4 replies to this topic

[ForgetfulBreeze]

Hi! My mom & sister realllly want a hedgehog, so they are adopting one in september. I know basically nothing about them, so I would appreciate any tips! 

 

What size cage is recommended? Can you use C&C grids, or is another cage better?

 

What is a good food mix in the USA? What is the appropriate GA for hedgehogs?

 

Is fleece or paper/aspen bedding better to use for the base?

 

What are some common health problems? What should I be prepared for? What is the usual cost of vet bills?

 

What toys do hedgehogs like? How crowded should their cage be? What size wheel is a good size? Do they chew a lot?

 

I will post more questions when I think of them haha <3

 

Thank you!!

[Remy]

Hi! My mom & sister realllly want a hedgehog, so they are adopting one in september. I know basically nothing about them, so I would appreciate any tips!

What size cage is recommended? Can you use C&C grids, or is another cage better?
There seems to be quite the variance of opinions on cage size. I personally wouldn’t use a cage under 8 sq ft. Large cages meant for rabbits and guinea pigs can work as well as C&C cages like you suggested.

What is a good food mix in the USA? What is the appropriate GA for hedgehogs?
Don’t get food made for hedgehogs. I know that seems counterintuitive, but none of them are really suitable. Dry cat food that’s poultry based (as opposed to red meat or fish) is what I recommend. Around 30-33% protein, 8/9-13% fat, and 3-8% fiber is what I see recommended most commonly. You may have to mix a couple cat foods to get to these numbers.

Is fleece or paper/aspen bedding better to use for the base?
I personally use aspen, but fleece and paper are just fine too.

What are some common health problems? What should I be prepared for? What is the usual cost of vet bills?
I’ve heard that cancer can be an issue. I’m not sure about vet bills as I haven’t had to take my hedgie Gizmo to the vet yet.

What toys do hedgehogs like? How crowded should their cage be? What size wheel is a good size? Do they chew a lot?
Gizmo really likes cat toys (those balls that rattle), tubes, and also just comfy places to rest (like fabric houses/beds). They aren’t the most agile or the best climbers, so make sure they can walk between the items in their cage. I have a 12” wheel for Gizmo. She’s definitely not a big chewer.

I will post more questions when I think of them haha <3

Thank you!!

Edit: I also wanted to edit this to add that a hamster forum really shouldn’t be your only or main source of research for other animals. It’s a good place to start (to see if you’d be interested in said animal), possibly double check some things, or get some people’s personal experiences, but it really shouldn’t be much more than that in my opinion.

Edited by Remy, 01 July 2021 - 09:29 AM.

[Lil Mushroom]

I did a little bit of research on them before (not a ton so plz correct me if I'm wrong) but I mostly saw them on fleece (but i think bedding is ok too) in the same kind of cages as rabbits/guinea pigs around 8square feet and above, Remy suggested food stuff which is good cuz Idk about food, but they don't chew really(do they even have teeth?! They must right? *googling* yes they do) they can be bathed there are yt videos about that and their wheel will probably have to be cleaned out every 1/2 days as most like to poop as they run.

Not sure if this helped much.

[ChinchillaDude]

I do not want to hijack this topic, nor do I myself plan to get a hedgehog anytime soon but is it true they need heat lamps? Sorry if not ok op.

[Remy]

I do not want to hijack this topic, nor do I myself plan to get a hedgehog anytime soon but is it true they need heat lamps? Sorry if not ok op.

They do better in temperatures that are a bit hotter than most people would like to keep their rooms/houses at, so I would recommend a source of heat.