# How to make sure my hedgehog is happy at all times.



## newhedgiemom123579 (17 d ago)

Hi, Im a new hedgie owner! I got him yesterday and he is approximately 3 months old according to the place i got him from. I purchased him including everything the place had set up for him but after looking through this site a little bit as well as doing other research, I am starting to notice that he may not have everything he needs. what would you guys recommend that i get him? and if anyone has any tips for new owners that they would like to share that would be amazing! I want to insure that he has a happy, healthy life here. thank you in advance!!
edit: i would like to add that i have done intensive research before and after purchasing him, but i would like to have conversations as to what others do, opposed to breeding websites and such. as i stated, i was to insure his happiness but i also don’t have much money as of right now, so if you have inexpensive options, diys, or things that he absolutely needs right now rather then unnecessary things, that would be great!


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## BilboHedge (1 mo ago)

newhedgiemom123579 said:


> Hi, Im a new hedgie owner! I got him yesterday and he is approximately 3 months old according to the place i got him from. I purchased him including everything the place had set up for him but after looking through this site a little bit as well as doing other research, I am starting to notice that he may not have everything he needs. what would you guys recommend that i get him? and if anyone has any tips for new owners that they would like to share that would be amazing! I want to insure that he has a happy, healthy life here. thank you in advance!!
> edit: i would like to add that i have done intensive research before and after purchasing him, but i would like to have conversations as to what others do, opposed to breeding websites and such. as i stated, i was to insure his happiness but i also don’t have much money as of right now, so if you have inexpensive options, diys, or things that he absolutely needs right now rather then unnecessary things, that would be great!


hey i am a fairly new hedgehog owner as well got my Bilbo Baggins on dec 22 and i got all the main necessities such as wheel, hide house, waters bottle (not spring loaded) che lamp, thermostat, as well as fleece liner and fleece. And my Bilbo is fairly happen and healthy. The only thing that i am personally missing is a scale as you are suppose to weigh them good amount of times to keep track of their weight as you know hedges are known to be obese easily. Stuff like toys, treats can be bought along the way as your hedge would need to warm up slowly. But every hedge are different. Like my bilbo is very playful with his toys from day one but still isn't use to me. So I do recommend bonding after a few days or maybe a week after your hedge had fully settled.


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## Amber Wallace (10 mo ago)

Congratulations on getting a hedgie! They are so much fun!

You will 100% need a hut, a wheel, and food and water bowls, those items are necessary for all hedgehogs. You will also want to ensure their enclosure stays at the proper temperature. Ideally the temperature should not go below 70 degrees Fahrenheit and not about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Those items alone should keep your hedgie happy.

If you want to add extra enrichment items for your hedgie there are some cheap options. One of my hedgehogs favorite item is a toilet paper tube. Most hedgies love to just stick their face in them; it is adorable. My husband and I don't leave them in there at all times, mainly when we will be around to supervise in the event they get stuck. One tip would be to cut a slit in the tube to help prevent them becoming stuck. Another thing my hedgies enjoy is a dig box. You could use any box the hedgie can climb into and we use larger pom pom balls in ours for the hedgies the burrow/dig in. Occasionally we will add some of their favorite treats like mill worms or apple chunks for them to find. We also recently made a fleece forest for them to play/hide in out of a locker shelf and strips of non-pill fleece.

Best of luck, I am sure you will be an excellent hedgie parent!


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## newhedgiemom123579 (17 d ago)

Amber Wallace said:


> Congratulations on getting a hedgie! They are so much fun!
> 
> You will 100% need a hut, a wheel, and food and water bowls, those items are necessary for all hedgehogs. You will also want to ensure their enclosure stays at the proper temperature. Ideally the temperature should not go below 70 degrees Fahrenheit and not about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Those items alone should keep your hedgie happy.
> 
> ...


thank you so much for the help! i read that the wheel should be 10.5-12 in. in diameter but he came with a 7.25. what do you recommend i do?


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## newhedgiemom123579 (17 d ago)

newhedgiemom123579 said:


> thank you so much for the help! i read that the wheel should be 10.5-12 in. in diameter but he came with a 7.25. what do you recommend i do?


also with him being 3 months how much should i feed him right now? i seen online that younger hedgies need to always have food near and adults need 2 tablespoons a day but i couldnt find anything where it specified what he would be considered.


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## Amber Wallace (10 mo ago)

newhedgiemom123579 said:


> thank you so much for the help! i read that the wheel should be 10.5-12 in. in diameter but he came with a 7.25. what do you recommend i do?


My husband and I use a Carolina Storm Wheel that is approx. 12 in. I have also used a Kaytee Silent runner wheel that was also 12 inches. I do think a larger wheel would be best because it doesn't bow the hedgie's back as much and could prevent back problems from occurring as your hedgie grows.


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## Amber Wallace (10 mo ago)

newhedgiemom123579 said:


> also with him being 3 months how much should i feed him right now? i seen online that younger hedgies need to always have food near and adults need 2 tablespoons a day but i couldnt find anything where it specified what he would be considered.


I haven't really measured how much I give my hedgies each day. I have 2 and I make sure that their food bowl/plate has about 3-4 tablespoons worth of food in the morning and at night before I go to sleep (and that is just an eyeball measurement). It is important that they always have access to clean food and water no matter their age.


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## BilboHedge (1 mo ago)

newhedgiemom123579 said:


> also with him being 3 months how much should i feed him right now? i seen online that younger hedgies need to always have food near and adults need 2 tablespoons a day but i couldnt find anything where it specified what he would be considered.


id say just do it best to your knowledge because youll still have to throw away whatever has not been eaten away.


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## newhedgiemom123579 (17 d ago)

BilboHedge said:


> hey i am a fairly new hedgehog owner as well got my Bilbo Baggins on dec 22 and i got all the main necessities such as wheel, hide house, waters bottle (not spring loaded) che lamp, thermostat, as well as fleece liner and fleece. And my Bilbo is fairly happen and healthy. The only thing that i am personally missing is a scale as you are suppose to weigh them good amount of times to keep track of their weight as you know hedges are known to be obese easily. Stuff like toys, treats can be bought along the way as your hedge would need to warm up slowly. But every hedge are different. Like my bilbo is very playful with his toys from day one but still isn't use to me. So I do recommend bonding after a few days or maybe a week after your hedge had fully settled.


thank you so much for responding! he’s not used to me at all just yet and seems to have little to no interest in doing anything but hiding, im trying to be patient with him but he really needs a bedding change because i’m allergic to the stuff that he was brought with so i’m hoping i don’t induce stress whenever i do it. he’s very reactive, im not able to stick my hand in to change his water without him hissing and jumping at me.


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## BilboHedge (1 mo ago)

newhedgiemom123579 said:


> thank you so much for responding! he’s not used to me at all just yet and seems to have little to no interest in doing anything but hiding, im trying to be patient with him but he really needs a bedding change because i’m allergic to the stuff that he was brought with so i’m hoping i don’t induce stress whenever i do it. he’s very reactive, im not able to stick my hand in to change his water without him hissing and jumping at me.


yes its going to be like that for quite sometime until he gets use to you. just have to be consistent make it into a daily routine.


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## newhedgiemom123579 (17 d ago)

Amber Wallace said:


> My husband and I use a Carolina Storm Wheel that is approx. 12 in. I have also used a Kaytee Silent runner wheel that was also 12 inches. I do think a larger wheel would be best because it doesn't bow the hedgie's back as much and could prevent back problems from occurring as your hedgie grows.


okay thank you! it’s the saucer type not necessarily a wheel so should i go for a wheel or just another saucer?


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## Amber Wallace (10 mo ago)

newhedgiemom123579 said:


> thank you so much for responding! he’s not used to me at all just yet and seems to have little to no interest in doing anything but hiding, im trying to be patient with him but he really needs a bedding change because i’m allergic to the stuff that he was brought with so i’m hoping i don’t induce stress whenever i do it. he’s very reactive, im not able to stick my hand in to change his water without him hissing and jumping at me.


One thing my husband and I did when we got our first hedgie was to put a t-shirt that we both handled/wore to get them used to our smell. Be patient and as BilboHedge said, be consistent and make it a daily habit to handle your hedgie. I recommend a minimum of 20min/day if possible. Even if they get huffy continue to handle them to let them know that you care and won't be scared away just because they have a bit of an attitude. We have done this with all of our hedgies and they quickly come to know that we aren't going to harm them and calm down quickly after first being picked up. At first to help protect your hands when picking them up if you are a little apprehensive, use some of their bedding or a t-shirt to pick them up. We use fleece for a bedding material and use that to help pick them up on occasion when they are having an attitude day.


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## Amber Wallace (10 mo ago)

newhedgiemom123579 said:


> okay thank you! it’s the saucer type not necessarily a wheel so should i go for a wheel or just another saucer?


I personally don't like the saucer type, I feel like it bends their back in a weird way. However, I have known people who have used them and have had no issue with them.


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## newhedgiemom123579 (17 d ago)

Amber Wallace said:


> I personally don't like the saucer type, I feel like it bends their back in a weird way. However, I have known people who have used them and have had no issue with them.


so would the saucer be a good alternative for now even with its smaller size?


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## Amber Wallace (10 mo ago)

newhedgiemom123579 said:


> so would the saucer be a good alternative for now even with its smaller size?


The saucer is a good alternative, as long as they have a wheel to run on for exercise. In the wild hedgehogs can cover 8-9 miles on average each night!


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## newhedgiemom123579 (17 d ago)

Amber Wallace said:


> The saucer is a good alternative, as long as they have a wheel to run on for exercise. In the wild hedgehogs can cover 8-9 miles on average each night!


okay! thank you guys so much for all of your help!!!


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## BreadTheHog (2 mo ago)

newhedgiemom123579 said:


> Hi, Im a new hedgie owner! I got him yesterday and he is approximately 3 months old according to the place i got him from. I purchased him including everything the place had set up for him but after looking through this site a little bit as well as doing other research, I am starting to notice that he may not have everything he needs. what would you guys recommend that i get him? and if anyone has any tips for new owners that they would like to share that would be amazing! I want to insure that he has a happy, healthy life here. thank you in advance!!
> edit: i would like to add that i have done intensive research before and after purchasing him, but i would like to have conversations as to what others do, opposed to breeding websites and such. as i stated, i was to insure his happiness but i also don’t have much money as of right now, so if you have inexpensive options, diys, or things that he absolutely needs right now rather then unnecessary things, that would be great!


you must need. water bottle / bowl, thermator, some source for heat, a cage like a bin or a decent sized C&C cage, wheel, bedding OR fleece (either works but people saying bedding is better and cant cause mites, thats why im switching rlly soon), a hut or igloo type thing. Some extra fun things you dont need but its nice to have, heating pads or something like that, bonding/cuddle sack and/or pouch. All i can think of right now


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## newhedgiemom123579 (17 d ago)

BreadTheHog said:


> you must need. water bottle / bowl, thermator, some source for heat, a cage like a bin or a decent sized C&C cage, wheel, bedding OR fleece (either works but people saying bedding is better and cant cause mites, thats why im switching rlly soon), a hut or igloo type thing. Some extra fun things you dont need but its nice to have, heating pads or something like that, bonding/cuddle sack and/or pouch. All i can think of right now


i have a little sack thing but he doesn’t seem to like it but i can’t find anything similar!


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## BreadTheHog (2 mo ago)

newhedgiemom123579 said:


> i have a little sack thing but he doesn’t seem to like it but i can’t find anything similar!


I found one for hamsters at petsmarts. Im not sure what its called but if theres one near you, you could check it out


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