# My hedgehogs aren't as active as they usually are



## Alllex (Aug 9, 2013)

My hedgies have become less active in the past 2 weeks. Potato is still quite active, so I'm not that concerned about him. Hayden doesn't run on his wheel as much as he usually does, but he'll still run on it every once in a while. He still comes out to eat. It has gotten colder, but they have a fleece blanket inside their homes that keeps them warm. They haven't attempted to hibernate so I don't think they're that cold. Why could Hayden be less active?

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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Even if they haven't attempted hibernation, it could still be too cool for them. Becoming less active is the very first sign that their temperature isn't warm enough - when it progresses to a hibernation attempt, then it becomes an immediate problem. So on the plus side...it's early & you have time to get it fixed before one of them are at risk.

Do you have a thermometer in their cages? If not, you need one - a digital one with a probe is the best for accuracy. Bonus points if it records highest & lowest, so you can see how low it gets at night.

Do you have a heating set up? If not, it sounds like you probably need one. CHEs and space heaters are the two usual options. CHEs heat cage only, and space heaters heat the room. There's more information on both here - http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/foru...-heating-your-hedgehog-s-cage-simplified.html Fleece in their bed is great for snuggles while they're sleeping, but does nothing to keep the cage warm enough for them at night, which is when it gets colder anyway. You need to heat the air of the cages so they're comfortable when they're active in their cages.

Definitely don't wait around - if they're being less active, they ARE at risk of attempting hibernation, even if it hasn't happened yet. One last thing - they also need a light schedule of 12-14 hours of light during daytime hours to avoid hibernation. Right now, the days are getting shorter, so using natural light won't cut it (and isn't the best even during the summer). A lamp near their cages on a timer would work just fine, and timers are only around $5 or so at a store like Walmart.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Ditto what Lilysmommy has said. 
They need a heat source. Fleece blankets will not keep the cage warm.


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## GoodandPlenty (Feb 4, 2012)

I agree with Lilysmommy and Nancy. You need to be able to know the cage temperature at all times. I use a La Crosse Technology, Model 302-604. A great thing about this one is that it has a function that shows the highest and lowest recorded temperatures since last resetting the function. Knowing the absolute lowest recorded temperature during the night is very helpful for tweaking the heating setup.

You didn't mention the cage being a controlled environment, so I too wonder if temperature control is adequate.


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