# Is it ok to have your hedgehog out a lot during the day?



## hellar (Feb 2, 2012)

I just got my hedgie 2 days ago. The only time he really is in his container is when we are sleeping. Is it ok that during the daytime that he sleeps on my lap and couch, with the occasional waking up throughout the day? Or does he really need cage time.
Also how long is, too much playin with your hedgie. I assume they really need their sleep (especially at 6 weeks) i dont want him to get sick from being sleep deprived or anything.


----------



## packrat (Oct 23, 2010)

I used to take him out during the day if I was home, play with him for a half hour or so, then I wouldn't bother him again til 9:30ish. Now I don't play with him during the day, only at night. Good question, I'd like to know what others do. Depends on the personality of your hedgie too. Some of them don't really want to be bothered seemingly ever.


----------



## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

Is it ok to keep you awake all night? Hedgies night time is our daytime so you are keeping them awake during their needed deep sleep. Even letting them sleep on your lap for a long time during the day isn't good, eveytime you move slightly you wake them up. Keep play time for after 9pm and any time out during the day short and only a max of a couple times. If someone kept you awake all night every night it would start affecting your health and make you grouchy, same with them out for long times during the day. There are exceptions like one of mine whose sleep pattern is the opposite, but for the majority of hedgies they need daytime sleep.


----------



## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

shawnwk1 said:


> Is it ok to keep you awake all night? Hedgies night time is our daytime so you are keeping them awake during their needed deep sleep. Even letting them sleep on your lap for a long time during the day isn't good, eveytime you move slightly you wake them up. Keep play time for after 9pm and any time out during the day short and only a max of a couple times. If someone kept you awake all night every night it would start affecting your health and make you grouchy, same with them out for long times during the day. There are exceptions like one of mine whose sleep pattern is the opposite, but for the majority of hedgies they need daytime sleep.


I regularly take my hog out during the day for cuddle time (3-4 times a week for an hour or two at a time). She sleeps on my lap while I'm on the computer, reading, etc. She is happy, healthy, and no more grumpy during the day than she is at night. She is active during her awake hours, wheeling for 3-4 hours a night. I understand where you're coming from with not wanting to disturb your hog's sleep, but keep in mind that the advice you've given is solely opinion based off of what works for you and your hogs.  It won't hurt a hedgie to take it out for a couple hours during the day more than a couple times.

OP - I do think you should keep your time with him during the day limited to a couple hours. If he's sleeping on the couch it isn't so bad, but like shawnwk1 said, if he's on your lap and you move, he will probably wake up every time. :lol: But after observing my hog being out several days a week for a couple hours at a time for the past 6 months, I can't say that it has made her more grouchy or affected her health in any way. She is actually very well socialized and seems to be more tolerant compared to a lot of hedgies I hear about here at HHC. :lol: You need to do what works best with your schedule, and if that means taking him out for bonding for a couple hours during the day, go right ahead.


----------



## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Depending on what the light schedule is, and what the owner's schedule is, generally there's some amount of overlap when both the hedgehog and the owner will be awake. That's a great time to get in some bonding and socialization, but like hanhan said, there's definitely no concrete rule that you can't take them out during their sleeping hours. Just keep it reasonable. I have Archimedes out for at least an hour every day, with maybe an occasional day when it's less than that, and usually it's more - it depends on what he/we are doing. If he's sleeping on my lap or under a blanket next to me on the bed, he can go for a few hours like that, whereas for something like him exploring or being taken out on a trip to the store (things that don't let him sleep much during it), I keep those to maybe an hour. You can get an idea how your individual hedgehog feels about certain times of the day; some of them are less grumpy about it if it's morning (when they've more recently gone to sleep) and some will be more okay with it when it's in the evening getting close to when they would wake up on their own. For some hedgehogs, it just doesn't matter.


----------



## nualasmom (Nov 13, 2011)

Like moxieberry, I also take Nuala out during the day and she'll cuddle up in one of her favorite spots n sleep. She's very social n happy. The times that she's out with me varies depending on the day. There have been times when she'll curl up in my shirt n stay there for a couple of hours sleeping away. A day doesn't go by without me spending at least an hour with her.


----------



## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

MissC told me that its fine to keep him out during the day, as long as they can sleep, it doesn't matter. As other people said, they should be fine, and make sure that its not too loud and the light schedules fine


----------



## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

Reread what I wrote! I never said don't take them out for an hour or two. I SAID not for LONG periods which is what was the ops original question


----------



## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

:shock: Geez. Sorry? I didn't mean to offend you!


----------

