# Just got a neglected hedgehog.



## norvald1 (Feb 13, 2013)

I just got her today so this is all new to me. she was dropped of at a gas station that my friend works at last night. im getting here cage in order now she has obviously not been handled much and likes to hiss/shove her quills into me when i go to pick her up, but luckily she is not a bitter. she is of good weight if not a little chunky and was told around four years old. any suggestions are appreciate just very curious.


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## Katis228 (Aug 19, 2012)

Hi there! And congratulations on your new hedgie  

I can offer a couple of bonding tips. A lot of forum members will sleep in a shirt or with a piece of fleece for a few nights and then place it in hedgie's sleeping spot in the cage, this helps them to equate your scent with comfort. 

My favorite (and Mal's fav) form of bonding is when I put her in a fleece snuggle bag and just let her sleep on my lap while I watch tv/read/take care of stuff on the computer.  

Good luck, and never be afraid to ask questions on this forum


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## Avarris (Dec 3, 2012)

Welcome to the board. Congratulations on your new baby... My suggestion is this.. Start here: Lizard Girls Book. This book has the most up to date information on hedgehog care and is FREE to download. This should answer a lot of newbie questions that you may have and can help guide you to more specific concerns about caring for your hedgie. There is a ton of information on this board, just need to take a little time to wade through the mass collection of information throughout.

A lot of folks are going to ask you a lot of pre-emptive questions, so I'll try to get those questions asked so you can help us figure out what it is you need to know.

1) What kind of cage set up are you planning on using (examples: C&C, Sterilite Tub)?
2) What are you using for her heating set up and what methods are you planning on instituting( CHE, Space heater)
2a) Do you have a thermometer and other required equipment or do you need a list of what you should have?
3)What are you feeding your new hedgie? Or do you need a guide for that? (here's one: Volcano Views Food Chart and Recommended Foods) (This is also my preferred Hedgie food Source)

I think that should give you a ton of information to start out with, and answer a lot of your general questions. As always you can ask anything you need to here. Sometimes its easier to wade through the information if you have a starting point to bounce off of.


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## norvald1 (Feb 13, 2013)

Thanks i will start looking into all of this. as of now she has a very large smooth bottom wire sided cage and is eating a hedgehog food that comes with worms in it and i was told to mix that with a little high end cat food.she also has a little hut and a heating lamp( the bulb in the lamp is weird it produces no light its a solid black bulb but lets off a radiant heat). i have also found out she loves empty toilet paper rolls.


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## norvald1 (Feb 13, 2013)

oh and yes a have a thermometer and i keep the house around 65 to 68 but the thermometer in the cage hovers around 73.


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## Katis228 (Aug 19, 2012)

norvald1 said:


> Thanks i will start looking into all of this. as of now she has a very large smooth bottom wire sided cage and is eating a hedgehog food that comes with worms in it and i was told to mix that with a little high end cat food.she also has a little hut and a heating lamp( the bulb in the lamp is weird it produces no light its a solid black bulb but lets off a radiant heat). i have also found out she loves empty toilet paper rolls.


that is exactly the kind of bulb you want. Hedgehogs are nocturnal, so you wouldn't want a heat lamp that produces light on for them at night. most hedgies won't wheel without complete darkness. (make sure also that she is getting 12-14 hours of daylight/lamp light so that she will have a proper schedule). The ideal temp for your hoggie's cage will be between 73-80 degrees. A lot of older hedgies require the warmer end of that spectrum (at 4 years old, your girl is definitely in the older category, think of her almost as a senior citizen).

Avarris has put it all brilliantly. Read lizardgirls book from cover to cover, it is invaluable!


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## norvald1 (Feb 13, 2013)

ok thanks


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## Avarris (Dec 3, 2012)

Katis228 said:


> Avarris has put it all brilliantly. Read lizardgirls book from cover to cover, it is invaluable!


Awww, thanks. :blush:


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## norvald1 (Feb 13, 2013)

ok i can pick her up now and she like to play on the floor and rum around on me. she still hisses every so often but much better  . one more question now she likes to poop on me when she runs around on my lap/shoulders lol and it sucks a know she is old and set in her ways but any advice is appreciated.


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