# College bound hedgehog?



## patte397 (Aug 14, 2012)

Okay, so I am going to Michigan State this fall and I would really like to get a hedgehog. Buttttt, I've never had a hedgehog and I don't know if my dorm room would be a good home for it, so I would like to ask for some advice from everyone who is willing to give it, I feel like the people on here would know what was best for a new hedgehog home. So, I'll start out with some facts about my hall and dorm room so you can get an image of the environment. I have a single, so I will have no roommate trouble, also, the dorms are kept at a very warm temperature the entire year, so no worries about it being too cold in the winter. If anything I'm afraid it might get too hot, but I will have fans. Also, I know if I go home I wouldn't want to take my hedgehog with me every time cause its an hour and a half car ride and I don't want to stress the poor thing out, so I'm quite sure I can have a couple of friends hogsit, But I would most likely have to bring it to them and I hope that is okay. I am a little afraid rooms around me will be loud, but to the best of my knowledge I believe I will be on a floor with just 5 other single rooms...so I'm hoping it wont ever get too loud. Also, I'm at class for the majority of the day time hours, but I'm at home at night, which is when it will be awake so I'm hoping that is also okay. And is it possible to leave my little buddy home alone for the night if I was to go to a friends for the night? Please ask me any other questions you may have and I would love if everyone would give me a YES or NO at the top and why or why not so I can see what about college is not right for a hedgehog. Thank you!


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## smhufflepuff (Aug 28, 2008)

MAYBE

Contact Residence Life at MSU and learn their policies about hedgies. Also find out if the rules are subject to change and by what means. 

Here's why I say this: my first year (different college than MSU), the rule was "no fur, no feathers" and it's fine. The second year was "only if it lives underwater." These were decided by the Residence Hall director - we had a different one each year. So, let's say someone got a snake or lizard their first year - all is well. But, by the next year, no dice. This affected my roommate. Her boa constrictor was discovered and she was given an ultimatum: get rid of the snake by the end of the week or leave. It all happened close to finals week; ie, NOT a time when you want to be dealing with relocating an exotic animal. 

If ResLife says "no" - don't try to hide hedgie. Just wait another year and get an off-campus apartment.

IF it is okay with MSU to have a hedgie there, I'd bring hedgie home when you go rather than have someone hedgiesit. Find out if there are times when everyone has to leave -- for example, at my college, everyone had to be out of the dorms for the breaks. 

It's fine if you're out during the day. Hedgie will be sleeping. It's also okay if you're gone at night. However, you will need to check on hedgie and spend some time with him/her in the morning and the evenings on a rather consistent schedule. Hedgie will also need quiet and dark at night, so you'll either need to find a way to block light while you're up at night or always study somewhere other than your room. 

Question: is this your first year in a dorm at MSU? 

Money and transportation are big things to consider too -- hedgies can rack up big vet bills. I know at MSU you'll have access to great veterinarians. I don't know what the campus is like to know if you'll need a car to get between the dorms and the vets or if you can do it by walking... But, either way, they're not free. Typically, I don't think of students having a few extra hundred (or thousand) to spend on vet fees, medications, and the like -- so I'll throw that caution out there. Make sure you have a vet fund that doesn't get eaten away by the late night pizza, books for next semester, etc...


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

If this is your first year at university, I suggest you wait until next year. We have seen so often that people get a hedgie or other small pet their first year without knowing the demands of college/university and find between school and social they don't have the time for the pet. By your second year, you will know if you can handle it.

Will you be in a room by yourself? If not, don't get a hedgie. Many times the room mate finds the hedgie smell offensive.


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## AngelaH (Jul 24, 2012)

I completely agree with Nancy, if this is your first year please wait a year. Give yourself that year to settle in to your new surroundings and schedule and friends and activities. You are going to be busy and life will get chaotic at times  No matter how clean you keep things, you will still have an animal smell and I don't know about yours, but my dorm was tiny and not well ventilated. I wouldn't try to hide one, when they find out you will be forced to get rid of him fast, it might be hard to find a good knowledgeable home you feel comfortable letting take him. 
Even though I did all my research and planned everything out, I was still surprised by how much work a hedgie actually is. I would suggest enjoy your first year without the added responsibility. Then determine if you have the extra money for a vet fund and the extra time he will require every day.


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## AngelaH (Jul 24, 2012)

Also, I was determined Thistle would stay in my bedroom with me, and I tried everything to keep the cage as quiet as possible at night, fleece liners, bucket wheel, securing wheel to side of cage with extra padding... she was still just too loud at night for me to sleep through once she started getting bigger and I had to move her out of my room even though I really didn't want to.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I agree with the comments so far - I'm also starting MSU this year and I'm already a bit nervous about handling classes and such. I'm also leery about the idea of hiding pets in an illegal state or illegal dorm or anything where they're not allowed. I know many people think it's fine to do with hedgehogs since they're quiet in comparison to cats, dogs, birds...pretty much everything. But if you DO get caught, it's the hedgehog that reaps the consequences of being uprooted when you have to find a new home for him/her. I don't think that's a fair risk to take with an animal. You want to be able to provide a stable, safe home for your new pet, which is exactly what he/she deserves.


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## zookeep (May 8, 2012)

I would wait in your position. I'm a junior at college and I wish that my surprise gift hedgie from my boyfriend would've come after I had finished college. Don't get me wrong, I adore Arya and would do anything for her, but the stress of having a pet that needs as much attention as a hedgie plus work plus classes is a lot. I'm handling it well because I have a lot of support from my boyfriend and I'm a zookeeper, so it's worked, but Arya keeps me up many nights (and that sucks when I need to sleep) and I don't have the option to move her out of my room and keep her close. It's up to you, but give it some really serious thought and at least get yourself acclimated first. Plus the money stress is not fun. As a freshman you feel rich, but by the end of that year you start to understand how expensive EVERYTHING is. Also, DO NOT try to hide a pet in the dorms! If someone gets mad at you and knows about your pet they might turn you in just out of spite, it's college, it happens. Not to mention surprise dorm checks and the like. It's very risky. 

Best of luck at college!


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