# Hedgie 'sitter' or breeder



## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

I am going away at the end of March from a Tuesday through Sunday. All my friends in the area have their own pets (dogs, cats) so if they come in to hedgie sit, it will be only coming in for a hour or so each night to clean, feed/water & play with Annabell bit on their way home from work. 

Alternatively the Breeder said I can bring Annabell back out to her and she would hedgie sit. Due to travel times, Annabell would be at the breeders Monday - Monday.

Pros in having someone come in - familiar setting for Annabell, large cage, little change in habit
Cons in having someone come in - reduced attention/handling time, friends not as 'knowledgeable', still snow storm season for power fluxs or temperature drops

Pros in taking her to the breeder - knowledgeable handler, will have a good amount of attention, hedgie sits many of her babies in the summer when families vacationing
Cons in taking her to the breeder - 'unfamiliar' setting with many other hedgehogs, 2 hr drive each way, would have to bring travel cage (I think) which does not have a lot of room once wheel is in, snow storm season for getting down there


So I'm looking for some thoughts from the peanut gallery  IYO, best to have someone come in for a hour each day or best to drive 2 hrs to leave her with the breeder for a week? THANKS! (also let me know anything I might have overlooked please)


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## mtnwmn (Nov 25, 2010)

I would go with the breeder. With decisions like this, I always ask myself "mtnwmn, if you made x decision, would there be any reason for me to regret it at the end of the trip? What about y?" 

I can't see a single reason you'd regret leaving your hog at the breeder; however, so many things can go wrong with someone who doesn't know hedgies (which may lead to a situation you'd regret when you get home)-- including a simple snowstorm, which could prevent your hog from getting food for two days, which could lead to fatty liver disease, etc. 

But then again, it could be a pretty uneventful week, and there could be nothing to regret leaving it with a friend.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

If you go with the breeder I'd make sure that your hog is quarantined.


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

LarryT said:


> If you go with the breeder I'd make sure that your hog is quarantined.


So quarentine should still be used if all hogs are "known" to be healthy?


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

How much do you know about the health of all their hogs? Personally i'd want my hog quarantined if I were boarding at a breeders.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

This is a difficult decision because there are pros and cons to both situations. 

Do you live in a house or apartment? Are you friends with any of your close neighbours? Would one of them be able to go in and check on her morning and evening? They would know if the power goes out and would be able to act accordingly. 

While I don't like them being alone overnight and the breeder would be the best option in that respect, driving 2 hours and exposing her to a household with other hedgehogs is not ideal. I too would want mine to be quarantined. 

Staying at home would be the best solution if you could get someone, or numerous people to check on her a couple of times a day.


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

Nancy said:


> Do you live in a house or apartment? Are you friends with any of your close neighbours? Would one of them be able to go in and check on her morning and evening? They would know if the power goes out and would be able to act accordingly.


 An apartment complex downtown near all my friends' work places, so there's no trouble for them coming in. I do not know any of my neighbours well enough to have them come in. As for power. It is always a concern, though in my 5 years of living here, I've only lost power twice. Once due to a falty line and once due to a hurricane, coming back on within 4 hours. I think I'm actually on the same circuit as the hospital/train station. *Knock on wood of course now that I've said that*



Nancy said:


> While I don't like them being alone overnight and the breeder would be the best option in that respect, driving 2 hours and exposing her to a household with other hedgehogs is not ideal. I too would want mine to be quarantined.


That's my concern too. She has years and years of breeding experience so knows what she's talking about & how to care for a hedgie. But it's a 2 hr drive, some of it rural, in March, in Canada.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

silvercat said:


> That's my concern too. She has years and years of breeding experience so knows what she's talking about & how to care for a hedgie. But it's a 2 hr drive, some of it rural, in March, in Canada.


That's what jumped out at me. I have spent many, many hours sitting in a parking lot that was a highway on the way THERE...and a few entertaining minutes in a ditch...etc etc

Nancy explained it best and there's no wrong decision - whatever you decide will be best!

Are there any HHC members near you? I hired a highschool geek (his word) to watch our fish - he got unlimited access to the xbox and Netflix in turn for checking on them 2X/day and promising to spend a minimum 3 hours a day there. I also paid him with a video rental gift card.


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

MissC said:


> Are there any HHC members near you? I hired a highschool geek (his word) to watch our fish - he got unlimited access to the xbox and Netflix in turn for checking on them 2X/day and promising to spend a minimum 3 hours a day there. I also paid him with a video rental gift card.


I don't actually think so. I found a friend who might move in for the week, he just has to check his schedule. He hasn't actually met Annabell but met & loved Sylive, my previous hedgie. When he came over she would choose his lap over anyone elses and he would cuddle with her for hours. If his schedule works, I'll have him over before to meet Annabell & make sure they get a long & such. So I think that's going to be plan A


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

silvercat said:


> I don't actually think so. I found a friend who might move in for the week, he just has to check his schedule. He hasn't actually met Annabell but met & loved Sylive, my previous hedgie. When he came over she would choose his lap over anyone elses and he would cuddle with her for hours. If his schedule works, I'll have him over before to meet Annabell & make sure they get a long & such. So I think that's going to be plan A


That would be too perfect!!! I hope this works out!!


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## firephoenixla (Sep 13, 2010)

I've left Paprika with her breeder before when I've gone away on vacation for more than a few days. I was really glad that I did! It was so cute when her breeder first saw the more 'grown up' Paprika, she was like, OMG! look! she's got her mommy's face and some of her daddy's coloring! Its interesting though, even though Paprika hadn't seen her breeder since she left at 6 weeks old, I think she recognized her right away.. because as soon as I took her out of her cage at the breeder's house and handed her over, Paprika opened up instantly and crawled all over and didn't get defensive at all about being handled by the breeder like she normally does with people she doesn't know well.. I don't think she was stressed at all about it.. so maybe she did have some memory of that place and her breeder? she stayed in the same room as the other hedgehogs (all be it in her own corner of the room in her own cage) but I don't think it affected her health at all because it's been about a month back with me now and she's still just as healthy as ever.. overall I'm glad I paid her breeder to watch her and look after her while I was gone, I really rested with ease knowing that she was with someone who wasn't afraid to handle her everyday and could take her to the right vet if there was an emergency!


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