# i am trying some thing new hedgehogs



## Hydetherat (Dec 1, 2010)

i am trying some thing new i have owned rats for years but the sad thing is they live for 1 1/2 to 2 yrs so i did some searching and found hedgehog's so what are the difference other then the one is a rodent and one is a mammal whats the difference


----------



## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Hedgehogs are solitary animals. Meaning you should only keep 1 per cage. 
This also means that you may end up with a hedgehog who wants to have nothing to do with human contact. They have a very strong sense of self preservation and it may take months before gaining just a little bit of their trust. 
If you are looking for a social pet, then a hedgehog will not be the right choice, as it takes a lot of effort to gain their trust, and most will never actively seek you out for attention. 

They are very heat and light sensitive. Because they were created in captivity, APH's lack the ability to go into hibernation and come out of it safely, meaning that hibernations are deadly to them. Therefore, they MUST be kept at steady temperatures of approx 75. Some may like it cooler at 73, while some may need to be kept at 78 or else they will hibernate. So you will have to invest in a heating system, whether it be with a CHE setup, for space heater, or perhaps your entire home is kept at 75. They also need 12-14 hours of light. Many here have desk lamps set on timers, so that the light turns on at 6am and off at 8pm. 

Hedgehogs are completely nocturnal. While rats may humour you and come out to play during the day, hedgehogs will give you attitude in the form of a hissing popping ball of spikes.

You will also have to clip nails regularly. Though any sort of chewing block are not necessary. 

That's about all I can think of off the top of my head right now. Perhaps I will add more later if I think of something. 

But anyways, THANK YOU for coming here beforehand and asking questions. We all really appreciate it and Welcome to HHC. ^_^


----------



## Hydetherat (Dec 1, 2010)

i am thinking may be not grrrrrrrr but i need some thing thats has a longer life may be back to the drawing board


----------



## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

What about a ferret?


----------



## Hydetherat (Dec 1, 2010)

how long do they live plus my wife said she is not big in to giving it a bathevery other night due to the smell i dont think they do


----------



## Hydetherat (Dec 1, 2010)

sad thing is i am thinking that it is not the animal for me the picture below is a rat named Ruby she in this picture she was born in a house that the owner did not care about them she was picked up by the tail and all was thrown in the fish tank with the other fuzzys i saved her from him and 1 day she was like this 
1 day i got her (after bath she is a rex)

2 weeks after i got her 

picture of her last week


----------



## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Awww, she cute.

For a "pocket" type pet like that, what about sugar gliders?
Their life span can be around 12-15 years.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

For a friendly social small pet, rats are about the best you will find. 

Ferrets are great but yes, they do smell a bit. A clean ferret with a clean cage has very little odor and that is only if you are right up with nose just about in fur. Bathing a ferret too frequently is actually counter productive as bath strip the natural oils in their fur so then they go into over drive to produce more and of course, then more smell. A bath every 4-6 months is actually better than weekly. 

I believe sugar gliders smell too but I've never owned them so can't give any first hand information on that. They are very social and long lifespans. 

Many people find the hedgehog smell offensive. Although hedgehogs themselves don't smell, their poop does and they run and poop on their wheels which does make a smell that many people are bothered by. 

What about a chinchilla. They are long lived and when kept clean don't smell at all. Most aren't a cuddly type of pet but they are very active.


----------



## Alastrina (Sep 18, 2009)

I've kept sugar gliders before, and can say that yes, they do smell. It's not a bad smell per se, but it is a smell some people might not like. Having a male glider fixed before he's sexually mature does help cut down on the smell as his scent glands don't produce the same volume of scent they would otherwise.

Gliders can use liners in their cages just like hedgehogs can, so the majority of the smell from their waste can be eliminated with a little laundry. ^_^

They are very social, and are best kept in pairs unless you have TONS of time to spend with them (mostly in the late night hours when they're active). Mine loved to hang out with me in the pockets of hoodies, or even inside my shirt.

Really the only thing to look out for with sugar gliders is that they are highly likely to potty on you without much warning. Letting them run about like you would a hedghog shortly after waking can reduce this, but it's still likely to happen. Luckily glider leavings don't smell very much (at least I didn't notice a bad odor when I cared for mine).

~Katie


----------



## EryBee (May 23, 2010)

I recommend guinea pigs. They can live about 5 or so years and are very sweet and gentle little critters. They make noises (squeaks, chirps, burrs) and can become very attached to their owners with proper care and attention. I've had four of them altogether, and found them to be wonderful little pets. Not a mean bone in their entire body!

They require hay, pellets, vitamin C tablets, and an assortment of fruits and veggies to keep them healthy. They also need nail trimmings like any other pet, and to have things to chew on to keep their teeth worn down.


----------



## Hydetherat (Dec 1, 2010)

I thank you all for you help at this time i do not think a hedgehog is some thing we are going to get. i am looking in to getting a ferret thank you for all your help


----------



## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

If you do, make that ferretS. When they are awake, they are very active and social and really benefit from having a friend. And don't forget to consider adopting versus buying from a pet store!


----------



## Hydetherat (Dec 1, 2010)

LizardGirl said:


> If you do, make that ferretS. When they are awake, they are very active and social and really benefit from having a friend. And don't forget to consider adopting versus buying from a pet store!


very to i was asked if i support a animal mills and the answer is no i do not i am thinking srongly about finding a breeder yes they are a lot more money from a breeder then some one asked me about getting one from a ferret shelter... i think i want one that is 8 wks old so i can raise it to travel with use we live in Maine and travel to Pennsylvania every year


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Hydetherat said:


> live in Maine and travel to Pennsylvania every year


I'm glad you changed your mind on a hedgehog. They are illegal in PA and can be confiscated and euthanized even if you are just driving through.


----------

