# What do you guys think of this FL breeder?



## OliverHedgehog2658 (Jan 7, 2012)

Hey everyone! I will be getting a hedgie very soon and this is the closest breeder to me here in South Florida. They are asking $180 for a 5-6 week Hoglet. I am willing to pay that price but I wanted to see if this breeder seemed good to you all, before I go and actually buy my hedgehog from them.

Let me know what you think! 

Here is their link: 
http://www.homebredpets.com/Home.html


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## SoniqueOwner (Nov 22, 2011)

I saw this breeder when I was initially looking to buy a hedgie since there were no South Florida breeders listed on this website. I ended up going with a breeder who lives in homestead instead. I bought my hedgie for $150, and haven't looked back. The woman's name was Janine and was very helpful and friendly and answered all my questions. It seems like there are a lot of hobby breeders down in South Florida, so it doesn't hurt to call the individual people and talk with them to get a vibe. Good luck!!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

The fact that they sell 5 week old babies, is a good reason to avoid them. Six weeks is the very youngest they should be leaving at.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

I do not know anything about this breeder. It's easy to make typos on a site so i'm not breeder bashing anyone it states

" We sell Baby hedgehogs (5-6 weeks old), and we devote hours of time handling them from a young age so they're nice & friendly by the time they're ready to go to your new home." 

It's best not to sell hoglets at 5 weeks of age. And they have the ever elusive Salt n Pepper hedgehog maybe the rarest thing on earth lol.

"Our herd produces a wide variety of colors - ranging from light to dark salt & pepper (some with lots of white) to pure albino - and everything in between."

That was just from looking at the entrance page, I did not go any father. 

Edit to add Nancy beat me to it lol.


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## NoDivision (Aug 29, 2010)

There are a few things sending up red flags for me

1) They seem to specialize in "trendy" pets
2) They mention that their pets make great holiday or birthday presents
3) They say aquariums are fine for hedgehogs
4) Most of their hedgehog info is copy and pasted from about.com
5) There is NO mention of heat, light, etc
6) they offer NO information about their hedgehogs, who the parents are, health guarantees, breeding info, etc


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Just took a glance; I saw the same kinds of things that were red flags for a local breeder, when we were considering who to get our hedgehog from about a month ago. The part where they advertise their babies as gifts ("Our little Babies make the PERFECT Birthday or Holiday Gift for your loved ones!") is questionable, as is the 5-6 weeks. Credible breeders pretty much don't ever let their babies go home before 6 weeks. There's also no information about the parents (breeding males/females) or, at least from what I saw while skimming through, any kind of health/WHS-free guarantee or much about the breeder's personal choices for her hedgehogs in terms of food, cages, etc. 

Also, like Larry pointed out, their coloring is inaccurate; I noticed one labeled 'dark salt and pepper' that is actually a brown (or possibly lighter). This is less important, but still misleading.

I'd steer clear, if it was me.


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## OliverHedgehog2658 (Jan 7, 2012)

SoniqueOwner said:


> I saw this breeder when I was initially looking to buy a hedgie since there were no South Florida breeders listed on this website. I ended up going with a breeder who lives in homestead instead. I bought my hedgie for $150, and haven't looked back. The woman's name was Janine and was very helpful and friendly and answered all my questions. It seems like there are a lot of hobby breeders down in South Florida, so it doesn't hurt to call the individual people and talk with them to get a vibe. Good luck!!


Do you happen to have the information from the
homestead breeder still? I may want to check her out.

I called these guys and they seem like okay people but I may be thinking otherwise now. I don't where to look anymore /:


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

You guys are finding far more than I did. I quit reading after selling at 5-6 weeks. :lol:


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Hood Petz: http://www.hoodpetz.com Amy is sweet and quick to answer. 

Hurricane Hedgehogs & Gliders : http://hurricanehedgehogs.com/ Ms. Buck is very nice and promt. 

Sunshine Quill Hedgehogs: www.sunshinequillhedgehogs.com I got my Xavier from Helen over 2 years ago and he's awesome! 

Coastal Breeze Hedgehogs: http://www.coastalbreezehedgehogs.com/ Small and great! She use to be in NC. 

There's several more good ones that i'm probably forgetting


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## OliverHedgehog2658 (Jan 7, 2012)

LarryT said:


> Hood Petz: http://www.hoodpetz.com Amy is sweet and quick to answer.
> 
> Hurricane Hedgehogs & Gliders : http://hurricanehedgehogs.com/ Ms. Buck is very nice and promt.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the links! The problem is..none of those breeders are within an hour or so away from me. They all are within 3-6 hours(drive-wise) from me. I don't know if my parents are willing to drive that far. /:


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## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

Sometimes, that's what it takes to get a good animal.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Some breeders may be willing to drive to meet you halfway; depends on the distance, and comes with the expectation that you'll reimburse them for the gas/time. It's not a given, but at the very least it would be worth contacting the breeders on that list to ask. :]


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

You could try pointing out to them that there's two possible situations. Drive 3 hours to a good breeder, get a healthy hedgehog that's more likely to be well socialized (though there's no guarantee even with breeder babies - quilling can sometimes change their personality a bit), have a guarantee on no WHS or genetic problems, and therefore less money spent in vet bills in the end. Orrrr go to the breeder that's closer, and possibly get a baby that's too young. It could have problems with eating, it could be underweight, it could be more likely to get sick because it's still too young, etc. That translates to more money spent in vet bills, or alternatively (but hopefully not), having your new baby die because they refused to help with vet bills.


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## OliverHedgehog2658 (Jan 7, 2012)

moxieberry said:


> Some breeders may be willing to drive to meet you halfway; depends on the distance, and comes with the expectation that you'll reimburse them for the gas/time. It's not a given, but at the very least it would be worth contacting the breeders on that list to ask. :]


I actually just emailed Sunshine Quills Hedgehogs and hope they will meet me halfway!
Thanks for the advice!


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

I was going to go there, they are a ways from me (about 4 hours) but when we called them, they didn't pick up for weeks, by then I had adopted my baby from this "breeder" as she called herself (totally wasn't) I would ask your parents, surely if they want you to have a hedgie they would drive, tell them you will be the happiest person on earth  Hedgie owners tend to be :lol:


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## OliverHedgehog2658 (Jan 7, 2012)

TeddysMommy said:


> I was going to go there, they are a ways from me (about 4 hours) but when we called them, they didn't pick up for weeks, by then I had adopted my baby from this "breeder" as she called herself (totally wasn't) I would ask your parents, surely if they want you to have a hedgie they would drive, tell them you will be the happiest person on earth  Hedgie owners tend to be :lol:


You were going to go to Home Bred Pets of Sunshine Quills? I'm not sure which one you were talking about lol


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## SoniqueOwner (Nov 22, 2011)

Do you happen to have the information from the
homestead breeder still? I may want to check her out.

I called these guys and they seem like okay people but I may be thinking otherwise now. I don't where to look anymore 


Sure do. 305 479 7749. Her name is janine. Good luck


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## OliverHedgehog2658 (Jan 7, 2012)

SoniqueOwner said:


> Do you happen to have the information from the
> homestead breeder still? I may want to check her out.
> 
> I called these guys and they seem like okay people but I may be thinking otherwise now. I don't where to look anymore
> ...


Thank you! Does she have a website?


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## SoniqueOwner (Nov 22, 2011)

Not that I know of. I found her through an ad she placed on an exotic pet forum. I noticed every few months she had new babies for sale, so I figured she was someone who had been breeeding forna while and not just someone who wanted to get rid of a hedgehog. As far as I know, she just breeds them out of her house as a small side business and hobby.


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

OliverHedgehog2658 said:


> SoniqueOwner said:
> 
> 
> > Do you happen to have the information from the
> ...


Home bred pets  Sunshine Quills is great!


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Helen(sunshine) told me she has cut way back on her herd and breeding so she can super spoil the ones she has.  Will be april to may before she has babies so you may want to try someone else.


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## OliverHedgehog2658 (Jan 7, 2012)

LarryT said:


> Helen(sunshine) told me she has cut way back on her herd and breeding so she can super spoil the ones she has.  Will be april to may before she has babies so you may want to try someone else.


Yeah I sent her an email and she replied saying the same thing /:

I found this girl that is selling her last male baby hedgehog for $150 and he is 7 weeks old and I'm thinking of going to pick him up this weekend.


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