# Buying a hedgie from a pet store



## EmilyInsanity (Sep 8, 2011)

I've been researching hedgehogs online in prep for when I buy one, and there is a pet store near me that sells them. People have said not to keep several hedgies in a cage together. The store I'm looking at has about 4 or 5 in a cage together. Is this a reason not to buy them, since they're not meant to be together, or is it not a problem?


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## ProjectParanoia (Jan 27, 2010)

Well, if it's a female, there's a high likelihood that it's pregnant. But the biggest thing about buying hedgehogs from pet stores is supporting their treatment of the animals and encouraging them to do it again. I'm sure more people will come and post more in-depth answers.


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## newfie_nurse (Apr 28, 2011)

I bought Chloe from a petstore, but I would never buy an animal there again. She just tugged on my heart strings when I met her. Due to the growing popularity of hedgies and the way they are promoted in the petstores, I try to educate people about them more in the stores than the people that work there. The more they sell the more they buy and the worse conditions they are kept in. More hedgies are placed in smaller surroundings with sub optimal habitats.

Plus its been over 4 months of trying to get Chloe used to being handled. The pet store environment I think contributed to her extreme skitish nature. She has a bad flight response. When she unballs she is like she is in panic mode and just tries to run and hide.. makes it difficult to handle her sometimes..Being handled all hours of the day by different people in the store, being brought to kids birthday parties during the day with other animals I think really affects the temperment. PLUS there are many GREAT breeders available and even rescues to choose from that have been handled and properly cared for. These are great options especially for people new to hedgies..

I am no expert but this is just my experience so far with Chloe and the petstores in my area.


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## lehaley (Jun 25, 2011)

As ProjectParanoia mentioned, if the store has been housing males and females together and you decide to buy a female, there is an extremely high chance that she will be pregnant. That can be a really stressful and complicated situation, especially if you are an inexperienced hedgie owner.

I've read that there is also a higher likelihood that the hedgehog will have health problems. Many times pet stores will house their hedgies in wood shavings, so there is a chance your baby could come home with mites. There is also a good chance of other health problems due to pet stores not caring for their hedgehogs correctly.

I know it is really tempting to buy a pet store hedgie, and a lot of people feel like they are rescuing the animal from a bad situation. However, ProjectParanoia makes a really good point that you are probably just encouraging the pet store to continue selling hedgies and caring for them improperly.

There are a lot of risks involved in bringing home a pet store hedgie, so if at all possible you should look for experienced breeders in your area first. You could also try looking for a rescue hedgehog. There are tons of postings for hedgies who need new homes on sites like Craigslist and Kijiji, or you could contact the Hedgehog Welfare Society and see if they have any hedgies close to you who they need to rehome.

Here's their website if you're interested: http://www.hedgehogwelfare.org/


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Another issue is "fish tank granuloma"...google it  they don't have to be housed in tanks for this to be an issue in a pet store environment either.


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## Daleo (Jun 1, 2011)

Hissy-Fit-Hazel said:


> Another issue is "fish tank granuloma"...google it  they don't have to be housed in tanks for this to be an issue in a pet store environment either.


All I saw was an aquatic bacterial infection caused by improperly cared for pools and aquariums. Did I miss something?


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## lehaley (Jun 25, 2011)

I would assume that it's something that a hedgie can catch if they are being kept in an aquarium type cage that was contaminated by it. *Shrug*


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## coupscoop (Sep 8, 2011)

A friend I had spoken to before buying a hedgehog told me not to get one! I obviously went against her advice and got one anyway...but from a breeder. 
What I later found out was that my friend had purchased hers from a pet store, and her hedgie never really warmed up to her so she was never able to fully enjoy playing with it. Just be careful...some pet store hedgies might not be as playful and tend to be more defensive since they weren't played with and handled enough at a young age. Very important!


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

[urlhttp://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/1/04-0752_article.htm][/url] this is where I was reading about the fish tank stuff. US article but was found in European hedgie.


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## connorshogs (Mar 24, 2011)

Hey im actualy the breeder you emailed today
My bigest issues with pet stores selling them is they keep them together also most will offer nothing against WHS and other issues that can happen because they don't know the lines or anything. Also they are known for giving out incorrect info and they usaly feed them the cheap foods. Hope to hear from you soon


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