Hedgehog 101
Hi, there! & welcome to the Hedgehog 101 Care Guide! 🦔
*coroplast (not pictured) should always be implemented on wire bars to prevent injury & help retain heat*
Now that you chose your enclosure, the next important thing that you need to know is that hedgehogs require a heating element. Their enclosure should remain at 76-80 degrees fahrenheit at all times. I personally keep mine at 80 because I don't want them to end up attempting hybernation if it gets too cold as that can be fatal. We have seen hibernation attempts at 75 degrees. So, just be aware. In order to maintain this temperature in your hedgehogs enclosure you are going to need a dome that's preferably 10" so that it covers more area. A 100-150 watt CHE (you do NOT want any bulbs that emit LIGHT. Only HEAT). The one linked is 150 watts, which is what I got, & it also comes with a thermometer that you'll want to use in the cage as well. (Please make sure the dome you chose can support the wattage you chose)
(image of the two hides talked about above)
*PLEASE NOTE THEY ARE ONLY TOGETHER FOR FOOT BATHS & SOMETIMES PLAY TIME. TWO MALES SHOULD NEVER BE TOGETHER, NOR SHOULD OPPOSITE GENDERS*
If you are reading this it's because you either own a hedgehog already or are thinking of becoming a hedgehog owner. & if so, you've come to the right place! This blog serves as an easy to follow care guide for African Pygmy Hedgehogs that was specifically tailored for new owners.
Think of it as a crash course in hedgehog care.
Sure, hedgehogs are absolutely ADORABLE.
I mean look at these faces:
But, they ARE exotic animals & as such, come with a lot more responsibility, expenses, & needs outside of your normal household pet. There is a LOT of information to take in as a new hedgehog owner. This blog will help put that all in one place to ensure the BEST possible care for your hedgehog(s).
I'm hoping this provides some comfort either in making your decision on becoming (or not becoming) a hedgehog owner. Or for current hedgehog owners, some guidance in giving your hedgehog all the required & extra care they need!
BEFORE purchasing a hedgehog:
Please make sure they are LEGAL in your state! It's currently illegal to own a hedgehog in California; Georgia (under certain stipulations); Hawaii; New York (NYC area); & Pennsylvania. Other states and cities may have specific restrictions or require a permit to keep one. Please DO NOT attempt to own one in a place where they are illegal. One of the reasons being that finding exotic vets that specialize in hedgehogs to see them would be near, if not entirely, impossible. They are prone to illnesses & will require a vet visit at some point in their life, so not having one available is detrimental to their well being. They should typically, at the very least, have a wellness check shortly after coming home with you. Other reasons include things like large fines or even euthanization of the hedgehog if caught. If you own one in an illegal state currently, for the safety of the hedgehog it is highly recommended to reach out to the Hedgehog Welfare Society for assistance with rehoming them somewhere it is legal to own them.
WHEN DECIDING TO GET A HEDGEHOG:
The first two things I highly recommend is:
1. Join a Hedgehog group (or several) on Facebook.
These are so helpful for not only soaking up new knowledge about hedgehogs, but for also getting ideas for their enclosures, diet, etc. There is a lot of misinformation out there, even in these groups. So, keep an eye out for experienced hedgehog owners & reputable PEDIGREED breeders as they will likely have the most up to date, correct information on care for them.
Due to all the misinformation that is out there, I started my own group for new owners called: Hedgehog 101 🤗 Please feel free to join if you haven't already! 💗 Just make sure to answer all the joining questions! We pull care information only from reputable sources like well known, highly rated, Pedigreed Breeders, hedgehog rescues, & experienced owners. So, you can rest assured you're getting the safest, most up to date care information. We are not above updating information as new information is released as we want to make sure to provide the best possible care advice for your spikey baby. Your hedgehogs safety is our first priority always 💗🦔
Other groups out there are often not managed as well (if at all) or are run by people that don't care or know about hedgehogs in the slightest & as a result will likely have an over abundance of dangerous, or even deadly care information shared throughout it. So, just be weary on which ones you join as well. If it is a PUBLIC group, it may not have the best resources or up to date information, for example.
2. Watch through (& save for reference) all of the videos in the playlist Hedgehog Care on Tori Lynns YouTube Channel. She goes over SO much information from cage cleaning, nail clipping, bathing, all the way to anointing & quilling. All in their own individual videos. She even covers tips to bond with your hedgehog. These were SO helpful for me to watch (multiple times, if I'm being honest) before getting my first hedgehog, & even after when I was faced with some of the situations in her videos. Keep in mind that these videos were made several years ago, so some of the information may have changed. Example - in one she states it's okay to put oils on a hedgehogs skin to treat dry skin. This has later been determined to cause skin/fungal infections & is now HIGHLY recommended against. But, for the most part she gives amazing information & helpful advice!
THIS CARE GUIDE WILL COVER
THE TOPICS LISTED BELOW:
Enclosures
Heating sources
Hides
Dig box/toys
Sand bath
Food dishes
Diet
Bath care
Routine/bonding
Quilling
Hedgie Hives
Anointing
Additionally, BEFORE purchasing a hedgehog you need to know that they are SOLITARY ANIMALS. This means that only ONE should be housed per enclosure. If you get two Hedgehogs you need TWO of EVERYTHING, including enclosures. There have been EXTREMELY RARE instances where two females have been able to live successfully together (again, you still need two of everything even if it's in the same enclosure) ONLY if they were siblings or a Mother/daughter combo. But, this should be avoided when at all possible just to remove the risk all together of any potential negative outcomes as it could get ugly & fatal REAL fast & it's just not worth the risk.
You NEVER want to house two males together as they have been known to fight to the death over territory & DO NOT get along. As well as a male & a female should never be housed together for obvious reasons. Hedgehogs can get pregnant very quickly, & males are able to impregnant a female as young as 6 weeks old. Unless you are an experienced Breeder or are under the direction of a Mentor, you do not want to experiment in hedgehog breeding. It is a dangerous experience for both Mother & baby & can come with MANY complications requiring emergency Vet intervention. To be a responsible hedgehog owner, you are going to need ONE hedgehog per enclosure. If you have multiple hedgehogs it's best if you make it so they know very little or nothing at all of each others existence.
Now that that's out of the way, let's get into the first thing that needs to be prepared before you can bring your hedgehog home: Their enclosure. I don't agree with starter cages because starter cages are temporary & often provide the bare minimum or UNDER the bare minimum for the animal you are bringing home. I feel if you are going to invest in an animal, especially an exotic one, you should get everything they need PRIOR to getting them. I'm not going to lie, it is a large expense right off the bat. But, after getting everything they need, the continued up keep isn't as expensive. & You'll have no need to worry about replacing cheap enclosures or wheels because you'll start off with what they'll needed for life.
The most common enclosures I see hedgehogs housed in comfortably are the following (there are plenty other acceptable ones as well, but these I know are great enclosures for them):
The C&C type enclosures like this:
These are great because you can customize how you want your enlcosure to be shaped & are easy to assemble & get creative with. They can be easily ordered through Amazon.
The Midwest Guinea Habitat like this:
Basic type cage, but provides the space they need & is also easy to set up & clean.
Or what I went with for mine is:
The Critter Nation cage (You can also get the Ferret Nation. It's the same cage only with vertical bars. Either way the bars need to be covered with at least 10" of coroplast to prevent climbing & help retain heat):
I like this one the best because it's visually appealing, sturdy, has wheels on the bottom, has a built in storage space underneath, & it came with a second level that I removed the ramp for & used the second levels metal holder as her heat lamp holder! Convinient! It's also easy to buy fleece liners for & super easy to clean!
& Here are some other options:
I do want to mention if you are going to do a multi-level enclosure just be sure any ramps have sides on them & any upper level has walls protecting each side so that your hedgehog has no way to fall as even short distance falls could mean a broken leg or foot for a hedgehog. If that isn't enough pre-caution: as an exotic pet - a vet or emergency room visit will NOT be cheap.
This is also why I have the Coroplast (white boarder shown on cage above) on each wall of their cage so that if they ever happen to become a climber (they're not ones currently), I removed the risk of them climbing & falling from the walls of their cage completely. I want them to be in as safe of a home as possible. The coroplast just ensured for me that they were. Because the alternative could be finding them like this or worse:
Additionally, as you can also see from the enclosure examples above - hedgehogs love clutter, foraging, & busy activities. This will break apart each thing you need for a successful hedgehog enclosure below. But, for now - let's move on to HEATING!
MOST IMPORTANTLY in order to SAFELY regulate this heat it is 100% REQUIRED that you get a thermostat.
The thermostat is going to allow you to set it to the temperature you want in the enclosure. When it hits the temp you set it will turn off the CHE preventing it from over heating. & then when it gets below the set temperature it will turn the CHE back on to continue to heat the enclosure. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT: You should NEVER have a heating element without a thermostat to regulate it.
Now we have our enclosure, our heat, & the next important on the list - their wheel! This is another MUST. Hedgehogs run for HOURS nightly. It's how they get all of their exercise. You can not have a hedgehog without providing them a wheel. Of course there are always exceptions for health issues or hedgehogs that are rare & absolutely refuse a wheel. But, these are VERY rare circumstances. So, if you have a hedgehog - you most definitely need a wheel.
But you CAN NOT JUST GET ANY WHEEL.
There are only FOUR wheels that are known to be 100% safe for a hedgehog to use & that is the XL Carolina Storm Wheel (or bucket wheels like it), the GIANT Kaytee Comfort Wheel, the Full Cheeks Wheels at Petsmart, & the XL Niteangel Wheel. If you have any other wheel other than the ones listed, please strongly consider changing it. As any other wheel big enough for a hedgehog to use is typically NOT SAFE for the hedgehog to use.
Here are some graphics on good vs. bad wheels with explanations on why each wheel is bad:
*ALL wheels (even the ones listed as safe) should be checked daily to make sure it is assembled correctly & not causing any issues in attempt to prevent as many risks as possible*
My BIGGEST pet peeve is seeing hedgehog owners use the Kaytee Silent Spinner wheel (refer to graphic). I cringe when I see set ups with this wheel. PLEASE DO NOT get this wheel for your hedgehog! PLEASE! It is the most dangerous wheel you could have out of ALL of them for a hedgehog. If you have it & were unaware of the dangers, take it out now & throw it away! (Or re-sell for someone's small rodent rather than a hedgehog) I'm serious! They are better off with NO wheel (temporarily) than THIS wheel. They have been known to not be able to support the average weight of a hedgehog & the two pieces will sometimes separate while they are running on it & will close on their toenails or toes causing them to rip off. There is also NO WAY to SAFELY rig this wheel. Please do not attempt to glue or tape it! That ADDS additional risks. I always speak up when I see these wheels because I can't imagine why anyone would risk that. I am surpisingly usually met with hostility (which will never prevent me from speaking up regardless). The biggest push back I get is that they've had the wheel for a year or longer or have used it throughout multiple hedgehogs life spans & nothing has happened - YET. But, that excuse makes my stomach turn because again, WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO RISK IT?? Even if it was a small risk - it is still a risk with these wheels. When someone tells me something I'm using or doing poses a threat to my hedgehog, I would change it immediately. End of story. There is no need to angrily defend these wheels. Just toss it (or re-sell for a small rodent) & get one of the safe wheels listed above. If you keep this wheel, you are waiting for an accident to happen.
I honestly can't say it enough....
⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️ WARNING: GRAPHIC ⚠️ ⚠️ ⚠️
If you want to do right by your hedgehog, get one of the safe wheels listed above. I currently use the Full Cheeks Silent Exercise Wheel which is fully plastic & has no issue soaking in water when getting cleaned as the bearings are far less likely to rust.
For larger hedgehogs I have heard this Cake Pan Bucket Wheel is amazing it the XL Carolina Storm Wheel is also a cake pan wheel!
Since in most cases the wheel & litter go hand & hand, we'll get to that next. You'll typically want a paper based UNscented product. I personally just use paper towels for an easy clean up!
Here are some options below:
Placement of the litter tray is up to you. Majority of the time your hedgehog is going to poop & pee while they run, so it's easiest to litter train them with the litter pan under the wheel. There are some hedgehogs that might pick a potty spot out in the cage & you can just put the pan to where they chose if needed. If they are still pooping or peeing outside of the litter, every poop they have outside of it - put it in the litter tray so that they will hopefully catch on to that being the place they need to go.
While we're on the topic, just a heads up - hedgehogs poop - A LOT. You will be cleaning a poopy wheel daily. & sometimes you'll wonder how so much poop came out of one little thing. They poop on their wheel while they continue to run on their wheel so prepare for "poop boots" as well. Or in other words... feet so covered in poop it looks like they're wearing boots! Yes, this is a thing & yes, you will have to clean them. Often. Welcome to life of a hedgehog parent.
Now we have our enclosure, our heat setup, our wheel, & our litter. Next, we need a bedding! There are several safe options for this. But, there are also several dangerous options to avoid. I personally chose to go with fleece. Because I know it's safe, it's more appealing, you can get cute patterns & if you get the Critter Nation cage it's super easy to find liners on Etsy & even Amazon. It's also easy to clean (especially if they're potty trained), & it doesn't have that smell that paper bedding does. I just spot clean it as needed with a hand vacuum & then I put it through the washer once a week. Here are some other examples of safe bedding & examples of ones to avoid:
Next we need hides! Some place cozy for your hedgehog to sleep because they sleep a LOT during the day. They are nocturnal, which is another thing to keep in mind before owning one. They will be up all night running & having a party in their enclosure & then they will be sleeping during the day. Keep this in mind when considering placement options for their enclosure.
For hides - I have always had two available. But, to be honest they've always completely ignored one & consistently used the other.
When I started out I got Piglet a LARGE igloo with an igloo cover I bought off of Etsy. She would not use her igloo at all without the igloo cover. The igloo cover makes it dark & secure, where without it the igloo is see through which didn't make her feel very safe. Because they are prey animals, they like to feel hidden & safe above all. This may also feel like a large hide, especially if you get your hedgehog as a baby. But, Piglet also has a small fleece blanket that I put under her igloo as well so she feels more secure & enclosed.
I also had a cute little pink pig bed initially (the link has other types of the same bed. I just got the pig one because of her name) that she completely ignored even after I put fleece strips in it. But, it just looked so dang cute that I kept it in there. If you do decide to go with this one, be on the look out for any loose threads that could be on the inside. I would personally just use this one under observation for that reason.
But, then I got a camping theme going for her & I updated her hides to a little red tent. Which is the one she also ignored. I believe it's because it feels to open for her. But, it's so cute & it goes with everything, so again, I kept it in there. I put one of her snuggle sacks in the tent so when she goes in, she is just going in a snuggle sack as this one could be known to have loose threads as well & I wanted to eliminate any possibility of her foot getting stuck. She prefers it much better this way.
Her second (& then main) hide was a little tree stump. I still kept her same fleece blanket in the hide for her, as well.
Here is a picture of those hides:
For Poptarts hides I used an actual Poptart box starting out, with a small fleece blanket inside (this was changed to a large igloo with an igloo cover & fleece blanket inside), a pie bed that I doubled as a dig box type thing as well, & she also had a Poptart snuggle sack all from the Etsy shop inaprickle:
You can get creative with it & you don't even have to have two. Just as long as they have an enclosed, dark, comfy place to sleep that will do just fine.
Now onto the fun stuff! All of the enrichments for your hedgehog! Starting with Dig Boxes & Toys & ending with Sand Baths.
Dig boxes are up first because they're more required than the other two. Hedgehogs love to forage & dig. Especially if you chose fleece bedding, you need to make sure there are things in their enclosure to do this with. Dig boxes are so fun because they're typically a combination of toys, crinkle balls, pom poms, fleece strips, & other items that your hedgehog can dig through. I occasionally will leave a superworm or two in there for them to hunt out as well.
I have had a variety of different dig boxes that I put together, but my most recent one I tried to make water themed to make it look like there was a little lake in Piglets enclosure with all of her camping items. The end result was this:
For Poptarts I created a sweets theme that looks like this:
You can also spot some dig boxes in the enclosure setup examples at the beginning of this article here are some more examples created by Dig Dug Designs (no longer taking orders):
I've also seen fleece forests that people make in those groups that are adorable & most hedgehogs enjoy exploring.
On the same subject, the TOYS you can get for your hedgehog are going to be small plushies, toilet paper tubes (cut down the middle so they don't get stuck), at LEAST 4" around pvc pipes or tunnels, mint sticks are popular but, just for a precaution - cut off the netting around it so their teeth can't get caught. Also, make sure to crack it like a glow stick to activate the mint! Cat toys like crinkle balls or the small jingle balls (AVOID balls with holes or slits in them as their nails or teeth could get stuck). Here are some of the toys & clutter you can choose from:
On the same note, here are some toys to AVOID!! Everything in the graphic below should NOT be given to a hedgehog:
Mine doesn't care for ANY toys. Every hedgehog is different. I have seen some LOVE to play with the items listed above. Because mine doesn't play with any, I just get ridiculous things like this:
Because they're freaking adorable & who doesn't love mini classic toys? But, also totally not necessary if I'm being honest. Haha. More adorable, hedgehog specific toys can be found at the Etsy shop Sew Magick Boutique.
What Piglet REALLY loved outside of her wheel is her SAND BATH! Hedgehogs actually enjoy sand baths! They roll around in it much like chinchillas & is how they clean themselves in the wild. It also helps reach those hard to reach itches & seems to be incredibly helpful during the process of quilling (a subject covered later on). If you choose to do this, you can not just use any sand. If it is too fine (like Chinchilla sand) it can cause infections in their respitory systems & their genitalia. The sand you are going to want is Play Sand. It is actually extremely cheap at Home Depot or Lowes ($5 for a 50lb bag!!!) & looks like this:
*DO NOT BUY THIS ON AMAZON*
It is $25 more expensive & is NOT
consistent in the products you recieve.
It was truly trial & error finding a container that would work for the sand bath. The first one I tried got sand all over my floor & her enclosure. The second just got sand all over her enclosure. & the third was a bit pricier, but it matched our camping theme, & it ended up being PERFECT. There's been little to no mess since switching. It's a cute little log hide off of Etsy & can be used as a dig box or a sand bath. It's perfect for both! If you happen to order one make sure you get the regular & NOT the mini!
WARNING: If you are going to use a sand bath, please make sure to heavily monitor first to see how your hedgehog does with it. Some use them as a potty, which would not be beneficial for them to then roll in. So, those hedgies you might want to skip the sand bath with. You also still want to thoroughly look over your hedgie each night. Check their ears, eyes, nose, & genitals because there is still a chance, even with the correct sand, that it could cause ear infections, UTIs, & things of that sort from sand getting in their ears or genitals.
I didn't have a sand bath for Poptart in her enclosure, but Piglet doesn't like many things & her sand bath is her absolute favorite 💗 so, she did have one *this is NOT recommended & it was later removed & only used during play time*.
Here's Piglet's sand bath in front of her previous Carolina Storm wheel:
I also turned their play pen into half sand so they can all enjoy it while supervised (this pic was taken around Christmas time):
Now that we've reviewed dig boxes, toys, & sand baths, there is still one more thing in their enclosure that we haven't gone over. & that is FOOD DISHES.
I originally got these ceramic bowls off of Amazon. Which were perfect, especially for bug dishes. But, then I wanted to get more cute with it & get some dishes that would go along with her theme as well. I stumbled across some small ceramic dishes at Petsmart & then I found little ceramic leaf bowls at my local Frys in the holiday section. They had orange, yellow, green, & red. I got all four, but I used the red one in her cage.
For their water, however, I eventually switched to these adorable water bottles made by Sonoran Desert Hedgies on Etsy. Prickled Rose Hedgehogs also sells these bottles on Etsy. Water bottles are usually not recommended as they can get their tongues caught, poke an eye out, chip a tooth, etc. But, these ones have chicken nipples & are made completely different & are known to be safe for them. Plus, look how freaking cute they are:
So, we have touched on everything that goes into their enclosure. The subjects we have left now are Diet, Bath Care, Routine/Bonding, Quilling, Hedgie Hives, & Anointing. Since we just covered what type of dishes they should use, let's move next to Diet.
Hedgehogs diets consist of MAINLY bugs! Yes, bugs! & if it grosses you out, you may not want to get a hedgehog because most thrive by eating 15-20 LIVE bugs DAILY. Yes, 15-20!
The most commonly fed bugs in a hedgehogs diet are:
Superworms
Wax Worms
Phoenix Worms (BSFL)
& Dubia Roaches
Other bugs I've seen people feed their hedgehogs:
Crickets
Horn Worms
Grasshoppers
Mealworms
& Beetles
This is not a complete list as they can have pretty much ANY feeder insect. You can order insects easily online. I personally use Rainbow Mealworms but there are many other sites you can order them from as well.
If you live in harsh weathers make sure you choose to hold for pick up at the post office so that you get guaranteed live delivery! I once ordered a big batch & sent it through FedEx (also under pick up for live guarantee) & they were dead when I got them. Rainbow Mealworms replaced them immediately no questions asked.
Also, when feeding bugs - LIVE is best.
They likely won't even eat the dead ones but dried bugs are also not the best for them.
There is a bag of "hedgehog" treats at Petsmart that is full of dried mealworms & berries. Please do NOT give this to your hedgehog. Dried bugs hold no nutritional value & can even cause digestive issues. The dried berries are also a choking hazard. Be careful when you find things marketed towards hedgehogs. Because sadly most of the time they are actually not good for hedgehogs at all.
Which brings me to the next part of their diet. Their kibble. They only need about 1-2 tablespoons per night. Do NOT buy hedgehog food as it is HORRIBLE for hedgehogs. It sounds absolutely bizarre, I know. Why market for hedgehogs if it's not good for them? But, it is what it is. Instead, you are going to want to get them a mix of 2+ high quality cat foods. In some of the Facebook hedgehog groups they may provide a kibble list that will give you a long list of cat foods that are acceptable for hedgehogs. They need to have certain protein & fat levels which is why it has to be higher quality.
I personally use Picky Prickles by Prickled Rose Hedgehogs. This mix is loaded with 11 high quality cat kibbles, Insect Mix, Cricket Powder, Freeze Dried Chicken Food Toppers, Probiotics, & added Calcium. It satisfies even the pickiest of hedgies! ♡︎
Aside from bugs & kibble they also are able to & should typically be eating some type of cooked meat or protein (UNSEASONED).
For example:
Eggs
Chicken
Beef
Liver
Organs
Pinky mice (Yes, they can & do eat these & can even have them once a week! They would come frozen if you ordered them [& are easiest to buy this way] & you would thaw one out when you want to feed it to them. It sounds disgusting, but they are SO good for them)
To give a better example of their diets all together, here are options of things they can eat & potential amounts:
If it looks like a lot, it's because it is a lot. These again, are exotic pets & have very specific diets.
Don't get discouraged if your hedgehog won't eat all of these things. Every hedgehog is different & may not like everything offered. You can always continue to try to re-introduce the things they won't eat every now & then. Here are some things you can try to get your hedgehog to try newly introduced foods:
Here's some other examples (again not a full list & you will want to research more into the specific cat foods they can have) of things they can eat:
Hedgehogs also can get dry skin from time to time. I purchased this Salmon Oil off of Amazon & place 2-3 drops on their kibble every other day. You can also order this Pokey Potion from Prickled Rose Hedgehogs that is a salmon oil mix. This helps treat the dry skin from the inside out. Do NOT place any oils on their skin! Oils or sprays on their skin can cause infected quills & all kinds of nasty bacteria build up, etc that is just not worth the risk.
I think that about sums up their diet section. So, let's move on now to BATH CARE.
Hedgehogs DO need to take a bath every once in awhile. In MOST cases, baths can & should be rare. Baths can cause them to get dry skin pretty easily but, after awhile they can get a little smelly. The average hedgehog owner gives their hedgehog baths once a month or LESS.
You are able to do foot baths as much as needed. This just consists of placing a hand towel on the bottom of the sink/container to prevent them from slipping (it also helps with cleaning their feet) & filling it with just enough water to cover their feet & brushing their feet with a toothbrush or allowing them to run around in the water to get any poop off of their feet. Because of Piglets sand bath in her cage, I really didn't do this as often with her anymore. But, with Poptart it was done daily.
For their monthly baths you are going to need a gentle type of soap. The most common I see used is the Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Creamy Wash. I personally love the Huff N' Fluff by The Prickled Rose . It smells so good & feels like pampering your hedgehog!
You also will want a soft brush. The most commonly used for this is a tooth brush! It works really well to clean their quills & their feet & is still gentle on their fur & skin. I've replaced the ones in the picture above with this awesome toothbrush. It's my absolute favorite. It's gentle & big!
You'll of course want some kind of towel to dry them off with. A regular bath towel works just fine. You can also find sacks that are made like a snuggle sack but has a towel fabric interior & is for after you dry them off initially. It allows them to just chill in their sack, stay warm, & finish drying. *PLEASE DO NOT leave them unattended with these as they could get their nails or teeth caught in the fabric. This is ONLY for drying them off & is to be used only for a brief period*
The link in the beginning of this article for the Hedgehog Care YouTube Playlist by Tori Lynn includes videos on the entire bath process & easiest ways to bathe them. I highly recommend (again) that you review that entire Playlist as it is SO helpful.
You're also going to need some nail clippers. Regular baby nail clippers or cuticle scissors work perfect to see their tiny nails.
Hedgehogs nails needs to be clipped every two weeks. Be careful not to cut too short as it's much like a dog & they will bleed at the quick. Most find this easiest to do while giving them a bath because they can't curl up & are a little easier to handle. I personally find it easiest when she is busy eating her bowl of worms. For some this can be a much greater challenge than for others. Don't be discouraged. Even if you get to ONE nail it is a success! You can get to the other nails the next day & so on. This is another that is covered in the Hedgehog Care YouTube Playlist & is actually split into two videos to show two different ways to do it because it is a very well known struggle amongst hedgehog owners.
The only thing we've not covered in her bath supplies picture is the sock. I filled the sock with oatmeal because ocassionally when I do her baths we do an oatmeal bath to be extra soothing for her skin. I just put it in her bath water & squeeze it & mix it around until the water is super cloudy & I use that for her bath water. If you choose to do oatmeal baths, you do need to THOROUGHLY rinse them with clear bath water as well & make sure they have been completely rinsed off as you don't want the oatmeal water to STAY on their skin. Here's a better look at bath care products:
Prickled Rose Hedgehogs sells amazing bath products for hedgehogs like Prickles & Petals & Huff N Fluff. There's also an option to purchase an entire hedgehog bath kit! (Pictured below):
That about covers all the supplies you will need in order to give your hedgehog a bath or groom them!
Now let's talk about another common struggle: BONDING. This one requires a lot of patience, persistence, & consistency. Like I said before - every hedgehog is different. Some will warm up quicker than others. Some may never warm up.
If you are going to get a hedgehog you need to go in it with the mind set that you may get a hedgehog that is always grumpy or BECOMES grumpy later on. & fair warning - their "grumpy" can HURT. Hedgehogs are prey animals & their quills are their defense. When they are scared or upset they will typically ball up & make all of their spikes stand out right. If you try to touch them they will then pop their bodies at you attempting to poke you so that you will leave them alone. This makes it incredibly difficult to pick them up.
If you are going to own a hedgehog you need to be prepared to persist through this behavior & do not let it scare you off from holding them or getting them out of their enclosure (or whatever it was you were trying to do when they poked you). If you get scared or back away & leave them alone like they want it teaches them that if they do this you will back off & it will make it more difficult to get them to allow you to touch them.
I've seen people suggest also leaving a worn t-shirt of yours in their cage so they get used to your scent quicker. I did not try this as our routine worked pretty well. But, I have seen the t-shirt trick work for others. So, it's worth a try! I would, however, suggest sleeping with a fleece blanket for a few days & then cutting it to strips & using that instead as t-shirts or articles of clothing contain threads & threads can be very dangerous for tiny toes & feet.
Here are some ideas for bonding:
Piglet was scared when I first got her, as was Poptart, & as most will be. Plus, I got her as a baby so her quills felt extra sharp. She poked me often & I thought she may never let me hold her. I watched another of Tori Lynns videos in her Hedgehog Care Playlist & took to some of the hedgehog Facebook groups (this is why I opened with telling you to watch these videos & join these groups FIRST because they will forever be helpful during your time as a hedgehog owner. Anything I didn't know about hedgehogs I learned from those two resources combined) & this is the first routine we started with that worked for us:
Around 7:45pm I get a towel (that is designated as only her towel for this purpose & is not used for anything else) & I put it across my coffee table. I then prepare her bugs by putting them all into one feeding dish & then I set that on the center of the table. Next, I go to her cage & lift up her hide that I know she'll be under. She is usually under her blanket that's in that hide with her. So, I take the blanket off of her & if she was spiking up I used the blanket to pick her up & then I place her gently on the table in front of her bowl of bugs.
After I do that, I sit on my couch & I watch shows or play games or something along those lines while she eats all of her bugs. This gets her used to being out & all of the sounds & movement. When she is finished eating she walks around for a moment, usually stretches, & then she will poop & pee on the towel (hense why I only use it for this reason). After she goes to the bathroom I know that it is safe for me to then pick her up. When she was grumpy I would take both of my hands, one on each side of her, & I would scoop her up by sliding them under her belly & lifting her. That way I'm not coming from above her too much & scaring her & I get minimal to no spikes picking her up that way.
Once I scooped her up she would usually calm down a little more with me already & would be okay walking across my hands or stomach & allowing me to touch/pet her. After a couple minutes I put her into a snuggle sack & she will go back to sleep. I place the Snuggle Sack typically on my legs, chest, or stomach. Somewhere (in most cases) still on me so she can feel my breathing & hear my voice constantly. Even though she is sleeping in the sack the whole time, it is the most common way to bond with them & it does make them feel safer with you & will get them to slowly start warming up to you. After that, when I go to bed I put her back in her enclosure to do all of her nightly activities.
I have done this routine since day one. Now I don't need her blanket to take her out any longer, & I don't have to be as cautious about picking her up. It was about 8 months since I got her when she started never being in defensive mode with me anymore. She also will walk over to me for me to pick her up after she's gone potty now because it's become such a routine of doing so.
Poptart has a slightly different routine as she has no fear & will attempt to run off the table & her feet are usually more poo'd up than Piglets due to her not having a sand bath, I assume. With her, I get a foot bath prepared & ready to go & then I take her out & wash off her feet & she potties while in the foot bath. After she's clean & relieved herself, I dry her off & plop her in a snuggle sack & the rest of the nights routine from there is the same. She prefers to eat her bugs out of sight, so I put hers in a bowl in her enclosure for her to eat when I put her back, instead.
Occasionally, I will also set up a play pen area for them to run around freely in down by my feet so they are still out of their enclosure & getting used to being around me, but also have their own space away from me, too.
Also, Snuggle Sacks (if you don't know) are just little fabric sewn bags that allow your hedgehog a place to burrow, find darkness, & comfortable, safe place to sleep outside of their enclosure. These are the best known items used to bond with your hedgehog. There are many places you can buy these. The Pampered Hedgy makes nice big, soft ones at an amazing price! She also sells Critter/Ferret Nation cage liners & cube hides! Etsy is also a great place to look! Sew Magick also makes snuggle sacks in addition to the adorable hedgie toys she makes!
😍 We matched 😍 (one of our many snuggle sacks):
I am also a loon & had them subscribed to Pocket Pet Pouch. Which is an adorable subscription box made just for hedgehogs! It always comes with a snuggle sack & then various toys or treats!
This is July's box. & it came with a watermellon snuggle sack, citrus string lights, a bath floaty, & a little treat for them. Piglet is a fan.
Each box is themed for that month & aside from always getting a Snuggle Sack, each box is different. I absolutely adore this subscription.
I do want to again stress that every hedgehog is different. Because not every hedgehog will chill & walk around nicely on a coffee table like Piglet. I have seen some that are just wild & try to jump off (Poptart who knows no bounds being one of them 🤣). Not every hedgehog likes snuggle sacks either. MOST will, but there are some that don't. This is just what we did that worked for us, but you can make your own routine. Some may be explorer hedgehogs that just want to run, run, run & explore everything. For these kinds of hedgehogs a play pen may be more suitable. The easiest play pen for me to use was just an empty kids ball pit.
For more bonding tips, refer again to the videos or Facebook groups! Resources are everything!!
I also want to mention if you are going to let your hedgehog free roam, please DO NOT use EXERCISE BALLS OR BUG CATCHERS & consider a play pen or blocking off a small area instead:
If you've made it this far, congratulations! I believe I about covered all of the items you will need for a hedgehog as well as most of the things you will need to do with a hedgehog once you get them (or now that you have them). All of the important things, anyway. But, there was just a couple extras I wanted to touch on real quick as they are more common "surprises" to owning a hedgehog that people often ask advice about. & that is Quilling, Hedgie Hives, & Anointing. There is also a video for each of these subjects in the YouTube Playlist referenced.
But, let's start with QUILLING.
Quilling is a process your hedgehog will go through multiple times throughout their life. It can last from a few days to a month. Quilling happens when your hedgehog sheds their quills & is growing in newer ones. This process is not pleasant for your hedgehog & in a sense can feel like teething would feel for a baby. Only over their whole back. Around this time you may notice your hedgehog being grumpier than normal & you will start to find quills in their enclosure or sand bath (if you provided them with one). Avoid touching their back if possible around this time. & If you notice that they are quilling around the time you give them their monthly bath, this is also when I would do oatmeal baths to sooth their skin as much as possible. So, if you stumble across quills in their enclosure or it feels like they are regressing with bonding - they may just be quilling! If you think there is an issue with the quills that are coming out (like they may be infected or your hedgehog is balding) you can always take to the Facebook groups for extra advice, but I would highly suggest contacting a vet at that point just in case it is an infection that way it doesn't get out of control. But, for the most part quilling is just a normal process & is just something to be aware of to look out for.
Now onto HEDGIE HIVES.
These are quite possibly the most annoying part of owning a hedgehog. Not everyone has this reaction, & not every hedgehog gives this reaction. So, you may not have a reaction with one hedgehog, but will have it with another. Or you may have no reaction with your hedgehog & then later develop a reaction to it. This is also a topic covered in a video on that YouTube Playlist that goes into what they are & why you get them. Essentially, they are a form of hives that you can get on your skin caused by the quills or nails of your hedgehog. They are incredibly irritating & uncontrollably itchy. They can last for a few minutes to a few hours. The first hedgie hives I ever got from Piglet actually lasted DAYS. But, the rest only an hour or so.
This is a picture of one of the reactions I had to her quills. Most people say it can be caused by them being dirty, but I actually find I have the worst reaction after I've just given her a bath. I have gotten them on my hands, on my chest, on my legs, on my LIPS, & on my eye lid when I rubbed my eye after having held her. It is a common reaction that people might have, but like I said, not everyone gets them. My son has held her with no reaction & so have several friends & family members. & sometimes even I don't get them at all from her. I also get them from Poptart as well, where others have held her & don't get them.
There are also some people that get it so severe that it may be best to part ways with your hedgehog because it causes massive blisters or sores on their hands & is painful & uncomfortable. But, this type of reaction is typically more rare. The most common reaction to a hedgehogs quills will look similar to the picture above.
The only thing I have found that soothes it so far is to wash my hands immediately after having held her (they will still itch, but MUCH less) or to wash the area that is affected by hedgie hives. I have also heard putting liquid benadryl on it can help the itching & cause the welts to go down, but I haven't needed to do that quite yet. I have taken allergy meds prior to holding them to try to lessen the reaction & that seems to help as well. But, just be prepared for the fact that you also may have this type of reaction to your hedgehog.
& lastly ANOINTING (pictured above).
This is the most amusing, but definitely one of the most shocking things to see for the first time as a hedgehog owner. When a hedgehog smells or tastes something new or something they really like, they attempt to make themselves smell like whatever that food or object is. They do this by biting or licking whatever food/object it is & then they bend in a weird way to place a bunch of frothy spit with their tongues onto their quills. It is super amusing to watch, but also pretty gross. & if you haven't heard of this before getting a hedgehog, it's pretty alarming to see for the first time.
Aside from these unique situations, here is a good list to have for emergency care (should you need it) for your hedgehog:
I personally made a first aid kit with most of the items listed above in case of emergencies:
This sums up all of the topics I wanted to touch on that seemed to be the most commonly asked questions I see floating around in the groups I'm in. I hope it was helpful to all who have read it & I hope this either persuaded you to get one, talked you out of getting one, or helped you get ideas & a better understanding for the hedgehog you've already adopted. No matter where you land - thank you for taking the time to read this through!
I know it was lengthy, but like I said, there is a LOT that goes into caring for a hedgehog than one might think. & there were a lot of things I didn't touch on or elaborate further on that I could have. Which is again why I'll end this by circling back to highly suggesting you watch the videos on the Youtube playlist linked above & join a few hedgehog groups (including Hedgehog 101) to further your research as well. If you have any questions, these will be your best two resources.
Additionally, OurAHC.org can be used for more information on hedgehog care (this has since been taken down, leaving it here in case it gets re-made). Hedgehog Welfare Society is another great resource, though it has been known to have outdated information. As well as reaching out to local, Pedigreed Breeders (link with a list of them listed below) or Rescues. These are our main sources of information. ♡︎
If you are wanting a hedgehog & don't know where to look or how to find a breeder, here is list created by a USDA Certified, Pedigreed breeder containing certified breeders with pedigreed hedgehogs by state & is a great place to start. As mentioned above, they are also a great resource for information on hedgehog care.
If you are NOT a breeder but acquired a pregnant hedgehog or had an "Oops Litter", we HIGHLY recommend messaging Pat Storm as she is incredibly knowledgeable on the subject & will know the best & safest way to help. Aside from that, remove the wheel to prevent injury & do not disturb them for at LEAST 2 weeks in attempt to prevent cannibalism.
The Hedgehog 101 Admins page is also always open to receiving messages if you need some quick advice!
Here are some other blogs written by reputable, pedigreed breeders regarding hedgehog care if you would like some additional resources:
I hope this was helpful! 🤗💗
Sincerely,
Meoky's Human
Creator of Hedgehog 101
Feel free to leave a comment below!!
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