Kindercritters Exotic's
Hedgehog
Care Sheet
This
information sheet is designed to present caregivers with basic information
regarding the care and keeping of hedgehogs.
Housing
Careful consideration should be given to the size of accommodations you are
going to give your hedgehog. The cage should have ample room not only for wheel,
toys, bed, litter box, and food dishes, but also room enough for your hedgehog
to roam around as well.
Large rabbit cages work well (make sure the model you choose has snug fitting
doors!) Most have either a slide out pan or removable top to simplify cleaning.
Be careful NOT to use a cage with a wire floor because they can cause serious
injuries!
Another popular alternative are the HUGE “Sterilite” storage containers. If you
use these, holes should be drilled about half-way up the side for ventilation.
You must not add a lid because of the ventilation issue and some hedgehogs can
escape from these.
Aquariums have been used, but again, there is a ventilation issue and the tank
would have to be very large indeed!
As a substrate we prefer Aspen or Pine shavings. There is a bedding called
Carefresh available on the market but it seems to hold moisture in longer does
not seem to absorb odor as well. Both are soft and provide a good “nesty”
insulation for sleeping hedgehogs. If you use shavings, use only aspen or pine.
Cedar is not an acceptable substrate, particularly in fully enclosed housing
such as sterilites or aquariums, as it contains carcinogenic phenols that are
known to cause respiratory distress/illness. Close attention must be paid if
litter of any kind is used because small pieces can become lodged in the genital
area and cause infection.
Some people prefer to use cage liners in place of litters of any kind, however
these require more maintenance as they will need to be washed daily or every
other day at the very least, (and as well, so will your hedgie’s feet!)
Light and Temperature
Hedgehogs are, by nature, nocturnal animals, meaning they are awake at night and
asleep during most of the day. Please do not try to change their “inner clock”.
It will only frustrate them and may make you both cranky. Despite the fact that
they sleep during the day, they should still be situated in a room that is
bright during the day and dark at night so as to keep their sleep time and
active cycles on a normal schedule. They also prefer to have some type of
“hidey-hole” to sleep in. A small box with a hole cut in it or a small bag made
with an interior layer of a warm material like fleece or velux are both popular
options.
It is perfectly okay to get them up in the early morning or early evening to
play with them and many well socialized hedgies are quite okay with a mid-day
snack if you must peek in at their adorable faces!
*****
This cannot be stressed enough*****
Keep
your hedgehog warm!
This is the basest factor in hedgehog care and husbandry. If your hedgehog is
chilled, everything else you do for him or her is like building a house of cards
in a windstorm.
You want your room temperature where your hedgehog will be housed to be 72-75
degrees as an absolute minimum and not much hotter than 85 degrees. Hedgehogs
thrive best if temps are consistently between 75 and 85 degrees. If the
temperature drops too low, (below 70), your hedgehog may try to go into partial
hibernation and this can be very dangerous. It will lead to wobbling gate,
lethargy, unwillingness to eat and drink, and not eliminating properly - and
this can bring on all types of secondary problems as well (see “FLD” under
“Health concerns”). To check the warmth of your hedgehog, feel under his/her
belly. If it feels cool to the touch, your hedgie is too cold!
It must be warmed up as quickly as possible. A heating pad set to low is good
for this or you can take warm towels from the dryer and lay them around and over
him in your hedgie’s bed. If keeping the ambient temperature in your house above
70 is going to be difficult, we recommend a hood lamp with a 100 watt
night-cycle bulb be over your hedgies cage or bin at all times.
If your house or hedgehog room is consistently at risk of being 65 degrees or
below for ANY extended amount of time then a hedgehog is probably NOT the pet
that is best suited for your household.
Food and Water
Heavy shallow bowls work best for food.
We feed Chicken Soup
for the Cat Lovers Soul as a base diet. It is put out by Diamond Pet Foods and
is available through pet stores. If your pet store doesn’t carry it, often times
they can order it in for you or you can call: 1-(800) 658-0624 to find out about
local distributors or to order.
Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul is a simple, wholesome feed without a lot
of additives that has worked well over the long term for our hedgehogs. Popular
foods to mix in with this base that are easy to find are Meow Mix and Special
Kitty (a Wal-Mart brand).
If you should chose to go with a different brand be careful to switch your hedgie’s food gradually starting with a 50/50 mixture and slowly adjusting your ratio, (this process can take several weeks). Be sure your hedgehog is eating both foods readily before cutting down, and then out, the familiar food.
USE CAUTION:
An abrupt change can put
them off of their feed which can be very dangerous and cause life-threatening
conditions in only a short time. Please choose a high quality dry cat food if
you decide to change brands.
The fat to protein ratio in your hedgehog’s base diet cat food, whichever brand
you choose, should be approximately 7-10% fat to not more than 30% protein. Be
leery of pet store owners that tell you to use a dry food that is formulated for
ferrets. Ferrets are carnivores that are engineered to digest animal proteins
and fats and require less fiber. The analysis of these is very different in
insects. Plus ferrets need and can tolerate a MUCH higher protein content than a
hedgehog.
A large handful of dry food will last 2 or so days and then should be
dumped and freshened. Freshen more often if your hedgehog is a “messy eater”.
Don’t be alarmed if your Hedgie acts a little “strange” the first time he/she
tries something new. Hedgehogs have a very unique way of becoming familiar with
something; that is they “anoint” with it. This entails foaming at the mouth,
(some more than others), and then reaching way back onto their quills and
licking themselves with the foam. In the wild, Hedgehogs are insectivores and
you won’t believe how long their tongues are!
Treats
(We feed bug treats nightly)
The most nutritious bugs you can feed are Butterworms. (Available through
carolinapetsupply.com)
They have higher calcium content than meal worms and are much lower in fat
making them not only the most nutritious, but the safest over time.
Hedgehogs need to be on a relatively low fat diet to keep their liver healthy
and the butter worms come in at about 5.7 % fat compared to the mealies which
are around 12.72 %
Mealworms are good as a treat 2-3 times a week if you are feeding the butter
worms on the other nights.
Butterworms are not available in pet stores, but we have found reliable
suppliers and can get them in any quantity and can ship if necessary.
They are kept in the fridge, need no food, and will last for months this way.
Mealworms – These can be fed live or canned. If crawly bugs make you
squeamish, we recommend the Can-o-Worms canned product as it is easy and they
keep quite well in the fridge. “Fluker’s” makes freeze-dried meal worms that are
a good treat but are not as “widely” accepted by discriminating Hedgies. Both of
these types of worms are usually kept in the reptile dept. of your pet store.
They are more expensive than the live worms but a little less hassle.
Refrigerated live worms can and will escape from various types of food dishes as
they get around quite well once they warm up. If, however, you are comfortable
using live worms (recommended), the reptile department in many pet stores will
carry dishes that are specifically designed for feeding these to your pet. If
you are feeding the butter worms, 4-5 worms on “mealie night” are more than
plenty. But look out - - when they look up at you with “more please?”
little face they are hard to resist!
Crickets – The same company that makes the canned worms makes a canned
cricket but they have a somewhat interesting aroma and, again, are a little more
expensive. An alternative option is to buy live crickets and put them in the
freezer. They will keep well stored this way and they don’t smell. Some
hedgehogs will prefer one over the other and some will accept both equally. If
your hedgehog is housed in fully enclosed housing such as the sterilites or an
aquarium, feeding the crickets live is not a problem.
There is a product on the market that is a fantastic healthy addition to your
hedgehog care regimen!
It is called “TNT” and is also available through carolinapetsupply.com.
It was originally formulated for African Tortoises and is made from all natural
plants, chosen for their nutritional analysis to contain similar dietary values
to the native grasses and weeds of African lands and contains probiotics as
well. Being nutritionally similar to the foods available in a hedgehog’s native
habitat, TNT can be used to gutload your crickets giving them better value
overall. Remember – you are what you eat…
It has also been lightly sprinkled over the worms and small amounts on the dry
food with no noticeable impact on our hedgehogs desire to “dig in” to their food
bowls. There is a “fruit lover’s” TNT as well that has dried berries included.
Some people feed silk worms, however these are usually only available by mail
order and there are rumors of some hedgehogs choosing to “keep them as pets”
instead of actually ingesting them!
Other treats include:
Cooked chicken, turkey or salmon, scrambled eggs, apple sauce, toasted pine
nuts, sweet potato, and vanilla yogurt, defrosted frozen peas and corn.
*****Our babies are weaned to a water bottle and we recommend them as they
are easier to keep sanitary on a day to day basis than dishes.*****
Please note that some
breeders have voiced concern about chipped teeth and water bottles. This
can be avoided by using the large bottles designed for rabbits as the hedgehogs
tend to not bite at the larger tube.
Bathing
Your hedgie should be bathed in warm water with a few drops of oil (Jojoba or
olive is preferred) or an oatmeal shampoo (Aveeno makes one that is available at
Wal-Mart) 3 or 4 times a month (depending on how “sloppy” he/she is – poopy feet
from running on a soiled wheel will require daily washing). Set aside a special
“hedgie only” toothbrush for scrubbing their quills.
As well, your hedgehog’s nails should be checked at bath time to see if they are
getting too long. A baby-size nail clipper should be kept on hand for this task.
It is easiest to clip their nails while they are in the bath as most (!) of them
are smart enough not to try to ball up while they are in the water.
Accessories
Beds:
A plastic igloo-shaped “pigloo” makes an excellent hideaway and sleeping place.
They are available through your local pet store. Just add a fleece blanket and
your hedgehog will be nice and cozy!
Old hats make a great hiding spot as well and “hedgie bags” sewn on 3 sides and
made out of fleece or some other “comfy” fabric are easy to make and fun to
customize.
Wheels: A real treat for
your hedgehog! It will provide hours of entertainment and exercise for your pet.
DO NOT use a wire wheel unless it is fully lined with craft foam or some other
type of washable material to keep your hedgehogs feet from slipping between the
bars. This can cause serious injury! A “bucket style” wheel is one choice. They
are safe for your hedgie however most of the time they require a good cleaning
almost daily. Check your local pet store or online for availability. We
recommend using bathtub anti-slip stick-ons around the inside of the bucket
wheels for better traction.
We have new mesh-style wheels available that we make here at Kindercritters that
we have found, thus far, to be quiet, easy to clean, require less daily
maintenance than the bucket wheels, and our hedgehogs love them!
Please let us know if you would like to see one.
It is normal for a hedgehog to eliminate on their wheel (count yourself lucky if
your hedgie doesn’t develop that habit!) Scrub the wheel often to keep your
hedgehogs feet from getting infected!
***Do not buy a wheel less than 11 inches in diameter.***
Toys:
Cat balls with bells inside, ferret treat balls, and even a toilet paper tube
cut open lengthwise all make great toys for active hedgehogs. They love to stick
their heads in the tube and run around with it. You can also hang a wooden bird
toy with a bell on the end inside the cage. Many hedgehogs enjoy making the bell
ring.
Check out those large PVC pipes at your local hardware store( do not use the
black ones as the material they’re made of was reported to be toxic).These are
inexpensive, come in many different shapes, are easy to clean and make
interesting places for your pet to crawl through. Make sure you don’t buy pipe
that is any smaller than 4 inches in diameter so your hedgie doesn’t get stuck
in them!
Critter Balls:
Many hedgehogs will love to run freely around the house in a large plastic
critter ball. This will keep him safe and you entertained!
Socializing your hedgehog
So you have a new hedgehog and he or she isn’t much more than a sharp- quilled,
tight ball of hissing, popping, clicking attitude?!
Don’t despair! This can happen and doesn’t mean your pet will act like this
forever. Hedgehogs act defensively generally out of fear. They have a very acute
sense of smell and once they become acquainted with your scent this should
subside. Give your hedgehog ample time to adjust. Daily handling is important,
even if it is just to let him sit on your lap and sniff at you.
Talk softly to your hedgie and offer a favorite treat by hand
(Your worms work well for this). Take an old t-shirt and wear it for a day or to
bed and then place the shirt in your hedgies cage so he will come to know your
scent and associate it with comfort, safety, and warmth. Above all else, BE
PATIENT. Sometimes it takes a little while for them to come around, but when
they do you’ll have yourself a wonderful and entertaining companion!!
***** It is very important that you
have a vet lined up who is knowledgeable about hedgehogs*****
A great number of vets have
little or no knowledge of these animals and that can pose serious problems
should your pet become ill.
Should you find yourself in an emergency situation and have only a vet with
minimal experience available, please feel free to contact us or have your vet do
so as we have years of experience with various medications and treatments and,
as well, have several excellent vets available that may be able to offer advice.
Common health concerns:
FLD: Fatty Liver Disease: Symptoms are usually not evident until the
disease has dangerously progressed. The most obvious symptoms are a jaundiced
appearance, most obvious around the eyes and on the belly. This can be caused by
a diet too high in fat or sudden severe weight gain or weight loss.
One of the most common factors leading to the onset of FLD is when your hedgehog
stops eating for a period of time due to other health issues. If your hedgehog
should stop eating for a period of 48 hours begin syringe feeding at this time.
Contact your vet immediately. 72 hours is commonly considered the “cut off”
after which your hedgehog is at high risk for FLD. Science Diet makes an “I/D”
or an “A/D” canned cat food that is appropriate for syringe feeding at this
point. Mix w/a small amount of water to feed through syringe. Contact your vet
as soon as you suspect a problem! One of the common causes of loss of appetite
is:
Parasites
Mites: Your hedgehog can get mites. These are nothing to panic about,
just a remote possibility. They are not dissimilar to dust mites and have no
affect on humans.
While there are many schools of thought on how they are contracted, the
important thing is know the signs and treat for them early. The most obvious
sign of mites is raggedy edges around the ears (which could also be a sign of
fungus – your vet will need to do a scraping to verify this) If left untreated
the signs will progress to quill loss, weight loss, lethargy due to possible
anemia, susceptibility to other illnesses, and loss of appetite.
Treatment for mites is simple and
you can do it yourself at home (ask your vet to show you how) or ask your vet
for help. Revolution for dogs (in the puppy/kitten size - or the 5-10 lb. size
if you are treating several animals) is a common, effective way to treat
external parasites. The standard treatment is ONE DROP behind each ear in adults
and behind one ear in younger hedgehogs. Be careful to get the drop up and out
of the way behind the ear to keep your hedgehog from anointing with it and to
keep it safely away from the eyes. A program of treatment at regular intervals
(i.e. every six months or once annually) with the Revolution is a common
practice and will take the worry out of your pet care regimen.
Some vets will require you to bring the animal in before selling you the product
– if this becomes a problem, and you are treating as part of an annual or
semi-annual regimen, please contact me and I can get it for you.
The cost to ship it if necessary, will be much less than the cost of a vet visit
and I have had trouble with a few vets refusing to sell it to hedgehog owners
because they were unaware of its application in this type of pet.
Internal Parasites: Although they may not be as common, internal
parasites can be a concern same as with a dog or a cat. Your vet will need to do
a fecal exam to verify them. Common, effective treatment is with “Panacur.”
Dry Skin: Sometimes your hedgehog’s skin will appear dry and flaky. A
warm bath with a small amount of olive oil or the use of an oatmeal wash should
help with this condition, (use a toothbrush to “scrub” your hedgehog). If, after
several baths, this condition persists, have your vet check for mites.
Cancer: Hedgehogs are susceptible to different types of cancer.
Feed a high quality diet without chemical preservatives, additives and
artificial flavorings or colors. Know the health background of the hedgehog you
get.
Your vet must do blood work, tissue cultures and sometimes exploratory surgery
to verify certain types of Cancer.
WHS (Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome): WHS is a degenerative myelopathy that
usually presents itself with a “wobbliness” and/or inability to walk normally,
or tipping to one side, (please note that if “wobbliness” is present that
subsides after some handling, cuddling, and/or activity, this could mean that
your hedgehog is too cold!!)
WHS is progressive to complete paralysis and fatal.
************************************
*****SPECIAL NOTE*****
Your Hedgehog from Kindercritters has a 3 year guarantee against WHS. If your
hedgehog should “Cross the Bridge” after having the symptoms described above we
ask that you PLEASE contact us so that we can make arrangements for necropsy and
notify the Registry.
Because WHS is thought to have a genetic facet at this point, notification of
the registry is crucial so that we can track the breeding lines involved.
Veterinary care:
Your hedgehog should see your vet shortly after purchase in order to verify its
health and to establish a baseline for comparison in the event that it does
become ill.
If you are local and should need to see a vet for your hedgehog
I recommend:
Susann Klessons DVM - in Roundup, Mt
406-323-2287
Moore Lane Veterinary hosp. – Billings, Mt.
24 hr Tech. Support
I am available 24/7 if you have questions about your baby. There is no such
thing as a “stupid question” when you are worried that your hedgie just “doesn’t
seem right”.
Here’s to Many Smiles!
Cory