# Help- heating cage



## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

I got a hedgehog off of freecycle on Saturday. I didn't intend to get her. I wasn't planning on it. But she was offered free, first come first serve, and I was worried about her. I didn't want her to end up with someone who didn't know what they were doing. I've never owned a hedgie, but have worked in rescue a lot, do a lot of research, and have cared for lots of types of animals.

But I'm doing this all wrong. I'm completely failing her.

Her last home kept her under just a heat lamp, and said she was fine.

I've got her in a wire cage with a plastic base. I've got blankets draped over it, and a ceramic heat emitter (100w, cranked high) on the wire. Right below the CHE it feels warm, but down at the base of the cage it's only 65.

I feel like I'm going to vomit. I love her. I've never, ever failed a pet so badly before. Our heat in the house is cranked and running and barely keeping up with the cold. And the CHE doesn't seem to be doing her any **** good.

I don't know what to do. We've spent a lot of money trying to save this girl, and because she's got me, I'm worried she's screwed.

I have read a lot of articles and they all say that a CHE is the best thing to do. Why is it not working? Why was she fine for two years with just a heat lamp, and now she's so cold?

I'm scared. I love her already. She's an awesome blind little two year old girl. I want what's best of her, and I'm wondering if that's not me right now. The descriptions of the CHE say it's the easiest type to use, and the label said this should bring it to 75, but it's not and I have no idea what to do. 

Please. She's not shivering. She's not tightly balled, but she isn't very active. I know that's not good. I have no idea what else to try. We can't leave a space heater on her 24 hours a day. And our heat won't go higher than it is right now. What am I doing wrong?


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

I just checked the thermometer again. She's up to 70 degrees... what do I need to do? Are you not supposed to have hedgehogs in the cages with wire tops?


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

How big is the cage? A larger cage will generally require two CHEs, and it might even need two 150w instead of 100w. A 10" dome is more effective than a smaller one. A CHE setup is only able to raise the temperature of the cage a certain amount above the temperature of the rest of the room, so if the room is very chilly and drafty, you may need a small space heater to raise that temperature. Generally if it's under 68-70ish, the CHE isn't going to be able to get it high enough. Larger rooms get colder in the winter, so if you have a smaller room, a large closet, or some sort of little niche in the house, those will keep in heat better. Also, if possible, put the cage up on a table - the floor is the coldest part of the room, and a few feet up can help add a few degrees sometimes.


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

Thanks. She's up on a table right now. I could move her into our kitchen, that might help.

Our house is usually 67-68. I'm so frustrated. Before I picked her up, I read two articles that said hedgehogs were happy at 65. So I thought I could be a good home, and compared to the other people offering, a great one. I feel so crappy right now.

I'll look into getting another CHE. Do heat lamps do anything? I've got a heat lamp bulb I probably wasted money buying. Her last owners just used a heat lamp.

I've got her down my shirt now, and a a space heater going next to her cage. She's wiggling around in there. That's a good sign, right?

I'm so upset that I didn't find this site right away. I likely started her issues bringing her home. It was 50 out and I had her in a box with bedding, but no heat source for the drive.

My poor girl. I adore her, but I'm so scared that my attempt at "rescue" has hurt her.


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

Oh, and I'm reading about light... how much light is enough light? I know 12 hours a day. Our drapes are usually open and lights on in the evenings... is that 'enough' light? She's a blind hedgie. I don't know if that matters.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

She'll bounce back, don't be so hard on yourself. 

A heat lamp puts off light as well as heat, and for most hedgehogs any sort of light at night will get in the way of them being active.

Do you have a thermostat for the CHE?


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

I don't have a thermostat. I was reading more about hibernation. I think she tried to do it the other night. I didn't even realize. I thought she looked cold, and snuggled till she warmed. I'm so glad I saw that...

Her belly never got cold today. I think when DH gets home I'll have him help me move the cage into the kitchen.

I've got a space heater next to her cage right now. I don't have a thermostat for the CHE... how important is that? I mean, right now, it needs to be on all the time to try and keep her warm. How high from the base of the cage are they supposed to be? The cage is about two feet tall. Do I need to put the CHE INSIDE the cage, near the top?

She's blind... would the light as well as heat still impact her?

How many hours a day do hedgies typically sleep?


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

Oh, and her cage reads 80 right now. She's still in her hut though, and blankets are over her cage so it is fairly dark in there.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

You'll want a thermostat to make sure the temperature always stays right around the right. Without it the CHE can get too hot and can burn or overheat the hedgehog. If it's 80 now, that means the CHE is working, a little too well. You want it to be around 74-76 in there. Definitely get a thermostat - it takes some fiddling but after you get it set up right, it will control the heat and keep it within about 2 degrees all the time. If you don't plan to use the space heater all the time, you'll have to turn it off when you work with the thermostat so you're setting it up correctly without the extra heat from the space heater. During the winter it's a good idea to have a space heater going on low to keep the room's temperature around 70.

It's hard to tell whether the light from a heat lamp would still bother her. You can try it and see. I would still suggest a 12-14 light on a timer. Since they rely so little on their eyes, it's hard to tell when they're fully blind or just partially blind, and whether they can detect the difference in light. Natural light during the winter isn't sufficient because it tends to be more gray and isn't present for enough of the day. Both light and heat, or the lack thereof, can cause hibernation attempts.

Hedgehogs sleep all day and are active at night. Some will be awake all night, some will be awake in spurts and sleep on and off.


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

Her eyes are completely gone, in two different accidents according to her previous owners. 

I'm honestly so overwhelmed right now. We don't have a ton of money, and I was just looking up things to see what we need to make her happy.

I need a new dome for her lamp. That's 25 bucks. And another heat source, either a lamp or a CHE. If I stick with the heat lamp bulb I already have, that's another 25 dollars. If I go with a CHE, that's 35. Plus a thermostat, for another 25 dollars. And a timer seems to be about 20 bucks. We've already spent about 200 on our 'freebie' hedgehog. I know that's how animals work, I know that's how rescues work... I just didn't expect it.

I feel so panicky about her right now. I've never given up on an animal before, never rehomed a pet. I've done a ton of work in rescue and hate the 'throwaway' pet culture. I just feel so in over my head with an animal that seemed so simple to care for. I'm so frustrated with the info the sites I read before I got her gave me.

I'm ready to try and find her a new home. But want to be sick at the thought of saying goodbye. I love her, but don't want to keep her when I'm doing such a rotten job, know what I mean?


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

I'm sorry. You've been really helpful and I'm having a mini-meltdown here. I just feel like I've had so many near misses with her in, what... three days? How can I keep going with her? I clearly have no idea what I'm doing.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

You're not doing a rotten job. You're here, asking for help. Plenty of people come here without having good information in the beginning, and change what they're doing as they get better advice. As long as you're educating yourself and making the necessary changes, you're doing a great job. Don't be so hard on yourself. 

Heating can be frustrating at first, but that's what the forum is for. Ask as many questions as you need. Once you get it figured out and don't have to worry about it, you'll be able to focus on bonding with your new pet.

A timer should only cost you about $5. A CHE setup is more expensive, yes, but it's cheaper in the long run. If you want cheap now, just use a space heater - but that will cost more in energy bills.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

If you haven't seen it yet, this thread should help a lot. viewtopic.php?f=8&t=4579


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## nyaraa (Nov 28, 2012)

make sure to shop around amazon for CHE's, domes, thermostats, and timers. You can usually find them for alot cheaper that way. When I got my rescue hedgehog, I spent around $80 on a CHE set up, which is a ton cheaper then if i would of gotten everything at a pet store.


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

Thanks for your tips. I will rept more later. DH and I talked and I recovered from my freak out. Of course we are keeping her. And of course buying all she needs. She's our girl and we love her.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Hey there! I'm glad you've recovered a bit from your panic...trust me, she sounds much better off with you, and you guys will get through this! Like nyaraa said, shop around - I found my timer at Walmart, I think, and mine was only about $5. You should be able to find a simple timer for much cheaper than $20. For the lamp, here's the one that seems to be preferred on here, on Amazon for cheaper - http://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Repta-Cla ... clamp+lamp And here's the thermostat that's often preferred as well, for only $24 - http://www.amazon.com/Zilla-11939-Tempe ... temp+1000r If you buy them on the same order, free shipping!

And I'm going to PM you about the CHE bulbs, if that's okay.


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## MurE (Aug 29, 2011)

I'm glad you're feeling a lot better. I think that you are working hard to make a good home for your hedgehog. The beginning part is hard as you learn new things, but it will get easier. 

As an addition to the heating set up, you can make your hedgehog a lot warmer using fleece. I find that thick fleece holds the body heat fairly well for a healthy hedgehog. Poggles, for instance, has a fleece liner on the floor, uses a fleece pouch as a mattress, and has a fleece liner folded into quarters as his blanket. On top of that he has a plastic dome with a fleece dome cover, and on top of his cage is a quilted blanket. 

Even without additional heating, he is quite toasty. I have found fleece to be a lot better at keeping my hedgehog warm than just bedding. If you're paranoid like me, you can also make all the layers of fleece 2 layers thick or even 3 layers thick. 

Fleece is cheap too. You can pick up a fleece blanket and just cut it to size, or buy fleece material by the yard.


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## SpikeMoose (Dec 9, 2012)

I don't think anyone as clearly loving and thoughtful as you is even close to a bad hedgie parent! It looks like some of the experts on here have stepped in and given you some awesome advice. I'm still always learning new things from them, this is the place to go for support! 
Good luck with everything, you are being a wonderful rescuer doing all you can. It's going to be a steep learning curve for you, but you can do it!!!!


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

Thanks all! I had a complete meltdown when DH got home. He was super sweet and helped me talk through it. Note, don't try to finish a big work project, take on a rescue, and potty train your toddler in the same weekend.

He also reassured me financially. He's a really frugal guy, and I was feeling pretty panicked about what I'd spent. But he calmed me down. I'm so used to him being in med school that I feel nervous about small expenses. He reminded me that he started a temp job this week, and that while the next two weeks are tight, we will be okay. 

So, for the next two weeks, she's got a CHE, space heater with a built in thermostat that we already own, and blankets. We also turned the heat up, which for my DH, is saying a lot. He's a great guy and a real animal lover, just frugal. And e didn't know how dangerous cold was to her.

I've shifted my hours and will check on her at lunch, so she's never alone long. And we're getting a thermostat for her CHE and are working on more CHEs and domes.

For the fleece... How big does her snuggle sack have to be? I can sew her a fleece/ flannel one. And a cap for the hut. I think her hut is a bit small... I can sew a domed fleece hut with an entrance. Would she like that? I've seen similar ones at the pet store, but didnt know if hedgehogs liked soft huts.

You all rock. I think I freaked wheni realized what a close call I had. I was also mad at myself for trusting her previous owners that a 75 watt heat lamp was fine. How did she live two years with them?! Their house was coooold.


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

Oh, and her name is Knarla.

A Knarl is a magical creature from Harry Potter that looks like a hedgehog, but is very suspicious and has magical proprieties. She's not suspicious, but it made me laugh.


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## momIImany (Oct 14, 2012)

Knarla is an awesome name and I'm glad she has you to take care of her and her special needs. Good luck. :lol:


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## msredhead (Sep 28, 2012)

Kudos to you for rescuing that beautiful girl  Pics please!!

You're doing great getting her what she needs, and a hedgie is definitely a pet we need to be patient with. I definitely shared your panic a while ago when my Auri's litter start dying in my hands. Everyone here was so incredibly helpful and supportive. Welcome to the boards and we can't wait to hear more about cute little Knarla!


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

When recovering from a hibernation scare (that was Sunday night, before I got good advice) are they a bit quiet?

Her cage is warm now, with the space heater and CHE. She'll come out and eat and drink and move around, then go back to her hut. She did wheel a bit yesterday. 

If I take her out of her hut she is lively and quick. She just doesn't wheel much or move a ton. I do see evidence of activity in the mornings... Scattered poop and such. I don't know her activity level before, but I am trying to see what's normal. Her belly is nice and warm. Her poops seem formed but a bit soft. I don't think a bad soft, they're not hard pellets, but formed and a nice brown color.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

They can be a bit quieter and less active when recovering from a hibernation attempt, but it could also be her getting used to her new home, the new smells/sounds, etc. The poop sounds pretty good, the slight softness is either normal or might be from the new home as well. Brown is good though, as well as being in a formed shape.

One thing that might be affecting night activity - what's her room like at night? Is there any light in the room or that might be visible from her cage, like house lights, night lights, street lights through the window? Or does the heat lamp you have give off light too? Many hedgehogs will be less active if it's too bright for them at night. If it's any of the first things, see if you can turn the light off, or block it from her cage somehow (blankets can be good for making the cage darker). If it's the heat lamp, it'll have to wait until you get CHEs, which don't emit light, but it won't hurt her short-term.


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## shetland (Sep 2, 2008)

I think Knarla is very lucky you came into her life!


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

So she woke up! She's busy and active and isn't sleeping all the time! She rearranges her cage and splats out over the heating pad that's under her cage. She'll rose out of a dead sleep and bolt over for mealies, and clamber all over me when she can. Yesterday DS was jingling a cat toy, and she was following him around. He's two, so that was HUGE to him.

She sniffed at our dog, then puffed at him when he tried to return the favor. His feelings are all hurt now. Picture a sulking 80 pound lab. 

She got a for bath last night because her feet were poopy, and she seemed to like it. I haven't seen her use her wheel much yet, so that will likely be the next thing we get for her, once DH gets his first paycheck.

She loves the snuggle sacks, but I think I need to make a lighter one for the cage. I did two layers of flannel and a layer of fleece, and I think she felt warm.

I cannot get over how sweet she is. If I wake her, she's on her feet in seconds. She rarely balls when I lift her, and if she does, she pops out in seconds. Twice she's actually balled up around my fingers and she didnt freak or bite.


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