When you first bring your hedgehog home...
When you bring home your new hedgehog, prepare it's home. When lining the cage, use bedding that is free of any cedar.
If you wish, you can place an old tee shirt or something in the box to get the hedgehog used to your scent. Place the hedgehog in the box and leave it alone. Eventually, you'll probably want to add a piece of PVC pipe or something else the hedgehog can crawl through and perhaps a wheel for the hedgehog to play on. Leave the hedgehog alone for at least a day. Always keep the hedgehog in a room that's temperature is well regulated. This means preferably somewhere between 72 and 80 degrees. Also, hedgehogs don't like a lot of noise by them. Placing them by something like a television that is constantly on is not ideal. When you take it out for the first time, play with it for about five minutes and then return it to it's cage for the day. The next day play with it for a little longer (10-15 minutes). Gradually build up your playing time. A great time to play with the hedgehog is while you're watching TV.
If you wish, you can place an old tee shirt or something in the box to get the hedgehog used to your scent. Place the hedgehog in the box and leave it alone. Eventually, you'll probably want to add a piece of PVC pipe or something else the hedgehog can crawl through and perhaps a wheel for the hedgehog to play on. Leave the hedgehog alone for at least a day. Always keep the hedgehog in a room that's temperature is well regulated. This means preferably somewhere between 72 and 80 degrees. Also, hedgehogs don't like a lot of noise by them. Placing them by something like a television that is constantly on is not ideal. When you take it out for the first time, play with it for about five minutes and then return it to it's cage for the day. The next day play with it for a little longer (10-15 minutes). Gradually build up your playing time. A great time to play with the hedgehog is while you're watching TV.
What to feed your hedgehog...
We feed our hedgehogs 1-2 tablespoons of Purina One cat food. It has everything a hedgehog needs to be healthy and strong. Be sure to feed your hedgehog every day. Many owners like to feed their hedgehogs at night, however we feed ours in the morning and they decide when to eat it. We have a hedgehog that refuses to eat until night, so he leaves his dish alone until then.
For snacks, our hedgehogs love scrambled eggs. We make them for the hedgehogs about once a week. If you do this, just scramble a plain egg. Don't add any toppings or salt.
For snacks, our hedgehogs love scrambled eggs. We make them for the hedgehogs about once a week. If you do this, just scramble a plain egg. Don't add any toppings or salt.
Cleaning the hedgehog...
Clean out the hedgehog's cage about once a week. You may want to clean it more in the summer. Be sure to remove the hedgehog first and place it somewhere safe where it wont get loose. Then dump out the old bedding, wash out the hedgehog's home, and replace it with new. Clean the toys if they are dirty and replace them once they are dry. Then you can replace your hedgehog.
Every once in awhile, give your hedgehog a bath. To do this, plug the sink (preferably a small sink) and fill it a little. With an old toothbrush, rub over the quills of the hedgehog thoroughly. After the bath, place the hedgehog in an old towel and hold it until it's dry. Then you can either play with it or return it to it's cage.
Every once in awhile, give your hedgehog a bath. To do this, plug the sink (preferably a small sink) and fill it a little. With an old toothbrush, rub over the quills of the hedgehog thoroughly. After the bath, place the hedgehog in an old towel and hold it until it's dry. Then you can either play with it or return it to it's cage.
Two hedgehogs...
If you were to get two or more hedgehogs, be sure to keep the two in separate cages. Hedgehogs are anti-social creatures. Sometimes a female will like another female companion in her cage, but that is rare and most of the time only happens if they are sisters. Males are competitive and it is almost unheard of to have two males enjoy each others company. Never leave together a male and a female unless one is sterile unless you want to have hoglets.