Hedgehogs

[Dark]

Hi, I have been wanting a pet hedgehog for a while now I finally found a place that is selling some babies so either tommorow (Thursday) Or Friday I will be buying one. I have have read a ton of things about them, I read about their housing, There diet and their life span, but I still can't be sure that everything I read about them is 100% true, So after searching up Hedgehog threads (found not too many) and asking friends about them I still have not been answered a few question, How much do they cost at average, do they need to have a cagemate, Whether or not it is difficult to breed them, and how big should their tank be... Oh and one of my friends keeps telling me that they often have fleas and that my other pets might be able to catch parasites from them is this true?
I will post pictures of the one I get soon.

Eric

P.S if you know any thing about hedgehogs that I might not be able to find on the average site feel free to tell me

 

[Takumaku]

Hi, I have been wanting a pet hedgehog for a while now I finally found a place that is selling some babies so either tommorow (Thursday) Or Friday I will be buying one.

Good choice on a pet, and the information available now is alot better than what I had about 10 years ago when I was keeping and breeding them. Be prepare for some painful encounters until the hedgy trust you because the slightess noise you make will cause the hedgy to assume a defensive spiny ball.

I have have read a ton of things about them, I read about their housing, There diet and their life span, but I still can't be sure that everything I read about them is 100% true...

Feed a basic insectivore diet -- IAMs dry cat food as a staple with crickets/roaches/mealworms 3-4 times a week. A small amount of cheese and fruit can be fed sparingly each week or used as a treat.

How much do they cost at average, do they need to have a cagemate, Whether or not it is difficult to breed them, and how big should their tank be...

Average cost now seems to be about $50+ for a basic salt and pepper hedgy. Albinos, cinnamons, and all the other morphs cost more.

Hedgies are solitary animals so no cagemates are needed.

Breeding is pretty straight forward, but if you are planning on breeding, it is advisable to breed the female before her 1st birthday. The reason for this (as I later learned after my female died) is reduce the likelihood of the female bleeding to death.

As for the tank issue, I can't help you there. My hedgies had a spare bedroom that was there personal cage.

Oh and one of my friends keeps telling me that they often have fleas and that my other pets might be able to catch parasites from them is this true?

Mites were the only thing that my hedgies would suffer from and that was when I first got them. Mites were easily treatable by getting a dose of ivormectin (I know I misspelled it ) which can be obtained cheaply from a vet.

 

[Frogsarethapoop]

I had one once when I was a kid. My mom thought it stunk and made me put it in the garage with the rabbit. Like a week later it was dead. We thought it went into hibernation so I tried warming it up, but nope it was dead. My only advice: hedgehogs are sweet just don't subject them to lower temperatures.

 

[Shelob]

I am so on board with getting one as well but the only reason I haven't is because I have heard their waste/tank smells HORRIBLE from a friend who has one, is this just improper diet or a common thing?

 

[brandi]

I'll agree with you on the waste thing.. we had four of them at the zoo and they smelled horrible! And we cleaned cages, scrubbed toys, and changed blankeys on a daily basis. Each was kept in its own 40 gallon size tank (no lids, they can't climb). They do need a secure place to hide and sleep during the day, and they all seemed to really like their "snugglys" - a hand-towel sized fuzzy blankey we kept in the hide box. You have to change it daily b/c they will mess on it. Good luck!

 

[Arietans]

You are really going to enjoy them. I have two hedgehogs in my aviary, and they are carrying on famously.

They eat the eggs of any of the ground birds

But all in all, great pets.

 

[Shelob]

You are really going to enjoy them. I have two hedgehogs in my aviary, and they are carrying on famously.

They eat the eggs of any of the ground birds

But all in all, great pets.

Any word on the waste scent?

 

[Arietans]

There are more than a hundred birds in the aviary, so I kinda don't notice the smell

 

[mindlessvw]

i had headgehogs when i was younger and i don't remember too much of a smell...you can get them to use a small "litter box" in the cage...Mine loved to play outside also...they eat bugs when they can and for some reason trow the half eaten bug on their back??? I have no idea why they did this but they did...also they love hard boiled egg...its like crack to them!

 

[Scorp guy]

I own one

Mine isn't too mcuh fun....at least since it broke it's 3rd hamster wheel. It hides almost all of the time, and eats and drinks now and then.

Be careful around the "hedges" of it. mine shakes when i go to pet it, and has drawn blood on me more than once.....

 

[Takumaku]

they eat bugs when they can and for some reason trow the half eaten bug on their back??? I have no idea why they did this but they did...also they love hard boiled egg...its like crack to them!

The hedgy was "self-anointing" which can be somewhat startling the first time an owner sees it happening.

 

[mindlessvw]

i also learned the hard way they kinda shed their quills...those are not fun to step on...but the babies are the cutest freakin' things ever!!!

 

[Socrates]

I never "owned" one, but when we lived in Germany we had hedgehogs all over the place. Once my son brought one inside, and yes, when they poop, it STINKS really, REALLY bad.

---
Wendy
---

 

[Dark]

I am so on board with getting one as well but the only reason I haven't is because I have heard their waste/tank smells HORRIBLE from a friend who has one, is this just improper diet or a common thing?

Hmmmm, I probably won't mind the smell at all but I probably will try my hardest to teach them how to use a litter box, Thanks All For the Replies

I will be getting the hedgehog withen a few hours

 

[mamadori]

Because I run an exotic animal rescue, I do not have to have permits or license to have one (I don't yet though). But I am pretty sure that you have to have license to own one in USA from USDA. Sorry I just threw away the number. It was for MO anyway. Maybe others here on the forum can tell you for sure.

 

[Dark]

there legal where I live, also not getting hedgehog till tuesday cause the store said there package flight was shifted

 

[Camberwell]

I obviously dont know what you've allready read on the subject, but over here in the UK we have hedgehogs everywere, and we also have a famous wildlife hospital called St Tiggywinkles which cares for injured hedgehogs and more.

http://www.sttiggywinkles.org.uk/

if you goto the fact sheets section theres some good info on hedgehogs there

just thought you might like a read

 

[6StringSamurai]

What is the rational for banning pet hedgehogs? It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Here in Pa you can't import them, but hedgehogs that were already in the state before the law was passed in 1992 and their descendants are ok.

 

[Takumaku]

What is the rational for banning pet hedgehogs? It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Here in Pa you can't import them, but hedgehogs that were already in the state before the law was passed in 1992 and their descendants are ok.

Blame it on the monkey pox outbreak that occurred in 2003 with praire dogs. Alot of great pets (short tail possums, praire dogs, etc.) could no longer be sold in pet stores (err.... stores that refused to get a USDA permit). Even though hedgehogs are not on the list, some owners are refusing to sell them [just in case] the USDA adds them to the list later.

 

[EAD063]

I almost bought a prarie dog when I was a freshman in High School (junior in college now) ....good thing I didn't lol