Hedgies 101
The African hedgehog makes a delightful, easy care pet that will win the hearts of both children and adults. Originally from the savannahs and deserts of Africa, these critters are well known for their spiny coat and ability to roll into a tight, impenetrable ball when threatened or afraid. In this position, their crossed spines will deter nearly all potential predators.
One of the most primitive mammals alive today, hedgehogs have roamed the earth since the time of the dinosaurs. African hedgehogs vary in size, with most adults being 5 to 8 inches in body length. Hedgehogs live 5 to 7 years when provided a proper diet and living conditions. They're most active at sunrise and sunset.
Hedgehogs have the unusual habit of self-anointing. When a hedgehog encounters something new, he will excitedly lick it and then smear foamy saliva on the quills in the center of his back. Hedgehogs can become extremely intent on doing this, twisting themselves into amazing positions to get the saliva onto their quills. The reason for this odd behavior is unknown, but you will undoubtedly see your pet do it on occasion.
Hedgehogs are perhaps the most common exotic pets today. For this reason, you might assume information about their dietary needs was accurate and readily available. Unfortunately, this isn't the case and any pet hedgehogs are fed an inadequate diet -- usually cat food.
Cat food can lead to significantly shorten life spans, poor skin and quill condition, and cause a variety of health problems. Also, some breeders are now saying the life span of a hedgehog is only three years or less -- ignoring the fact that hedgies fed an appropriate diet routinely live much longer.
In the wild, hedgehogs eat primarily insects, as well as lizards, frogs, bird eggs, and perhaps a small amount of vegetable matter. For healthy hedgehogs, this natural diet should be duplicated as closely as possible while taking into account the reduced caloric needs of an animal in captivity.
Also, here at PAWPRINT we feel its important to replicate their eating patterns. Not only does this help assure a more well-balanced diet, it also provides food interest, helps prevent picky eating, and contributes to a heightened quality of life.
With this in mind, we feed and recommend two different foods for your spiny pal as a basic daily diet. These are Pretty Pets Hedgehog Diet, and L'Avian Hedgehog Diet. Both of these are available either online or at a specialty pet store.
As a basic daily diet, we recommend about two tablespoon total of these three foods. Of course, exact amounts depends on the size and age of the animal. Pregnant or nursing females should be given more. If your pet eats everything, you may want to increase the amount slightly, but be sure to not overfeed.
For variety, we supplement this basic diet with one-quarter of a hard-boiled egg (including the shell) once a week, a weekly treat of tofu or non-fat yogurt, and small amounts of unseasoned cooked poultry once in a while. On days when none of these extras are given, we provide two or three Freeze Dried Crickets or Freeze Dried Mealworms.
Remove uneaten food which may spoil -- such as eggs -- after an hour or so. Other foods can be left overnight. Remove any left-overs the next morning.
Some people feed hedgehogs free choice. We do not recommend this. In the wild, hedgehogs are opportunistic feeders. This means they eat whenever food is available. This trait remains in many pets, who will eat until the food is gone -- no matter how much is provided, no matter how often the dish is refilled!
Some people prefer giving their hedgehogs two feedings. This is fine, and -- in fact -- how we feed the 'hogs here at PAWPRINT. In the late afternoon, after spot cleaning cages, we scatter or hide Pretty Pets and L'Avian through the hedge cages. This means the 'hogs have to work a little for at least some of their food. We then feed fresh items later in the night, when the hedgies are most active.
Because these foods are vitamin enriched, providing a supplement is unnecessary when using these foods. Fresh water should be available at all times. Filtered or bottled water would be best.
For more on this topic, see the Diet And Nutrition articles under Care Articles.
Your pet needs enough room in his home to get adequate exercise. As an absolute minimum, we recommend an enclosure with about four square feet of floor space. Bigger would be better.
An aquarium or cage works equally well, but choose one with a solid bottom. Hedgehogs can get their feet caught in wire bottom cages and injure themselves. Some hedgehog owners house their pets in large plastic storage tubs. This inexpensive housing option is fine for your pet.
Some hedgehog owners house their pets in cat carriers. Although these provide privacy for a female with babies, they don't make a good permanent home. Pet carriers provide poor air circulation, almost no light, and most don't have adequate room for exercise or a wheel. Also, because your pet is sheltered from his surroundings, even a friendly hedgehog can quickly become "un-tame" when kept in a carrier.
Your hedgehog needs a cozy den for sleeping. You should also provide a nine to 12 inch wheel. This will provide hours of entertainment and exercise. The wheel should have a solid running surface -- which also makes the wheel easier to clean.
Aspen or recycled paper bedding is the best choice for the cage floor. Don't use cedar as the odor may be toxic. A small litter pan will be used by most hedgies. We recommend recycled paper pellets for the litter box. Don't use kitty litter. It may clump and stick to your pet -- a potentially painful and dangerous situation.
Your pet's home should be placed in a draft-free, warm spot out of direct sunlight. Since your pet is nocturnal, the room he is in should be quiet during the day.
For more on this topic, visit No Bored Pets.
Hedgehogs come from a desert climate. They require a minimium temperature no lower than 70 degrees. Some hedgies are extremely cold sensitive and need a warmer environment.
The best way to keep your pet warm is to house him in a room kept at the necessary temperature. However, a ceramic heat element or "human" heating pad can be useful in maintaining the needed warmth. Keep in mind, though, these devices will raise the temperature only a few degrees. As such, they're helpful only as a suppplemental heat source.
Don't use a lamp as a heat source, since the light will disrupt your pet's natural sleep cycle. We also recommend against the use of reptile heat sources such as rocks, caves, or under-tank heaters. These are often of poor quality, so unreliable. Also, many hedgehogs will lay as close as possible to these heat sources for long periods of time, potentially leading to serious burns.
For more on this topic, visit Turn Up The Heat.
Hedgehogss are generally hardy animals when properly fed, kept in a warm environment, and provided adequate daily exercise. That said, we recommend an annual veterinarian visit for all pets, during which a basic physical exam is conducted. Not only will these annual exams alert you to any concerns which may be developing, they can also be an important source of information on the care of your pets and provide a "baseline" of comparison if a problem was to develop in the future.
For more on this topic, visit Healthy Hedgies.
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