# Cage arrangement for new owners!



## bryannam97

I'm getting a hedgehog for the first time and in need of advice on the cage arrangements. So I thought I'd start a thread for new owners with general questions!

I don't know whether to use aspen wood shavings or a fleece liner as it's bedding. Aspen can be messier, harder to clean, and cause the hedgie some issues. But is good because it allows the animal to burrow. 
Fleece can be annoying to clean every week but is ultimately easier than aspen. But it's very soft and odorless. And what about cutting fleece into little bits? 

I'm also having issues on deciding heating arrangements. Again I don't know whether to use a heating pad or a CHE heating lamp.
The heating pad can get relatively hot and is usually unable to set at a certain temp, whether that's a human or reptile heating pad. 
The CHE lamp is also unable to set at a certain temp but heats the air, with no actual light.
Both I could attach a thermostat to control the amount of electricity powering the item, which I understand ultimately lowers the heat.

Thanks!


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## Lilysmommy

Welcome to the forum! 

Most people on the forum prefer fleece or fabric liners. And those that do use fleece do just what you said - cut fleece up into strips to let hedgie burrow into them.  Some people have also made little fleece strip forests hanging down from a section of the cage to let hedgie hide amongst them. Personally I like fleece a lot better since it's reusable, neater, much less likely to cause allergic reactions in people or hedgies, isn't going to get caught in sensitive places (though you do have to watch if you have long hair - it can get wrapped around legs & cut off circulation), and can't give your hedgehogs mites like wood beddings can. Some people do prefer loose beddings though, so ultimately it comes down to personal preference & what you're willing to deal with in terms of convenience & risk.

A CHE lamp with a thermostat would be better than a heating pad. You've got things correct in that a heating pad only heating the floor, whereas you need something to heat the air, and CHEs MUST be used with a thermostat. It's an essential part of using a CHE for a heating system, so make sure you get one if you go with a CHE. Don't forget to make sure hedgie has a light schedule of 12-14 hours during the day though, since CHEs don't give off light (which is a good thing, for night time). 

Also, I'm going to move this to the Housing forum since it fits there a little better!


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## hlsiefken

I am a new hedgie owner, and with a baby I am changing bedding a couple of times a week (because he like to get in the layers and poop!) but I like it so much that I just changed our pet rats over to fleece as well last night. 

For heating, we use a space heater since most of our other critters benefit from the heat as well, but I am interested in getting a CHE for nighttime since our hedgie shares the room with some reptiles who could use a nighttime drop in temps, but they'd be too low for him..


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## bryannam97

Thank you Lilysmommy! 

I think the CHE and theostat is a better option. (Plus a thermometer) It'd actually be easier to control. Might get a heating pad for single uses on cold days. Also I'm gonna go with cutting fleece into pieces. That way I can just throw it in the wash and bam I'm done! 

Thanks again!


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## lilsurfergrlsp

When you do wash the fleece pieces, it helps A LOT to put them inside a mesh laundry or lingerie bag. That way they get washed and you don't have to pick out the pieces on their own


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## bryannam97

That's true, that'd make it so much easier! Should I get like two sets so that I could switch them out ever other week maybe?


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## SpikeMoose

I go through an average of two liners, and one set of fleece strips per week. Sometimes more, never less. I have two sets of strips and three liners per cage which I rotate while others are in the wash. I've played around with sewing edges and things, but really all you need to do is cut it to size 
Washing them I use a cup of white vinegar and unscented sensitive skin detergent, and a nothing for the dryer (no softener or dryer sheets). I can literally shove my face into the bag of fleece strips out of the dryer and they smell brand new. 
I have baking trays under each wheel that are lined with yesterdays news cat litter or paper towels. That gets changed or picked through pretty much everyday, Eloise has the litter that I sift through more like every other day. Milton has a paper towel that almost always needs to be changed. 
I have a room for my quill babies, so they have a space heater that keeps the room warm enough, with two thermometers placed in different areas. A CHE and Thermostat is another good option, you will need a little thermometer inside the cage to make sure the thermostat is doing it's job correctly. I used, and still use, a little digital thermometer I got for about $8 on amazon, along with all my other heating supplies. They also need a day/night light cycle, an easy way to achieve this is with a desk lamp on a timer, the whole setup cost me about $12 at walmart. It's also important to consider that hedgies like DARK at night for their active time. A room with lights or TV on may throw them off, so that's important to remember when choosing cage placement. A blanket on the cage can always help that too, though. 
A heating pad isn't really necessary, but some hand warmers are good to have around for heating emergencies! 
A few other cage things to consider are the wheel, a lid for the cage, and litter. A pelleted paper litter like Yesterdays News works well, or just a plain paper towel! Regular cat litter can be dusty and dangerous for little hedgie lungs, along with getting stuck in males sheath.

Haha, can you tell I'm in the middle of writing a cage set-up guide email to a few potential hedgie owners on my list!?


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## bryannam97

So I think I have my set up down!
A cage that's 30 x 18 or bigger lined with cut pieces of fleece. Ill also have a fleece bunch in the hideout place and another outside along with a sleeping pouch of some sort. Of course a ceramic food bowl and water bottle. A 12" silent running wheel with a waste pan underneath with just paper towels. Also maybe one in a corner with paper towels. A couple toys like cat toys. 
For the heating, a 50 or 100 watt CHE bulb and lamp with a thermostat. And a thermometer somewhere near the cage. 
Food wise, some type of natural cat food, (still haven't found a good choice at my local stores) bottle of meal or silk worms for weekly treats, and fruits occasionally.

What do you all think for a first time hedgie owner?


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## SpikeMoose

What wheel exactly is it that you're using? The Silent Spinner Wheel isn't recommended due to the slit in the middle, it's been know to catch nails and even cause serious damage. 
Everything else sounds great!
What stores are near you? Maybe we can help find a good food!


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## lilsurfergrlsp

There are great sleeping pouches on Etsy, or a lot of people use an old t-shirt that they've worn for a few days and they put that in the hut. 

And when you pick a lamp for your CHE, one with a bigger dome (8.5 or 10 inches) will heat your cage more evenly than a smaller one. 

It always makes me happy to see an owner like yourself research everything beforehand


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## bryannam97

SpikeMoose said:


> What wheel exactly is it that you're using? The Silent Spinner Wheel isn't recommended due to the slit in the middle, it's been know to catch nails and even cause serious damage.
> Everything else sounds great!
> What stores are near you? Maybe we can help find a good food!


To SpikeMoose

http://m.petco.com/product/14921/Sup...-12-Wheel.aspx
This was my first choice for a wheel, but maybe not now since they can cause harm.
And the stores that are near me, not 30min away in town, are a Foodlion(had terrible choices haha) and a Petvalu. I haven't been in the Petvalu for cat food but it seems promising. Any for sure foods that I could look for there?

Thank you!


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## bryannam97

lilsurfergrlsp said:


> There are great sleeping pouches on Etsy, or a lot of people use an old t-shirt that they've worn for a few days and they put that in the hut.
> 
> And when you pick a lamp for your CHE, one with a bigger dome (8.5 or 10 inches) will heat your cage more evenly than a smaller one.
> 
> It always makes me happy to see an owner like yourself research everything beforehand


I was thinking about sleeping with the fleece to give it my scents and smells! And I'll definitely give Etsy a look. 
The one I found on Petsmart was either a 5.5 or a 8.5. I was gonna side with the bigger one for that reason that it'll heat the whole cage!

I'd I'm glad to make you happy! I'm happy that there are so many hedgehog communities and friendly people to inform and help new owners!


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## Lilysmommy

Looking at Pet Valu's site, they have a lot of great brands available. Blue Buffalo, Chicken Soup, Merrick, Natural Balance, Taste of the Wild, and Wellness. Some of the others look like they'd be good as well.

Though those are all brands that have great foods & use good ingredients, you'll want to double check specific types of the food for whether their nutritional analysis falls within the ranges for hedgies. There's more about that here - http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/foru...3034-beginner-s-guide-hedgehog-nutrition.html


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## lilsurfergrlsp

bryannam97 said:


> I was thinking about sleeping with the fleece to give it my scents and smells! And I'll definitely give Etsy a look.
> The one I found on Petsmart was either a 5.5 or a 8.5. I was gonna side with the bigger one for that reason that it'll heat the whole cage!
> 
> I'd I'm glad to make you happy! I'm happy that there are so many hedgehog communities and friendly people to inform and help new owners!


I slept with some fleece as well as the sleeping bag I bought on Etsy for a few days before I got my girl, so that's a great idea! Have fun :grin:


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## SpikeMoose

Lilysmommy beat me too the part about food; so clearly that's not going to be a problem!
As for the wheel, the one you linked isn't very safe so I think it's a good idea to get a different one. A comfort wheel, flying saucer wheel, or bucket wheel are all great options!


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## bryannam97

When I go on a search for food in Petvalu, I'll be sure to follow what it says in the link! Taste of the wild is what we feed our dogs so I may try the cat form of that. 
I'd be happy to get any exercise wheel that won't harm the little guy so this wheel is a no no! I'd still like to get one that's silent though


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## Lilysmommy

If you're looking for a silent wheel, a bucket wheel is your best bet.  They're generally considered to be the quietest, safest, and easiest to clean out of all of the safe wheel options. You can buy them online, there's several breeders who sell them. LarryT's wheels are quite popular on the forum! You can also make your own, there's numerous how-to videos on youtube.


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## bryannam97

I've heard of the bucket wheels! Hm I guess I should be looking more at those!
I also bought food. 
Taste of the Wild
Protein--42.0
Fat--18.0
Fiber--3.0 (pretty low but but added bugs, fruits, and veggies will help)
Vitamin E--0.15
And some more

First couple ingredients are chicken meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chicken fat.
Not terribleee bad but next time I should try and find one with more fiber and a little less protein.


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## Lilysmommy

TotW is a good food, but definitely look for a lower protein food to mix with it. Usually the recommended high limit for protein with dry food is 35%. If you can find one that's 30% protein, that would be good. I believe Blue Buffalo tends to have lower protein foods, and I think they have a couple that are 28%.


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## bryannam97

I sure will I'll look at the blue buffalo!

I have another question about bringing my hedgehog home from their food and bedding to my food and bedding. They use aspen bedding and it will be introduced to fleece bedding. Food I know for any animal you're supposed to gradually change food, so I guess I should get some of the owners food and change slowly. As carrying him home, is it okay if I uses a box and put fleece inside for the car ride?


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## PricklePrincess

This sounds like a good set up! One comment to add-I was using paper towels under Stella's wheel just like you mentioned but she preferred to pull them into her igloo and tear them up! I quickly switched to litter-didn't want her swallowing any of the paper. I would keep an eye on your hedgie and make sure he/she doesn't do the same


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## bryannam97

PrinklePrincress,

Thank you il be sure to check on that! I figured why waste money on litter when I can just use paper towels. Hopefully my little guy won't chew!


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## rubydissolution

Here's my gals set up. We've only had her about a week at this point. Most what I have and am using was recommended by the woman I adopted her from. She runs a small animal rescue and has a hedgie expert on hand so I trusted her opinions. I don't know what her living conditions were like prior to the shelter. All I know is she's about 2 years old.

Demi has its a typical guinea pig cage. 47" by 22". I'm thinking of buiding a complete second floor because its a pretty tall cage and she'd have more room for toys and such. The cage is lined in kaytee soft and cozy. It's making a huge mess on the floor every time we take her out though. I do not have access to a washer and dryer so fleece lining would be difficult to use. Any other recommendations? She has a small glass bowl for food and a water bottle. She's eating a mix of blue buffalo and Purina One cat food. To be honest I don't think she ate much in her first few days with us. She kept flipping the original dish over and wouldn't touch anything on the floor of her cage. She seems to be eating now, we took her out and she left presents on the bed in her wake lol. 

She doesn't appear to be using her Carolina Storm wheel, as it's been clean as a whistle since we put it in there. We've tilted it and turned it and she still won't use it. The temp of the room is always a steady 74-78* F (space heater) and the black curtains and blinds are drawn so there is no light. I recently purchased a light timer so that the lamp next to her cage will give her 12-14 hours of light. I was concerned she wasn't getting enough as my sleep patterns are weird bc I work overnights 3 nights a week. 

Demi likes to change her sleeping habits regularly. Some night she will sleep in her pouch, other nights she burrows under it. Should I put fleece strips in there for her? Bc the outside of the pouch isn't made of the warmest material. At the shelter she had an igloo with fleece strips in it. Could that be why? 

She gets handled at least twice a day. I take her out in the afternoon to apply her ear medicine. She has the wood fungus on her ears. Then me or my boyfriend will take her out in the evening. She gets meal worms when she's out to positively reinforce her behavior. 

She's had one foot bath since we've had her as she had caked on poo on her foot. 

So, thoughts? I'd appreciate anything you can offer. Thx!


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