Hedgehog FAQ

This page answers the questions that I am constantly asked.
If you have a question that you think should be on this page, please send me an e-mail

Is a hedgehog the right pet for me?
Are hedgehogs good pets for children?
What should I do when my hedgehog first comes home?
Can I let my hedgie free roam?
Which sex makes a better pet?
I am worried about cutting my hedgehog's nails. What can I do?
















Is a Hedgehog the Right Pet for Me?

So you've gone over the basics of hedgehog care. You know what you need to buy. You know how to take care of a hedgehog. But you are still not sure if a hegehog is the right pet for you.
This list shows the different things that you will have to get used to if you purchase a hedehog:

--Hedgehogs are nocturnal.
Will you be able to resist waking your hedgehog during the day under most circumstances?
Will you be able to play with your hedgehog every night, even if it does not wake up until 9 or 10 pm?

--You will get pricked.
No matter how friendly your hedgehog is, you will get pricked.
Are you okay with with this?

--You will need to keep your hedgehog cage warm.
While some hedgehogs are okay at 72 degrees, many hedgehogs need a warmer temperature, such as 75-76 degrees year-round.
Will you be able to keep the temperature around their cage a constant 75 degrees?

--Hedgehogs are more expensive than other small animals.
Supplies, caging, food, toys, etc... can cost well over $100.
Also, the hedgehog itself will cost another hundred.
Can you afford this?

--Each month you will need to buy new supplies for your hedgehog.
Food, toys, bedding, etc... can cost 20-30 per month.
You may also have to pay for shipping if you order from online.
Will you be able to afford this extra monthly expense?

--You may get bitten.
Even if your hog is friendly, anything with teeth can bite.
Are you okay with this possibly happening?

--Your hog will probably need to visit a vet at least once in its lifetime.
Most vets have never treated hedgehogs.
Is there a hedgehog vet near you?
Will you be able to bring in your hog as soon as it gets sick?
Vet visits can cost $60+.
Will you be able to afford this?

--Your hog may never enjoy being held.
Some hedgehogs just prefer to run and explore.
Will you be okay if your hedgehog doesn't want to be held?

--You will need to take daily care of your hog.
This includes cleaning a dirty wheel, giving fresh food and water, replacing dirty bedding, playing with your hedgehog, etc...
Basic daily care, not including playing with your hog, can easily take up to 15 minutes each day.
Can you accept this kind of committment?

--You will need to play with your hog every day.
While some days you can just let them run around in a hedgie-proof playpen, you will need to spend at least a few days a week bonding with your hedgehog.
Will you be able to find the time to do this?

--Hedgehogs live for up to five years, possibly even longer.
Will you be able to take care of your hedgehog this entire time?
Will you be able to pay for its food, bedding, supplies, etc...?
Will you be able to take it to the vet?
Will you be able to play with it each and every day?
If you go away on a trip, will someone else be able to take care of your hedgehog for you?

If you can answer yes to every one of these questions, then a hedgehog is probably a good pet for you!



Are Hedgehogs Good Pets for Children?

The answer you get to this question really depends on who you ask. Being a child myself, I know that hedgehogs can be good pets for children. It does, however, depend on many things.
Whether or not a hedgehog is a good pet for a child depends mostly on the child's age and responsibility. Of course, it also depends on if the child will truly be the sole caretaker of the hedgehog. On this page, I am going to talk about my beliefs about a child being the primary caregiver for a hedgehog. Before I say anything, though, in the end it is truly the parent's responsibility to take care of the hedgehog. If the child has trouble taking care of the hog or looses interest at any point, the parents will need to step in and take care of the hedgehog. If this is not possible, then a hedgehog is probably not a good pet for you.

Age:
No matter how mature a child may be, age does play a big part in owning a pet. Younger kids, ages 1-7 (depending on maturity) would probably not do well as the primary caregiver for a hedgehog. Hedgehogs are a lot of work, and for a younger child to take care of it is asking a lot. Also, hedgehogs don't wake up until around 9-10pm. A youger child wouldn't ever get a chance to play with their hedgehog because by the time the hedgehog woke up they would be asleep. Even older kids (ages 8-10) may have trouble taking daily care of a hedgehog. It is different if the hedgehog is the "child's" pet, but the parents are really the ones who take care of it.
Most older kids (ages 11+) have the ability to properly care for a hedgehog, but whether they will or not depends largely on responsibilty.

Responsibility:
Whether or not a child can take care of a hedgehog without much help also depends largely on responsibility. Younger kids, no matter how mature, would probably have trouble fullfilling all the different aspects of hedgehog care.
Older kids have the ability, but not necessairily the responsibility. I can honestly say that most kids my age would not be good candidates for hedgehog ownership due to a lack of responsibility.
First the child needs to do plenty of research about hedgehogs.
Second, the child needs to make sure that they have enough time to take care of the hedgehog. I am an honor student, and between school, homework, extra curricular activities, my website, and my pets, I barely have any time for myself. Will the child be able to make this kind of time sacrifice?
Third, the child needs to have money saved up to pay for the hedgehog, supplies, and vet bills. I would suggest saving up 250 for supplies and the hedgehog, and then another 100 in case there is an emergency. I always have a couple hundred in an emergency vet/supplies fund. I know it is a lot of money, but you need to be prepared.
If the child does all this, and still believes that he/she wants to get a hedgehog and will be able to take care of it, then a hedgehog may be a good possible pet.
No matter how responsible the child, however, the parents needs to check every day to make sure the child is taking proper care of the hedgehog.



What should I do When My Hedgehog First Comes Home?

When your hedgehog first comes home, you will probably want to play with it, show it to all of your friends, etc... Unfortunately, this is not a very good idea.
There are some basic guidelines you should follow when you first bring your hedgehog home in order to ensure that it stays happy and healthy.

When you first bring your hedgehog home, let it have some time alone. Give it food and water, its toys, a place to hide, its wheel, etc... but don't try to play with it. Moving can be very stressful for a hedgehog. Let it adjust without interference.
Don't be too woried if your hedgehog doesn't seem to eat or drink for the first day or so. As I mentioned before, moving can be very stressful for a hedgehog. Just make sure that you are feeding the same kind of food as the breeder did. Eventually you can change foods, but at first keep it the same.
It may also be a good idea to ask what kind of water the breeder uses. Bottled water? Tap water? Filtered water? Distilled water? Make sure that at first you use the same kind of water as the breeder used so that it doesn't taste different to your hedgehog.
Don't be too woried if at first your hedgehog's stools are loose or discolored. This can easily be brought on by stress. If the stools don't clear up within a couple days, however, there may be a more serious problem at hand.
After a few days, your hedgehog should be eating, drinking, and going to the bathroom like normal. It should also be exploring its cage at night. This is when you can start to socialize it.



Can I let my hedghog roam freely around the house?

It is possible, but it takes a lot of work. You cannot simply pick a room, put your hedgie in it, and be done. You have to be willing to spend a lot of time and effort to completely hedgie-proof your house.
First, you have to decide how much you want your hedgie to free roam. One room, one floor, the house, etc... At least to start out, I would suggest only having one room. It is incredibly difficult to fully hedgie-proof an entire house. First, how will you make sure your hedgehog stays in a confined area? Is there a door? Will you use a baby gate? Or will you use another way? If you use a door, how will you make sure that your hog doesn't escape when you open the door and doesn't get hit when you open the door? You could set up a playpen a few feet in front of the door so that your hedgehog can't get near the door even if it is open.
Do you have other pets? If you accidently leave the door open, will your dog or cat be able to get to your hedgehog?
Is the room hedgie-safe? That means no wires, no loose fabrics, no appliances (such as a washing machine, refridgerator, oven, etc... no holes in the wall, no places to get stuck, and no other possible problems. After you have checked the room once, twice, three times, put your hedgie in. Make sure you watch your hedgie for a while at first, because it may find a problem that you never thought of. Also, always make sure that your hog is able to get back into its cage.
If you can do all of this, then you shouldn't have any problems letting your hedgehog roam free.



Which sex of hedgehog makes the best pet?

There is no difference!
Most people assume that female animals of a species are more affectionate and friendlier than the males. This is not true with hedgehogs. Males and females make equally good pets. However, if you plan on housing two hedgehogs together, they will both need to be female. This is a difficult process however, and should only be attempted by those knowledgeable about it because fighting can easily occur.
Males and females have the same abilities, the same possible personalities, etc... While certain females may be more affectionate than males, the reverse can also be true. If you are going to get a hedgehog, base your decision on temperment instead of gender.



I am worried about cutting my hedgehog's nails. What should I do?

It is a very common concern that you will cut your hedgehog's nails to short, causing them great pain. I have gotten many e-mails asking if there was a way to keep hedgehog's nails short so that you don't have to cut them yourself.
The answer: Yes, but it will not always work. Here are some common ways that are believed to keep hedgehog's nails short:

Put a piece of sandpaper on the wheel so that as the hedgehog runs the sandpaper trims the hedgehog's nails.
Will this work: No! This is, infact, a very dangerous idea. Hedgehogs have very delicate feet. While running on sandpaper would keep the hedgehog's nails short, it would also cut up the hedgehog's feet. Not only would this be very painful, but your hedgehog could easily get an infection from the cuts.
So people think, "In that case, I'll just put the sand paper in for a little while, and then take it out before my hedgehog gets hurt." While this may seem plausible, it is not a very good idea. Some hedgehogs run over 5 miles a night, which would easily be enough to cut their feet. It is a much safer bet to not use sandpaper at all.

Put a small piece of a brick in the cage so that when a hedgehog walks on it they will trim their nails.
Will this work: Yes and No. This may work and it may not. First of all, the hedgehog may completely ignore the brick. In order to make sure your hedgehog walks on the brick, you could put it in a place where the hedgehog has to go, such as in front of the wheel, or in front of the food dish or water holder. There are also downsides to using a brick: While it is unlikely, it is possible for a hedgehog to cut its feet walking on the brick. It is also possible for your hedgehog to get hurt on the sharp corners of the brick.

In my opinion, it is really just best to cut your hedgehog's nails yourself. You may cut your hedgehog, but as long as you have some cornstarch nearby it won't be a problem. Your hedgehog will forgive you.
If you are really that worried about cutting your hedgehog's nail too close, you could have a vet trim your hedgehog's nails. The vet could simply sedate the hedgehog, and then cut its nails while it is asleep. This is also a great way to see exactly where and how to cut.
Another good idea is to ask the breeder that you are getting your hedgehog from to show you how to clip its nails. That way your hedgehog will come home with clipped nails, and you will have first hand experience on what to do.