# Impulse buy? i dont think so



## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

I feel like Primrose is lonely without her cage mate so I was thing about getting a retired girl for her but I don't know if it is too early for me to think about it or what? Please give me input!!!!! I don't know what to do! I know it might not work but I am getting Prim a bigger cage so no matter what I'll have another cage. I know that I have to get double everything if I do buy just.... tell me what you think and the other girl is Jersey and not even a year old yet so I'm not sure what to do. I want Primrose and Jersey to be happy is ll


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Females really only do well being housed together if it starts when they're young (and even then they may not be compatible as they reach adulthood). It's not a good idea to add an adult into a cage with a younger hedgehog. Even if they don't outright fight in the beginning, it's too risky. I remember there was a thread on here a while ago about someone who had a young female and an older female housed together, and the younger killed the older. If you want your hedgehog to have a "friend", you could get another female that's around the same age, though I would suggest they should still be housed separately since your current hedgie is already used to living on her own. The cage is her territory, and you don't know what kind of conflict might occur even if it's another young female that you introduce into there with her. Females, especially when they're introduced when they're young, will usually do very well as playmates, but having a full-time companion isn't natural for them.

We have a pair of girls that were born on the same day but in different litters, and since we knew early on that we were taking them both, they were introduced at a few weeks old and were housed together starting when they were weaned. We have them in a double-sized cage and it works great for them, but part of that may be that one of them (Anubis) is extremely relaxed about everything. On the other hand, we just got two girls from the same litter and might not be keeping them housed together, because of their personalities. They're more independent and get a little huffy sometimes if one bumps into the other. They also have chosen different sleeping spots, whereas our first pair of girls sleep in a bag together and have done so every day since we got them. It's still up in the air right now, as we get a feel for them, but the point is that even when girls are sisters and know each other from birth, it may not be a good idea to house them together. When you add in an age difference, no relation, and both females are used to being on their own, the risk increases dramatically.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

So were they cage mates prior? If not, honestly? Since you only JUST started owning a hedgehog, I wouldn't risk it. You don't really know how to properly identify warning signs of what might escalate to fighting while you're sleeping. 
The key thing with having pairs, is that you should be able to recognize the various signs and signals. And even then, they sometimes just randomly fight and attack each other. 

Moxie covered most everything else. It's just a lot of things come naturally as you own hedgehogs for longer(or any animal for that matter), certain things that you might not pick up on right away because they are still new to you.


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

Do you think I should wait a little longer to get another one or would it be okay? I'm not sure about that part. I mean even as a play mate would be better then not one at all. I just want to figure this part out so I can start preparing you know?


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Primrose will be completely fine without a friend, I promise. There are far too many places where getting another hog could go wrong / isn't the ideal situation for you right now and I don't think it'd be worth it. I know you think she wants a friend, but it's just you *thinking* she wants a friend.  Let her have her own space, spoil her, and don't go through the stress of caring for a new friend that she may not even like to have around.


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## Tabi (Jun 24, 2012)

LizardGirl said:


> Primrose will be completely fine without a friend, I promise. There are far too many places where getting another hog could go wrong / isn't the ideal situation for you right now and I don't think it'd be worth it. I know you think she wants a friend, but it's just you *thinking* she wants a friend.  Let her have her own space, spoil her, and don't go through the stress of caring for a new friend that she may not even like to have around.


+1


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

LizardGirl said:


> Primrose will be completely fine without a friend, I promise. There are far too many places where getting another hog could go wrong / isn't the ideal situation for you right now and I don't think it'd be worth it. I know you think she wants a friend, but it's just you *thinking* she wants a friend.  Let her have her own space, spoil her, and don't go through the stress of caring for a new friend that she may not even like to have around.


+2!


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

LizardGirl said:


> Primrose will be completely fine without a friend, I promise. There are far too many places where getting another hog could go wrong / isn't the ideal situation for you right now and I don't think it'd be worth it. I know you think she wants a friend, but it's just you *thinking* she wants a friend.  Let her have her own space, spoil her, and don't go through the stress of caring for a new friend that she may not even like to have around.


+3

I tought back then just having another hedgie wouldn't make a diference, but it did.


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## pickles17 (Feb 18, 2012)

Primrose doesn't need a playmate, probably doesn't want a playmate and won't feel lonely without one. Getting another hedgehog so soon would be impulse. Enjoy some time with Primrose before you start thinking about acquiring another.


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