FOR
YOUR NEW HEDGEHOG
the first thing to remember is that hedgehogs are small mammals and solitary animals . It is not recommended that they are put together in pairs , especially
boys as they may well fight to the death . They are also nocturnal so tend to be asleep for a
large part of the day . When purchasing a hedgehog there are several things that need to be considered beforehand .
Enclosures
The minimum length of an enclosure should be no less than 3 feet , but
preferably 4 feet . There are several options of cage types available ;
Vivariums of various sizes , easy to keep
clean and keep an ambient temperature , will need extra ventilation holes if it has been used for a
reptile .
Indoor rabbit / guineapig cages , can either be plastic topped or wire , plastic
is safer in case the hedgehog
tries to climb and injure
themselves , easy to clean , temperature control can be more difficult .
Handmade cages can be designed to your own requirements , unless you are able to
construct yourself they can be expensive .
Zoozone 2 is a good cage/they cannot climb up the bars and it retains the heat, better than an open cage.
Diet
every hedgehog that leaves will have a supply of dry feed that I use ( IAMS CHICKEN/ PURINA CHICKEN/ HARRINGTONS CHICKEN) my hedgehogs also enjoy eating , scrambled and
boiled eggs , boiled chicken , mashed potato , cooked rice, boiled minced beef / lamb/ turkey . Some do
eat fruit and vegetables such as carrots/peas/brocoli /sweetcorn. They also eat some fruit including banana , blueberries, water melon, strawberries, , but not all hedgehogs enjoy these , it is trial and error . Some
like cottage cheese but not that many . Please make sure you do not feed
your hedgehog on fish based feed ; this
will make them very ill . They are
also lactose intolerant so please remember no dairy products . They must not eat any citrus fruits,tomatoes,avacado,nuts and seeds,grapes and fish.
Cleaning
Hedgehogs can sometimes be litter trained , which will mean there is less
cleaning , but if not a daily spot clean to remove any poo is necessary , and
once a week a complete clean with hot soapy water or odour free disinfectant . They do also tend to poo
on their wheels , so a daily clean will be needed .
Bedding
There are several options for bedding which I will list below , it is personal
choice on which ones you choose , and you may change before you find one that
works for you ; I use Finacard which is shredded cardboard no dust and good value for money, it can be ordered online.
Sawdust - not recommended
Wood shavings - not recommended can cause respiratory problems.
Care fresh- quite expensive but suitable for hogs
Fleece - Suitable if your hog is litter trained
Newspaper - Free . No dust . Will need changing daily unless litter trained .
Hemp - Fairly inexpensive , no dust , absorbent , but I feel it is rough on
their feet
Sleeping area
There are a few options to choose from , and my preference is a fleece blanket . Or if you wish you can use an
igloo , they are made from plastic so easy to keep clean .
Wooden tunnels are another option , they come in various sizes , the larger size is best so that you can fit in blanket or bedding . Sleeping pouches can also be used , coming in various colours , best suited to newspaper bedding as wood shavings will stick , they are also good for being able to pick up your hog , especially in the early days when you are less confident in handling your hog .
Toys
Your hog will firstly require a wheel to exercise on , this is a must when they are over 12 weeks old , there are various ones on the market and it will depend on your budget , the 12 " silent spinner is good, or the 10.5 savic wheel, or bucket wheels are good. They will use them a lot , one of my boys spends most of the night on his . They do unfortunately go to the toilet as they run , so the wheel will need cleaning daily . Other toys can be purchased for playtime and every hog likes something different , cat toys are good also the cardboard tubes from toilet rolls . Please no catnip in toys.
Nail clipping
This is a job that needs to be done on a regular basis and will take some practise. You can use normal clippers used for your nails. Only cut a small amount off to avoid bleeding, you can see where the blood supply is but accidents can happen. If it does bleed use flour to stop bleeding from the nail. It is best to cut them when they are having a bath as they are unable to ball up. Please contact me if you need any advice. If you find it stressful its best to take your hog to a vet.
Bathing
Only bath in shallow water approx 2", warm water and I use Aveeno bath oil approx 1tsp. They only need bathing about 4 times a year, or it can dry out their skin. Foot baths are needed to clean their poo boots a nice word for when they run on their wheel and poo at the same time, this dries when they sleep in their warm bed. A toothbrush is ideal for bath time, makes easy work to remove dirt.