Housing:
Despite their appearance they are very good at climbing. Their cage either needs to have a lid or be tall enough that the hedgehog can't climb out. Storage bins are a popular option for many people. They are relatively cheap, have good ventilation, easy to clean and if you get one that has high enough sides a lid does not need to be used. If using a storage bin get at least the 105 quart size, if not bigger. Hedgehogs need a fair amount of space to move so their cage should be 3 square feet at a minimum. Some people prefer wired cages. Make sure the bars are close enough together that the hedgehog cant slip out. Also make sure the cage has a solid floor. Hedgehogs have small feet and can easy hurt themselves if they were to fall through the wired floor. Multi level cages are not a recommended but can be used if precautions are taken. Hedgehogs have poor eye sight and therefore have virtually no depth perception. Their natural way of getting down from a high place is to curl up in a ball and fall. While hedgehogs do have a built in shock absorber from their spines, injuries can still occur. All levels of the cage must heavily be padded with fleece, carpet or other soft materials. Aquariums are absolutely not recommended due to very low ventilation, not enough floor space, hard to clean and very heavy. C&C cages are becoming more and more popular, You can build your own size and shape. Just make sure the grids in the cubes are small enough that your hedgehog can’t squeeze through and get out. Every cage works different for each household so choose one that works for you but is safe and provides enough ventilation for your hedgehog.
Cage Accessories:
Other than your food bowl and water bottle there are 2 main cage accessories every hedgehog owner must buy for their new family member. An absolute must is a wheel. Hedgehogs have been known to walk/run miles every night. They are very active and need to be able to release their energy somehow. A wheel is a perfect means during the night while they are most active. The wheel should have a solid bottom so that their feet don’t fall through which can lead to serious injury. Make sure your wheel is at least 11-12 inches. Any smaller and your hedgehog will not fit properly which can cause back problems in the future. A saucer wheel is another option. I have heard that some hedgehogs love it and some hate it. The other necessity for your hedgehogs cage is a hideout. Many people use different object as means for your hedgehog to hide. Some use snuggle sacks others use the animal igloos. When choosing a hideout just check for sharp edges or anything that may cut or harm your hedgehog. It’s all a personal preference. You may also add other case accessories such as more than one hideout or toys for your hedgehog to play with.
Bedding:
Hedgehogs love to bury and dig. Aspen, pine or white shavings are acceptable, never cedar! Aspen are the best shavings to use. They have a low risk of respiratory issues developing. Pine shavings can cause respiratory issues and should only be used if good ventilation is available. With any type of wood bedding just keep in mind that there is always a risk of harboring mites. In order to kill and prevent mites one can freeze the bedding for 48-72 hours before use. Cage liners are a popular alternative to bedding. Fleece is the best material to use and can be found at most local store fairly cheap. Make sure the felt is thick enough to hold their urine. Most cage liners need to be changes daily or every other day. If you look online you will see pros and cons about each type of bedding material for hedgehogs. It’s all personal preference and figuring out what will work for your family.
Temperature:
Hedgehogs need to be kept in a climate around 70-80 degrees. Reason being is because hedgehogs do not have the ability to hibernate. If kept in a colder environment instead of hibernating they will become very sluggish, their bodies will begin to shut down and they will die. If you ever see your hedgehog sluggish and cold to the touch immediately wrap it in a blanket or indirectly place him/her on a heating pad. Never place your hedgehog under hot water as it can cause shock from warming them up too fast. If your hedgehog does not start to become livelier within 30min take them to the vet. Keep in mind temperature when choosing a location for your hedgehog’s cage. If placed on top of a table or stand the cage could be exposed to drafts which will significantly decrease the temperature in the cage. Some ways to keep the temperature up are a heating pad and heating lamp. If you choose a heating pad make sure to place it under the cage so the hedgehog does not have direct access to it. Also don’t cover the entire cage with either heating pads or heating lamps. The hedgehog must have a way to get away from the heat source if necessary. Keep the direct heating sources to one side of the cage. For both a heating pad and light keep a thermometer hanging inside the cage to monitor the temperature. If you are using a heat lamp remember that hedgehogs are nocturnal so the lamp must be turned off at night and on during the day. There are bulbs out there that emit heat but very little light. These can be kept on 24/7. Another option is a floor heater for the room. These can be set to a certain temperature so they will automatically turn on and off. I would still advise keeping a thermostat in the room in order to monitor the temperature.
Toys:
Hedgehogs are very playful, active animals and intelligent animals that need mental stimulation. They love to taste, smell, bite, and push toys around to explore. People use all kinds of toys ranging from cat toys to small children's toys. Toilet paper rolls and card board boxes work well. Changing your hedgehog’s toys every now and then is very important. Just as any human would get bored from playing with the same toy over and over so will a hedgehog.
Despite their appearance they are very good at climbing. Their cage either needs to have a lid or be tall enough that the hedgehog can't climb out. Storage bins are a popular option for many people. They are relatively cheap, have good ventilation, easy to clean and if you get one that has high enough sides a lid does not need to be used. If using a storage bin get at least the 105 quart size, if not bigger. Hedgehogs need a fair amount of space to move so their cage should be 3 square feet at a minimum. Some people prefer wired cages. Make sure the bars are close enough together that the hedgehog cant slip out. Also make sure the cage has a solid floor. Hedgehogs have small feet and can easy hurt themselves if they were to fall through the wired floor. Multi level cages are not a recommended but can be used if precautions are taken. Hedgehogs have poor eye sight and therefore have virtually no depth perception. Their natural way of getting down from a high place is to curl up in a ball and fall. While hedgehogs do have a built in shock absorber from their spines, injuries can still occur. All levels of the cage must heavily be padded with fleece, carpet or other soft materials. Aquariums are absolutely not recommended due to very low ventilation, not enough floor space, hard to clean and very heavy. C&C cages are becoming more and more popular, You can build your own size and shape. Just make sure the grids in the cubes are small enough that your hedgehog can’t squeeze through and get out. Every cage works different for each household so choose one that works for you but is safe and provides enough ventilation for your hedgehog.
Cage Accessories:
Other than your food bowl and water bottle there are 2 main cage accessories every hedgehog owner must buy for their new family member. An absolute must is a wheel. Hedgehogs have been known to walk/run miles every night. They are very active and need to be able to release their energy somehow. A wheel is a perfect means during the night while they are most active. The wheel should have a solid bottom so that their feet don’t fall through which can lead to serious injury. Make sure your wheel is at least 11-12 inches. Any smaller and your hedgehog will not fit properly which can cause back problems in the future. A saucer wheel is another option. I have heard that some hedgehogs love it and some hate it. The other necessity for your hedgehogs cage is a hideout. Many people use different object as means for your hedgehog to hide. Some use snuggle sacks others use the animal igloos. When choosing a hideout just check for sharp edges or anything that may cut or harm your hedgehog. It’s all a personal preference. You may also add other case accessories such as more than one hideout or toys for your hedgehog to play with.
Bedding:
Hedgehogs love to bury and dig. Aspen, pine or white shavings are acceptable, never cedar! Aspen are the best shavings to use. They have a low risk of respiratory issues developing. Pine shavings can cause respiratory issues and should only be used if good ventilation is available. With any type of wood bedding just keep in mind that there is always a risk of harboring mites. In order to kill and prevent mites one can freeze the bedding for 48-72 hours before use. Cage liners are a popular alternative to bedding. Fleece is the best material to use and can be found at most local store fairly cheap. Make sure the felt is thick enough to hold their urine. Most cage liners need to be changes daily or every other day. If you look online you will see pros and cons about each type of bedding material for hedgehogs. It’s all personal preference and figuring out what will work for your family.
Temperature:
Hedgehogs need to be kept in a climate around 70-80 degrees. Reason being is because hedgehogs do not have the ability to hibernate. If kept in a colder environment instead of hibernating they will become very sluggish, their bodies will begin to shut down and they will die. If you ever see your hedgehog sluggish and cold to the touch immediately wrap it in a blanket or indirectly place him/her on a heating pad. Never place your hedgehog under hot water as it can cause shock from warming them up too fast. If your hedgehog does not start to become livelier within 30min take them to the vet. Keep in mind temperature when choosing a location for your hedgehog’s cage. If placed on top of a table or stand the cage could be exposed to drafts which will significantly decrease the temperature in the cage. Some ways to keep the temperature up are a heating pad and heating lamp. If you choose a heating pad make sure to place it under the cage so the hedgehog does not have direct access to it. Also don’t cover the entire cage with either heating pads or heating lamps. The hedgehog must have a way to get away from the heat source if necessary. Keep the direct heating sources to one side of the cage. For both a heating pad and light keep a thermometer hanging inside the cage to monitor the temperature. If you are using a heat lamp remember that hedgehogs are nocturnal so the lamp must be turned off at night and on during the day. There are bulbs out there that emit heat but very little light. These can be kept on 24/7. Another option is a floor heater for the room. These can be set to a certain temperature so they will automatically turn on and off. I would still advise keeping a thermostat in the room in order to monitor the temperature.
Toys:
Hedgehogs are very playful, active animals and intelligent animals that need mental stimulation. They love to taste, smell, bite, and push toys around to explore. People use all kinds of toys ranging from cat toys to small children's toys. Toilet paper rolls and card board boxes work well. Changing your hedgehog’s toys every now and then is very important. Just as any human would get bored from playing with the same toy over and over so will a hedgehog.
