Healthy Hedgehogs

At least once a week, we hear from someone with an unhealthy hedgehog. Sometimes, the problem is minor and can be easily addressed. Other times, the animal is in serious condition. Serious or not, many of the problems could have been prevented.

Here at PAWPRINT, we strongly believe in preventitive medicine. Providing an appropriate, nutritionally sound diet is the single most important thing you can do to assure a healthy, happy pet. In addition, adequate exercise, a clean enclosure, a stress-free environment, and regular veterinary care are essential to assuring the well-being of your pet.

The information presented here is based on research and talking with vets, zookeepers, breeders and pet owneres, as well as our own experiences. However, please keep in mind we aren't veterinarians. When concerned about the health of your pet, consult a veterinarian experienced with small and exotic mammals.

Mites

Normal hedgehog skin should be smooth, with perhaps occasional small flakes of dried skin. Extreme dryness, quill or hair loss, redness, ragged or crusty ears, scabby skin, or an unusually itchy animal indicates a problem. Most likely, your hedgehog has mites.

To be sure, take your pet to a veterinarian experienced treating hedgehogs. If it is determined the hedgehog has mites, your vet will most likely recommend treatment with an injectable or topical anti-parasitic drug. Ivermectin is most commonly used.

Because Ivermectin doesn't kill eggs, two or three injections will most likely be necessary. Also, to completely eradicate the problem, you must be extremely thorough in cleaning. Otherwise, after the medication wears off, the mites will return.

Following each treatment, thoroughly clean your hedgehog's enclosure. Dispose of all bedding, then use ammonia or bleach on all surfaces of the enclosure. Be sure to get into all cracks and corners. Bleach or replace hide-outs, wheels, toys and any other cage furniture.

If you have other hedgehogs, even if they don't show signs of mites, assume they've been exposed and have them treated. Also, ask your vet for other suggestions to help assure the mites are completely eliminated.

Some recent antidotal evidence suggests Ivermectin may cause long-term problems in hedgehogs. At this time, there is no scientifically collected data to support this claim. It should also be noted that nearly all medications will cause a negative reaction in a small number of cases. However, if concerned about a possible negative reaction in your pet, consult your vet regarding alternate treatments.

The most common explanation for mite infestations is wood shavings. However, this seems unlikely since mites require a live host. That said, it does seems possible wood shavings could contain mite eggs, which might then end up in the hedgehog's environment and hatch. For this reason, be sure to use shavings that has been adequately cured.

Most exotic animal vets seem to agree that hedgehogs are host to a small number of mites at all times. Problems rarely seem to occur except when this natural balance is upset, allowing the normal mite population to bloom. Based on talking to many pet owners over the years, it seems mites are most likely to bloom under a few common circumstances, such as:

The hedgehog is sick, so has a weakened immune system
The hedgehog has just been acquired, so is under a higher than normal level of stress while adjusting to a new environment, or may have had a pre-existing condition
The hedghog has been recenting exposured to an uncontrolled environment or other animals

With the above in mind, the best preventive strategy for mites is to treat other health problems as quickly as possible. In addition, eliminate all unnecessary stress and avoid exposure to uncontrolled environments. Finally, be sure to provide a quality diet, an adequate environment, and ample opportunities for exercise. This will help assure you pet's immune system is functioning at top capacity.

'Hogercise

Your pet needs daily exercise to remain healthy. Exercise helps the body effectively use nutrients, thickens bones and helps keep your pet slim and trim. It also provides entertainment. Be sure your pet has the following:

A appropriately sized enclosure
An exercise wheel
Daily out-of-cage playtime

For more on this topic, visit No Bored Pets.

Keep It Clean

In the past, there have been a few cases of salmonella attributed to hedgehogs. Salmonella is the result of unclean conditions or spoiled food. Your hedgehog friend has no more chance of developing salmonella than any other animal kept in similar conditions.

These suggestions should prevent any problems:

ALWAYS keep your pet's home and food preparation areas clean
ALWAYS remove food which may spoil after an hour or so
ALWAYS wash your hands after handling your pet (or any animal)
NEVER give your pet raw meat or eggs

Visiting The Doc

When fed an appropriate diet, given adequate opportunities for exercise and provided warm, clean living conditions, hedgehogs are extremely hardy animals. However, we recommend an annual veterinarian visit for all hedgehogs, 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 be an important source of new information on the care of your pet and provide a "baseline" of comparison if a problem were to develop in the future.