# I refuse!



## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

I honestly refuse to be anything but completely prepared!!! I am making a list and so far it is what I need with prices so this is what I have and if you would like to add on in feel free!!!!  I would love it!

Hedgie (just a little important!)- $170.00
Cage- $75.00
Food (to last the first month of course)- $12.00
Food Dish- $3.50
Water Bottle- $3.00
Water bottle Holder- $5.00
Litter Pan- $6.00
Large Hideout- $7.00
Sleeping bags- $8.00
Wheel- $15.00
That all looks fairly maybe.. Im getting my girlie from Gale!
Thermometer- $15.99
Carrier (hard)- $24.99
Toys- around $1.00
Soft bed- $7.99

All I have for now! Oh an Im getting Fleece liners soon!


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## JessHog613 (Jun 20, 2012)

just curious what you were planning to do about the cage? I know you can buy them, but I can tell you that C&C cages are much cheaper if you can find the materials readily. I had trouble finding the cubes and such, but I ended up making my base cage for about $30, and I'm planning to expand when Big Lots gets cubes in for back to school. so, I just wanted to let you know about that. 
the other thing i would suggest, if you can find them cheaply, is sections of PVC pipe to run through. the 4in ones are great, and my little guy absolutely loves them. he runs in them almost as much as he runs on his wheel.
other than that, it looks like you're getting things together well already. best of luck!


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

Thank you and the breeder I am going to offers a package of the main supplies with the cage and I am just going to use that cage for a few months and figure how to make a C&C cage because my room isn't that ...... roomy. I am wanting to start with a C&C cage but i was told to work my way up!  Waiting isn't a fun game but I will defiantly look into the PVC pipes. I never thought about them.. sadly. :/ Thank you!


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Most of us here recommend using a water dish instead of a water bottle. Water bottles can chip teeth, tongues can get stuck and plus they can be a pain to clean! D: 
What kind of bedding were you thinking of?
Most of us use fleece lines. Clean, no dust, and super cute. o.o


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

Fleece liners. I am for surely using them and I was going to ask gale if I could switch out a water bottle for a bowl.


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## JessHog613 (Jun 20, 2012)

my little guy won't even drink out of a bottle anyways. he tried to bite it a few times and gave up. 

I understand working up to a C&C cage. we were unfortunate in that we didn't have that option. when I got Hudson, the people who had him before had him in a 20gal aquarium, so I had to do something. his C&C is made of mixed grids that I've collected wherever I could and a scrap piece of coroplast I got cheap form a sign shop. hopefully I'll be able to do some expanding and give him some more room soon, but they are definitely a great option.

not sure what anyone else here would say about it, but I recommend using zip ties to put it together when you start building. I tried using the clips that came with the cubes and they just plain weren't sturdy enough for my liking. I was scared they'd break open and I'd have a hedgie loose in the house. just make sure you clip them short to keep from the little one getting to them and stuff.

I don't know if you have a Big Lots anywhere near you, but I was told that they're getting cubes in a couple of weeks for back to school and that they're cheap (about $8 a set last year) which would be a good option.

oh, and make sure you research the food. I'm sure your breeder will be able to give you lots of info, but you might have to do a little looking to see what's available easily in your area. I got lucky in that i have two breeders in my area, and one who owns a pet shop and stocks the stuff I need for my little guy. I know some have had issues with finding decent food close by, but I'm sure that your breeder could tell you where she gets her food and mealies and all that kind of stuff.

another good thing to keep on hand is paper towels or toilet paper. maybe those shouldn't be on a list per-se, but they are very useful for hedgie accidents during playtime, and you get the tube when you've used it all


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

OH! You are in Ohio! Do you know Gale? that is where I am going. I am in Michigan


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## jkwan (Apr 23, 2012)

The list looks great so far, but I noticed there is no heating equipment listed?


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

I am planning on just heating up my whole room because If i could choose I would rather live in the hot jungle then The miss weathered michigan


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## jerseymike1126 (Jan 20, 2011)

I don't know what kind of wheel your buying. But a Carolina storm wheel is better than anything you can buy at a petstore


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

I am getting the package that Gail has at critterconnections farms and then I am going to be upgrading everything in time.


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## zorropirate (Aug 13, 2010)

Just checked out that package.

Comes with the Marachiro Tomy 120 cage, which was the cage I used with my first hedgehog Daisy... plus a comfort wheel. 

Looks like a decent starter package!... well aside from the diet of spikes delight and the water bottle...

Oh and I've had 3 hedgehog residents, and none have had a use for that corner litter pan.


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## EllieKRitt (Jun 25, 2012)

water bottles are just fine but I agree, it is a little easier to fille and clean a bowl, but it gets messier, and if you ever considered breeding bottles hold less risk for toddling hoglets


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

Im not breeding and I emailed her and i asked if I could switch out a water bottle for other food bottle. She said that was fine. Now I am just trying to work out a date!!


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## JessHog613 (Jun 20, 2012)

I don't blame you. from the looks of it, you've got a long ways to travel just to get your little one. it's most definitely worth it, I'll tell you that. and it's good that you're preparing. I had done tons of research, talked to breeders, held hedgies, and I don't think it completely prepared me for what I had coming. Hedgies are just about as different from one another as people are. but, the research helps. getting the basics in place gives you a lot more legroom to get to know your new little one and learn his/her personality.


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

yeah, I am really glad Gail has you sit down and play with more that one and makes sure that is the one you want and the fact that she tells you everything. I bet she is really annoyed with me.  I have sent like 20 emails to her today!


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## raerysdyk (Oct 21, 2011)

Another Michiganian!  Welcome! I know you said you would rather heat the whole room, but I would probably have a heating element as a secondary precaution. I keep my apartment at around 72 during the winter months, but one night our heater unexpectedly failed! Luckily we had two 10' CHEs with 150w bulbs (as well as a space heater) to keep lil Brillo warm...just something to think about...since Michigan winters are aweful!


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

Eppppp! That's scary! Think.I will do both! But ill just start with a heating lamp because well its summer and I heard it been in the 90s the past like month! I can't wait to go home! 4 more days!


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## raerysdyk (Oct 21, 2011)

Yup! Michigan is plenty warm right now with no relief in sight! It's been consistently 90 for the past week...so I think you will be okay without a CHE until the fall months.


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

That's what I was planning on doing. I think I'm going to get a room heater and a CHE heater as well because my room is the hottest in smaller and coldest in winter. Do they eat spiders?


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## raerysdyk (Oct 21, 2011)

Sounds like a great plan. That's what I do- just in case my heater decides to poop out again. :? Hedgies won't eat spiders. If you have a lot of them I would be worried about your little one getting bitten.  I would try and spider proof the rooms as much as possible before you get your girlie. The sprays used to kill spiders is extremely noxious and could be harmful to your hedgie.


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

We do have a lot of spiders but I make it a point that if they come in my room they die.. sadly I am a scarier cat and I check every day. We leave next to a lake so they will always be there all though I spider hunt. I'm a freak if I see a spider. Lol. I am going to ask my mom about it tho.  If i don't let them touch me or anybody I love. O will turn into the hulk if they hurt my girl!


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Just a note on the bottle and bowl. Because your baby was probably raised using bottle, make sure you have both bottle and bowl. Just put the bowl under the the bottle with the nozzle close to the bowl water line. Sometimes they don't always make a connection that the stuff in the bowl is the same as the stuff from the bottle. So you'll need to transition and make sure the baby is actually drinking from the bowl before you take the bottle away.


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

Everyone else already addressed the few things that jumped out at me on your list, so I won't touch on that again.  

I want to suggest getting the cage all set up with the liner, toys, dishes, thermometer, igloo, etc a week or so before you bring your hedgie home. Keep a close eye on the thermometer to make sure the temp stays good. I also suggest taking a picture of your cage set up and posting it here. There are so many little things that could be dangerous or a pain in the butt that you would never think about, that a lot of HHC members can point out for you.


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

I would but I'm buying the cage and everything from Gail as well. I went and got over 2 yards of fleece for each liners I had my family choose so they can feel like they are a part in it. I have tons of extra to put in her igloo. I am getting her Friday morning and setting the cage up when i get home and I will post a picture of every thing. Exceptthe wheel because I read that you wanna leave that out for a few days and if anything I'm scared the cage will get too much heat because we don't use air conditioning and its been over 80 in my house alone and my room is the hottest but i am on top of everything.


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

Is it a problem if there is too much heat?


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

You don't want it to be to warm. You can always freeze a water bottle and put in the cage wrapped in fleece or get a tile from home depo and put it in the cage (tiles are cool lol). Just a couple of ideas on how to keep a hog from getting to hot.


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## ACohan (Jul 17, 2012)

I just got my little girl from Gail last weekend! I bought one of her packages too, this isnt my first hedgie though. She is super sweet! Good luck!


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## talibali (Aug 15, 2009)

Who did you get?!?! I got Aritha


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## kcgirl62 (Jul 26, 2012)

My breeder recommended having a bowl and a bottle so i have both in his cage. You might want to try that and see what he/she likes. They're both relatively cheap so it shouldn't be a problem. And any good wheel should cost more than 15$.


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