# Help



## Madison98 (Oct 28, 2021)

Hi guys!
I am super interested in getting a hedgehog and I’ve done lots of research…I am abit stuck now

so I’m now very aware that hedgehogs need to be kept nice and warm, but what is the best way to do this?! What cage!?
I have spent hours googling and I am driving myself abit mad with it. It’s 3am in the morning
So I have found a very large guinea pig cage with a stand to keep it off the floor (I assume this would be warmer?) my bedroom is not the warmest of places, I would however put heating mats under it with temp control and thermostat (in the Amazon basket with the rest of the options). Do we think if I put some nice thick blankets around the cage sides and top, as well as inside this would trap some heat in?. I have also discovered that you can create a diy cage out of a large tub, I was thinking this may keep more heat in as it has no gaps in the walls (however this wouldn’t go on a cage stand obviously).
My room is very hot in the summer (the joys of the attic room), so I was thinking MAYBE my hoglet could have the plastic tub during the winter months to keep him warmer, and a cage in the summer months (honestly it’s hotter than **** in there, for the most part he won’t need heating in summer). I have scared myself into not getting a heat emitter nor putting a pet heating mat inside with him (if you guys do this please reassure me lol). The bottom of his cage/ tub would be all blanket so nice and snug, I have found a house that looks like a giraffe. I’m aware that ceramic bowls are better for them, and they need a big old wheel. I did find a double tier cage but since I have learned they cannot see very well and may injure themselves this is a no go!.
Any advise is absolutely welcome I’ve never had one before, I’ve had guineapigs, hamsters, got two dogs, cats. It’s very exciting


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## Emc (Nov 18, 2018)

Heat mats are not appropriate for hedgehogs (or really any animal for that matter - cold blooded included). Heat naturally comes from above, not below. So you will need a ceramic heat emitter; likely two (at either end of the enclosure) if your room is so cold - and most likely 150W also if you’re in the Uk, of course both controlled by thermostats. If it’s any reassurance, ceramic heat emitters are so much safer that heat mats once used properly (you don’t put a 150W bulb into a fitting only rated for 50W, keep it away from curtains or other fabric from touching the bulb, etc).

the minimum size for a hedgehog is also 8 square feet (or 4ft x 2ft) but keep in mind that this is bare minimum, so the bigger the better if possible. Bin cages are a fairly dated idea of housing hogs, and I’m honestly not sure there’s one even big enough for them if you follow the more appropriate, up to date minimums (hedgehogs are incredibly active animals!). Your hedgehog needs an appropriately sized living space for the entirety of the year, so I’m not sure if your plan of using a bin for winter is workable if even appropriate.

I think the best option for you is to actually stop looking at wire cages, and to instead look at getting a 4ft x 2ft (minimum!) wooden vivarium. These trap heat super well, and you’d only need one CHE to heat it. For reference: I have a hedgehog and Leopard gecko in an attic room and I live in Ireland - so similar issue to you wirh how cold it can get in the winter. If I turned off the room heater, I would need two 150W CHE bulbs to heat a 2 x 4 C&C cage just to keep it at 23C. Vs, my Leopard gecko is in a 4ft x 2ft wooden viv, and a singular 50W deep heat projector keeps his tank with a hot spot of 35C and a cool end in the low 20s with ease. So, get a wooden viv is my best advice haha.


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