around about once a month.

I use baby or puppy shampoo and a soft toothbrush,
"for all those hard to reach places" L.O.L., (between their quills) those under nail scrubbers with the little handles work well also..
 Anything tear free works great! It will more than likely get in their eyes at some point and NO one likes shampoo in the eye! Then remember to rinse and rinse again, it's very important to get ALL the shampoo off of them and their bellies too...

Trimming Nails:

I use bath time to check and see if their toe nails need trimmed. Also depends on the hedgehog but should be done about once a month.. I use catnail clippers. You can also use baby nail clippers if you choose. Make sure as with all animals to cut above the blood line! This is easy to tell because hedgehogs nails are normally white or clear in color. Remember it is always better

to leave them a little long than it is to cut them to short!!!

 

There is a good chance your hedgehog wont like getting his or her nails trimmed, this is why bath time is best. They wont curl up in a ball as long as they are in the water so it is possible to trim their nails under the water, as long as you can see what your doing.. Or what I do is- I set on the edge of the tub, I place a few inches of water in the tub, I place a winter glove on one hand and do the scrubbing and trimming with the other. The glove helps because if they do decide to bite they can't get through the glove and also they don't relate you with the glove, so no hard feelings later:) I place them in the water and get a hold of one of their little legs (above the joint or they will be able to pull it away from you) and place them on their backs in my lap on a folded up towel and then clip the nails on each foot and again and again till I am done. Dry them the best that you can and put them back in their cage and let them settle back down. They may be upset for a while, don't worry they will calm down in a few minutes.. And remember NEVER leave your hedgehog unattended

in the water... Be careful and Good Luck :)

 

 Got Mites???

In case of mites.. I use Revolution for puppies and kittens.
 The first hedgehog I got had them and they can be a "you know what" to get rid of! Revolution works wonders and it is safe for hedgehogs of all ages, babies, pregnant and even nursing! Just ask your vet for it. They should give it to you over the counter without paying to bring in your pet. I have heard of vets giving people a hard time about buying it for a hedgehog so in some cases your better off letting them assume its for a cat or dog to avoid waisting money on a unnecessary vet visit..

 I've also heard and would be willing to try Vegetable oil. It is an all natural alternative that can be just as effective (if used properly) as an over the counter treatment..

The little white guys are the most common mite that hedgehogs can get. This kind of mite is also believed to be species specific so don't worry about getting them yourself or giving them to other pets. These guys are very hard to see so you may only see signs of them. The signs can be scratching, dry skin w/flaking, loss of quills and scabbing. Now let's not confuse things.. All animals need to scratch, baby hedgehogs will lose their baby quills, and some dry skin is bound to happen. Even an adult hedgehog may lose a quill from time to time but when you have a case of mites these things become a LOT worse. When quills fall out they will leave bold patches, dry skin will be excessive, scratching will seem endless, and your hedgehog should never otherwise have scabs of any kind...

If you decide to litter box train.... All my hedgehogs are litter box trained and it does not have to be hard! They will follow their mother and be off to a good start if you got your hedgehog from someone who has litter box trained their own herd. If not, just start by placing the corner litter pan in one of the back corners of the cage, then place the litter in the litter pan. I like Arm and Hammer all natural clumping litter best but you can also use corncob or walnut both are used for birds and may be found in the bird supplies.

Arm and Hammer cat litter looks the same as Walnut litter but works WAY better, it's all natural and smells good too:)

I would stay away from other kinds of cat litter though. This is not dusty like cat litter, does not smell like cat litter and is not harmful like cat litter can be..

If they don't just choose to use the litter box because of its placement and the different texture inside it, you may have to pick up a few "messes" in the cage and place them in the pan for a while. You can also move the litter pan to where your hedgehog likes to go the most til it gets the hang of things! A baby is easier to start training with and should be trained by the time it is adult size. Adult hedgehogs can be trained as well but can a lot of times be "set in their ways" :)

A hedgehog in a multi level cage, in a cage with a permanent wheel or to many other permanent distractions may tend to use the litter pan less. Wheels, I find work best when not left in the cage at all times. It can be quit the mess! (Not to say you should not have a wheel in the cage sometimes). I choose to take mine out to exercise instead of having a wheel and mine use their litter pans a lot better this way! If you do not have a wheel, your hedgehog will need to be taken out everyday for play time & exercise, maybe in a ball? (Keep in mind... Hedgehogs can end up under hard to move furniture so be careful..) If you choose to have a wheel... I like the Silent Spinners best. Hedgehogs do not do well on the wheels made of wire with metal bars to run on so when choosing, please pick a solid plastic wheel instead.. Flying saucer wheels are also great.

Vet Care:

   We all hope our pets never fall ill but if they do you want to be prepared for it! Not all vets deal in exotics so PLEASE find a Vet who does NOW...   Better safe than sorry:)

 Diet:

Housing:

Hedgehogs need to be housed separately as they are solitary animals. This means they choose and prefer to live alone. If left together they may cause each other harm. Like a slow battle to the death.. Because of their built in armor the battle is long, you may not even notice any harm is being done until it's to late!

Note: Hedgehogs of different genders should not be left in with their litter mates or their mother past 7 weeks of age to avoid the chance of inbreeding!

 BACK TO HOUSING:

If I got to choose housing for each hedgehog I placed it would be:

 A 30 inch Super Pet cage, My First Home "large". This cage provides enough room for a igloo, litter pan, food, water and most important, the hedgehog! Wire on the top provides a well ventilated living space. The plastic bottom wraps up the sides of the cage so not only does it keep mess off the floor, it is also a easy to clean and sanitize surface. Hedgehogs do best off a wire bottomed cages, with a low placed water bottle, a dark or at least private place to sleep, clean cage and full n' clean food n' water... 

>A medium Super Pet igloo, 

>>A large Super Pet "ferret" high corner litter pan,  

  >>>>And a 8 to 16oz clear water bottle. I need to add, you must make sure the ball inside the water bottle spout does not get stuck!!! You can do this by tapping the end of it to make sure water is coming out. Also in case of hard water, you can soak the water bottle spouts in vinegar for 15 minutes or so to remove any build up- just make sure you rinse them really good or it might taste bad !

The above items with the exception of the water bottle (Walmart) can be found at 

Petsolutions.com

for the best prices and best shipping rates! Also Pet Solutions will price match so if you find the same thing somewhere else you can get it through Pet Solutions for the lower price and better shipping rate.. Petguys.com , Thatpetplace.com or Petdiscounters.com are other good places to shop online.. 

I use pine shavings for bedding (remember NEVER use cedar)

and Arm and Hammer Essentials, natural clumping litter
for the litter pan or the generic equivalent if that's all they have, these items along with the Purina Indoor cat food can be found for the best prices at Walmart!

>>Side notes: The ferret litter pan works great because it can be hooked to the side of the cage thereforefore held in place! The ceramic food dish is best because its own weight helps it not get knocked over! The clear water bottle so you can see if or when mold may be forming and your water bottle needs to be cleaned. The arm and hammer litter because it is small like cat litter but all natural and without the dust and smell of cat litter! Please NEVER use cat litter, it can be harmful if swallowed! I use pine shavings because it has a fresh sent and is also non toxic like cedar is to hedgehogs! Please NEVER use cedar!!!

It's very important to not be afraid of your hedgehog! The hedgehog may need to be a little grumpy when first waking up. Give him or her a few minutes to get going. I like to take away the igloo so they wake up and use the litter box before I scoop them out of their cage!

The more time you can spend with your hedgehog the better. Once you have a nice hedgehog it is very hard for it to become mean! Some hedgehogs have a worse start than others, for example the "hissing ball" at the pet store. You are usually better off with a home raised hedgehog.. Though I believe all hedgehogs can be nice! I hate to hear that that's ever the reason someone gives up on their pet. Any hedgehog, even a mean one can be made nice.. Just give it a little more of your time. A little patience goes a long way!!!              

Life Span: 

  Hedgehogs as I know them can live 5 to 7 years (if passed of old age) Some lines are stronger than others and some just get better care.... Hedgehogs if always kept warm, well fed, and loved can live a longer life but this is not to say that loved hedgehogs don't also pass on, they do:(

The longest I've heard of a hedgehog living is 10 years..