# Trying To Establish A Routine For Proper Care



## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

I have my two hedgehogs for four weeks now. I am learning so much from reading here.
I am keeping them at the proper temp, in big cages with CWS wheels etc. I have also read the link on proper cat food mixture etc. 

But here is my problem... sometimes I get home to late to switch out the food and the water in the bottle. I have never gone more than 48 hours. I spot clean the wheel and have never gone more than 48 hours cleaning the wheel. Am I jeapordizing their health?

Also they each have an igloo. Should I have some kind of paper towels inside the igloos to make them more cozy?

Thank you!


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Some fleece inside the igloo is nice 
U can make a hedgie bag out of fleece..mine love it  
R they housed together :?:


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## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

Hi LarryT, thank you. 

No they are not housed together. Would you believe I was told that they could be housed together because they were siblings. And they are male and female! The more posts I was able to read here the faster I ran out to get a second cage! Now they each have identical set ups that fill a good portion of my small living room. But they are worth it. 

I will get fleece to put in the igloos. It seemed like they needed something to snuggle in.

I have read here about using fleece to line the cages. I would prefer to not have hedgehog laundry, I am already laundering reusable pads for my dogs with hedgehog washcloths thrown in. So I am using carefresh bedding. If you all tell me I am harming them I will switch to fleece in the future.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

How long were they housed together for(since you said you were told that you could house them together)? How old are they? Because the female may already be pregnant. It would be good to prepare for a possible pregnancy. Best to read through the Breeding thread, or PM Nancy or Hedgiepets. 

Best is to cut the fleece into strips and stuff the igloo. They love to dig and burrow in fleece strips. 

I use fleece liners as well, there's been a few posts recently about how carefresh was drying their hedgie too much and causing overly dry skin and then rashes. But if they're using it fine, and they don't eat the carefresh, then it should be fine. 

What you have been doing so far seem fine. 48 hrs isn't too bad, and as long as they are still free fed kibble and has plenty of fresh water, then it's all good. ^_^


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

That beedding is no good in my opinion..it will dry the skin out.
If u dont want to do the fleece liners u could try aspen wood shavings..no ceder


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## Shelbys Mom (Mar 27, 2009)

I've also heard that carefresh can be dusty.
I've never tried it though so I don't really know.

And if they end up not liking the fleece strips (my boy don't like them) I made him 2 little fleece blankies for his. (just small pieces of fleece cut to fit inside his house)


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## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

They have water all the time and food all the time and I never go more than 48 hours changing and cleaning everything. 

Ok, so I will get fleece strips for the igloos. 

I will consider fleece for lining the cages. I'm already bagging up reusable pads for my two chihuahuas and laudering the pads in the laundry room of my apartment building without anyone noticing. Seems very similar to me.

I don't know how old they are. They were together in the store and were together in my house for about a week. The female weighs 254 grams and the male weighs 210 grams. They fit in one hand. 

They have been to the vet and she said that she does not think the female is pregnant. 
I will check out the gestation time though asap.

How many here use aspen bedding?


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

hedgewawa said:


> They have water all the time and food all the time and I never go more than 48 hours changing and cleaning everything.
> 
> Ok, so I will get fleece strips for the igloos.
> 
> ...


I use aspen for some that dont like fleece but over all fleece is the best if your hedgie likes it.


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## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

Thank you all. I want to do right by my two little hogs. I am in love with them already and want them to have the best.

Will let you all know how it goes.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

If it has been 55 days since you separated them, then everything is fine. It's just waiting that 55 days that's a hassle.

Hoping for the best! ^_^


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## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

I will have to figure out the last day they were together. But I will read the pregnancy thread just in case.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

If I was a betting man and i am I would say get ready for some babies  
I have heard many stories about someone getting a hedgie from a store and a short time later babies :shock: 
Good luck hope everything goes well


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## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

Hi LarryT, like I said, I will be ready for babies just in case...

Things are going good. I gave them mixed cat foods from the list here last night. They seemed to like the Chicken Soup one the best. 

I also put a small paper towel in each igloo and they seemed to like that. Will cut fleece this weekend.

My little male was very active on his wheel and I got to watch him run and run, he is drinking fine and eating fine. He was at the vet for mites and his little scabs are all healed up. Yeah!

My female was out too. She ate and drank and ran on her wheel. She also liked the Chicken Soup kibbles the best.

We are coming along with the help of everyone at HHC.

Thank you, Faye


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

You may want to remove the wheel from the female's cage, if it hasn't been 55 days yet. It's just a precaution, as pregnant mothers have always gotten their wheels removed. And especially when the babies get here, so she doesn't end up carrying one around and then run on the wheel, which can potentially harm the baby.

Another member, Ana had to play the waiting game awhile back. I'll see if I can find that thread.

*Edit* I found it! ^_^ http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1467


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

hedgewawa said:


> Hi LarryT, like I said, I will be ready for babies just in case...
> 
> Things are going good. I gave them mixed cat foods from the list here last night. They seemed to like the Chicken Soup one the best.
> 
> ...


Which chicken soup u feed?
My hedgeies dont seem to like the chicken soup light and was thinking of adding the Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul Senior.


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## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

Thank you Immortalia. I will remove the wheel if need be.

What are the signs of pregnancey? Why is it such a mystery if she is pregnant...


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## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

LarryT. It is the Chicken Soup Lite as I remember. I will double check. 

I have a food mix question: if they are picking out one food over the others in the mix how do you get them to eat more of the mix? I don't want them to eat one part of the mix and then be hungry. I'm confused.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

hedgewawa said:


> LarryT. It is the Chicken Soup Lite as I remember. I will double check.
> 
> I have a food mix question: if they are picking out one food over the others in the mix how do you get them to eat more of the mix? I don't want them to eat one part of the mix and then be hungry. I'm confused.


That's a tough one that i can't answer :lol: will leave that one to the pros


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

try storing the other food in a ziplock bag with the chicken soup....this way the other food will begin to take on the scent and flavor of the chicken soup? It could also be a shap and size issue, in which case god luck, because untill you find a size and shape they like they just wont touch it.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

hedgewawa said:


> Thank you Immortalia. I will remove the wheel if need be.
> 
> What are the signs of pregnancey? Why is it such a mystery if she is pregnant...


I'm not too sure either lol Cause I'm relatively new to all this as well. But from what I gather from the breeders here, there's no real way to determine if your hedgie is pregnant or not. The only thing you can really do is wait out the days. There were some really good "quicky" fixes of advice given on that thread, just things to do as a precaution, for someone who has no experience with breeding. I hope it helps and I wish you the best of luck and hope there are no babies.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Probably to late to start this now but u could weigh her daily and see if there is a weight gain :idea: 
U should PM nancy she knows everything about breeding maybe she can help


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

hedgewawa said:


> What are the signs of pregnancey? Why is it such a mystery if she is pregnant...


I'm not a breeder, but from what I've read, it's very hard to tell whether a female is pregnant because some will gain lots of weight, some will gain none, but still deliver babies. I guess ultrasounds don't usually work because if you go in too early, the babies aren't developed enough to show up on the picture. In any case, it seems like a vet visit would be too much stress on the mom. The best way to tell is to just wait it out and prepare for the worst, just in case.
If she does give birth to babies, you'll want to talk to a breeder to ask any questions and make sure you're doing the right things. Nancy and Deneen (hedgiepets) are two breeders on here, although I know there's others.


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## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

Thank you all. 

I am so hoping that there are NOT gonna be babies. 
I separated them on Mother's Day, May 10. How's that for timing. LOL
So I will count 55 days from that date to be safe.

They were together briefly when I was cleaning their cages. The male went into the igloo with her but I was right there and saw no ACTIVITY! Now when I clean their cages I move them from one cage to the other but they are in seperate igloos sound asleep and I am right there watching.

I will prepare as best I can. I read the breeding threads and hand feeding threads. I will get some of the supplies in. I also have a perfect nesting box a little plastic rabbit hut with a removeable roof and a little edge in the door hole that will keep the babies from getting out.

The male and female were both recently treated with Revolution for mites and are due to go back this Friday for a second treatment. I will ask a stupid question because I fear the answer I will get. Is this going to harm the mom and/or possible babies. I would have to make a decision in consultation with the vet if this is so.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Revolution shouldn't harm a possible mom or the babies. It just suffocates the mites, which is why it's so much more preferable than Ivermectin (which paralyzes the mites, but an overdose could paralyze the hedgehog too). The only thing I'd be concerned about would be stressing the female out with a vet visit. If she was very nervous/upset during the previous vet visit, I would leave her home and get some Revolution to take home and treat her yourself. It's very easy, I did the second application of Revolution on my hedgehog myself. The vet just gave me a small syringe, told me how much to use, then I just sucked some of the Revolution into the syringe and held it sideways against her body (with the needle completely sideways, not pointing at her skin), to apply the medicine.


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

For Revolution my vet measures out three syringes with the correct amount for one dos (one dose every 2 weeks for 3 rounds). The syringes he has do not have needle tips on them. Very easy to use.


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