# Hedgehog Smell



## KatieTheHedge (Jun 23, 2015)

I have 2 breeding hedgehogs. I want to expand and get a license to breed more. My mother won't let me unless we get rid of the smell. Are there any safe ways to get rid of the smell that's harmless to both mommas and the babies?


----------



## KatieTheHedge (Jun 23, 2015)

I feed them blue buffalo weight loss chicken cat food. I throw in some hedgehog booster powder and dried peas, carrots, and mangos. Along with freeze dried meal worms. I bath her once a month and use Kaytee clean and cozy bedding.


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Air filters can help with the smell, if you get one that's really good. But they also tend to be expensive. Open boxes of baking soda set near cages can help absorb smell, but I don't know how well it works. Those are the only non-invasive things I can think of that wouldn't disturb moms & babies. If you want more females, it'd probably be best to have a room devoted solely to hedgehogs, or even to moms/babies if you can, so you can keep the room closed off & undisturbed. That would help keep the smell limited to that room & you can avoid bother new moms other than once-a-day feedings.

Side-note, and I'm guessing you haven't had trouble with this yet, but just wanted to mention - dried fruits, veggies, and insects aren't recommended. Dried fruits can be sticky & get caught in teeth (and fruit shouldn't be given very often due to the sugar content), and dried foods in general, especially insects, can lead to constipation and even impactions. Fresh, frozen, or baby food would all be safer options.

One other thing, I wouldn't give peas every day if you are doing so. Peas are high in phosphorus & can cause issues if fed very often, especially with the kibble also having peas pretty high up in the list. It'd be better to try & vary the veggies & fruit fed to avoid any issues with vitamin overdoses, etc.


----------



## KatieTheHedge (Jun 23, 2015)

Oh thank you! I had no idea! I've been away a lot so I haven't fed the veggies, fruits, and meal worms during her cycle or nursing. And we are planning to have room before we do get anymore. It' just my mother doesn't want any smell anywhere in the house. And she says it'll get carried through the vents.


----------



## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

Then a larger breeding operation may be something better left until you're out on your own. If she's offended by the smell of a couple of hedgehogs, she's always going to be offended and it's just going to cause problems between you. Hedgehogs just don't have that strong of a smell if they're being fed a good diet and get their cages cleaned regularly. Of course it's going to be worse when you've got a mom with babies since you can't clean the cage until the babies are weaned and away from mom. This may just be lifes way of telling you that this just isn't the right time to increase your herd.


----------



## KatieTheHedge (Jun 23, 2015)

Well, I wouldn't say that. She is kinda weak at that sort of thing. She gives in a lot. She said that I could get 2 hedgehogs if it doesn't smell. It does smell and she says we can still keep them. Along with my guinea pigs.


----------



## KatieTheHedge (Jun 23, 2015)

I can't believe I forgot to say thank you! I'm so sorry, thank you!


----------



## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

If you're breeding you have to remember that you won't be able to clean the cage for 6 weeks...its going to smell worse that a regular cage.


----------



## KatieTheHedge (Jun 23, 2015)

Yes, that is just when they aren't in cycle and such.


----------



## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

Here's my question: What are you going to do when (_when_ not if) your mom doesn't want a bunch of non-cleanable nests in her house?

I'm going to throw in with shinydistraction and say that this isn't the right time to expand. It's not fair to the hedgehogs or to your mom (who, frankly, outranks you as long as you're living in her house). Obviously, your mom is bothered by the two you already have. Just because she's nice enough to let them stay instead of making you re-home them doesn't mean she should have to learn to deal with more. Either work something out that she truly supports, or hold off.


----------



## KatieTheHedge (Jun 23, 2015)

My father supports it.


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

That's great that one of your parents supports it, but frankly, I think you're being a bit stubborn about refusing to listen to everyone is trying to tell you. There is no magic wand to help get rid of the smell of a hedgehog cage that hasn't been cleaned for 4-5 weeks. Air filters can help, like I previously mentioned, but they're not going to completely eliminate it. I also can't speak for exactly how much they help as a) I've never had a breeding operation and b) I've never tried using one to help with animal smell.

The bottom line is, you still live in your mother's house. Having the support of one parent isn't enough - think about the negative consequences that could very well (and seem likely) to come from getting more hedgehogs & having more mama hedgies. Don't forget that also means more babies that will be in their own totes for at least a couple days before they go to new homes & many people have found that baby hedgehogs smell even stronger than older ones. 

Your mother is already unhappy with the current situation, even if she's allowing it. Adding to it isn't going to make her any happier. Do you really want that to lead to frequent arguments between the two of you? Do you want to hear complaints about hedgehog smell every week, even every day? Do you want your hedgehogs to potentially lead to arguments between your parents, or have your parents decide it's not worth the arguing and/or smell & tell you to get rid of one or all of them? I'm not saying any of this WILL happen, but it certainly could.

I think you need to stop for a few minutes and try to think about what everyone is trying to point out here. None of what you have said has changed anything about the situation - your mother still is unhappy with the smell & is not likely to be happy (whether she allows it or not) with more hedgehogs. Yes, the situation could work out in your favor, but there's a very big chance it wouldn't - and that means it won't work out in the favor of the hedgehogs. That's what the people on here are concerned about. Please think twice about expanding your breeding right now. There will be plenty of time for it later, when you don't have to worry about upsetting people that you live with.

Edit: I really recommend that at the very least, you get a good-quality HEPA air filter to run in the room where your current hedgehogs are. See how much it helps with the smell & what your mother thinks. Then go from there - if she's still not comfortable with the smell or doesn't think the filter will handle a second nursing mother cage + babies, then you should really hold off until you're on your own & won't be causing problems with your parents.


----------



## Soyala_Amaya (Aug 1, 2011)

I'm going to be a jerk now just because I think I have a touch more information than some of the others on this board.

Emma Hogan, I saw you post this exact same question on three hedgehog facebook groups in this exact same wording (well, at least one was done by Stacey with your name on it) and then you deleted those questions when you started getting answers you didn't like. 

I am not going to repeat some of what I know, but please...listen to what you were already told. Breeding is not a game and you are risking the lives of your hedgehogs.


----------



## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

I'm not sure what you mean "when they aren't in cycle"?


----------



## Soyala_Amaya (Aug 1, 2011)

She means at times when they don't have babies. They are less stinky then because the cage can be cleaned more.


----------



## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Ohhh ok I get it. Thanks!

You need to stop and think about why you want to breed hedgehogs right now while living in your parents house. It's not for the benefit of the hedgehogs, they would be better off not being bred at all. It's not for the benefit of your parents, they aren't getting anything from it. Its only for your benefit, either because you think its "cool" to have baby hedgehogs or you want the money from selling the babies. So really its a very selfish and immature reason. Are both of your hedgehogs WHS free? Do you have a 4-5 generation pedigree on both showing no known WHS lines in them?? Are you prepared to have your hedgehog die just because YOU decided she should be bred? 

Apart from the smell issue I really think that you need to grow up some more and gain some maturity and life experience before you start breeding hedgehogs. As a past breeder I know what's involved and I wouldn't have bought any of my hedgies from a child still living at home and that wasn't breeding to benefit the species.


----------



## Soyala_Amaya (Aug 1, 2011)

Oh wow! I just figured out that this is a pair of 12 year old girls who are breeding, trying to find more hedgehogs to breed, and every question I have seen them ask for three days has been about getting a USDA license (or how to avoid having to get one, haven't figured that out), how to get specific colored hedgehogs, and tricks to make them less stinky.

Please, just...just grow up a little. Animals are friends, not money.


----------



## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

12 year old girls? Good gravy. Hedgehog breeding is not a 4H project. Aside from what everyone else has said, what if you can't find homes for all the hoglets? What if your have your momma hogs have a large litter and you only find a home for one of them? Are you prepared to care for that many hedgehogs for their entire lives? And what if your female dies? What if she rejects the babies? Do you have at least a thousand dollars to cover vet bills? Do your parents know how expensive this could get? What if that first large vet bill comes in and it's time for the hedgehogs to go? This is just plain and simple a wrong thing for you to do. Enjoy your hedgehogs as pets. Spoil them rotten and let them live out their lives without the trauma of being bred just for your satisfaction. Grow up, get a job, move out on your own, establish yourself as an adult, research the many things there are to know about animal husbandry, and about hedgehog breeding in particular. Then, maybe, perhaps consider breeding then.


----------



## MomLady (Aug 14, 2010)

Hedgehogs are exotic animals not toys. They are not as easy to take care of as mice, hamsters or gerbils. They need very specific care. They are not some cool project to see what colors you can get. 

Read the first page of posts in the memorials section and see how some of us have been devastated when we lose one of our beloved pets. You would risk your hedgie's life for babies?

Before you consider breeding, you should have ONE hedgehog for its whole life. You probably won't read this, but listen to whats been told to you.


----------

