# Newb just checking that I got I right



## ShadowRancher (Dec 30, 2011)

Hi, I'm new to hedgies! I'm usually more of a reptile person (I'm a complete tortoise freak) but recently acquired a baby hedgehog as sort of an accidental Christmas present. My friend James got her for his girlfriend but they broke up before he gave the girl the hedgie and as the default animal friend I ended up with the little bundle of joy, named Kima. I had been actually seriously considering one so I wasn't caught completely flat footed but not expecting her on top of the holidays probably hasn't made the easiest transition for her, poor girl (I say girl bc that's what James relayed from the breeder but I think that may be false). She came into my care on the 10th of december at approx. 6 wks old so that puts her at about 9 wks now. She had a bit of a cough when I first got her so I took her into my exotic vet and got some oral antibiotics, she was in awe of how tiny Kima was, a whopping 28 grams, she seems perfectly fine now and within a couple of days of meds she about tripled in size. James tells me she was the runt of a litter of seven...I asked him twice and he says he's sure, that poor momma 7 babies.

Anyway she's in a 64 qt translucent tub with an 8 1/2 inch solid wheel (had a big 12 incher but she couldn't get it to move when she was tiny, think I'll upgrade to a CSW in a few weeks), food and water dishes (water bottle is on order from amazon), two toilet paper tubes with slits cut up the sides, and a cotton bag (like they sometimes package sheet sets in) to sleep in. I've been keeping her on my shredded junk mail and it seems to be fine...I kind of shake it out in handfuls outside to minimize dust and I have solid newspaper under that.










I have her setting on top (securely) of my hatchling sulcata tortoise tub so that they share a light timed for 10 hrs and a CHE my temp gun reads 74-75 F during the day and 73-74 F at night.









( it looks a little add hoc bc we are still at my parents for the holidays...driving the two hrs back home in a couple of days)

I've been feeding her Purina One beyond Chicken and Whole Oatmeal plus 3-5 crickets and a few mealies a day. I've been hand feeding crix bc I was wary of letting them jump around in there (I know they bite my leos if I'm not careful) and I'm not even sure she could catch them.

She's very social and easy going, I'm absolutely in love...she has bitten me several times, doesn't really hurt but I bet it will if she continues, but I realized I was being dumb about smelling like cat food and she should be coming up on quilling (I'd be grumpy too if my while body were teething) so hopefully that's taken care of.

I think that's all I could possibly tell you  suggestions welcome, I know the bin is a bit small but she was so tiny I was afraid she would get lost  I have a reserve Christmas tree box aka hatchling house  that she can have later if she likes. My biggest question is what, if anything, should I be adding to her diet? Anyway I'll leave you with some pics!

At the show where James got her, aww sleepy skinny little thing.









Week and a half ago bit of a rolly belly this time.









Christmas, soo big! (bit of an optical illusion, my 12 year old cousin is holding her )


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## Hedgehogger (Dec 8, 2011)

Holy mackeronis that is one adorable hedgehog! So small to begin with! I'm used to my two-three year old spikey beanbag so we haven't handled anything smaller. I hear that it's better to have an open wire sort of habitat instead of the plastic bins as carbon dioxide is heavier than air so it settles at the bottom of containers. Personally, I think with the air movement in the room, that probably would replenish the air in the container for the most part so I don't think it's a big big deal, but according the the hedgehog bible people the open wire cages are better.

I also wouldn't use shredded junk mail as yeah that's pretty dusty even though you're shaking it out. Plus all the toner ink and chemicals from the printing process, and it might be bad for the little critter. I hear that kiln dried pine shavings or fleece are the way to go. I tried the fleece, and yeah it gets pretty yucky if the little critter pees and poos everywhere so I ended up switching back to pine shavings with just a small area of fleece for her sleeping area.

That's a neat looking tortoise neighbour your hedgie has!

Oh yeah, get one of those plastic igloo houses - hedgehogs love those. I have a little fleece blanket tented up inside so ours can hide underneath it, but I hear they also like those little sleeping bags too.


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## Torston (Aug 28, 2011)

Holy teeny tiny hedger! Such a little baby, but I'm sure being sick didn't help the poor girl. As for your set up, there are a few recommendations based on what is generally recommended around here. You probably don't need the water bottle. Most people use a dish for water as it is easier for hedgehogs to drink from and doesn't risk broken teeth or a cut tongue on the nozzle.

CSW is a great wheel in my experience, but the one you have is fine, at least for now.

For the sleeping bag, make sure there aren't any seams or strings on the inside that toes or nails could get caught in. It can be dangerous, especially for such tiny hedgies as yours, who can lose toes or limbs if the circulation gets restricted.

As for the paper, it might still be a bit tough on the little girl. Inks on the newspaper and junk mail can create fumes in reaction with urine that aren't good for hedgies, and it might still be a bit dusty for her after the URI. Generally fleece is the popular option, and is super easy care-wise.

As for food, it seems like you're doing alright, but you can check out the nutrition sections for a list of recommended foods and the advised levels of fat and protein. Baby food and some soft-cooked vegetables are options to supplement, and you've already got the bugs on the menu. 

I'm sure others will be around to comment too, but good luck with your little one and post more pics! She is adorable!


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## Popple321 (Dec 29, 2011)

I use that Fresh Care bedding, it's what the rescue I got Gunther from told me to use. It's supposed to be safe and eviornmentally friendly. Plus it soaks up the pee real good so your cage stays dry.  

Adorable hedgie...tiny little thing. Red footed or Yellow footed friend?


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## ShadowRancher (Dec 30, 2011)

Hedgehogger- thanks for the advice, I was thinking plastic would be a good draft stopper but I'll get out the drill tomorrow and poke some big holes at nose level just to be sure, I also didnt think about the inks will switch that out tomorrow as well. And I was searching today for my old guinea pig igloo but no joy...I guess another trip to petsmart is in order! 

Torston- scratch the water bottle then, that would have been awful if she broke her teeth, thanks! And I just checked for strings, I think it's safe. I'll post more picks in the morning! (too tired to take any now...though I'm sure Kima wouldn't mind the hour). OHH and I also gave her a couple of garbonzo beans from dinner, she was a bit unsure but ate most of it. Grr pronouns I'm having trouble switching... At first it was hard to tell but now I'm 97% sure male, "bellybutton" present and accounted for.

Popple- I used fresh care when I had guinea pigs and loved, think I'll switch to that. And are you asking about the tortoise? Or are red and yellow foot also a hedgie term somehow? Anyway the tort (Levi) is neither he is a tiny baby sulcata that I love to bits


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

You MAY want to hold off getting the carefresh. It's dusty and some hedgies, since they like to burrow and dig, end up getting their face and sides dried out too much by the carefresh, thus causing rashes. And well... Have fun picking out individual carefresh pieces from between quills  Also, like any other bedding, you'll have to watch your hedgie closely the first few days, as some have a habit of ingesting carefresh, thus causing impactions.

Most of us here use fleece liners. They're easy to spot clean, and environmentally friendly. They're expensive initially, but are cheaper in the long run as you get to reuse them. They also don't cause respiratory problems like loose bedding can. So many use fleece liners, and then have a litter pan under the wheel filled with pelleted bedding like Purina's Yesterday's News or just plain old paper towels. (Don't use small animal litter, or any sort of clay litter, as those small bits can and will get stuck to private parts, and cause a whole new set of problems you really don't want to know about) 

I would suggest going through our housing section of the forum to read the stickies, as well as going to our product review section at the bottom of the forum. Has lots of commercially available products that people either like or don't like.


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## Popple321 (Dec 29, 2011)

Crap, why would the rescue tell me to use carefresh??? And that point about picking it outta the quills does suck. Gunther hasnt had any issues with it though, so I guess that is good. How do you keep your liners down?


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Carefresh isn't an absolute evil, like pine shaving is, but like any loose bedding, it just can be a pain, and expensive to keep buying. And the stuff is pretty dusty, which can cause respiratory problems, especially in bin-type cages, like the one the OP is using, since the lesser amount of ventilation plus dust is just asking for problems.

Most hedgies are relatively well behaved and usually leave their liners alone. I've never had a problem with my boy and he never goes under the liner, so I usually just leave it out flat, letting the wheel, his litter pan and his dishes hold it down. But if you end up with a diver, here's a thread with info on how to keep them down: http://hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=15083


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## Hedgehogger (Dec 8, 2011)

I'm not certain if it's absolutely necessary to cut holes into your enclosure as I've seen several other owners use the same type of plastic bins that you have without any problems. Sharp holes might cut a nose or paws or maybe even get a limb stuck? I'll let the hedgeperts guide you there as I'm a new owner myself really with only a few weeks with the prickly pear. Ours came with a big rabbit like enclosure with the wire top, but I read that these more open air ones are supposed to be better.


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## ShadowRancher (Dec 30, 2011)

Ok thanks guys! I got a little side tracked by new years but I'm headed to the fabric store tomorrow for fleece and I decided on a CSBW. I realized last night (while I was actually fully conscious when running was happening) that the comfort wheel is too narrow, Kima was having trouble staying on and actually kind of fell off once...so that's gone.

Thanks again!


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## shetland (Sep 2, 2008)

A little baby angel!!!!!!!!!!


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