# Questions from a soon-to-be hedgie owner



## leopardhedgehog (Nov 18, 2010)

Ok, so I will be getting my first hedgie in a month or two, and I have a few questions I would like to have answered before I get my hedgie/buy supplies
1. What is a good type of wheel? I know the Carolina Storm Wheel is supposed to be really good, but it's a little pricey for me, so it would be nice if I could get a chaeaper alternative.
2. Breeder reviews/suggestions? I am considering NorthernPlainsHedgehogs and Iwantahedgehog, so I would like to know if they are reputable and take good care of their hedgehogs. Also, if you know of another good breeder in the Minnesota area, let me know.
3. Cage setup review? This is what I plan to have for my hedgehog, so let me know what you think. I would post pics, but it won't let me copy and paste them.
-Super pet My First Home Extra Large
-Large Comfort Wheel
-Small Animal Heater (Found at PetCo)
-Thermometer nearby
-Fleece liners
-Food/water dishes
-Igloo
-Hedgie bag


----------



## HedgehogsAnonymous (Dec 30, 2010)

Hi there!!

The Carolina Storm Wheel is really good, but until I can get a couple I use the 12" Superpet Wheel and so far it's working great. 

For the cage, I'm not sure of the price of the Super Pet cage, but a cheaper (and popular choice) is using a large, clear sterilite bin or building your own C&C cage. There are a lot of examples in the housing section.

Also for the heater, you might want to look into a CHE setup. Heating pads don't heat the air and won't provide enough warmth, small animal heaters--if it's what I'm thinking of, either what you'd stick under the tank or in it, probably are not a good idea either. 

I know some hedgies will drink from a water dish, a water bottle is usually more effective. 

Everything else sounds pretty good, but there is always cheaper, DIY alternatives. I bought a ton of fleece from JoAnn's and made my own hedgie bags, and instead of buying an Igloo from the petstore we used empty plastic ice cream containers (those giant gallon sized ones from Stop and Shop with a door cut out).


----------



## pooka dotted (Jan 5, 2011)

A water bottle is hard on a hedgies teeth and can cause breakage that can't be repaired. I would stick to the water dish.


----------



## Nebular (Dec 28, 2010)

pooka dotted said:


> A water bottle is hard on a hedgies teeth and can cause breakage that can't be repaired. I would stick to the water dish.


Or you may have one like mine that simply refuses to use a bottle altogether. Showed him where it was and that pressing it produced water, but he wanted nothing to do with it. You might also want to consider a reptile waterer. It's basically a bowl that fills from a water bottle, so you don't have to fill it every time the bowl gets low, and the hedgehog can drink from something it's comfortable with. They're fairly cheap too - I got mine from PetSmart for $7.


----------



## abrowndog (Nov 26, 2010)

If you are short on funds, I would highly suggest waiting a bit before getting a hedgie. I bought one for my daughter the day after Thanksgiving. To date, we've spent well over $600 on the cage set-up, the heating system, lighting, liners, bags, thermostats, thermometers, one vet well visit and the little pig herself and I don't have anything special or fancy. 

Not only are the initial costs high (IMO) but you really want to have money set aside in case of emergency pet bills. 

Hedgies are very special family members, but they aren't cheap!


----------



## Sarahg (Feb 18, 2010)

leopardhedgehog said:


> 2. Breeder reviews/suggestions? I am considering NorthernPlainsHedgehogs and Iwantahedgehog, so I would like to know if they are reputable and take good care of their hedgehogs. Also, if you know of another good breeder in the Minnesota area, let me know.


Hi, and welcome to HHC! I work with Michelle at iwantahedgehog, mostly taking pictures and updating the website. I can tell you that her hedgehogs are well cared for, well socialized, and she was recently USDA certified. There are several members on here that got their hedgehogs from her.

There is at least one other breeder in Minnesota located in duluth call Ark-cessories, I believe. I haven't had any experience with her so I can't help with a review there.


----------



## leopardhedgehog (Nov 18, 2010)

I know that-I just want to have MORE reserve funds by saving miney on the initial set up. (Although I've been thinking about it, and the CSW is really only $10-$15 more so I think I will get one). I have about $800-$1000 in reserve funds for it, just in case



abrowndog said:


> If you are short on funds, I would highly suggest waiting a bit before getting a hedgie. I bought one for my daughter the day after Thanksgiving. To date, we've spent well over $600 on the cage set-up, the heating system, lighting, liners, bags, thermostats, thermometers, one vet well visit and the little pig herself and I don't have anything special or fancy.
> 
> Not only are the initial costs high (IMO) but you really want to have money set aside in case of emergency pet bills.
> 
> Hedgies are very special family members, but they aren't cheap!


----------



## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

In the long run, given the lack of cleaning time, noise and falling apart, you will be glad you went with a CSW. I have had three wheels and all took 20-30 minutes to scrub, except for the CSW...and noise??? Holy crap!!! We couldn't sleep thru the other two, but all you hear with the CSW is the motoring of little feet!

And please, please, pleeeease go with a bowl not a bottle: easier and more natural for hedgies, safer and they tend to drink more. There are just too many horror stories about bottle hedgies lapping up an entire bowl of water on their first try - tells me they are spending their life dehydrated. Snarf was one of these. Tried his bowl once, drank half of it and never touched his bottle again (he had access to both). I'm sure there are some hedgies that prefer a bottle but if you get them used to what seems to be better, anyway, why not, right?


----------



## leopardhedgehog (Nov 18, 2010)

Good to know, Miss C. I've heard of hedgies having broken teeth on bottles, and my friend had a bottle for her dwarf hamster that stopped working within the first week! Overall, I've heard mixed reviews on both bottles and bowls, and nothing but good feedback about the CSW. Also, the cage will most likely be in my bedroom, so noise is a factor.


----------



## ThePliny (Jun 3, 2010)

Kudos to you for doing your research ahead of time. It sounds like you are well aware of the financial investment hedgehogs require. 
Pliny used a water bottle for ages and had no problems with it. I was never super-happy with the idea of using one. And one of the bottles I had purchased developed a leak. One evening I came home to an empty bottle, thirsty hog and soaked cage. No good at all. I only hesitated about switching to a bowl because Pliny is a liner diver. He is bound and determined to burrow under his flannel/fleece liners. I was worried that he would tip the bowl over. However, new C&C setup and strategic placement of food/water dishes seems to be working. I also love to watch him drink from his bowl, pretty darn cute!


----------



## pooka dotted (Jan 5, 2011)

LOL liner diver.. I found out this morning Fuzzie is a liner diver too hahaha


----------



## ThePliny (Jun 3, 2010)

Oh yeah. Pliny is a diver extraordinaire! No matter what I do, how secure I make the liner *bam* he is under there. Goofball


----------



## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

:lol: 
LMAO at both of you cuz MY hedgie is pristine & perfect.


----------



## ThePliny (Jun 3, 2010)

The best part is using tweezers to get the linty bits out of his quills. The first time I saw a quill covered in lint I totally panicked and thought his quills were rotting or something horrid like that. Then I realized he was a little lint roller. Thankfully he is pretty good about it except for a couple of spots (ie his visor). He also seems to have a very ticklish spot just behind his left ear. As soon as I try to touch his skin there he goes bonkers shaking his head, huffing and itching like mad with his back leg. It is quite adorable.


----------



## pooka dotted (Jan 5, 2011)

MissC said:


> :lol:
> LMAO at both of you cuz MY hedgie is pristine & perfect.


PHAAHHAHAHA "Says the maker of the grumpy hedgehog forum"


----------



## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

pooka dotted said:


> PHAAHHAHAHA "Says the maker of the grumpy hedgehog forum"


He's grumpy in a pristine, perfect way, tho'. 

Pliny...same as Snarf...holy jeez, try and remove a piece of fluff from the back of his head and you'd think you you were stabbing him with a hot poker & I don't even touch him...his visor??? I never bother trying. :roll:


----------



## leopardhedgehog (Nov 18, 2010)

LOL, liner diver. Maybe you should cut up some fleece strips for him to burrow in. And, LMAO, the prstine, perfect, GRUMPY hedgehog, Snarf. (Is that his name? You mentioned a Snarf getting fluff in his quills.) Thanks, Pliny, I want to make sure my hdgie will be comfortable :mrgreen:


----------



## ZoëAnn (Jan 23, 2011)

I got my hedgie Harrison from Minnezoota (Formerly Ark-cessories),
and he is perfect, very friendly. And the owner is wonderful, she met me halfway to come pick him up and left me with food and an e-mail address for any questions. She sells for $225 regularly, regardless of gender and color. 
I highly recommend her.
A link to her site:
http://www.minnezoota.com/general_information


----------



## leopardhedgehog (Nov 18, 2010)

Good to know, thanks ZoeAnn


----------

