Hedgehog breeder serving RI, MA, CT, VT and NH

All of those who adopt a hedgehog from me are required to read this information prior to adoption.By adopting a hedgehog from me you are acknowledging that you have read and agreed to all of the information provided on this website. 

Hedgehogs make wonderful pets for the right owners! If you spend time with your hog and provide him/her with proper care, you can develop a pleasant relationship with each other! Hedgehogs are unique and Curious animals that, when properly cared for, can recognize their owner's voice and prefer their owners over other people, a bond!

  Though hedgehogs are known as being solitary, the bond I've seen hogs have with loving owners is something truly special!

*The information provided here is not to replace proper veterinary care nor veterinary recommendation. *

** The word "bond" refers to the level of tolerance and acceptance your hedgehog develops with you in their environment.

 If you are interested in becoming a hog parent please view the" is a hoggo right for you?" tab to take a self answered questionnaire. This questionnaire will help you determine if a pet hoggo is right for you. 

Welcome to the updated version of "How to take care of a hedgehog". Nothing here, or anywhere in this website, should be considered medical advice. 

I also firmly believe that there is more than one way to accomplish the same task, so if you find another method that works for you and is safe, great. As a pet owner it's up to you to find the best methods of providing animal care in your unique situation. 

Here goes....

 If your new hedgehog is 7-12 weeks of age, he/she will more than likely be experiencing a "quilling". This is a time in which a young hedgehog will begin losing baby quills and new ones will be popping on into take their place. This is a very normal process for hedgehogs to go through, in fact your hedgehog will experience quilling even as an adult, just at a lesser frequency. Adult hogs quill approx once or twice per year in comparison to a 0-1 year hedgehog who might seem to always be loosing quills. Though quilling is normal you should note any excessively irritated skin or extreme quill loss (sparse quills or noticeable bald spots) because they could be an indicator that your hedgehog has mites. Yuck! I'll cover mites more in depth at another time. They're gross, trust me.  

Caging:

Tote bins-A hedgehog's cage can be as simple as a plastic tote bin. The same bins you find in the storage section of big chain stores. 

When selecting a bin it's important to select one that's at least 3.5 square feet of floor space and 10 inches high. 

Most 90 quart standard bins provide adequate space. 

Wire cages- There are many wire cages that have solid bottoms at most pet shops. These cages seem to work well for hedgehogs. The only concern is the hedgehog climbing the bars or getting it's head stuck in them. To limit or prevent this from happening, the bottom inside of the cage (where the bars meet the plastic bottom piece) can be lined with coroplast or plastic (plastic binders cut in sections to size work well) up to about 7 inches of the cage. The coroplast or plastic can be applied by punching holes in it and then zip tying it to the bars to secure it into place.

Exo Terra glass reptile tanks- These classy looking display tanks can be found at most pet shops. A 40 gallon size is acceptable for a hedgehog. *When using an exoterra the bedding will have to be changes slightly more often than the other cage types

Cage décor:

substrate is what you cover the floor of the cage with. 

Fleece- a piece of fleece cut to the size of the bin can be used, I used fleece exclusively for many years with great success. Fleece can be changed out twice a week for smaller cages and usually once a week for larger cages. Fleece can be washed in a washing machine using scent free detergent. You can also add bleach or a laundry sanitizer, just be sure to double rinse it if you do. Fleece is not suitable for an exoterra type of cage. 

Paper bedding- a few inches of paper bedding can be used as a substrate. Just be sure to select unscented  paper bedding that isn't dyed any funky colors. White or gray/brown are usually the ones that are not dyed.

Wood shaving bedding- Pine flake bedding can also be used. As can aspen. 

Aspen is a bit more expensive but is usually preferred as it tends to be low dust. The pine flake bedding from tractor supply is just as sufficient, but may have some dust in it more than the aspen.  Avoid cedar bedding. Cedar smells amazing and is low dust, however it tends to release vapors from it's natural botanical oil that can cause respiratory challenges in small animals. 

Food dishes and bowls:

Ceramic food dishes are easily used and cleaned. A traditional ceramic cat food dish from the pet shop is sufficient.

Glass "finger bowls" also work very well.

Water can be placed in a ceramic small animal or cat bowl. Hedgehogs do tend to soil the water with their feces or bedding. Water must be changed out daily.

Water bottles can also be used for hedgehogs. Do not use spring loaded water bottles though. Only use the water bottles that have a stopper but no spring. 

Wheels:

Bucket wheels- The kaytee comfort 12 inch wheel is a favorite. 

Saucer wheel- a large sized saucer wheel may be used as long as the hedgehog isn't particularly large. If the hedgehog is a heavy runner or topples the saucer over, it should no longer be used as they can harm their feet on it. 

Wheels not to use include metal mesh wheels and wheels that do not have solid bottoms. Wheels with side guards should also be avoided. 

Toys:

Many toys are suitable for hedgehogs. 

Plush animals made from soft smooth fabric can be used. Many baby stuffed animals work well. Be sure not to use any toys that contain rope, yarn, loose strings, or small parts that a hedgehog could get its snout or limbs stuck in.

Wooden toys should also be avoided. 

Salt licks should be avoided. 

Plastic balls work well

Rubber duckies are a fun toy, just be sure to cut a decent sized hole in them so they do not trap water during washing. 

Most plastic Easter eggs are also a fun toy.

Once you get to know your hedgehog and it's habits better, you'll start to notice many options for toys that are available in the places you least expect. For example, a bucket with the bottom cut out makes for a fun and interesting rolling hide. 

Hides:

 Large plastic "igloo" hides work very well.

Snuggle bags can also be used to provide a hide.

A few inches of bedding is often the preferred hide to most hedgehogs.

Feeding: 

Hedgehogs can be fed high quality dry cat/dog foods along with insects and cooked or raw pet grade meats. Freeze dried pet diets such as meat mates and stella and chewy's are also liked by most hedgehogs. Offer your hedgehog a varied diet that changes often to prevent pickiness. Mix two varieties of cat kibble together and when it runs out, change one of the varieties in the mix. 

When selecting a dry kibble remember that the higher the protein and fat levels, the better. 

I like to select one kibble that is 35-40% protein, 15-20% fat and is grain free

and mix it with a kibble that is either lower or equal in protein and fat, but contains grains. 

If you can find pea free kibbles, that is wonderful. Nature's logic and Zignature signature bites are both pea free options. 

It is true that hedgehogs cannot digest grains very well, however the grains in kibble are processed to such a degree that the digestive process has already partially occurred when the kibble was manufactured. There has been a lot of controversy regarding grain/grain free/ peas and DCM in dogs over the past few years. The FDA had investigated a possible link between heart disease and grain free diets in dogs. The conclusion of the investigation found NO LINK between grain free foods and DCM. 

However, it did raise one to wonder whether or not diets heavy in peas ( which grain free diets usually are) could be harmful long term for hedgehogs. Reptiles, for example, have been heavily studied regarding calcium and D levels. We know that a reptile who eats lots of peas isn't going to utilize calcium and vit D very well. The animal is probably going to suffer from metabolic bone disease and kidney issues. Knowing how peas contain nutrients that bind or inhibit absorption of other nutrients is enough for me to choose to feed diets with less peas, even if that means we have to take some grains in. Diets that contain grains usually contain less peas. Diets that contain grains are usually lower in protein and fat. By combining the two we are covering all bases for the animal's diet. 

 Insects are a very important part of a hedgehog's diet. This is because hedgehogs are insectivores.  The African Pygmy Hedgehog has evolved to NOT have a cecum. A cecum is an organ herbivores and omnivores have in their bodies that help effectively process plant fiber. 

Because a healthy digestive system needs fiber to bulk and remove waste, hedgehogs have evolved to use insect fiber, called chitin, instead.  Chitin is found in the wings, body parts and exoskeletons of insects. 

    In the wild a hedgehog would eat a diet that's primarily insects and carrion. This type of diet is impractical for most owners to provide effectively. Luckily, the processing of kibble does make the fiber contained within it more easily used by the hedgehog's digestive tract. However, its always a wonderful idea to offer chitin to your hedgehog's diet via whole insects from the pet shop a few times per week if not daily. 

Sometimes feeding live (or as I feed, live that's then popped in the freezer for a few weeks before being defrosted and fed) can be tricky. Over the last 4 years there have been multiple feeder insect shortages. The shortages have been caused by various things such as hurricanes, heat waves and higher demand than supply. Also, some owners have a fear of insects that may prohibit their ability to handle or feed live insects.  I used to have the mentality of " if you can't handle bugs a hedgehog isn't the right pet for you". Over time and through experience that mentality has certainly changed. 

If feeder insects are hard to source, unavailable or if you have a fear of bugs, there is a solution!

You can either;

Make homemade insect powder by grinding freeze dried insects; crickets, mealworms and black soldier fly larvae found in the fish or reptile section of the pet store. Grind the insects to a powder in a blender. Sprinkle the powder on the hedgehog's kibble. You can even make a bunch of powder at once and store it in an airtight container or in the freezer.

Buy premade insect powder available online. Cricket powder and black soldier fly larvae powder are fairly easy to find online.

Offering some insect powder a few times per week is a great way to add chitin to a hedgehog's diet.

Fruits and vegetables:

Hedgehogs shouldn't be fed whole, fresh  or cooked fruits and vegetables. They cannot digest them properly due to not having a cecum. 

However, fruits and vegetables contain many antioxidants and micro nutrients that a hedgehog does need or could benefit from. 

In the wild a hedgehog would eat partially digested plant matter by eating insects and carrion that has feasted on plant matter. We can use this principle to provide our pet hedgehogs with the benefits of plant matter safely. This can be done by "gut loading" insects before they are offered to the hedgehog. Gut loading is done by feeding feeder insects a last meal of high ORAC foods such as blue berries, cherries, water cress and others before then feeding the insect to the hedgehog. Insects can also be "gut loaded" with other beneficial things such as probiotics and digestive enzymes. 

Another way to offer the benefits of fruits and vegetables without the digestive difficulty is by offering a hedgehog pangea and repashy reptile foods. They are powders that can be sprinkled on the hedgehog's kibble or have water added to them to constitute a pudding like consistency or even gel. These reptile marketed diets are processed in such a way that they have the same partially digested nature as any fruits/veggies that have been added to kibble during the manufacturing process. Many repashy formulas also contain black soldier fly larvae, a nice source of chitin. 

Heat:

Providing heat is the most important part of being a hogparent. All other care errors can be corrected usually without issue. Heat cannot. A hedgehog in nature will experience temporary states of semi hibernation or brumation called torpor. This means that the animal's body responds and slows down during various climate changes involving cooling temperature. 

In captivity, hedgehogs have kind of lost this natural ability to slow their bodies and then speed them back up again safely. Which is why it's so important to prevent them from experiencing temperatures that are too cool. 

Hedgehog's are best kept at around 75 degrees. The temperatures can often flux between 70-82 degrees without incident. However when it gets cooler than 70 degrees there may be issues with what we call a "hibernation attempt". During a hibernation attempt a hedgehog will usually ball up and not move much. The hedgehog may also unball and have a cold belly. The hedgehog could even stay unballed and attempt to walk around and eat, however it will be sluggish and wobbly. Each hedgehog will show different symptoms while attempting hibernation, but the behavior will  be different from it's usual full functioning. 

Heat mats are my new favorite way of providing heat. They're generally safer than heat lamps and last many years. KH small animal heat pads are a safe option. They have a built in thermostat that keeps it from over heating. They also allow the animal to thermoregulate themselves by moving on and off the heat pad in a similar way wild hedgehogs would move between warmer and cooler areas. 

The heat pad is activated by weight on top of it. wrapping it in a single layer of fleece will keep it on and available to the hedgehog at all times. 

Ceramic heat emitter lamps can also be used. These are available in the reptile section of most pet shops. For the average sized cage a 100watt ceramic heat bulb is sufficient. Place the ceramic heat bulb in a ceramic based heat lamp. These are lamps specially made for the ceramic heat bulb. 

Plug the lamp into a THERMOSTAT and set it to 75 degrees. 

Place the PROBE that's attached to the thermostat, in the cage away from under the lamp, usually a few inches away.

plug the thermostat's plug into your power outlet. 

place the lamp onto the top of the cage. 

If using an exoterra, just place in on the screen top of the cage. 

If using a bar cage it can typically be placed atop the bar roof.

If using a bin you will need a metal screen cover to rest the lamp upon. Home improvement stores sell aluminum screen that works well. 

GROOMING

   Hedgehogs aren't big on grooming themselves. They don't self groom in the way that a guinea pig or hamster does. Instead, hoggos mostly "groom" by scratching themselves with their back feet. Hedgehogs will groom "their private parts" though. In the wild hedgehogs have been observed taking sand baths. They roll their bodies around in sand (not dust) to remove any debris and parasites. Many captive hedgehogs have seemingly lost this instinct and will not bathe in sand. If you want to try a sand bath with your hogg, by all means you can certainly choose to. Grooming dust that is typically made for chinchillas is not a good option though. Play sand is a much better choice. Even courser sand sold as fish tank substrate can be used. I've tried sand bathing with a natural fish tank sand made for cichlid fish species. Sand bathing is not necessary in captive hedgehogs as there are other ways that we can use to clean out hoggos that pose less risk. However, if you want to offer a sand bath to try it out or to offer as recreation, you may certainly choose to.

  There are some ways we can groom out hedgehogs to keep them clean and safe. 

   Foot baths are important as they help prevent buildup of feces or debris on the feet. Hedgehogs tend to run in and stomp in everything, resulting in icky feet. An inch or so of warm water in a sink or tote is a great way to bath the feet. As the hoggo walks around in the water, debris usually softens and falls off. Placing a towel in the sink creates a surface that helps clean the feet off even better. Any remaining debris can be removed with your fingers. 

   Full baths should only be given when necessary. I bathe my animals once every month or two. 

  I do not recommend using shampoo or soaps on a hedgehog's skin. Instead use a natural based low oil conditioner. The conditioner is added to bath water and mixed in. The bath water is then waved over the animal to make contact with skin and remove debris. Additional debris can be removed using a wash rag or your fingers. I am not big on using tooth brushes to wash hedgehogs, I have seen many animals become traumatized and even get injured due to tooth brushes. 

    Nail trimming is also very important. Nails can be trimmed in the sink or bin with a bit of water. As the animal walks about, gently grab each foot and snip the tips of the nails off. 

  Screen can also be used to trim nails but is a two person job. Place the hoggo on a piece of folded screen or in a wire fry basket, as the nail tips poke through the scree, snip them off. Only trim the white parts and very tips of the nails. 

 Nail care for fussy hedgehogs: Does your hedgehog turn into a little ball of hate when it comes to nail trims? Trick your naughty hoggo into filing his own nails! Put a big 12x12 or 18x18 piece of porcelain tile in his cage! Put the tile upside down though! As your tricky-to-trimster walks on the tile, he'll be helping to file his own nails! Some hedgehogs try to chew the tile. If your hoggo does, try soft sandpaper instead!  I leave the tile in for 5-7 days at a time. 1 time every month, depending on nail growth rate. Pictured is the one animal i cant get a nail trim done on.  

   Teeth are not a large part, if any, of hedgehog grooming. Providing a quality diet and partially grinding kibble are the best things an owner can do for their animal's oral health. Teeth brushing and oral cleanings are NOT recommended UNLESS recommended by AND done by a veterinarian ONLY. Well intended owners have accidently harmed their animals or caused serious issue/injury while trying to complete at home oral cleaning on their animals.  Hedgehogs do often suffer from oral issues and most are caused by feeding kibble that is too large and from feeding heavy kibble/ kibble exclusive diets. Offering raw foods and whole prey actually helps clean teeth, especially when the animal chews against cartilage and bone. 

  It is important to examine (eyes only) the inside of your hoggo's mouth. You can gently open their mouth with a popsicle stick and glance inside the mouth. Any signs of deep bright redness, apparent swelling, masses, puss or injured teeth, is cause for a vet visit. 

Bonding:

Hedgehog's are commonly referred to as "bonding animals". This means that they tend to get used to one person and feel safest around that one person. To be bonded to a person means that the hedgehog has grown to tolerate that person and their movement, voice and actions within the environment. 

 This is usually because that one person has imprinted on the hedgehog by spending time with it and becoming a part of the hedgehog's routine. The best way to "bond" with a hedgehog is by spending a bunch of time with it from the moment you bring it home. Hold your hedgehog every day, talk softly to your hedgehog and do not put your hedgehog back in it's cage if it balls up on makes popping/clicking noises at you. By holding your hedgehog through it's protests, you will be teaching it that holding it is a normal part of routine and defensive mode is not going to make the human go away. You'll also want to be sure that bonding sessions are comfortable for the animal as well. You want your hedgehog to feel as safe as possible. Using a snuggle sack can help greatly in offering that extra pinch of security for especially nervous animals. However, do hold your hoggo without barriers (snuggle sacks gloves etc.) as much as possible.

It is important to hold your hedgehog the day you bring it home. When you first get your hedgehog, hold it often. 

Hold your hedgehog belly side down until trust is established and the animal becomes more familiar and safe feeling with you.

I like to tell all new hoglet owners to "Harass your new hoggo with your love".  Spend lots of time with and around your hedgehog so that you become an expected and safe part of their environment. 

Most baby hedgehogs do sort of a "reset" when they leave to go into their new homes. Hoglets who have been greatly socialized and have done well with handling at the breeder's house will often times become pretty shy in their new homes initially. This is because everything that has been imprinted in their brains has now changed. The scents, sounds and scenes that have literally helped to develop their brain and functioning processes have suddenly changed. This can result in the animal exhibiting the only behavior it knows how to in uncertain situations: defensive. 

The good news is that young hoglets still have plenty of time to adapt to new environments. A hedgehog's brain develops until about 8 months old, so young hoglets can still be imprinted on by their new owners. Sometimes using something from the hedgehog's old environment can help it adjust. 

I like to send hoglets home with something from it's old environment; some bedding, a blankie, piece of fleece or toy. Even a paper towel that's been hanging out in the hoglet's cage a while can help the animal adjust to a new home a little easier. This is because hedgehogs are deeply scent driven.

There's an old method in which new owners would send the breeder a piece of their clothing for the hoglet to sleep with before it came home. The thought is that the hoglet will become used to the new owner's scent before going to it's new owner. I don't do this. You'd have to remove the hoglet from it's siblings in order to provide the clothing item which already sets back the animal's socialization, worn clothing also exposes the young animal to pathogens it has no immunity to yet, and the "scent of the owner" on the clothing wanes away so quickly that it does nothing for the animal's adjustment at all. The hedgehog will never piece together that it's supposed to be happy and safe feeling around this t.shirt or blankie the owner has provided. 

Bringing an item WITH the animal is the best way to help an animal adjust. The animal Knows it's own scent, so it's scent is the one that should be provided in the new home. This is why I send hoglets home with something from their old environment.

Once the hoglet is in it's new home, that is the time when an owner may want to place a used shirt or blankie in the animal's cage. You can change the item out every day for a few days in a row to help imprint the scent of a new environment onto the hoglet's developing brain.