# How much do you spend on your Hedgie on a weekly basis?



## Fateless (Sep 23, 2011)

I want to know how much you spend on your hedgehog on a weekly
AND a monthly basis?
(This is after the initial cost, meaning, after the cage, wheel, food dishes, water bottle, the mandatory things were bought)
But, can you also list what you're spending money on (food, bedding, treats, etc).

I'm hoping a lot of you answer, so I, and other future hedgehog owners can know the average cost for a hedgie on a weekly/monthly basise

Thank you!!


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## Guest (Sep 25, 2011)

I have 3 hedgies now and on a monthly basis non impulse buys I spend maybe $70 for treats and fruits and what nots

Impulse is impossible to weight it can be high sometimes

Medicine I don't think anyone can really give you a general idea cause each vet varies so much

For Instance one vet may not charge a visit charge for revolution and it may only be $15 while other charge your a visit charge which typically ranges $40-$60 and full price on revolution which is around $35 to $40.


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## Fateless (Sep 23, 2011)

TWCOGAR said:


> Medicine I don't think anyone can really give you a general idea cause each vet varies so much
> 
> .


I'm just asking there's, if they do that, it doesn't need to be included though, i was just listing random things to consider when answering,


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## ProjectParanoia (Jan 27, 2010)

Well, it depends. I've only taken Delia to the vet once, for a check-up, because she's in tip-top shape. I got a discount on that because it was combined with our three dogs. $60

Sometimes I buy her toys I see around, and I make her cozy things when I have free time. And I buy her mealworms (about $3 for 50). And blueberries. Let's not talk about the price of blueberries. :roll:

Usually, though, I won't _have_ to spend anything on her in a week. I buy the big bags of her food, and they only have to be replaced every 6 months or so. The kitty litter usually lasts for 3 months. The foods are a bit over ten dollars each and I don't remember how much the kitty litter is.


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## Nebular (Dec 28, 2010)

The only real expenses I have for him are meal worms which are refilled about every 2 weeks, so that comes to a whopping $6. Apart from that, he'll get a small piece of chicken if I'm having some, and I'll use paper towels to clean his wheel, but those are things I buy for my own need anyways. My paper towel use has gone up quite a bit since I got the little monster, but a roll still lasts quite a while and they're not expensive at all, so he's not exactly hurting my wallet.

The biggest expenses I found were the ones I had never thought of - the increase in my electric and heating bills. In the summer there's no difference, but in they are a little higher in the winter since I now need to keep my place at a higher temperature and use a space heater to make sure it doesn't get too cold in his room. It wasn't a massive jump, but it was one I hadn't thought of until I got the first bill after getting him.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

Hard to calculate, as long as they aren't in need for medical attention the biggest costs I feel are with heating and ac. It's hard to calculate that but it's possible to add 20 or more dollars to the electric bill, a lot of factors contribute to this though so no way to know for sure til you get a couple bills in. For me I just compared before I got them to after since I save mine a little while. Food is another big chuck of the bill but it does last a long time, seems like a lot of bags are right around the 15 dollar mark per, so if you have a few 45 dollars plus when you do have to restock. Meal worms are pretty much free for me because I started farming and I use stuff we keep stocked like oatmeal, carrots etc. Landry detergent for the liners lasts so long that it's not even really worth factoring it in really. So if I got everything right from the beginning and no medical attention needed I really don't spend anything other than a little extra to the utility bills and restocking detergent and food once in awhile.
One other thing that helps is to place some food in an airtight container and everything else in the freezer, it will make that food last a lot longer and then you can thaw out when you need to refill your container.

For impulsive things I won't count, mine is fabric and I'm always making new things like that for them lol


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Usually the only thing I buy for Lily in a week or month is baby food, wet cat food, and maybe insects. I usually have to buy crickets once a month, but hopefully won't have to buy mealworms again, since I just started a farm. Crickets cost about $10 a month, baby food is probably around the same. Then sometimes I also have to buy a new bag of food for her, though that's maybe every few months (the different ones in her mix run out at different times), and I had to buy a new CHE bulb last week, which was $35.


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## Fateless (Sep 23, 2011)

This is all very helpful!
I'm really happy with the amount of answers, and hope more people post theirs too.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

It is going to vary greatly depending on the age and needs of your hedgehog and possibly even the time of the year. 

Most costs are pretty minimal, where it will get pricey is when you have a sick hedgehog to deal with. You may not have any medical bills for several years, and you may run into them early. Hedgehogs are pretty healthy creatures, but they hide illness. Because of this once you start to notice signs of illness they usually are very sick and the cost and time it takes to treat them can be pretty high. I expect to pay about $100-$150 each time I visit the vet. This cost range is based on visits to different veterinarians in Michigan. I have seen people in other areas report 150-200 average. That cost is just for the basic exam, a medication or two and a basic test or two. It doesn't include x-rays, surgeries, or anything that needs sent to a lab. Each of those can cause that price to double or triple very quickly. With a sick hedgehog, you can quickly go through $500-1000 in a month. 

Hedgehogs really do not cost that much to feed. You can buy a $9 bag of food and it will last the hedgehog for many months. I prefer to mix 3-4 types at once and it costs me roughly $50 every 4 months on food. This amount of food will typically feed up to 3 hedgehogs for 4 months. With only 1 hedgehog you will waste food, but again its not that costly.

Treats: Mealworms, I raise my own so the cost to raise them is basically the time it takes to keep them clean, and for new oatmeal and carrots for them. With 3 hedgehogs I would go through a 500 mealworm container about monthly. Check with your local petstore to see how much they cost at your store, the cost can vary from location to location. Fruits/vegetables, I pretty much just feed the hedgehogs what I eat normally. If you opt for baby foods, the cost is going to be higher, but they are very convenient.

Heat. I am going to mention this one. Depending on how you plan to keep your hedgehog warm, it can be costly. Running a furnace or space heater to heat the entire room can be pricey. This is my preferred method as I typically have had more than 1 hedgehog at a time and having CHE setups for each cage isn't practical (plus you need an electrical outlet near the cage). 

Bedding, cloth liners are going to be your cheapest option and the safest in the long term. Once you spend the initial cost to buy the liners you just have a load or two of extra laundry each week.


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## SquiggyTheHedgie (Jul 26, 2011)

For me Squiggy doesnt cost anything weekly really lol. Aside from the startup costs and medical bills, the most i spend on him in a week is about 6 dollars for mealworms. Monthly, id say about 20. I dont use fleece liners since im kinda poor, so I bought a 7 dollar 30 pack of puppy training pads and just foldthem to fit inside his cage and that works just fine  plus, I only have to change his liner about once a week, so one pack of potty pads keeps for about a month or two. As for heating, my apartment is all bills paid, so I dont have to pay for water and electric seperate like most people. We keep our apartment at a constant 75 degrees. Since I live in Texas, we really only get about 2-3 weeks of winter so on the few days its cold, we have a full space heater to keep him and us nice and toasty


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## lehaley (Jun 25, 2011)

I don't spend much money on Felix weekly. Generally I have only had to buy kibble once since bringing him home and spent about $30 on that. His mealworms seem to last about 2 weeks and cost anywhere from $3-5 depending on how many I buy. I don't really buy him any special treats. He gets fruits, veggies, or meat 2-3 times a week based on what I buy for myself. (ie. If I'm making chicken for dinner, I will grill him a small unseasoned piece)
I think deciding to use fleece liners really cuts down on overall costs with Felix. I used wood shavings and carefresh for previous pets and that cost can really add up fast. I still have to pay to wash the liners once a week, but I spend $1 on a washer and let the fleece air dry. In addition to food and bedding, I buy vinegar to clean his cage and wheel. A giant bottle is usually pretty cheap and goes a long way because I dilute it with water. 

Long story short: my hedgie doesn't cost a whole lot weekly. Once I made all the initial setup purchases, he became a really inexpensive pet.


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## ProjectParanoia (Jan 27, 2010)

Nebular said:


> The only real expenses I have for him are meal worms which are refilled about every 2 weeks, so that comes to a whopping $6. Apart from that, he'll get a small piece of chicken if I'm having some, and I'll use paper towels to clean his wheel, but those are things I buy for my own need anyways. My paper towel use has gone up quite a bit since I got the little monster, but a roll still lasts quite a while and they're not expensive at all, so he's not exactly hurting my wallet.
> 
> The biggest expenses I found were the ones I had never thought of - the increase in my electric and heating bills. In the summer there's no difference, but in they are a little higher in the winter since I now need to keep my place at a higher temperature and use a space heater to make sure it doesn't get too cold in his room. It wasn't a massive jump, but it was one I hadn't thought of until I got the first bill after getting him.


There's light-less heat lamps and pads to put underneath a cage made for reptiles that could knock down that bill a little. If you simply heat her cage, you won't have to keep the entire room warm.


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## nationofamanda (Jan 19, 2010)

the start up is really the most expensive other than vet bills.
here's my basic list:

START UP COSTS:

i use clear sterlite bins because of how easy they are to clean and buy them in the largest size, and i don't even bring the lids home from the store since i don't use those. ($15-20)

for liners i find it's easier (and cheaper!) to buy polar fleece blankets and cut them than it is to buy fleece at a fabric store. they are constantly on sale everywhere--walgreens sells them all year at two for seven dollars or something like that, and you can cut their size into several liners. i use a flannel layer also and those are just baby receiving blankets i buy cheaply at ross or at thrift stores. i also discovered at dollar tree in the auto care department they sell little fleece cloths for drying your car that my girls love and they are easy to wash. so prices vary on all that but you can swing it on a budget. ($20 on up)

wheels, toys, food dishes ect...all depend on what you want to use. ecpect to spend the most on a wheel since most people can't find a size they need or a brand that is safe and need to ship one. toys are often homemade so they can cost nothing but effort. i also think cat toys with out holes, or cat nip are great as long as they are washable so i can keep them clean. you can buy dishes at the pet store or use flat bottomed pinch bowls and ramekins in ceramic that are very well made and easy to clean. mine are from the dishes department at walmart and are easier to clean than the pet store ones i used to have for my gerbils. (ranges but expect to spend about $25 on up because of the wheel)

air purifier...not a most but i love it. it really makes a difference. you can find them on amazon or at anyplace you buy housewares. mine has a washable filter so you don't need to buy any refill filters ($35-200 it all depends what you want, and how big of one you need for the size of your room)

heaters...other than emergency hand warmers and heating pads ($2-7) i don't have additional heaters. i keep my hedgehog's room at around 76-78 all year because my apartment allows that. i also have insulated curtains on the windows ($40)in their room to keep out extra cold and drafts. luckily san antonio is warm most of the year so i just need to be vigilant from november to february before it's crazy hot again. energy costs are listed in monthy costs.

MONTHLY COSTS:

food cost can range but i spend about ( $25-30) i buy one really good quality cat food (blue spa select) and supplement it with steamed veggies, fruits, baby food meats and veggies, and other occasional treats. two of my girls will not eat mealies so i stopped buying those but most use that as part of a diet as well. i think everyone will tell you not to rely on only one cat food and to supplement it with another cat food or two or other options so food can be pricier than one would think.

general supplies i find don't need replaced that often because of how small our guys are. aveeno ($5-7)a toothbrush($1 dollar) and oatmeal ($1 at the dollar store) for baths with need replaced very seldom. new fleeces and stuff i replace about once a year or as they need it. to clean their cage and wheel and dishes i use regular unscented dish soap ($2-3) and hot water.
i clean their fleece and flannels and any other blankets or machine washable toys with apple cider vinegar to deodorize ($2), and then run it through again with unscented gentle detergent ($8-but it's what i use for my laundry too) i'd say expect to spend about $10-15 a month if you know you are prone to impulse buying, and other than that expect extras to run you pretty low if you only buy as you need stuff.

energy costs range for me depending on the time of year. i run a low energy air purifier at night because that is when they are up and making smells. i keep their temp constant on that rooms thermostat all day, and i use a hi-efficency washer and dryer to wash their stuff and while i'm sure it does effect my energy bills it is not so much that i am cursing every month. i think the secret here is just to be mindful of what you need on period. i turn of light when i don't need them and keep my temperature in the rest of the house pretty regular and unplug appliances that don't get used often. my energy bill is pretty reasonable as a result. expect your bill to go up, especially in the colder months, and allow for that. it will range depending on what you do.

vet visits...the big one. i have an exotic pet vet that i am pretty content with, but his wellness visits are $70. luckily he charges me that price even if i were to bring all three. emergency vet care and prescriptions are what really get you though. between bunny's ear infections and surgery, and prescriptions and follow ups last year i spent about $450 at my vet last year for all three girls. keep money set aside (i just take from my emergency savings which is for all emergency expenses, including my pets and me)

i'm sure their is stuff i didn't list but i hope that was helpful. i think it's easy to keep your cost low if you skrimp on the supperfulous stuff and spend you money on the really important stuff like food, vet costs and heat instead.


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## glowfreak (Sep 27, 2011)

I would have to agree with most on here...there aren't really any major expenses:

Meal worms: $6 / mo.
Bedding: $15 / couple months
Food: $15-25 / couple months
Toys: Other than a few cheap things, I'll make pouches or hiding areas.

Other than him, his cage was the most expensive part. I made it myself but its pretty big and has tunnels and stuff for him to explore through...but that was initial cost. We add onto it any time we get a good idea which will usually cost $5-$10 depending.


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## HappyHedgies (Feb 17, 2011)

For our 14 hedgehogs we do a big shop every 3 months or so.

A mixture of two foods (the biggest bag of each) $110
Small bag of kitten food for the pregnant moms and babies is $25
2 large bails of shavings is $20
50 mealworms per week @ $5

*our hedgies don't seem to like veggies 

So average per week is around $18 for the 14 of them. They don't eat very much very fast.

This does not include revolution @ $40 per prescription when needed, nor any other vet bills.

Every time we get new hedgies we spend about $50 per cage setup.


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## Pooki3 (Jun 10, 2011)

I use liners (my own interpretation of them) and the laundry cost is about 4 bucks once or twice a month. If I'm lazy I go get them fabric for about 2.77 each hedgie (I have two) 
I buy food probably once every 3 months which is roughly 25+ so lets say 8 bucks a month for food not including the food I eat(chicken and veggies) and use to make little side meals for them. I rarely get mealworms because berko is chubby and on a diet and puddin doesn't like anything but kibble. I use a lot of this special soap (perfume free) but I buy refills and just fill up a soap dispenser and thats like .50 cents a month at the most. I buy bulk paper towels and the hedgies use like 2 rolls every three months so thats like 1 buck at the most per month.
and if I needed to go to the vet for a check up my vet charges me 42 bucks a visit
all together its 61.04 a month 19.04 before the vet visit


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

Pooki3 said:


> I use a lot of this special soap (perfume free) but I buy refills and just fill up a soap dispenser and thats like .50 cents a month at the most.


Hi Pooki! Can I ask what kind of perfume free soap you use, please? I'm allergic to perfumes and I special order a soap that only comes in bar. I would love to go back to pump soap.


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

The food I buy lasts for a LONG time so I use a high quality cat food so its $18 every 5 months. (I freeze the food I don't use) Then his mealies are freeze dried since he refuses to eat "fresh" mealworms :roll: So he gets a few a night and thats lasted me around 4-5 months since I buy them in jars by the thousands and its still half full (  ) But on impulse im not sure you want to know the number :lol: I buy too much fabric too, I have an obsession 



Rainy said:


> Pooki3 said:
> 
> 
> > I use a lot of this special soap (perfume free) but I buy refills and just fill up a soap dispenser and thats like .50 cents a month at the most.
> ...


Even though this Q is not directed to me, I would like to chime in as i'm extremely allergic to anything with a scent so I use baby soap ( :roll: ) but it does the job!

heres the link :arrow: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product ... n=shopping

its a foaming soap as I have not been able to find a true liquid soap like softsoap, but it still is in a pump


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

Thanks Teddysmom. That's helps so much! I hate having to special order bar soap and deal with the mess in the soap dish. YUCK! I'll go try it! Thank you so much!


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