# Do Hedgehogs Eat Spiders?



## MLHollywood (Apr 22, 2012)

I don't want to feed him spiders!

I know this is going to sound like I'm gross or something, but this apartment in particular has been very difficult to make spider-free. I've been here a year, and at least it's reasonable now, but the summer is going to draw many more in. I spray regularly, clean out hidey places regularly, and am slowly closing off all the places where they're coming in, but of COURSE they find a way! I almost expect a spider to end up in the cage at some point because there's nothing to really STOP them.

With that said, I'm worried about pesticides. Spider spray is a pretty strong stuff. I've heard they're even known to walk through an insecticide no problem, and I don't know where they've been. So ... would my hedgie actually eat them? 

P.S. I hadn't thought of this until I woke up with a spider crawling on my last night. XD Talk about losing some sleep!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

If you have a big spider problem in your apartment, I'd personally find a way to try and keep them out of your hedgie's cage completely. My first thought was putting screening over the cage so that they can't get in. The concern isn't your hedgie eating them - it's the spider biting your hedgie. Even spiders that wouldn't hurt a human more than leaving a painful/itchy bump could kill a much smaller hedgie. I know Kalandra's lost one of her hedgehogs before to a common house spider (if I remember right). So if you're having a hard time getting rid of the spiders, I'd do something to try and keep them out of the cage to keep your hedgie safe.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

A spider bite can kill a hedgehog so his cage needs to be spider proof. What type of cage is he in?


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## MLHollywood (Apr 22, 2012)

I'm glad I asked. I hadn't thought about them biting. (You would think that would be obvious.) I haven't gotten my hedgehog yet, so I'll put the window screening around the air holes on the sides of the cage too! That should keep them out.

I would be so upset if a spider got in there and bit my hedgehog! . We have more obviously poisonous spiders around the area too like brown recluse. I haven't seen them around my apartment, but the house spiders are fairly common. I'm hoping it won't be so bad this year since I've been living here, but they DO hate the heat and my landlord doesn't treat the area around the apartments.

Edit: it's a modified plastic bin, btw. I forgot to say!


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## jerseymike1126 (Jan 20, 2011)

MLHollywood said:


> I'm glad I asked. I hadn't thought about them biting. (You would think that would be obvious.) I haven't gotten my hedgehog yet, so I'll put the window screening around the air holes on the sides of the cage too! That should keep them out.
> 
> I would be so upset if a spider got in there and bit my hedgehog! . We have more obviously poisonous spiders around the area too like brown recluse. I haven't seen them around my apartment, but the house spiders are fairly common. I'm hoping it won't be so bad this year since I've been living here, but they DO hate the heat and my landlord doesn't treat the area around the apartments.
> 
> Edit: it's a modified plastic bin, btw. I forgot to say!


Fun fact of the day...spiders are not poisonous they are venomous. The difference between poison and a venom is that venom is harmless when digested. It needs to get in the blood stream to be effective


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## MLHollywood (Apr 22, 2012)

jerseymike1126 said:


> Fun fact of the day...spiders are not poisonous they are venomous. The difference between poison and a venom is that venom is harmless when digested. It needs to get in the blood stream to be effective


Bah! You got me! :lol: In fact, spider venom isn't even qualified as a poison at all! It's a TOXIN.


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

as you've mentioned they can find a way in though even small spaces. putting a net or screen on the cage isn't going to prevent them from getting in the cage, they will just go right through the screen and you can't put a solid top on a rubbermaid tote or you won't have any air flow which will also kill the hedgie eventually after making them sick. your best bet is to pay yourself (since landlord wont do it) and get a professional in to spray before you get your hedgie and every 3 months you will have to take the hedgie out of the apt for a couple days and have it sprayed again if its that bad. either that or get to saving and find a new place before getting a hedgie. its not worth the risk


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