PetsandCares.com
I’m thinking about getting one, but seeing as how they’re kind of viewed as ‘Exotic’, I wanted to know how hard they are to take care of? Also, are they expensive pets? As in, are they going to be expensive to keep up with?
Incoming search terms:
- why does my hedgehogs urine smell like ammonia
- are hedgehogs hard to keep
- my hedgehogs pee smells like ammonia
They’re actually very easy to care for. They require atleast two square feet of cage and can be fed catfood. You should take it out of its cage to play with it daily, but don’t need constant attention like a dog would.
No, they aren’t very hard to care for. They need high quality cat food, a cage or bin that is at least 30″ long. They can be very friendly. They need a bath every so often, they have to have a temperature of 70F degrees or higher, and they can get health problems so they may need vet treatment.
We have a number of them and they do make very good pets, as long as you take proper care of them.
1) They need to be kept at temps in between 72-80 degree’s
2) They need to have 12-14 hours of sunlight every day
3) They are nocturnal so they sleep all day and are up at night
4) They need a high quality diet – high protein, low fat cat food mix, fresh fruits, veggies, insects
5) They need a minimum cage space of 2×2, but the larger the better
6) They need a wheel as they are runners by nature
These are just a few things that they require. Once a hedgehog gets used to you and their new environment, they will not put their quills up very often unless they are scared or surprised. The main reason they do roll in a ball with their quills up is it is their mode of defense. If they are scared or unsure they will stay like this until they feel safe.
I hope this helps. There is a lot of information on hedgehogcentral.com that you may want to look at too.
they are amazing i cherish every day i get to be with mine. my hedgehogs are not caged they run free so they interact with each other and have their own little attitudes and personalities. every animal has a smell but if you keep them clean no they don’t smell. if you let them be dirty their pee does smell like ammonia. if you are going to cage them you need a large rabbit type cage but it has to be a flat bottom no bars. and you will need a whisper wheel so it can run. i wouldn’t use shavings because when the animal lays on the shavings any bug eggs hatch from the warmth and your hedgie is infested. i would use a blanket or that fluff for hamsters. i love my animals i wouldn’t give them up for anything. personally i think they are the most unique animal there is. if you get socialized and spend time with your hedgie they are the friendliest most loving animal.
i found an amazing website ….http://www.angelfire.com/wa2/comemeetmyf…
it tell you everything you could even dream of wanting to know.
no aquarium because of poor air movement. the best bedding is blankets. shavings cause mites also the shavings will coat the pets lungs. also give them something to crawl under like a blanket or an igloo. price depends on color on average you are loking at $100.00 (canadian) grooming you have to cut their toenails and give them a bath roughly twice a month.
i was feeding mine hills science diet natures best but i found another one that is better its called actrium holistic for cats its in a brown bag. i give mine temptations or any hard cat treats.
if you need any questions you can email me rottie_22@hotmail.com
i rescue hedgehogs from abused homes and i also have 13 of them
12 have been born in my home and 1 is a rescue (she is my 6th rescue)
here is some more info…
1.) What do they eat??2.)
2) Is it true you can feed them cat food??
3.) Do their spikes hurt??
4.) Are they supposed to be bathed?
5.) Are they legal in Virginia??
6.) Are there hedgehog rescues??
7.) Are they rodents??
8.) Do they make a lot of noise??
9.) how long will they live??
10.) What health issues do they have??
11.) Do they bite???
12.) and Do most exotic vets treat hedgegogs??
1. cat food mainly treats of meal worms crickets fruits vegetables cooked chicken bologna
2.yes that’s what they eat
3.yes they do they are sharp but if they are calm and have their quills down they are soft
4. yes you can bathe them i even let mine swim in the tub for exercise
5.There illegal in some places: Maine, Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho only allows African hedgehogs, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, The 5 Boroughs of New York City, Douglas County Nebraska, Windsor Ontario and Langley British Columbia.
6. yes many of them i personally rescue hedgehogs
7. they are related to shrews and moles
8. not often but yes they do if they are happy they sound like a parrot, bad dreams they scream, and they like their jingle balls
9. roughly 4-6 years *i dont think god himself had a 16 year old hedgehog*
10. cancer, bacterial infections, lung infections, eye problems, mites, skin conditions, sensitive skin
11. yes they do anything with teeth is able to bite
12. exotic vets yes normal vets not so many but it is expensive