# Quarantine



## imagine (Dec 1, 2009)

I'm going to be taking in a rescue hedgie in the next few weeks and was wondering what you all usually do about quarantine. I've heard that it's good to keep new hedgies (esp. rescues) in quarantine for about a month. What is involved in this? I currently have a baby hedgie who is living on the top floor of a 3-level C&C Cage. The bottom level is storage and the middle floor will be my new girl's home eventually (obviously they do not have access to more than their own level). Do I need to have a separate cage set up for the quarantine period? Should she be in a different room? Thanks!


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## Hedgiepets (Aug 21, 2008)

If you are purchasing from a USDA licensed breeder, I would not be as concerned with quarantine as I would with a rescue. 

Ideally, the new hedgehog should be in a different room then all the other animals you have. Best case would be opposite sides of the room, plus handle the new hedgehog last. Some people will also change clothes after handling the new hedgehog.


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## HedgeMom (Nov 7, 2008)

I hate to disagree with Deneen, but it doesn't matter whether a hedgehog comes from a USDA breeder, the pet shop or a rescue. All animals have unique intestinal flora and pathogens. Quarantine serves multiple purposes; not only does it give you 30 days to observe the animal and learn what's normal for him/her, it is exactly the right amount of time you need for a food switch and it allows the slow mingling of the new animals "bacteria" with the existing animal's "bacteria". 

Think about when kids go back to school at the beginning of the year. No matter how healthy they are, the basic biological fact is that they are "meeting" bacterias from other families that they aren't accustomed to. They come home with various GI upsets and respiratory issues that are a nuisance but not really harmful. A few weeks into the school year and they all settle in and the "tummy bugs" stop and all is well (until flu season sets in but that's another story). This is exactly what you are trying to prevent by quarantine. Yes, there will be some mingling of the bacteria through the air and normal migration but it will be slow over the 30 days and not all at once on the first day. 

That said, I'm sure several people will chime in with "I never quarantine and I've never had an issue". All well and good. I have 15 years rescue experience and I have always quarantined. I find it's a lot easier to figure out the cause if something rears it's ugly head. And I'd rather treat ONE hedgehog and not have to worry about whether it's contagious or not.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I would house your new hedgie on the opposite side of the house if possible, scrubbing well and changing at least your shirt between each room. Some diseases (I'm thinking mainly of rats here) die after a few hours off of the animal, so taking care of the one room in the beginning of the day and the other room at the end of the day, etc. might help. I am quite paranoid though, when it comes to introducing new animals to my house.


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

I have a few questions about quarantine as well, hope you don't mind me jumping on this thread.

I might be receiving two males as rescues. I currently have two males already established together, have been living in separate cages but same room together for several months.

Can the two new ones be kept in a different room from my current ones but in the same room as each other since they are coming from same rescue place together? Or do I need to find a place in the house for each of them as well?

As long as everything is being washed in hot soapy water, can all the wheels and dishes be washed with my current guys' wheels and dishes or is that defeating the purpose of a quarantine?
If the wheels/dishes need to be washed separate from my current guys', can the rescue stuff be washed together? I have not done this before and don't know to what extent a quarantine this needs to be. 
Wow, even changing clothing between rooms? I am so glad someone brought this up as I'll have to train my daughter as well on the new rules. Any other tips/suggestions? I'd rather have the information and have someone say they don't do it than not have the info at all.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

krbshappy71 said:


> Wow, even changing clothing between rooms? I am so glad someone brought this up as I'll have to train my daughter as well on the new rules. Any other tips/suggestions? I'd rather have the information and have someone say they don't do it than not have the info at all.


Yeah I didn't know that info when I started my quantantaine either. I washed my hands of course, and always fed/play with the "old" hedgie then the new one but kept the same clothes. Like HM said, it may have worked for me but doesn't mean next time it won't.

But I did wash the hedgie bag togeter (on hot water) and the dishes too. But I never took Litchi's water dish AND Tangelo's dish together to get them refield. I went on 2 trips.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

It depends on the circumstances the hedgehog has come from how strict I am about the quarantine procedures. Unknown or questionable circumstances get far more than one that is coming from a good home having received good care.

If I take multiples from the same place, they are quarantined in the same room as each other. Times I've had rescues from different places but in quarantine at the same time, they will be housed in separate rooms. 

Always, always, always, I handle our hedgehogs first. I wear the same clothes between mine and the new one but when handling the new one, I'll use receiving blankets over my clothes or toss on another t-shirt. Of course if someone is ill, clothes get changed. 

All laundry gets done together. This isn't a concern here because I have so much bedding that gets rotated that nobody will end up with someone else's freshly washed bedding for a few weeks anyways. With limited bedding, I'd wash it separate for the first few weeks at least. Those in quarantine get their own wheels which get washed and returned to them. 

It depends on the circumstances and the individual hedgehog how long I quarantine for. Three weeks is the very minimum and those from unknown backgrounds usually get 6.


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## Hedgiepets (Aug 21, 2008)

Hedgiepets said:


> If you are purchasing from a USDA licensed breeder, I would not be as concerned with quarantine as I would with a rescue.


Like I said, If it is a known and trusted breeder, I am not AS CONCERNED about a quarantine. I still take precautions. The new rescues coming from TX. I will be very careful with! My understanding is they have mites. Revolution already on hand.


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## imagine (Dec 1, 2009)

This may not be the place for this question, but how mobile are mites? Do I need to worry about the rescue being in my bedroom and/or near my bed? I know that it's important to scrub out the cage and everything in it, but would they get into my own carpet and bedding too?


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

Thank you for the info, Nancy!


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I think a google search on pet quarantine would bring up a lot of good sites on general pets. Look up small animals, especially mice/rats that there are good communities for and maybe find threads that they have brought up.


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## crystalice (Sep 2, 2012)

This is really useful information, glad I found this before we brought Sugar home! I'm wondering if this should be a sticky?


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