# Best heat lamp for hedgies?



## Sarahcat588 (Dec 28, 2017)

So I recently got a new rescue hedge and have been looking at different heating options. The heat lamp I currently have isn’t putting out as much heat as I would like. (It goes up to 72 degrees). What’s the best kind of heat lamp for a hedgehog? Some of my concerns where that I wanted to find something that can go up to 78, and without causing a fire hazard? Is it possible to find one that’s a black light so that my hedgehog can come out at night? (She won’t come out if there is light on her cage). Also, what would be the best place to keep a hedgehog? Somewhere dark? Or should I keep her in natural lighting? I’ve done lots of research on these questions and got mixed results, so I thought this would be a better place to post.


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## SquirtleSquirt (May 9, 2016)

I can't really say there is a best, but maybe you should bump up the wattage. How big is the cage? If the cage is really big it is best to have more than one heat lamp. You should connect the heat lamps to a thermostat. The thermostat helps regulate the temperature. Make sure the che *does not* emit light. A best place to put the hedgie is where the draft won't hit the cage. Natural light is not a sufficient light source. You need to give your hedgie 12-14 hours of light *daily.* Feel free to use ceiling light, lamps, etc as a source of light.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

You don't want to use a black light as most hedgehogs won't come out when they're used. You want to use a ceramic heat emitter that only gices off heat and no type of light. You also need to have it plugged into thermostat to control the temperature and keep it steady.


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