# Would using a UV light be good or bad for a hedgie??



## Okanaganhedgie (Dec 2, 2011)

I have an older UV Fluorescent bulb that i used to use for my Bearded Dragon. I was wondering if this would be good or bad for them?? I know most living things outside get UV from the sun. The light is pretty old so i dont think there would be much, but maybe like humans it would help with Vit D?? Happy hedgie? Or since they are nocturnal, this might be a bad idea?? Just wondering thoughts, im bringing home 2, 6.5 week old females tonight!! i have a heat lamp already and all the goodies needed.


----------



## raerysdyk (Oct 21, 2011)

Well, since they are nocturnal- they won't really get the benefits of the UV radiation. Some sort of light needs to be on for 12- 14hrs per day, so if the UV lamp is bright enough it could be used. However, it should be turned off at night as most hedgies only come out when it's completely dark. 

Question, you say you are bringing home two hedgehogs? I'm assuming you have two different cage setups? Hedgehogs prefer to be solitary and even siblings can fight to the death...


----------



## Okanaganhedgie (Dec 2, 2011)

Ok thank-you!! I plan on keeping them together, if they do fight i will seperate them... i'm home all the time and have read different advice on pairs or singles. They are only 6 weeks old, i have 2 of everything in their set up. I will keep a close eye on them to see if they begin to fight. They will have a ton of outside the cage excersize as well as wheels and a huge long cage with lots of stuff in it to hide and be apart. I have a pretty successful Pet Rat rescue, even rats who are VERY social, will sqawble and have the odd tiff. So i'll play it by ear and separate if need be.. but for now they are together. 

Thank-you for the concern though, im open to all suggestions, they will have a heat lamp on during the day 8-8 and a ceramic bulb for at night.. i just wondered if they would benefit at all from the UV. But i figured since they are nocturnal probably not.


----------



## GoldenEyes (Nov 4, 2011)

Its best to keep them seperated, they arent rats and they will most likely fight to the death as raerysdyk said. But I guess we'll wait and see what happens.

If, by chance, they do fight, do you have another cage you can put one of the hedgies in? With a heating lamp for that one too?


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Are they sisters? If so, they will probably be fine. Make certain you have two wheels and two bed areas and that the cage is large enough. Usually fights happen when one wants a wheel or bed that the other wants. 

If they aren't sisters or haven't seen each other before, introduce them slowly.


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I think LizardGirl uses a UV light for her Inky. Other than her though, I haven't really heard of anyone using UV lights for hedgehogs, and so far it hasn't seemed necessary. However, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt to use it! You could PM LG and ask if she's seen any differences in Inky from using the UV light or not, if she doesn't see this topic.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Some people recommend using a broad spectrum light instead of a regular light bulb. The late great Hedgemom used to recommend a broad spectrum light.


----------



## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

I had an aquarium light and a UV bulb left over from when I owned a green anole, so instead of using a lamp, I use this. I like that I can lay it across her cage rather than having to buy a floor lamp or rearrange everything in my room to provide a flat surface & a desk lamp.

Since my Mildred doesn't come out during the day (she did when she was younger, but not anymore), I don't think that the UV light makes much difference, but I like using it and haven't had any issues. Milly is happy and healthy. I know the UVs are supposed to help reptiles & amphibians with digestion and such, but who knows if that applies to hogs as well? You've got me curious now. I might ask my vet.


----------



## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

per vet recommendation i now use uv lights for my boys. it helps with something, but i really can't remember what he said it was, maybe the skin or maybe it was digestion like mentioned before? :lol: i haven't noticed any difference in personality or anything (hmmm maybe if i could remember what it helps with then i could tell ya if it was helping that :lol: )


----------



## smhufflepuff (Aug 28, 2008)

A few perspectives:

A - There's no big difference between UV and "regular" bulbs... whichever light is on, hedgie will be safely hidden in a hedgiebag.

B - Sunlight fades colors, makes plastic brittle, ages things more quickly... the closer you get to sunlight with your bulb choices, the faster everything in hedgie's house will show its age.

C - UV can help kill some forms of bacteria. So, while hedgie is slumbering away, the light is killing a bunch of bad things from hedgie's belongings. 

In full disclosure, I use regular lightbulbs during the day. On an ad-hoc basis, I use an industrial 2' lightbox with four blue flourescent tubes that's bright enough for anyone outside my home to believe aliens have landed. I was aiming for a particular wavelength to kill a certain bacteria that was doing some bad things at the time -- I wouldn't just go get a lightbox under normal circumstances.


----------



## Okanaganhedgie (Dec 2, 2011)

Hello! Thank-you for all the replies! As for the 2 females, they are 7 week old sisters, i only have 1 wheel in there right now but have another on order. Since i run a Rat Rescue i have more cages then i know what to do with, plus i used to breed bearded dragons and also have more heat lights/ceramic emitters then i know what to do with as well, plus under tank Heaters.... i have more then enough supplies to creat another cage if need be!

As for the UV light i will stick it on there anyways and see how it goes... as long as it doens harm them! 

Thank-you!!


----------

