# Hedgehogs and College



## rms31

Hello! Recently I've been looking into getting a hedgehog. I feel that it would be a good pet for me, and my mother seems to be okay with it except for one problem: what will I do when I go to college. I'm 14 years old currently, so it's hard to say if my hedgie will still be alive when I leave for college, but it's quite likely, and I'm not sure what I'm going to do with him/her.

Here is my current situation: So far none of the colleges I've looked into allow pets and my parents aren't interested in having a hedgehog to take care of. There are two colleges I could commute to and live at home, but neither is one of my top choices. I had been considering the possibility of getting an apartment anyway, since several of the colleges I'm looking at are close to an area with good job opportunities for me where I would like to live. However, there's no guarantee that I'll be able to get an apartment, even if I split the cost with roommates. There are many factors besides cost, and my mother says she can't let me get a pet with a lifespan of more than 4 years based on the claim that I'll get an apartment I made when I was 14. (Not her exact words, but you get the point.) It's possible that I could ask friends or relatives to look after my hedgie, but the issue here is 4 years in advance is much too early to ask someone to commit to watching a living creature for a long period of time, and I need to figure out what I'm going to do before I get the hedgehog. 

Any advice? (If anyone knows of any colleges in the U.S. that offer Illustration, Graphic Design, or Product Design and allow small pets, that would be great, lol.)


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## Lilysmommy

I don't think I have any suggestions...I don't know of any colleges that allow pets on campus, and I personally don't approve of sneaking animals into living areas where they're not allowed (in general, that's not directed at you!). I was lucky because I decided to stay at a community college for several years & lived at home, so I didn't have issues with this when I got Lily when I was 18.

However...the main reason I was commenting was to thank you (so very much) for considering this issue so seriously. We get a lot of younger people on the forum that never even consider what they might do when college time comes around, so I'm very impressed & glad you're thinking about it. If it turns out that a hedgehog won't work out very well for your situation now, I hope you can get one someday. You sound like you'd be a great owner. 

And, if I can make a suggestion for an alternative if you can't think of a solution to the college dilemma, rats typically only live 2-3 years, but make fantastic, sweet, friendly pets. I know there's numerous people on here that have them, and I have a friend that's had many and general consensus is they're great! I can't wait to rescue a couple of ratties myself.

Good luck with your planning & keep us updated on what you end up deciding!


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## Nancy

I agree with Lilysmommy. You are being very mature and responsible in your decision making. 

Consider that if you do get a baby now, at the time you will be going to college it will be in it's elder years and having it go to someone else to care for would be stressful on hedgie. Also there may be an increase in vet bills which being newly in college you might not be in a position to afford. Many college people can't. 

You could consider getting an adult, perhaps one that is two years old and is in need of a home. I know it's awful to think of in terms of when one might pass on, but a two year old would give you a few years with hedgie and provide one in need of a good new home.


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## abbys

Main advice: Don't let a pet determine where you go to college. A pet lasts only so long. I know you still have time before college, but once it gets to that point you have to remember that you're paying for college in order to set you up for life. You don't want to look back and regret choosing a college that turned out to be a bad fit just so you could keep a pet with you. Pick the college that will give you the best experience, education, and future.

Jeez, I sound like my mother... :roll:


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## rms31

Thanks for your advice! I didn't expect to get replies so quickly. I hadn't considered getting an adult hedgie, since babies are generally easier to find, but that actually sounds like a good option for me right now. I've already found one within a few hours of my town that's 2 years old and needs a home, but of course I'll have to think about it and talk to my parents before I make a decision.


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## darthvader

Before I got my hedgie in June, i was in the same boat as you, in a Junior in High school and Duel enroll at UofM but after i graduate i will be switching to Madonna. I wanted a Hedgie so bad that i ruled out the option of having free on campus living, and when i graduate i will be moving into an apartment with a few friends that will be attending the same school i will be. I was really worried about being able to find a safe place for her when i did move, but thankfully i found an alternative that works out best for everyone. Before this is searched and searched for collages that did allow small pets, and the best i got was one that allowed frogs and fish. Like the other posts said, make sure that you pick your collage for you, not a pet(no matter how much you love and adore them) but talk to the collages that you do want to go through, in a few of my cases, if you cant commute there is sometimes scholarships for boarding and some apartments that offer great discounts to students that attend certain colleges. Or perhaps getting an older hedgie would work best for now 
Hope everything goes well!


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## phoenix1964

I just wanted to add that I read a thread here the other day about a person whose roommates were not very kind to the hedgie, they were jerks really. This person ended up taking the hedgie back home so they couldn't harm it anymore. Not all people care about the conditions hedgies need to thrive. The owner was very upset, as you could well imagine. Unless you live by yourself, that would be a huge concern.


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## Annie&Tibbers

Everyone else has already taken care of your immediate question, so I'm just here to welcome you to the forum, and offer you our traditional welcome-gift of a link to a lovely hedgehog care-guide.


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## shmurciakova

I agree that adopting an older hedgie might be the right thing for you to do. I have recently taken in a rescue who is 3 1/2 years old! You would never know it though, she is really hyper and is in good physical shape, not overweight or anything like that. She has more energy than my other hedge who is 2 years old…you would also be helping a hedgie in need which I think would be a very rewarding experience for you. I think it is quite rare indeed for a hedgie to live past 5 years of age.
Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
-Susan H.


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## PricklePrincess

I wanted a hedgehog so badly through college but it would've hindered my living on-campus and in my sorority house. I got Stella shortly after starting graduate school, since I now live in an apartment and can better afford to care for her (I had a crappy job in undergrad.) At the end of the day I am very glad I waited because I got to enjoy all that college has to offer and now that my life has calmed down I can enjoy my sweet Stella! Good for you for considering this before making a decision and it seems like an older hog would be a great fit for you. You will also be more prepared to get a baby hoglet when you are done with college! That's just my two cents


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## Krystal

I also wanted a hedgehog when I was in high school, but wasn't able to get one while living in my parents house, also because I knew it would be hard to move it to college with me. So I waited. Then I moved into the on campus housing, which didn't allow any pets besides fish and I didn't want to risk sneaking a hedgie into the dorms and getting caught and being forced to give him up for adoption. So I waited some more. Finally my senior year at college I moved off campus into a house that I rent with some friends and I adopted my first hedgehog last September! I am very glad that I waited til now to get Winchester. I was able to focus on my college studies and experiences without the worry of taking care of a pet.


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## Pandamom

I agree with everyone else, you are making a very mature decision at only 14! Would your mom agree to look after a hedgie while you are at school? Our little guy is new to our family (my daughter's grad present to herself after finishing university!) but we've shared our hedgie duties and it's quite easy. Maybe you could chat with your mom and see what her long term ideas are. If you're able to go to a school nearby you'd be home often anyway! Good luck with your decisions on hedgies and school!


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## jmluedke

My daughter took one of our hedgies to college with her, she had to wait till her sophomore year so she could get a apatment . Her biggest complaint is that she feels as busy as she gets Penelope dosent get enough attention at times so she is back home with me lol and roommates were not considerate and would turn of her light and have AC to low. Just somethings to think about


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