# please help



## laurennicole (Oct 16, 2008)

if any one can answer this please do. i am going to the petstore today so i really need to know what kind of heading system do i need heres what cage i have http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2753290 and what cat litter should i use like the #1 brand for hedghogs cat litter? please help! thanks :| :?:


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

I think you will find that there is no one answer to these questions. The answers will depend a lot on individual opinion.

Heat source depends on your cage and your goal. I don't use any animal specific heat source, I use an oil-filled radiator style space heater and keep the entire room the hedgehog lives in warm. This is my preference. You will find other people have other preferences. Some use heat emitters with thermostats attached. Do some searches for heating and you'll find lots of different opinions and options. Options will depend on your cage and your situation.

Cat litter. Personally, my answer is NONE. I don't use cat litter and will not use cat litter with my hedgehogs. Many hedgehogs will not litter train and honestly mine have been just fine without a litter pan. Some people use carefresh, some even say non-clumping is OK, others use white paper towels, etc in litter pans. I don't like anything that can be dusty and potentially cause a respiratory problem. You'll find lots of opinions on this topic too.


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## smhufflepuff (Aug 28, 2008)

Hmm... doesn't look like you posted a pic of the cage. So I'll toss out a couple options. If it's wire-top, plastic bottom, then use a ceramic heat emitter (just heat; not light) in combination with a lamp (the thing that holds the emitter "bulb") and a thermostat. If it's c&c or sterilite, then you need to heat the whole room either by keeping your whole house warm or by using a space heater.

For the litter box, you can use CareFresh, Yesterday's News, or a paper towel. Just make sure you watch your hedgie and how s/he behaves with the litter (like if s/he starts eating it, throw it out and don't use it again). And for the rest of your hedgie's bedding you can use fleece (like from a fabric store) - just cut it to the size of your hedgie's cage. The idea being to use something different in the litter box than what's in the rest of the cage so hedgie can tell the difference.

Edit: the link to your cage popped up just now... I can see it's a wire top. You can use either method I mentioned.


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## laurennicole (Oct 16, 2008)

well she is potty trained. i have my hedgei in the same room as my chinchilla and chinchillas have to have a cold invirement. i like where i have to scoop the litter up so i will stick to useing cat litter. i have a link of the cage i use. thanks for the quick reply.


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## laurennicole (Oct 16, 2008)

also i need to know how much heat does the bulb need to be thanks.


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## smhufflepuff (Aug 28, 2008)

I have a 110 watt and a 150 watt that work wonderfully. Also have a 215, but that delivered too much heat too quickly, so I don't use it.

What I have read about actually using cat litter is that you need to get the non-clumping kind... not recalling the problem with the clumping variety, but I'm sure you'll find it if you search the archives.

You can scoop with the Yesterday's News and Carefresh.


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## laurennicole (Oct 16, 2008)

thanks i will definitely get the 150 bulb because the room she's in is pretty cold. but i really need some specific brand name other than yesterdays news a care fresh. thanks for all your help you all


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## hedgie love (Aug 28, 2008)

laurennicole said:


> if any one can answer this please do. i am going to the petstore today so i really need to know what kind of heading system do i need heres what cage i have http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2753290 and what cat litter should i use like the #1 brand for hedghogs cat litter? please help! thanks :| :?:


I have a heat system like used for reptiles to heat my hedgehog's cadge. You can get heating systems that just heat the cadge for a really great price at http://www.reptilesupply.com/



laurennicole said:


> what cat litter should i use like the #1 brand for hedghogs cat litter? please help! thanks :| :?:


Yesterdays News (I use the rabbit kind)

If you want to go with a heating system like I have that you can set on top of a wire cadge or clamp to the side of an aquarium you will need something similar to each of the following
Thermostat
This is the one I have, it's not the best, but it is functional. http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=75
Lamp Clamp
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.ph ... cts_id=402
Ceramic Infared Heat Emitter Bulb
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.ph ... cts_id=742
Digital Thermometer
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.ph ... cts_id=392


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