# Unpopular opinion but hedgehogs do not make good pets



## fineas (May 30, 2021)

I regret getting my hedgehog very much. It's just so obvious now that they're very solitary animal that hate any sort of social interaction. I feel bad for enslaving him in his cage and he probably dreads it everytime I try to pick him up.
I was watching all these youtube videos that somehow have very friendly hedgehogs and I was a fool to think all hedgehogs are that way. I did more research now and turns out most hedgehogs are prickly and grouchy.
Don't think putting a wheel in their cage can replace them roaming around in the wild. But I know that if I release mine to the wild he'll die since I live in a cold climate and there are lots of foxes and dogs around here.
I just don't know why hedgehogs are made as pets in the first place they just want to be left alone. And yes I've followed all the instructions of handling him everyday, shirt in his cage etc but I'm sure he hates me to death especially when I try to give him a bath lol.
I think even the friendly ones on youtube are not really friendly they just tollerate their owner's presence and accept that the rest of their life will be slave to some giant creature that tries to touch them all over the places everyday and they have to put up with that in exchange for food


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

I'm sorry you feel that way. Honestly, hedgehogs are not good pets for most people. I love them dearly, but seldom recommend them, especially if it's for a child. But, for the right person who really understands what hedgehogs are about and what ownership goals should look like, they can be truly wonderful companions. I can't imagine my life without a hedgehog in it. If this isn't the right thing for you, that's ok! There's no shame in realizing that this isn't something that fits into your life like you thought it would. If you're truly unhappy, it might be a kindness to you both to rehome your hedgehog. That way your hedgehog can live somewhere that he is understood and given what he needs for happiness and you would no longer have the burden of a pet that isn't right for you.

I do wonder what your goal was for posting this though. It's really not a secret that hedgehogs are prickly creatures. Are you really unhappy and dislike your hedgehog? Or are you frustrated about how long it can take to get him to trust you? If you're looking for some kind of validation that this is challenging, you have it. This is challenging. It can be worth it though. You get back what you put in. Again though, it's ok for hedgehog ownership to not be your thing. It takes a certain kind of person, so don't feel bad if that's not you.


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## cdeleo (Jun 9, 2017)

I agree with your observations, but not necessarily the conclusion. I often felt like Nate didn't really like me much and would much rather be left alone. However, that didn't mean that he had to hate his life with me. He did seem to enjoy running around my living room and poking his head in everything, crawling over obstacles, exploring new hiding places. Once I accepted that he wasn't going to want to sit in my lap and decided to do the best job I could enabling a happy independent life for him with me being vigilant from across the room, I think things were much better. Maybe the people here would have suggested that I keep trying to make him like being handled, but it did seem kind of torturous. Does your hedgehog at least seem happy when he's out and about by himself?

Once Nate got sick near the end of his life, he did become a lot more affectionate, often choosing to come over and lay by my leg when he was feeling badly and couldn't run around like he used to. I hope that was because he had learned to trust me in his own way, and I was glad to be there to make him feel safe when he needed it.


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## Ria (Aug 30, 2018)

All hedgehogs are different in how they choose to bond.

My girl is very social, loves to cuddles with me and I generally feel very lucky for that!

Some hedgehogs are not the cuddly type, and would rather run around, and a lot love using us owners as climbing frames!

With hedgehogs you need to learn their personality, you need to find what makes them happy and you need to work your bonding to that.

The cuddly ones you can just cover them in a blanket make them feel safe and they will just cuddle u and sleep.

Then you get the runners.
Some of these will love using u as an owner as climbing frame, and some won't.
While they are running around talk to them, they can bond to your voice instead of being handled all the time.
Hand feed them treats, this will help them know that your hands are generally safe and they won't be so scared - this doesn't mean they will like cuddles just know you are safe.
Letting them run and give treats with your hands around and just talking to them rather than trying to force cuddles will actually help you to gain their trust, this doesn't mean they will become cuddly but the huffing at u may reduce over time.

These animals take a lot of patience to! It can take weeks, months or years to get them to really trust u. And some never.

No one who properly cares for a hedgehog think wheels replace roaming, they need loads of space, a min of 4ft, to let them roam around and an area that they can forage with hidden food in, and play pens or hedgehog safe rooms to let them have even more space for a fee hours in the evenings.
The wheels gives them a whole lot more exercise on top of all off that.
No where in any care have I read that wheels are the only exercise they need.

You could argue that no animal should be a pet. Fish for example they like to be left alone yet people love watching them swim around in these big tanks.
Siberian hamsters, are solitary animals, who live in large enclosures with a wheel to run around, but obviously that wheel like with hedgehogs cant replace that free roaming can it?
Tree frogs, people have those as pets, you can't actually touch them, but they get well cared for.
All pets started as wild animals. They probably all wanted to be left alone.
The majority of these animals live longer healthier lives in our care, than out in the wild.

You could argue that a lot of pets are the exact same, "tolerating some giant create" while they get touched and cuddles and love, for food.

Hedgehogs may not be the pet for you, they arent right for everyone. They aren't right for people who want guaranteed cuddly pets, they aren't right for children, or people who work night shifts, they arent right for people who don't have the time to put into them, ans they are not right for people who think hedgehogs should not be pets but has no issues with any other animal being a pet.

If your goal for this is to try and tell us we shouldn't have pet hedgehogs then that won't happen, of your goal is to try create an argument then I hope that everyone on here is sensible enough to not give you that. If your goal is to try and get help from other owners then you now have 3 people who have given you advice.
And if your goal is to try stop anyone new getting a hedgehog, then I do hope that those people read everything, and consider all the facts.


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