# how hot is TOO hot?



## josie oak

Hi all,

so I've had my space heater at full blast since getting back to my apartment from christmas break, and its been sweltering in my room (i even need my fan on to sleep at night). it's probably about 85 give or take in my room, ambient temp. when manowar is out of her cage she just sleeps on the heating pad under my dresser and spreads out but when shes in her cage she moves away from the ceramic heat emitter and just spreads out. she has completely stopped running at night but she is still eating and drinking.

im wondering if the environment is too hot for her? or maybe shes stopped running because she hasnt let me trim her toenails for the last three months >.<

either way im hoping this is just a temperature problem as she's too young to get anything like cancer. is this too hot for a hedgehog?


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## Lilysmommy

Yes, that's too hot. You need to turn your space heater down quite a bit. You probably don't even need so many heating items. If your room is being kept warm from the space heater, you don't need a heating pad out for her. Do you have a thermostat controlling the CHE? If so, you may not even need the space heater most of the time - have you tried not having it on and seeing if the CHE can keep her cage warm enough for her? Also, when you lower the temperature, do so slowly, not all at once. Drastic temperature changes/drops can cause a hibernation attempt too.

Some hedgehogs prefer it warmer, but even then, the usual "high" temperature recommended is 80-81*. Higher temps should be avoided unless the specific hedgehog requires them, and if they can't be avoided (during summer, in hot countries, etc.), the hedgehog should be monitored & ways to cool off should be provided.


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## josie oak

i have so many heating items because she gets bored of her cage and likes to explore the (hedgie proofed) room sometimes, plus before winter break i had to take her to the vet because she got too cold with just the CHE. she was doing great right before but then she was in my parent's house which unfortunately is much cooler than my room. then i brought her back and she was doing alright until the last week and a half about.


i turned down the space heater and she went back to her CHE in her cage, then she left it and returned to a cooler part of her cage. hopefully she'll be better now!?


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