How to Care for a Hedgehog

Prepare a high-quality barn. Hedgehogs need to be kept in large enclosures: they love to explore living spaces, and their territories in the wild are usually between 200 and 300 meters in diameter. You also have to consider a number of other factors when choosing a cage for your new friend.

• The cage must have a large area. The cage should have an area of at least 46 x 61 cm, but if possible, you should expand the scope more. A cage with an area of 61 x 76 cm is appropriate, and 76 x 76 cm is an ideal number. ^[5]
• The side of the barn should be about 40 cm high. While some recommend choosing a side with a smooth surface, ^[6] others argue that stables with smooth side walls are often difficult to vent. ^[7] Be aware that the wire mesh side of the cage can cause problems if the hedgehog likes to climb! This animal is a master at running away. You should choose a cage with a roof, otherwise cover it with a board or whatever so that the hedgehog can’t climb out.
• The cage must have a solid floor, as the hedgehog’s small paws can slip through the wire mesh floor and injure them. ^[8]
• Hedgehog cages should n’t have more than one floor because hedgehogs have poor eyesight and their legs break easily. Wire mesh cages are also dangerous if your hedgehog enjoys this activity! You should take into account the area of food bowls, toys, and litter boxes when considering buying or building a hedgehog cage.
• The cage should always be well ventilated. The cage area should be well ventilated at all times. You only block the flow of air in the event that the room temperature suddenly drops (such as during a power outage) and needs to be covered with a blanket.

Choose a good quality bearing lining material. Hedgehogs like wood shavings, but you should use poplar shavings instead of cedar, because cedar has phenp (fragrance oil) when inhaled can cause cancer. Alternatively, you can line the nest with a sturdy fabric (twill, corduroy, or fleece) cut to the right size ^[9]

• Carefress is an industrial product that resembles gray cardboard. While some people recommend this type, you should be aware that particulate material can get on the male’s genitals or get caught on the porcupine’s spines. Furthermore, Carefress can hurt hedgehogs due to the new formula in Carefresh Bedding. ^[10]

Furnish the barn. You need to prepare a few more things to meet the needs of the hedgehog.

• Hiding: As a major nocturnal animal in the wild, hedgehogs need a safe area to “get away from” prying eyes, light, and activity in general. An igloo or sleeping bag is quite suitable.
• Fitness wheel. Hedgehogs need a lot of practice, and the wheel is an effective nighttime training tool. The wheel must have a solid bottom, and the bottom of the net or bar will cause the hedgehog to get stuck, chip its nails, and even break its legs.
• You should keep the hedgehog’s nest from being constantly wet. Chemicals in nesting materials can contaminate hedgehogs’ drinking water and kill them.
• Provide a litter tray with edges no more than 1.3 cm high for the hedgehog to easily get in and out and prevent broken legs. You can only use clump-free toilet sand if you want to use toilet sand, or use toilet paper. The litter box must have a large area for the hedgehog and should be cleaned daily. You can use a cookie tray or an industrial plastic toilet tray. Most hedgehog owners usually put the tray under the wheel because this is where they “resolve their sadness” the most.

Maintain the right temperature. Hedgehogs adapt well to room temperatures that are between 22.2ºC and 26.6ºC warmer than human standards. If the temperature is lower, the hedgehog will go into “hibernation” mode, leading to the risk of DEATH (because it can cause pneumonia). When the temperature is high, the hedgehog will suffer from heat stress. You should adjust the temperature when you see hedgehogs spread out on the floor as if they are hot. In case the hedgehog falls into a lethargic state, or the body temperature is colder than normal, you need to warm up immediately by holding the hedgehog inside your shirt and using your body heat to warm it up.

• If after an hour the hedgehog is still cold, you should take him to the veterinarian immediately.

Feed your hedgehog a diet that includes a variety of foods. Hedgehogs mainly eat insects, but can still eat fruits, vegetables, eggs and meat. These animals are prone to obesity, so you need to feed them carefully to avoid excessive weight gain. An obese hedgehog can’t roll over and may have “several pockets” of fat hanging around, making walking difficult.

Provide a quality diet. The nutritional needs of hedgehogs are still uncertain, but you should choose high-quality cat food pellets as the main ingredient in their diet and add a few other varied foods listed. listed below. Feed pellets should contain only 15% fat and about 30-32% protein; you need to choose organic or holistic foods and avoid pellets containing by-products, corn and similar ingredients mentioned. Feed 1 to 2 tablespoons of dry cat food per day.

• Avoid low quality hedgehog food because it contains many poor quality ingredients. Instead, choose high-quality foods like L’Avian, Old Mill, and 8-in-1. ^[11]

Keep pellets on hand if you don’t have time to prepare food. Many people feed the hedgehog liberally, only pouring enough food so that there is not too much left over.

Feed your hedgehog a variety of foods to avoid nutritional deficiencies. You can add a small amount of other food to the pellets, just 1 teaspoon per day or every other day. Other foods include:

• Chicken, skinless turkey, or chopped salmon cooked and unseasoned.
• A few pieces of fruit and vegetables such as watermelon, cooked beans or sweet potatoes, or apple sauce ^[12]
• Scrambled or boiled & chopped eggs
• Worms, crickets and waxworms. These are important components of a hedgehog’s diet. As insectivores, they need mental stimulation by eating live animals in addition to absorbing nutrients needed for life. You can feed them fewer insects four times a week. Never feed a hedgehog with insects that are caught in the wild (for example, garden insects) as they may contain harmful pesticides, or parasites that can infect the hedgehog.

Avoid certain foods. Hedgehogs like to eat a variety of foods, but there are a few that you should avoid: seeds/seeds, dried fruit, raw meat, undercooked raw vegetables, sticky/fibrous/hard foods, butter , grapes or raisins, milk or dairy products, alcohol, bread, celery, onions and onion powder, raw carrots, tomatoes, junk food (potatoes, candies, sweet and savory foods , etc.), any highly acidic foods, or honey.

Adjust the amount of food if the hedgehog gains weight. Reduce the amount of food you are giving your hedgehog if you notice they are becoming plump, and increase exercise.

Feed at dusk. Hedgehogs are active at dusk. So you should feed them once a day at that time.

Use suitable food bowls. The bowl should have a large contact surface for the hedgehog to reach and not be so light that they can knock over food (and start playing with the bowl).

Provide a water jug with a straw or a bowl of water. You need to provide clean water for the hedgehog at all times.

• The water bowl should not be too light and moderately shallow so that the hedgehog doesn’t knock it over easily. Wash thoroughly every day and change the water.
• If you use a water bottle with a straw, you should teach the hedgehog how to use it! They usually learn from their mother, but may need extra instruction. You need to change the water in the bottle daily to avoid bacteria accumulation. ^[13]

Place the hedgehog in a quiet and peaceful location. Do not put them under the music player or TV set. As an animal that is hunted in the wild mainly based on hearing, hedgehogs will feel anxious if there is too much noise and annoying activity around. You need to keep the sounds, lights and activity around the hedgehog low and move the cage away if the noise level gets high for any reason. Hedgehogs can adapt to noise if exposed slowly.

Give your hedgehog an opportunity to exercise regularly. Hedgehogs are animals that easily gain weight, so exercise is a must. This means providing them with plenty of toys along with exercise wheels. Toys for hedgehogs are usually chewable, pushed, sniffed, and even stepped on, as long as they can’t chew them into small pieces or swallow them in their mouths. The hedgehog’s claws or paws must not get caught in loose wire or small holes.

• Some suitable toys include: rubber balls, old children’s toys, rubber decorations, baby gum rings, toilet paper rolls cut in half, cat balls or toy birds with bells inside, etc… ^[14]
• Occasionally let the hedgehog play in a large cage. You can buy large plastic tubs or let them explore the tub indoors (without water, of course).

Watch out for your hedgehog’s food/water absorption behavior. This is an animal that is very good at hiding, so you need to watch the hedgehog carefully. Monitor any changes and call your veterinarian if an examination is necessary.

• In case the hedgehog hasn’t eaten for a day or two, it’s possible that they have a problem and need medical attention. Hedgehogs that don’t eat or drink for a few days are often at risk of fatty liver, a disease that can be life-threatening. ^[15]
• Watch for scaly, dry skin around the spines: this could be a sign of a debilitating mite infestation if left unchecked.
• Wheezing or vocalizing breathing as well as discharge on the face or knuckles are signs of a respiratory infection, a common and serious disease in hedgehogs.
• Soft stools that last more than a day, or diarrhea with lethargy or loss of appetite, could be a symptom of a parasitic infection or other illness.
• Hibernation, although common in the wild, is not safe for hedgehogs in a cage. As mentioned above, if the hedgehog has a cold stomach, you should warm them up by hugging them in your lap, covering your shirt and resting on your skin. If your hedgehog’s temperature still doesn’t warm up within an hour, you should take him to the vet right away. ^[16]

Cuddle the hedgehog often. Once accustomed to cuddling, hedgehogs will adapt to being cuddled often. Always be confident when petting hedgehogs: they are not as fragile as they seem. The general rule of thumb is to cuddle for at least 30 minutes a day.

• Approach the hedgehog quietly and slowly. Pick them up by lifting from the bottom, then use cupped hands to hold them. ^[17]
• Take time to play. In addition to being close to hedgehogs, don’t be afraid to play with them. Hedgehogs will let you play with them if you join them often.

Clean the hedgehog cage regularly. Rinse dishes and water containers/bowls daily with hot water. Clean the wheels and do spot cleaning daily, changing the bedding weekly or whenever necessary.

Bathe the hedgehog when needed. Some hedgehogs are cleaner than others, so you need to bathe them often, more or less.

• Pour warm (not too hot) water into the tub at the level of the hedgehog’s belly. Do not let water get into the hedgehog’s ears or nose.
• Mix a mild oat soap (such as Aveeno) or puppy soap in the water and use a brush to scrub the spines and legs.
• Rinse with warm water and dry the whole body of the hedgehog with a clean towel. If they can stand it, you can use the dryer on low heat, otherwise just continue drying with a towel. Do not put hedgehogs in a cage while they are still wet. ^[18]

Check the hedgehog’s toenails. If the nails grow too long and curl, they will easily peel off when they run on wheels.

• Use small nail scissors to trim the hedgehog’s nails, trimming only the long nails.
• If the hedgehog’s nail is bleeding, you should use a cotton swab to lightly dab cornstarch on the injured area. Do not use commercially available powder because it can hurt the hedgehog. ^[19]