# Doing our Research!



## Dadofthree (Aug 5, 2011)

Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum so thought I post and say hello. 

So why am I here  in the short version. My daughter who is 16yrs old has come to us and asked about a hedgie. So I decided we better do some research and reading to learn more about them before deciding. Our search turned up this nice forum which I must say has a TON of information. 

A little background, growing up I had the pleasure of 2 ferrets owning me. They were by far my greatest pet and I remember my parents saying no way to them at first. Took lots of convincing on my part but they eventually gave in. 

So I would really like to allow my daughter the opportunity to have and be owned by her hedgie  . But not without putting in the time to learn and understand the responsibility that comes with one. 

I've read up on the housing, diet, medical issues and even the heat lamp thread which we will acquire. But my main concern right now is our Veterinarian. She doesn't work with hedgehogs. The one she recommend is about an hour away (we live out in the country). I will continue to research more and see if we are able to find one closer. How much of a factor could this be for us? We are willing to make the drive if need be. 

Thank you for any suggestion..


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2011)

Kudos to you for being an involved parent many times a parent caves to their child's whim and doesn't really learn about a hedgehog and the responsibility a hedgehog will need so its very refreshing to see your post.

First and foremost a hedgehog is a very expensive start-up animal as you have probably found to properly housed, feed, provide proper exercise, and heating/lighting.

Since you've said you've read through a lot here on the forums I will just assist with the main question.

An hour drive for a vet some would consider a luxury, I know of members here who travel much farther for their hedgehogs. It is important to ensure you have a experience hedgehog vet so once/if you get a hedgehog schedule a wellness check-up for their health and this will also give you a size up of your vets knowledge and ability with a hedgehog.

The only concern is if your hedgehog will handle travel well, some do and some do not, otherwise it should be fine as you've probably read hedgehogs can come down with some serious illness at times.

Welcome to the community I hope it helps you better understand our quilled little friends


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Welcome to the forums! That's great that you're so willing to let her have the experience of owning an animal and taking care of it.  And even better that you're doing research first!

As TWCOGAR said, I would definitely check out the vet that was recommended to you. Call them and ask how many hedgehogs they've seen. If there's several vets, see if all of them have experience or if you'll need to request to see one specific vet when you make appointments. You'll want to take your new hedgehog in for a wellness check, to introduce her to the vet, and so you can see how the vet works with her. An hour really isn't too bad for distance, I go about 40-45 minutes away for my vet and I know many people on here travel somewhere between 1-2 hours, and sometimes even more.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Yup...we will be doing a 1.5 hours road-trip with Sumo tomorrow to see his vet. In case of an emergency, we can see the local guy who willingly seeks advice from exotic vets, but we have made this road trip for one reason or another every three months since time began. :lol:


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Welcome to the forum!  If you give us your location another member may know of a good vet around that area.


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

Have you checked out the vet list here on hhc? It has a lot of vets listed 

http://hedgehogcentral.com/vets.shtml

enjoy!


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## Dadofthree (Aug 5, 2011)

Thank you for the responses. I will take your suggestions and call the recommend vet this afternoon. We are located outside Binghamton, NY 13905

We found that after visiting our local pet stores, none of them carry hedgies. They are special orders only. We have no intentions of going this route and are trying to locate the nearest reputable breeder so that hopefully we may plan a family visit to better understand the hedgehog and get a up close and personal experience with some hedgies. After all none of us has even met a hedgehog yet or held one. But looking at pictures our favorite is the Algerian Black snowflake with a black mask. 

Myself and my wife must admit after reading and researching now for almost a week we find ourselves excited about the idea of having a hedgehog but have to restrain from letting our daughter know until further research is done. My wife already wanted to order the Carolina Storm Wheel to get it heading this way . Had to reign her in.. 

So I feel uncomfortable asking this next question but have learned in the past that there is always negative factors to equal positive factors. Can anyone tell us some negative points about owning a hedgehog? Other then price of ownership including housing, light, and heat setup which isn't a concern are there any major concerns? Are home is quiet, no little kids youngest being 16. One very small dog.

So far we have not found anything in our research that would be a concern for our family owning a hedgehog. 

As always thank you for any comments. Off to read more in the forum.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Like you said, the cost is usually the biggest issue. Babies often have strong-smelling poop and pee, which can bug people, especially if they have the hedgehog caged in their room. The smell usually gets better as they get older though. 

They also go through a period of quilling, which is painful for them and makes them quite grumpy most of the time. Sometimes they can stay grumpy after the quilling and never warm back up to people. Some hedgehogs don't like to cuddle and would rather be left alone completely or be allowed to run around and explore rather than in someone's arms. For the ones that would rather be left alone, you can still get them out, they'll just be cranky about it. :lol: 

Cost, smell, and possible behavior are really the only negatives I can think of...Maybe someone else will mention something I missed.


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

Dadofthree said:


> Thank you for the responses. I will take your suggestions and call the recommend vet this afternoon. We are located outside Binghamton, NY 13905
> 
> We found that after visiting our local pet stores, none of them carry hedgies. They are special orders only. We have no intentions of going this route and are trying to locate the nearest reputable breeder so that hopefully we may plan a family visit to better understand the hedgehog and get a up close and personal experience with some hedgies. After all none of us has even met a hedgehog yet or held one. But looking at pictures our favorite is the Algerian Black snowflake with a black mask.
> 
> ...


Um... lets see.... well! There is a chance of being poked but only if you irritate them and pet them in the wrong direction :roll: I assume you know that the wheel has to be cleaned every other day + foot baths to get off poopy feet from running on the wheel. If you dont properly clean the cage it could smell... >.< Other than that, nothing major....seems like you got the vet covered and the housing covered  The pros outweigh the cons by 1000% They really are amazing creatures  They are so sweet (if you tame them correctly) and they grow attached to you :mrgreen: You will enjoy your future quilled friend  Lilysmommy pretty much covered it all ^.^


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2011)

I will put a small list:

1) Financial strain - Hedgehogs can cost depending on vets and they can easily cause a large vet bill

2) Many health issues they can develop are heart wrenching to deal with especially once your little quilled one has forever burrowed a place in your heart

3) You never know the personality of a hedgehog you may find a breeder and get the most friendly explorative type of hedgehog at the breeders and once you get home you can expect they will likely be very timid, puffy, and less of what you saw at the breeders. They are smelling new things and a new environment and it terrifies them at first but it passes with time and handling.

4) Sometimes you may get a biter, usually there is a direct reason such as hunger, scent, or something to why they bite, but if its immediate and aggressive its possible you have a biter and you have to adapt for handling of such a hedgie

5) Quilling can change a hedgehogs personality drastically you may fall in love with a very friendly cuddle monster who then quills and wants less or no human interaction in the ideals of cuddling.

6) Each hedgehog is different and none is the same they all have their own personality (This is a pro IMO, but can be a CON)

Those are a few I can think of off the top of my head


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## Dadofthree (Aug 5, 2011)

These are good things to know. In our reading we came across that there pee didn't smell of ammonia. So that little tid bit of about bathroom duties when there younger was nice to know. That wouldn't be much of a concern but still nice to know. 

Two people touched on quilling. Which we have read about. So let me ask you this. If we were to proceed should we be looking into an older hedgehog already through the quilling stage or just proceed with a young hedgehog?


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2011)

Dadofthree said:


> These are good things to know. In our reading we came across that there pee didn't smell of ammonia. So that little tid bit of about bathroom duties when there younger was nice to know. That wouldn't be much of a concern but still nice to know.
> 
> Two people touched on quilling. Which we have read about. So let me ask you this. If we were to proceed should we be looking into an older hedgehog already through the quilling stage or just proceed with a young hedgehog?


Either way is a good choice, just know taking an older one from someone usually carries more risk. Hedgehogs are a popular fad with most people thinking its just like a hamster and they are misinformed by bad breeders or pet shop that they are great for small children or its a buy cause its cute.

These hedgehogs tend to be unsocial and living in less then recommended environments however these hedgies can be given a good home and become wonderful pets.

Quilling is natural we just want to warn you its possible their personality could change it doesn't always happen and aside you'll learn that even if you get a huffy ball of quills that isn't keen on human interaction you will love the little one so much for it ^.^

Babies are a joy to watch grow I loved watching my tiny Feral grow and she still is right now


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## moothecow (Jun 4, 2011)

Personally, for your first hedgehog I'd get a baby. That gives you a better opportunity to bond with them when they're really young. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying an older hedgehog isn't a good idea... frequently they can be great. An issue though, is that older hedgehogs can mean rescue hedgehogs. And rescue hedgehogs may come from a home where they weren't treated well and weren't taken care of, which would mean a hedgehog that is very grumpy, very shy, possibly with healthy issues, possibly on bad food, etc. Not always, not at all. But it's a possibility. 

My suggestion would be to find a reputable breeder and get a baby. Yup, quilling can be a bother, but I think for new owners, the pros may outweigh the cons of getting a young hedgehog. 

Then again, totally just my opinion. Let's see if anyone else weighs in with a different opinion


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## ReginasMommy (Apr 13, 2011)

Welcome! Everyone has done a great job with advice and answers, so I don't have much to add in that vein. However, I recall seeing a post from a user a few days ago, who is looking to rehome her hedgie Paprika. Here's the thread: http://hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=12722&p=111317#p111317

Paprika seems like she's had a wonderful home so far, and I think she comes with a set-up and everything, so it wouldn't be a rescue so much as it would be a rehome. She seems well-socialized (based on the pics of her not in a ball and sleeping adorably on her mommy). Also, she's located in Albany, I believe, which isn't too far from Binghamton. Plus, assuming you stayed an active member of the forum (please do, and post pics ), her current owner would probably enjoy being able to stay updated on Paprika, because as we here all know, once a hedgie gets into your heart, it's there forever.


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## Dadofthree (Aug 5, 2011)

Thank you for the suggestion. I posted in her thread and we'll see. I would need to talk with my wife and see what direction we really want to go. 

Reading her story was so sad. I know we could give her a great home. Whats ironic is my 2 older daughters live in Albany. So we travel up there about once every other month. We will wait to hear from Paprika's owner and see were this takes us. Thank you again for pointing that out.

Oh and no worries about us staying active in the forum. I'm sure we will have lots of questions once we become parents and will need help from fellow members.


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

I just wanted to say that it's so great that you are doing this for your daughter. It's wonderful that you are getting involved and doing your research, instead of just saying yes or no. I'm sure she appreciates it.  

Also, hedgehogs are amazing little animals and so much fun to interact with, or even just observe. It sounds like you would provide a wonderful home for one.


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## Olympia (Aug 4, 2010)

Welcome to the forum and I`m really glad you`re doing some research. Hedgies make wonderful pets but they`re definitely not for everyone.  One issue that I don`t think anybody else mentionned is the fact that hedgies live on average 3 to 5 years and since your daughter is 16, she may be going to college away from home in a couple of years and may not be able to take her hedgie with her. You have to ask yourself if you`re prepared to take care of it yourself if she can`t anymore. I have a feeling you might since you seem very enthusiastic but I thought I`d mention it anyway. 

Other than that, the major cons are set-up and vet costs (the set-up alone is several hundred dollars not counting the hedgie and you need a vet emergency fund of at least 300 $), daily cleaning of a poopy wheel and the possibility that your hedgie might never warm up to you. Also, hedgies are not like a dog or a cat, it can take months to gain their trust and get them to be confortable with you. It can get very discouraging but it`s also a great challenge and it`s incredibly rewarding every time they do something to show they trust you a little more.


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## Dadofthree (Aug 5, 2011)

We are definately up to the task of caring for the little guy or girl because we will be having emtpy nest syndrome :lol: . 

My daughter has been reading all afternoon about the care of hedgehogs and espiecially Quilling. We want her to have a real good understanding about that in case the Hedgehog rejects her. 

Thanks again for everyone posting there concerns and comments in this thread. I do understand about the financial aspect of ownership and I'm quite comfortable with the numbers I have seen so thanks for the advice there. 

I guess just covering all basis if something doesn't work out with a hedgehog in our home are most breeders willing to take the hedgehog back at no cost? We wouldn't be concern about the money just that the little one would be cared for and a good home. I don't believe there would be an issue but we have to cover all bases. 

As always thanks for your comments.


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2011)

Dadofthree said:


> We are definately up to the task of caring for the little guy or girl because we will be having emtpy nest syndrome :lol: .
> 
> My daughter has been reading all afternoon about the care of hedgehogs and espiecially Quilling. We want her to have a real good understanding about that in case the Hedgehog rejects her.
> 
> ...


For the most part a good breeder will require you return them if it doesn't work out however I know some go the other extreme and will not allow a hedgehog to come back.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Wow.  
What a dad/family/kid!!  

Can't wait to hear what you decide...did anyone mention you must post pics at least weekly? Or else we come to your home and pet your hedgie. Just sayin'...


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## CanadienHedgie (Feb 4, 2011)

TWCOGAR said:


> Dadofthree said:
> 
> 
> > We are definately up to the task of caring for the little guy or girl because we will be having emtpy nest syndrome :lol: .
> ...


In my opinion, the good breeders will take the hedgehog back, because they want to always make sure they are properly cared for. Though I have come across quite a few breeders that say they can't take them back because of quarantine problems. When they take them back, you don't have to pay, but you don't get any money back either unless they have a money back guarantee.


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## Dadofthree (Aug 5, 2011)

Trust me when I say pictures will not be a problem with our daughter. She takes tons of pictures and posts them. You'll be telling her to stop. She is getting so excited... I don't think she believed her mother and I would take her seriously about a hedgehog. 

We aren't concerned about the money just the well being of the hedgehog. Not sure we would deal with a breeder that wouldn't allow us to return the little one for no cost. For me that seems like they are only interested in selling. 

Also if we were to look for a specific coloring combo are they hard to come by? I see some breeders offer to ship but we want to meet the hedgie first and foremost to see its personality traits before buying. Because that means more to us then colors.


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

Dadofthree said:


> Trust me when I say pictures will not be a problem with our daughter. She takes tons of pictures and posts them. You'll be telling her to stop. She is getting so excited... I don't think she believed her mother and I would take her seriously about a hedgehog.
> 
> We aren't concerned about the money just the well being of the hedgehog. Not sure we would deal with a breeder that wouldn't allow us to return the little one for no cost. For me that seems like they are only interested in selling.
> 
> Also if we were to look for a specific coloring combo are they hard to come by? I see some breeders offer to ship but we want to meet the hedgie first and foremost to see its personality traits before buying. Because that means more to us then colors.


Good for you for caring about your future hedgehog! I cant wait to see pics in the future


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

So glad you're doing all the research!

I thought of something potentially negative about owning hedgies & thought I would share with you...

Sometimes people can develop a reaction to their quills. Myself, every once in a while, my hands will itch for a minute after holding one of the hedgies. 

Also, the reason we have hedgies is because my hubby has asthma & we can't have a dog or cat. We noticed, that when we took in our 3rd hedgie, he was getting a little bit of asthma. However, that was quickly fixed by buying a hepa filter for the hedgie room, as well as giving the hedgies a bath every few weeks. (We were thinking it was either Pepper, who took 2 baths over several weeks to smell good, or just the cumulative effect of having 3 hedgies. )

So, something to consider. Our issues have been fixed, but there are others out there who have had stronger reactions.


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## Quinn (Apr 24, 2011)

I also thought of something else that's a negative...stepping on their quills :x It sucks and kills lol! When they are quilling and if you have carpet make sure you vacuum because some how their quills find their way into the carpet hahaha. 
However, I'm so excited for you guys and can't wait to see pics of the addition!


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

Quinn said:


> I also thought of something else that's a negative...stepping on their quills :x It sucks and kills lol! When they are quilling and if you have carpet make sure you vacuum because some how their quills find their way into the carpet hahaha.
> However, I'm so excited for you guys and can't wait to see pics of the addition!


:lol: I was going to write that when I wrote my negatives :lol: I didn't because its only for the quilling time frame


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## SaltAndExtraPepper (Mar 4, 2011)

> Also if we were to look for a specific coloring combo are they hard to come by? I see some breeders offer to ship but we want to meet the hedgie first and foremost to see its personality traits before buying. Because that means more to us then colors.


Well, I think it depends on the breeder... Online, I've seen breeders that fave just a few hedgehogs in their breeding program, all of similar color, so their babies would probably all have similar colorings. On the flip side, I have seen websites were the breeder has over a dozen breeding hedgies and almost infinite breeding combinations, which would produce a rainbow of hedgehog babies, hahaha! So yeah it depends on the person you get it from.

That said, I think it's _pretty easy_ to find either
A) The color you want
B) A color that is very close to the color you wanted
or
C) A very sweet hedgehog that has the opposite looks you had in mind, but is the one that you fell in love with upon seeing.

Also, I know several people have touched on quilling affecting personality, but quilling can sometimes affect color, too. Sometimes the new quills that come in can be different coloring than the 'baby quills.' So, when looking at a baby hedgie's looks, I'd pay most attention to their face, and just the general coloring of their quills. Juuuuust in my opinion.

I also wanted to touch on your inquiry about adopting an older hedgehog. Personally, I think it's a great idea if you choose that over getting a baby one, if that's the path that suits you. I made a big ol' post about it in another thread about my first (and current) hedgehog being a rescue. He did not come from a bad or neglectful owner, just a person who didn't have the patience to tame him. I think whether you get a baby or a rescue, you still have to make lots of small steps in taming them and be very gentle and patient for a long time. I endorse rescuing a hedgie because I did it for my first one and I think if it turned out this great for me, it could for other's as well!

Then again, babies are so tiny and adorable and it'd probably be exciting to get to pick from a litter  I think either decision is right, I just wanted to also support the rescue option.


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## Dadofthree (Aug 5, 2011)

Thank you all for posting. That gives us some good insight. I couldn't imagine stepping on one of the quills. They just look like it would hurt. 

So with all that said earlier today we made the decision to add a hedgie to our family  ! Everyone is super excited and we can't wait. 

But we don't do things on an impulse here. So it will be sometime. We want to put together his/her cage, heating, lighting, toys, and wheel before even thinking about bringing home our hedgie. Along with arranging a visit to the recommended veterinarian office. 

Then our plan is to arrange a visit to a reputable breeder. Looks like the closet one is about 3hrs away. Still looking into others. 

But hey we are on our way! The first of the supplies will be ordered and picked up tomorrow hopefully. Wish us luck...


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

Welcome to HHC! Best wishes in finding the hedgie that's right for your family. Just one more possible negative....hedgies are nocturnal, so they will be sleeping most of the time you are awake. However, letting them snuggle in a fleece blanket or sack during this sleep time is nice too.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I'm very excited for you! I hope you will let us know how things go.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Yay!!! For all of you! Can't wait to see pictures.


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

Yay!!!! I cant wait until we see your little guy or girl! Your daughter will enjoy her! I think that making sure that you have everything set up before having a hedgie is very responsible (and makes it less stressful, incase anything goes wrong :roll: ) 

Just out of curiosity... what breeder is the closest?  

Congrats!


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## Dadofthree (Aug 5, 2011)

Still deciding ona breeder. So far the closet one is 3 plus hours one way. Was hoping for some other choices to choose from but its not looking that way. We have time so were still looking...


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## panda (May 23, 2011)

i just want to say you are an awesome dad for having done all this research to find your kids a great pet.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Awesome parents!!!!

re: Rescued/older vs a baby

This is relatively comparable to choosing a puppy

Puppy = Unknown temperment as adult (breeder can guess but can't say for sure)

Older/rescued= It is what it is and will likely not change much. Most have been handled/ litter trained and all their history & habits are known right now. 

Having just adopted my own rehome hedgie...I'm glad I did it this way and gave a soon to be homeless hedgie a good home. She is what she is just as the day I met her ...and better every day. I kinda see the baby hedgie idea as a crap shoot...you may get a friendly baby that turns into a huffy adult 

Orgs that rescue hedgehogs also generally have them in foster for a period of time and know them very well. They aim to make sure not only that hedgies get a good home but the adopters are happy with their new companion.


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## Guest (Aug 8, 2011)

Hissy-Fit-Hazel said:


> Awesome parents!!!!
> 
> re: Rescued/older vs a baby
> 
> ...


I think the experience of seeing you quilled one grow is so priceless no matter how their personality changes, but agree rescues are great too


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## SaltAndExtraPepper (Mar 4, 2011)

Hissy-Fit-Hazel said:


> re: Rescued/older vs a baby
> 
> This is relatively comparable to choosing a puppy
> 
> ...


Hissy-Fit-Hazel, Wow! I never even thought of comparing it to getting a puppy!  My family has gotten several dogs, some puppies and a shelter rescue. Both experiences are positive in their own way, but I think there's lots of pride in saving a critter's life/well-being  So props to you, that was well-said.

Anyway, back to the topic, Dadofthree, congratulations on the decision! And kudos to your willpower for taking steps before adopting a hedgie :mrgreen: Your family must be so excited. A three-hour trip one-way is quite the haul..! (But STILL worth it in my opinion, if you go home with a hedgehog in hand! When we got Carlos it was pouring rain, AND Black Friday weekend...AND the person lived in a complex straight across from a large mall... It was a nightmare :lol: But the best kind of nightmare, cause at the end of the day it was a dream-come-true!)

Good luck finding a breeder, keep us posted!


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## Dadofthree (Aug 5, 2011)

Heres our dilemma. None of us can see any reason why we wouldn't want or welcome a hedgie into our home. But we are hesitant to purchase and setup the housing and needed equipment when none of us has even met, held, or seen a hedgehog in real life  . There are just none around here that we know of. We have been asking all our friends and coworkers if they know someone with a hedgehog just so we can meet one.

Our other choice is to travel 3 hrs meet a breeder. Come home without one, prep the cage and then go back. We are thinking thats not very practical. A local pet store will special order us one but then its ours no matter what. We definitely don't want to go that route. 

So I guess we will continue to search and hopefully find someone local that has one and doesn't mind maybe introducing us to our very first hedgie meeting!


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

Dadofthree said:


> Heres our dilemma. None of us can see any reason why we wouldn't want or welcome a hedgie into our home. But we are hesitant to purchase and setup the housing and needed equipment when none of us has even met, held, or seen a hedgehog in real life  . There are just none around here that we know of. We have been asking all our friends and coworkers if they know someone with a hedgehog just so we can meet one.
> 
> Our other choice is to travel 3 hrs meet a breeder. Come home without one, prep the cage and then go back. We are thinking thats not very practical. A local pet store will special order us one but then its ours no matter what. We definitely don't want to go that route.
> 
> So I guess we will continue to search and hopefully find someone local that has one and doesn't mind maybe introducing us to our very first hedgie meeting!


I know this is kind of irrisponsible, but.... Before I adopted Teddy Bear I have never even met a real-life hedgie... I went to the breeder (well not really a breeder) just to meet him before IF i adopt... but one look into those little eyes of his and it was love at first sight :lol:


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

TeddysMommy said:


> Dadofthree said:
> 
> 
> > Heres our dilemma. None of us can see any reason why we wouldn't want or welcome a hedgie into our home. But we are hesitant to purchase and setup the housing and needed equipment when none of us has even met, held, or seen a hedgehog in real life  . There are just none around here that we know of. We have been asking all our friends and coworkers if they know someone with a hedgehog just so we can meet one.
> ...


Same! :lol: I went to the breeder all set to bring home a hedgehog and had never even seen a real one, much less touch or hold. Luckily it all turned out all right!


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

It had been about 30 years since I held a hedgehog and at that young age really could not remember what it was like anyway. The gal I adopted Hazel from sent me photos and told me all about her via email/phone but I never met her until I picked her up to come home either. 

There is so much info available via forums like this that one can nearly know everything they need to about possibilities. I didn't quite remember their quills being so sharp ha! I was not too worried about it tho...I was dedicated to the little brat before I even met her lol


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## ReginasMommy (Apr 13, 2011)

Me too! I'd never seen one in real life until I showed up to pick up Regina! But it was all worth it!


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## Alastrina (Sep 18, 2009)

I have to admit to the same thing, only when I saw my first hedgie Charley for the first time in the pet store I had never seen a hedgehog before nor given any thought to having one as a pet. My husband's excitement was infectious, and the first time I saw his little face it was love pure and simple.

With you and your family being so informed and prepared you are sure to be able to provide a safe and loving home to a hedgie and your future ball of quills will be lucky to have you for a family!


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

Have you tried asking your vet if they treat any hedgehogs. I know a lot of hedgie owners that are willing to educate. Maybe if you give your vet your information, he/she will pass it on to a hedgie owner and you could meet a hedgehog that way. 

I can't think of another way you could meet one without going to the breeder. Have you looked at petting zoos or other zoos in your area? If they won't let you touch one, they might know about a rescue organization that may be closer than the three hour trip. 

Just some thoughts. 

There is a "mom and pop" pet shop near me and they have hedgehogs. I stopped in purely out of curiosity, but then fell in love with Harvey and went home with him three weeks later.


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## panda (May 23, 2011)

i had never handled a hedgehog before Norma either. 
another possible way to meet hedgehogs.. look for possible reptile expos near your area or other fairs ect... just last weekend in my area there was a fair where they had hedgehogs on show and also a reptile expo, at expos they dont just have reptiles but also other exotics including hedgies. unfortunately i missed both because they landed on the same day and my fiance decided to get ill that day as well :roll: so i was at home trying to help him get better lol.. fortunately he is all better now  and we plan on going to another expo planned for the end of this month.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

It was the same with me. I had done all the research & knew a hedgie would work for us. The only thing holding me back was my hubbys asthma. That's why we couldn't have any other pets. I started buying my supplies & when we went to visit a friend in Dallas, I discovered there was a breeder there. I put the travel case in the car, just in case.
We stopped by the breeders store, just to see them & she how hubby reacted. However, she had cats & the place kind of stank a little. So, we still didn't know how hubby would react to them. But once she put little Cholla in my hand, both hubby & I knew that he was ccoming home with us. 

How would you feel about getting some supplies & just not unpacking them & keeping the receipts? Since we were out of town, Cholla spent 2 days in our friends bathtub.


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## shortnerdy (Jul 3, 2011)

Welcome to HHC!

Glad you found us! I wish I found HHC before getting Sheldon. So much advice and kind people here. Here my 2 cents.

Sheldon is my first Hedgie and a rescue. Because his old owner took very poor care of him he isn't very trusting. But slowly making progress. If you go with an older Hedgie check his current treatment. If he was neglected like mine was, he is going to take a lot more work.

Also I can tell you first hand about vet costs. Do your reasearch on the vets reputation before you go. I want to a vet in my city and the guy was an idiot and couldn't help Sheldon and chagred me over 300$!! I then took him to a recommended vet from here and was only charged 230$ and she actually helped him  Research the crickets out of your potential vet is my best advice.

I think what your wife and you are doing is not only responsible but also awesome. More parents should be like you and research the pets. I've seen far to many parents just buy the animal and not know how to care for it and it gets neglected. Kudos, you guys are awesome! I can't wait to see pix!

*Also: this forum has one more source that is invaluable: friends. The support I've received personally from these people during Sheldons Illness, bad vets and tears has been astronomical. They are supportive, intelligent and. Trustworthy. *nytime you have a Hedgie question or concern, ask. Someone will always be there.

Again welcome and best of luck finding a local breeder 

Meg


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## Dadofthree (Aug 5, 2011)

Thank you all for the comments and advice you have given. We believe we are just going to continue with the research and then move forward with purchasing a hedgie from a breeder. We see no reason why things wouldn't work out with our family. 

Off to read and research further... Thank you all...


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## Dadofthree (Aug 5, 2011)

Hello to everyone again! I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday. 

Just wanted to update everyone were we are at with our hedgie. Sadly we still have not added one to our family as of yet. Yet being the keyword  .

My daughter received all the necessary items for Christmas for her hedgie. Cage, Carolina wheel, heat lights, etc, etc. Thanks to Hedgehog Central and all of you for posting the amazon links to everything I needed to order in the housing forum. That made things easy. Also placed our order for the custom hedgie bag and blanket from Nikki at Quills and things. They should be here by next week. We did the cage all up nice and placed a small stuffed hedgie toy on the wheel and wrapped everything for Christmas. She loves it all. 

So the research is done, housing and all equipment is ready. Now to pick our hedgie and pay a deposit  . But I'm wondering does anyone know or recommend a breeder that is closer to us then 4 hours away. That is a long ways to drive out and back. We really do not wish to purchase from a pet store but have located one about 1.5 hours away that sells hedgies. What are members thoughts about buying from a petstore? We are located in New York, zipcode 13905. tried google but only come with up tons of sell ads.

We would like to get one soon because our daughter has been so good taking her time doing research as you can tell by the dates on our posts and getting everything prior to purchasing a hedgie. 

Thanks for any insight or help you can offer.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

You have the bad luck of being close to the border of a state where hedgehogs are illegal, which definitely makes things difficult! If you don't want to make the drive, you could consider the option of having a baby shipped to you - some breeders will do this and some won't. I imagine the cost of shipping vs. gas for the drive would more or less even out, and it would be a lot better for the hedgehog to get picked up and then have a nice long nap on the ride home with you. You could also look around on craigslist to watch for anyone rehoming a hedgehog, if you're willing to take an adult. Depending on who the closest breeder is to you, there might be the possibility of them driving to meet you halfway (with you reimbursing the travel/time cost appropriately) - it couldn't hurt to ask! Good luck. :]


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## panda (May 23, 2011)

Sounds like a great gift for your daughter.. such a cute idea how you wrapped it up!

As far as pet stores go, some people here are strongly against it, especially the big corporations... but I bought Norma from a local family owned pet store & she is healthy as a whistle & has been such a great pet. I will admit that the setup they had for the hedgies wasnt ideal, but i know they personally own hedgehogs themselves & i also handled her prior to purchasing her & she didnt show any signs that would be a concern. I have yet to find any animal being housed in the perfect enclosure at a store, whether it be a dog or exotic pet, the two things when judging store enclosures that really matter are cleanliness and constant access to food and water... if the quality of either is lacking then i would be hesitant.
Buying from a store is something you just have to weigh the risks on. If you decide to do so, make sure you handle the animal prior to purchasing to look for signs of underlying health issues such as clear & clean eyes & nostrils, healthy skin, ect, also looking at the color & texture of the stool if there is any in the enclosure can give you clues to the health of the animals... ask about their policies just in case something does end up being wrong once you get your hedgie home, & see how much information they can give you, if any, about the breeder, any vet examinations & when the hedgie was born.
I hope I was helpful, if you want to ask me anything about the store I got Norma from or anything like that please let me know! & Good luck finding your hedgie!


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