Hedgehogs can be wonderful pets!

   The story of a common hoggo diet myth: 
   As pets we typically offer our little prickle babies a diet of high quality cat food. It is thought that cat good best mimics their natural diet in comparison to commercially available hedgehog diet.  
   I was once fully opposed to a readily available diet called "Mazuri insectivore diet" as well as commercially available hedgehog food. However after meeting with a professional zoologist, my views on the mazuri insectivore diet have slightly changed. 
   It was once common knowledge (or more like a common rumor ) that the ground aspen in the insectivore diet is nothing but a filler. Lots of folks were spreading this rumor, but none of them called the manufacturer to ask what the science backing up the addition of aspen was. So I called. I wanted to know why the premier diet used in zoos and conservation programs was being discouraged online. 
      After talking to a professional zoologist who holds no stakes in the companies who produce or the sales of these foods, I was enlightened to discover that the aspen is actually an important ingredient. 
   In the world hedgehogs eat lots of insects. Their digestive systems have evolved to digest and require large amounts of chitin ( insect fiber). Aspen tricks the hedgehogs digestive system into thinking it's just eaten a bunch of chitin. It's the closest commercially available food that helps the hoggo's digestive system fiction the way it's evolved to. 
    Now I'm not exactly fond of feeding my hedgehogs aspen over insects.I will always recommend offering insects first.  But at least We now know the rumors floating all over the internet just aren't true. Insectivore diet isn't the filler-filled-evil it's made out to be. We also now know that insectivore diet may be a beneficial part of our hedgehog's diet, especially for owners who do not have access to the large amount of insects a hedgehog would need to fulfill it's high chitin need. 

    If we were to attempt to feed our hedgehogs the amount of insects they actually consume in the wild, we may need dozens of insects PER DAY. Plus we would need a variety of insects to keep nutritional balance. It's seemingly impossible. I breed my own colonies of insects and I still cannot produce the sheer amount of insects my hedgehogs need.
   It is always best to offer your hoggo a varied diet. Lots of insects in a variety of available species and whole prey items in addition to a nutritionally complete staple.  Mazuri Insectivore diet. It is a scientifically backed up formula that makes a decent replacement of the naturally high chitin food hedgehogs need.  I have begun offering it to my own animals and have noticed more predictable and healthy looking bowel movements. I feed Mazuri Insectivore diet in addition to quality cat foods. 

 Insectivore diet isn't horrible for hedgehogs, I firmly believe we will begin seeing a shift in how we care for our hedgehogs due to research that is in progress by a few dedicated individuals across the country.
  

   Variety is the key to life. Insectivore diet offered in addition to a good cat food is helpful to hedgehogs as it provides the chitin like fiber their digestive systems need.

    The lesson I have thankfully learned from this "hedgehog diet dilemma" is: Just because people are commenting about it online, doesn't mean it's true. Stay open minded my friends!

I think it is important to mention that " just because it's on Facebook" doesn't make it true.  I think it's so important that I've decided to write an entire blurb about it and how it can effect hedgehogs.

      I'd like to start by saying that I have been working with these animals a very long time,  I have a few vets I work with as well as a professional zoologist as a very helpful associate. These are the individuals I consult if I have any questions regarding hedgehog care or feeding.  Zoos are very good resources to learn from as they often have access to how these species are kept not only in their establishments, but how they're kept in establishments all over the world! Veterinarians are also a wealth of knowledge. These are the folks who have formal medical training and can diagnose and treat an illness. A vet is a priceless member of the hedgehog care team!

   As a breeder I have experienced many trials and errors in my evolution of keeping hoggos. When I first started caring for exotic animals there was no Facebook and there were no Facebook groups to join and discuss animals with. now a days it seems as if Facebook group membership is an accessory to pet ownership.  I realized this and it concerned me due to the amount of strange advice I'd seen given online. Due to this I started a Facebook group of my own that my adopters and the public are free to join. This group is a little different in that medical treatment advice is not given, that's a Vet's job not the online community's. Medical advice seen online can actually be dangerous when applied to real life situations.     

       One example of this potential danger was observed when an owner of a hedgehog called me in hysterics. She had seen online that feeding bee pollen to your hedgehog is the new super healthy  thing being recommended in an online group. She bought the bee pollen from the health food store and gave it to her hedgehog. The hoggo ate the bee pollen readily and seemed to really enjoy it. A few minutes later the hedgehog began to get swollen on it face and forearms. The owner rushed the hedgehog to the vet. Unfortunately the veterinarian was not able to save the little hedgehog and he suffered respiratory failure despite the medical team's best efforts. 

      Another owner contacted me as she had a pet shop obtained hedgehog that she had thought to have a urinary tract infection upon purchase. She told me she had been treating the UTI with cranberry  tablets as suggested to her by an online group for a little over 14 days. Her hedgehog ultimately developed a kidney infection due to lack of proper treatment. I am unsure  if this particular hedgehog made a full recovery or not as the owner did not provide any additional updates.

       A final owner had been treating, at home via internet advice, scabbing on his hedgehog. The scabs were of unknown origin and would seemingly heal with hibiclease baths and neosprin applications. The scabs and red bumps would reappear a few days to a week later. Eventually  the bumps got worse and the surrounding skin was looking scaly. The owner decided to take his hog to the vet. This hedgehog had a Staph infection . The infection was effectively treated with a round of antibiotics and did not reoccur.  Poor online medical advice could have very well been the death of this animal. 

             Facebook groups can be great, but they can also be harmful. as I have experienced in my working with the above owners. I receive lots of calls from owners who did not get their animal from me, but are facing medical issues and want me to provide a diagnosis or treatment advice. I tell them the same thing I tell my adopters, I will be here to listen and support you through your hedgehog's treatment, but I will not give medical advice as I am not a vet. 

Now back to how it relates to hedgehog food....

 I see a lot of sketchy or dangerous advice given online and new owners adopt that advice into their care routines. 

   A perfect example of this is the advice of feeding your hedgehog a diet of cat food. There is no formal study done on the African Pygmy Hedgehog being fed cat food. It is important to remember that the European and African hedgehogs are different species with different needs. I have seen folks reference studies conducted on European hedgehogs when making care or feeding recommendations. Although these studies *might* be a helpful start, they are in no way to be taken as direct advice towards the African hedgehog's care. 

   From talking to other breeders who have been around a lot longer than I,  Imagine the cat food conversion went something like this: One day a breeder decided cat food was best, spread that information, and everyone readily accepted it. No formal study. nothing, Just the word of some breeder who was    looking for a cost effective readily available substitute to the once recommended hedgehog pellets.

        As a result we tend to forget that  hedgehogs need insects. In the wild they eat mostly insects. Cat food is made to fit the digestive need of an obligate carnivore. Hedgehogs are mostly insectivorous animals that occasionally scavenge  and catch whole prey such as rodents, lizards and snakes. 

     A hedgehog who lives on cat food alone probably will not be as vivacious as a hedgehog fed a varied diet. 

    I prefer my animals to thrive over just survive. Though a hoggo may survive on just cat food, they probably won't thrive. 

  I suggest my owners offer a variety to their hedgehog's diet. That variety does include cat food, but also includes insects, whole prey items and insectivore pellets/diet.

Bringing home your hoglet can be very exciting. Through the excitement and joy of being a new hedgie parent, questions can arise. Here I will provide info and answer the most commonly asked questions i get from new hedgehog owners! If you have any additional questions that are not answered here, email thealternativehedgehog@gmail.com and i will be happy to answer your inquiry!

Some owners wonder if they should hold and socialize with their new hedgehog right away OR if they should give a few days to allow their hog to adjust to a new environment. This is often a topic of debate among breeders as well. 

My advice is this: Hold your new hedgehog often from the moment you bring him/her home. 

This is a very common question pondered by new hedgie owners.Here's my advice on feeding your new hogger: 

For hoglets I "Free Feed"- hoglets 5 months of age and under get all the food their little hearts desire. I keep their bowls full all the time and when they're near empty, I refill them. I don't exactly measure the food but there is always food present in the food dish. Growing hoglets need additional calories, fat, and nutrition to guide them through the pivotal early stages of development. Providing a 24 hr buffet will ensure they have constant access to the additional nutrition they need. 

For adult hogs: I offer my adult hedgehogs approx 1/8th cup of kibble per day. I'm not big on accurately measuring though, and often waste quite a bit of kibble!

 To determine exactly how much you should offer your hog, try varrying amounts of food each day for a few days ( starting with the least amount of food of course). when you've reached the amount that leaves only a few kibbles in the dish by the time the next feeding comes around, you've reached to magic kibble amount! 

As long as your hedgie isn't thin and can ball up comfortably with out big adorable (but unhealthy) fat rolls preventing him, he's most likely a good weight and can continue being offered the amount of food you've determined as the magic amount! 

If you've got a particularly active hedgehog- marathon wheel runner- you'll have to offer more food than f you have a more low key hedgie.

Recently I was asked this question by a concerned hog mother who had chosen to use a loose bedding for a hedgie she's adopted from online, her hedgehog was not adjusting well to the new bedding and had to be changed to fleece bedding. After switching to fleece bedding her hog's symptoms of sneezing and itching disappeared. 

If your hog begins sneezing or periodically itching;

First, don't panic! Hedgehogs sneeze and it's just a biological function meant to clear nasal passages. sneezing every now and again is normal. But heavy sneezing, especially with mucus could mean something more than an occasional nasal irritant.

Evaluate the situation and determine if your hedgehog could be having a reaction to his/her new environment. 

If your hedgehog is sneezing with discharge from eyes and nose (think mucus) then he/she may have developed a respiratory infection and may require a vet visit. 

If your hedgehog is chronologically itching, or begins loosing lots of quills (different from quilling), your hog may have contracted mites. Mites often tag along in bags of loose bedding. If your using a loose bedding, freezing it first will help lessen (but not prevent) the risk of a yucky little mite tagging along and making it's way to your hog. 

When in doubt, Consult your vet!

Just like most mammalian species, hedgehogs experience painful developmental stages. It's quite peculiar when you really think about it; puppies, humans and hedgehogs all go through strange development stages that often bring discomfort- teething, growing pains, puberty etc..

  Hedgehogs go through the process referred to as "quilling" , when they loose quills and grow in new ones. the process usualy beging at 6 weeks old and lasts for a few weeks. the process will begin again a few months later. the cycle will repeat throughout the first year of life. After 1 year of age, quilling is less occurring. Some hogs will continue to quill only once per year while loosing a few quills here and there in between, while other hogs will quill multiple times per year. 

    During quilling hedgehogs normally get a little cranky. it's normal. a hoglet that was open and curious may become huffy. Quilling is painful, I don't blame hoglets for becoming a little miserable! If you look closely at the skin and quills of a young hedgehog experiencing it's first set of quill loss, you'll see red irritation and sometimes blood marks from the quills breaking through the skin.

   Here are some things you can do to help your hedgehog through this process: keep your hog clean but don't over bathe. You'll want to keep the skin and environment clean to prevent any skin infection, but you'll also want to prevent over washing the skin, as this leads to dryness. 

   I'm not a big fan of lathering hogs when bathing them, I don't use an actual shampoo. I've found that lathering the skin can wash away protective oils and leave the hog skin very dry. So I use a conditioner instead. 

  Washing my hogs using conditioner has been pretty successful in limiting over dryness. I bathe by putting the conditioner in the water and then "waving" the conditioner over the hedgehog. If I've got a particularly dirty hog, I will use my hands to help loosen soil.  The hog is then very thoroughly rinsed with fresh water. 

    In addition to a conditioner bath you can apply add a little vitamin e, flax,or olive oil to your hedgehog's food. Fish/salmon oil can even be used, but can result in more stinky poops. It is always better to hydrate the skin from the outside comparable to hydrating it from the outside.  I say this because  applying oils and moisturizer topically helps "seal in" moisture. Sounds good right? Well, when you seal in moisture you also seal in bacteria and fungus. The held in moisture doesn't allow the skin to breath as it normally would either. This combination can cause a sticky bacterial infection or even a fungal infection. 

 Fungal infections can be very difficult to treat,. For these reasons I do not use oils or moisturizers on my hoggo's skin and cannot recommend it's frequent use to other. 

   Remember! Continue handling and bonding with your hedgehog during the quilling process. This is a critical point in development and you'll want o keep the bond growing!

 If you want to take your hedgehog outside, it is a good idea to use topical revolution for parasite prevention. Revolution requires a prescription and a licensed veterinarian can coach you in it's use.  The ingredients for revolution have changed. Most vets now carry Revolution Plus. The Plus variety may or may not be safe for hedgehogs. If you can only find Revolution Plus, ask your vet about a topical Ivermectin regimen. Ivermectin is an "old school" topical parasite preventative and treatment, but has been proven safe when applied to the skin properly in many species. 

Will my Hedgehog need vaccinations or to be neutered/spayed?

Hedgehogs do not need any vaccinations and do not need to be altered. 

Hedgehogs do not go into heat, spray, or have menstrual periods, so neuter/spay are not generally needed.

In the wild hedgehogs do not have much opportunity to swim. In fact, rain often signals them to move to higher ground to avoid the natural flooding that could result. 

I feel that forcing your hedgehog to go swimming is unnecessary and could cause your hoggo physical and psychological stress. We love our hoggos and certainly don't want to cause them harm! 

Some might say that swimming is okay because we do bath hoggos, and isn't swimming just a giant bath?

Bathing is a necessary part of hoggo ownership, swimming is not.

. Hedgehogs are not graceful animals and have poor eye sight, a potentially dangerous combination when navigating ramps, this can result in falls. Falls can result in injury. If you decide to use a multi level cage please apply "bumpers" or guards to the ramp and ensure that the ramps are not slick or do not become slippery when wet. 

Every hedgehog seems to have a preference in where they get their water from. I have some hedgehogs that will only drink out of a bowl and some that only use bottles. 

The best thing to do is to start off giving your hedgie the water source it has been used to at the breeders.

**All of my hoglets are given water bowls**

If you get a hoglet from me, start off offering a water bowl. If you'd like to switch him/her over to a bottle,start by offering both. 

Monitor how much water is gone each day from the bottle and bowl. If your hoglets been drinking from the bottle for two weeks consistently, they should be fine using just the bottle.

Be sure to refill the bottle daily during the test period to be sure your hoglet is actually drinking it and it's not dripping or evaporation instead!*

Tip: if using a bowl, check the water or bowl for crumbs- a tell tale sign your hoggo has been drinking from it.

We talk a whole lot about properly heating our hoggo's cage and ensuring they're kept warm enough during New England's chilly winters.

 One may wonder, are there any special care tips to be considered during the hot summer months? 

  In the summer it's important to continue providing your hoggo with a heat source.  Keeping your heat source (CHE) plugged into the thermostat will ensure it stays at it's set temperature and doesn't over heat your hoggo. 

If you're running an air conditioner in the same room as your hedgie, bump up your heat source's temp a few degrees to be sure it's heating the cage despite the ac.

Never place your hedgehog's cage in front of the a.c. or any drafts produced from it. 

If you do not have an a.c. in your home and it's getting super hot, greater than 85 degrees, you'll have to provide your hoggo with some relief. 

a ceramic tile placed in the cage will stay a few degrees cooler than the air and offer your hedgie a nice place to get a little relief. 

in more extreme temperature increases, a cool water bottle can be place outside of the cage to cool one side. monitor the cage temp and adjust from there.

Placing an oscillating fan in the room is a good way to increase air circulation and cool things off a bit. Do not blow a fan into your hedgehog's cage, that will certainly cause stress. 

 Hedgehogs display an unusual behavior called 'self anointing' or 'anointing". 

The hoggo will explore and sniff it's surrounding per normal but will suddenly stop, lick or sniff extra curiously, then like a contortionist lick it's self (usually on it's back).

It is a very peculiar thing to witness at first and may sometimes concern an owner. 

Rest assured this behavior is normal.

Science has yet to prove why hoggos anoint. but there a re a few theories floating around;

1.) The hedgehog likes the scent of it's environment (or an object in it) and wants to  take along the scent as a "keep sake".

2.) The hedgehog self anoints with the scent of objects within it's environment in order to smell like it's environment  and stay hidden from predators. 

Personally, I think it's the first theory.

When your hoggo anoints it will produce a frothy foam from it's mouth. this is normal. it's a foamed up wad of saliva that holds the scent and allows the hog to apply the scent it it's self.

Hedgehogs explore the world using their mouths, they do not have hands nor the ability to pick items up and explore them using their paws.

Young hedgies  grab their owners often. They're exploring you. A scared hedgehog will often ball up so rest assured that nibbling is not an aggressive behavior. 

Think of the way a human baby will grab and chew it's mothers fingers, exploratory nibbling is the hoggo equivalent.

Hoglets as young as 10 days old will bite and lick items (and your fingers) and they may continue it throughout their lives!

 Hedgehogs have the ability to bite when stressed, scared or threatened. When you own a hedgehog you have to be aware of this. Some hoggos are also less tolerable of handling and will bite when they are "done with being held".If you have other animals in (particularly cats, dogs and noisy animals such as birds) your hedgehog may bite. Hedgehogs will also likely be more afraid and likely to bite when around loud children/people/t.v or vibrations such as a vacuum cleaner or st. Thi sereo system. 

HEDGEHOGS LIKE RELATIVELY QUIET ENVIRONMENTS. A hoggo in a busy room is probably a stressed out hoggo. 

Now I hate to be a Debbie Downer but I have never had any success in litter box or potty training. 

You can certainly attempt to accomplish owning a potty mannered hoggo if you'd like, I've just never seen it done with any success.

If you want to give it a go, provide your hoggo with a corer litter pan and see if he/she uses it.

Many owners and breeders claim that their hedgehogs masturbate. This is not true. Male and female hedgehogs use their mouths to clean their private parts. They are not masturabting, they are practicing good hygeine.  

Nope. 

Hedgehogs do not go through heat cycles nor experience a menstrual cycle...thank goodness. 

While there are things that your hoggo can have occasionally as a treat, the most important thing to focus on is a good quality diet. I have seen a few owners that focus so much on treats that base diet is neglected, resulting in a malnourished and/or obese hedgehog.

Provide your hedgehog with a balanced kibble and insects, supplemented with whole prey and even meats! Whole prey and meats are so relished by hedgies that  one could even consider them treats!

Treats really aren't necessary and are more of a human behavioral need than an animal's dietary need (sorry to be a party pooper).

If your insistent upon giving your hedgie treats, stick to plain cooked chicken, cooked ground beef and scrambled eggs. There is info regarding this topic further on the progressive hogparenting page.

Nope. Hedgehogs aren't rodents. They do not need to wear down their teeth. In fact you want to preserve the quality of their teeth, just like in humans!

Hedgehogs will not chew on items to dull their teeth and they do not need a salt lick to stay healthy, if provided with a salt lick it most likely won't be used or if used can cause dehydration. 

Hedgehogs need warm temperatures to survive. It is best to keep low humidity as well. High humidity in your hoggo cage can cause fungal infection and respiratory illness.

 Temperature is the most important part of being a successful hedgehog parent (in my opinion),which is why it is mentioned so many times on this website.

** Proper temperature is important ALL the time, but especially important in the fall and winter months!**

         Right now in the hedgehogs natural habitat it is (what we call) summer. Here in little Rhode Island USA, we're coming into winter.  Be sure to increase your temps in your hoggos cage slightly to help prevent weather related medical issues. 

   Sometimes the cooler weather can cause hedgehogs  to become less active, eat less, and even succumb to hibernation attempts. Hibernation attempts are usually fatal in hedgehogs, so proper temps are important.

    It's a good idea to bump your hoggos cage temp a few degrees during the winter months.

  In the wild, hedgehogs go into a state of lessened activity when the temps cool.      However, in captivity we haven't yet mastered the ability to help our hedgehogs through a state of torpor/semi hibernation. 

  Naturally their temps would gradually decrease along with light/dark ratios (hrs of day light/ night darkness). The hedgehog would slowly begin to eat less and sleep more while becoming sluggish..the metabolism would slow down as well. A delicate balance of many factors will take place in order to keep the hedgehog alive during this period of scarce food and weather change. 

    As pet owners/breeders/ hedgehog fanatics we haven't had enough conclusive reasearch provided to us to completely understand this complicated process.

    So for now, our beloved hoggos remain temperature sensitive. 

   Now that winter is upon us, please bump up your temps & provide your  hoggo with a few extra hours of light per day. You may also find that your hoggo will benefit from a slight boost in fat  intake this winter. Offering more feeder insects or a food with a higher fat content can help accomplish this!

It is a VERY good idea to offer your hedgehog an extended lighting period during the cool months.

In the wild, light cycles trigger a hedgehog to start preparing for a cool season hibernation/torpor. 

By increasing the amount of time our hedgehogs receive light each day, we can decrease the chances of a hibernation attempt or a preparation for a hibernation attempt- such as decreased food consumption. 

   You can increase light hours by putting a lamp next to your hedgehogs cage and leaving it on for 10-14 hours per day. 

If you have over head lighting, you can simply leave that on for 10-14 hours per day. 

I find 12 hours of light to be a good number. Some people do 10- 14 and have equal success. 

10 hours of light is probably the easiest to manage for most pet owners. 

I average 13 hours of light during the cooler months. 

  **if your schedule does not permit you to be home to turn lights on and off at 10-14 hour increments, you can use a timer. A time is a power outlet that allows you to set a timer on it that will turn a light on and off after a preset amount of time. These timers are available at home depot and petco. ***Be sure NOT to plug your heat lamp or source into the timer outlet! You DO NOT want your heat source on a timer! You want your heat source on all the time!***

When fall begins to creep in you may want to increase your hoggo's fat intake. 

This does not require a drastic diet change! 

Additional fat in the diet during the tricky cool months can help provide your hoggo with a little extra "buffer" should temps suddenly drop. In the wild hedgehogs will stuff their faces with extra food items in preparation for their yearly semi-hibernation state. Having extra body fat allows the hedgehog to sustain it's self better during this period. 

Pet hedgehogs do not hibernate and are encouraged to stay slender with little excess body fat. Therefore if temps suddenly drop and a hibernation state is educed, the hedgehog has very little fat reserves to keep it's metabolic processes functioning. This is most likely why most captive hedgehogs who undergo a hibernation attempt tend to have long term issues such a repeated hibernation attempts, heart issues, and kidney issues. Their little body never fully recovers due to a depletion in organ health. A small fat reserve can help prevent that depletion.

You can increase your hoggo's fat consumption by: offering a wet food with a fat content higher than your regular kibble 3x per week.

OR

You can offer a pre-killed pinkie mouse every week.  You can buy these at reptile/exotic animal stores and pet shops such as Pet Co and Pet Smart. 

In Rhode Island you can support a local business by purchasing your pinkie mice and feeder insects from Sabrina's Reptile Kingdom, located in Cumberland Rhode Island. 

OR

Offer  feeder insects, particularly wax worms a few times per week.

OR

the simplest yet stinkiest way to increase fat intake is by adding fish oil to your hoggos kibble 2-3x per week. Fish oil will cause your hedgie to produce stinky bowel movements. 

Only a very small amount of oil is needed, if gel caps-1/2 of a capsule can be used and the other half can be used at the next offering. 

   Most owners like to use a mix of all of the above listed fat intake increasing methods. 

Increasing your hoggos fat intake should usually occur mid October-March. 

Some owners do not increase their hoggos fat intake at all and do just fine.

My hog room is light, temperature and humidity controlled so additional fat isn't particularly necessary for my animals. However, most pet hog owners may find a slight fat increase very beneficial to their animals.

(This information is not medical advice. This information is not a substitute of veterinary care. Always present all care changes to your licensed DVM)

A hibernation attempt can be super scary. I have seen a few in my time. 

If your hedgehog's cage temps are too low (or lighting is not enough), you may witness the events that can lead up to a hibernation attempt such as ; decreased appetite and mild lethargy- your hoggo will seem more sleepy than usual.  *hedgehogs are noctural. it is normal for your hog to be sleeping during the day. it is mportant to know your hedgehog's normal habits so monitoring for changes can be less challenging*

If you are noticing increased tiredness and/or lessened appetite try boosting the temps and increasing lighting hours. 

A full blown hibernation attempt will present it's self as: A hedgehog that is cool to the touch (especially the belly area), a hedgehog that is staying balled up and cannot unball, if the hedgehog unballs it is usually wobbly and seems disoriented.  

What to do if you suspect a hibernation attempt: 

Don't panic but act swiftly.

Hold your hedgehog against your skin to raise body temp. 

Increase the temp in the room by a decent amount(if room temp is 70 increase to 80).

DO NOT put your hog in hot water- this can lead to shock. 

DO NOT apply a blow dryer to your hedgehog. this too can cause a state of shock. 

Contact your veterinarian for further advice.

Some hedgehogs survive a hibernation attempt, some do not. Some of those that survive suffer long term organ functioning issues.

The best way to handle a hibernation attempt is to prevent one!