# how much should hedgehogs generally sleep?



## Sally

My hedgehog seems to spend the majority of her time sleeping. Often she'll come out when we feed her, eat, run (slowly) on her wheel (interspersed w/ walking around the cage) for a bit, then shortly thereafter go back into her cave (the thing she sleeps in) and sleep. I stay up late (w/ the lights off for her) and really she doesn't run/explore/whatever for very long before going back into her cave to presumably sleep.When I get up in the morning, it seems as though she hasn't come back out because her wheel will look the same as it did when she got off it. She seems fine otherwise. Is she just a lazy hedgie? Or is it normal for hedgehogs to sleep upwards of 20 hours a day?

*btw, it isn't the temperature, as it's definitely warm enough for her, and this isn't a new or sudden occurrence

*edit* she's not a baby, she's about a year old


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## NoOther1

Yes, that is part of hedgehog common behavior. your hedgehog should sleep less in the futur but babies do sleep a lot


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## Immortalia

Are there any street lights that could be coming in from a window?
And when you stay up, do you have the tv on? The flickering of the tv can be enough to keep a hedgie hidden, I know mine stays hidden until I turn the tv off. What do you do when you stay up with the lights off? I usually just have my lap top on and talking on voice, and my boy doesn't mind that one little bit, perhaps yours might?

My boy's pretty lazy as well. He never runs and plays when I have him out, he'll just curl up next to me, or on my lap and sleep for hours. 

I usually feed him around 8, and play with him for a few hours, then I put him back to his cage, he'll nibble a bit on food, then go back to hide. It's not until I have all the lights off(my lappy is fine and doesn't bother him, neither does my talking) and he'll come out and do his nightly hedgie thing. He'll usually run for a good few hours, and goes back to bed at around 5-6ish. 

Have you tried counting her kibble after she goes back into her cave and before you go to bed? That way, you know for sure whether she comes out once you are asleep.
Also, it's possible that she does use her wheel, but is pretty clean about it and it just looks the same to you. My boy keeps his wheel pretty clean, to the point that he never has poop boots, only small bits and pieces stuck in his nails, and that's about it. And there are times where it doesn't look like he used his wheel much at all, but I heard him running a lot the night before.


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## CaseyVertz

Im glad my hedgie isn't the only one. I live in Illinois and its promptly -10 outside right now. I have been worried about my hedgie, although I keep it around 68 inside and he is responsive when I wake him. I also stay up late, so I can safely assume im to blame for his sleeping because I keep my lamp above him. Im unable to move either one at the moment so I will have to find another solution. 
I notice that my hedgie does get up and eat throughout the day.
he runs from about 3-5 then by 6am he is back to sleep. I can safely assume that given their environment that it is pretty common for them to sleep 18-20 hours a day.
I mean if you were given the food you love daily and never had to worry about anything you would likely sleep a lot too. 
From what I understand wild hedgehogs are only active 5-7 hours a night hunting.


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## Emwinn

I freaked out when Luna was being a lazy bum. I messaged her breeder and it turns out but her mum and dad are also super lazy! I was like "Oh my God shes getting fat, she's not doing anything" ....she just is a bigger hog (no double chin, curls fine) that enjoys her "leave me alone beauty sleep".


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