# So, how do you hide a hedgehog...?



## tokihog (Jan 28, 2011)

So I have had my hedgie since Dec. and we have been doing quite well. He is social, eating well and wheeling tons. He has so much personality and the cuteness that leaks off of him is remarkable! We could not be more happy to have the little guy in our lives.

But Yesterday I got a letter under my door telling me that we are going to be having apartment inspections on the 7th and 8th. This is all fine and dandy except the only animals allowed in the building are dogs under 30 lbs. Now I need to hide (or be ready to hide) my little Toki while I have strangers poking about in my home...

I have blankets ready to toss into his cage (steralite bin) to make it not look like a critter home, all his food is in the freezer, toys are in a shoe box, his wheel and lamp will be hidden in blankets, and his dishes will be in the sink. Now I need some advice on hiding a hedgie and keeping him comfortable.

I was just going to put him in a blanket and sit it on the couch but my boyfriend pointed out that when you block the little Toki has a bit of a hissy fit. I also think that the sound of strangers and big dirty boots on my hard wood floors will send him into a popping hissing frenzy if they are close to him.

If anyone has a suggestion on where to put my hog so that he will be safe, comfortable and hopefully quiet please share it with me!


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## DasIgelPoggie (Oct 21, 2010)

My hedgie loves being wrapped in one of my soft shirts and then sitting in my purse. They won't be checking your purse haha.

Maybe for the the future, you could have a friend call the apartment offices and ask if they were to move in, could they bring their hedgehog... and maybe go from their answer then. I'm sure they wouldn't mind a hedgie, most apartments that don't allow cats and dogs will allow hedgies!


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Are you sure it's ONLY dogs under 30lbs? It just doesn't make sense. Since cats and small pets make less noise and such than most if not all dogs. And small dogs tend to be yappy sometimes. I think you are better off getting a friend to ask the people directly(act like they are looking for a place to move to and ask about hedgehogs and explain how they are kept etc etc).

If it comes down to actually having to hide, is there a friend who will take him? Do you have a car? If worse comes to worse put him and his cage in the car with lots of hand warmers. 

Will they check closets? Pile of clothes wouldn't be something they'd rummage through.


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## emeko (Nov 28, 2009)

I had great success with a large closet that my whole cage fit in last year in residence. Just shut the closet, and there is nothing to see here.

I also like the idea of sending him to someone else when they come though


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## Judi (Jul 9, 2009)

You should put your hedgie in the bedroom with the door shut. When they come to inspect the apartment, tell them that your boyfriend (assuming he lives there too) is working nights right now and he's asleep. Tell them you understand they have a schedule, and so they're welcome to look over the rest of the apartment, but that if they want to check the bedroom, they'll have to come back sometime when he's awake, because you can't let them disturb his sleep.


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## emeko (Nov 28, 2009)

Just my thought-- you're already lying/hiding once. I would keep it at that


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

Closets work well for a secure & quiet hiding place. Put your hedgie in his carrier & then into the closet, keeping in mind the temperature. 
That said - I never got 'permission' for Sylvie, but the inspection/maintenance guys never cared or said anything. On inspection/maintenance days, Sylvie came with me in her carrier to work (now work wasn't a big fan of this though).
Other thing - if you're allowed dogs under 30lbs, you should ask for permission for your hedgie. I got permission without any trouble for Annabell, and my apartment building is actually suppose to be pet free. I'm glad I did too, I found out that if I was found breaking my lease (ie. having a pet without permission) they can evict me with only 15 days notice.


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## Nebular (Dec 28, 2010)

I have a similar problem in my apartment (actually, pets aren't allowed, but if the guy who lived across the hall from me for 2 years can have his kids live with him in a 1 bedroom apt. who made all sorts of noises and smells, then I don't see why a quieter and cleaner hedgehog isn't allowed... and if I have to, I'll call him my "roommate"). They don't do inspections per se, but they occasionally come in to check the furnace, fireplace, and other stuff. Either way, it's unknown, unwanted people invading my apartment and potentially going where they should and seeing who they shouldn't. 

I have a plastic bin that I used as Norman's first cage and still has the old liners. It's a little small, but it fits perfectly in my closet. I wrap him up in a shirt, toss him in the bin, put a lamp and temperature controlled space heater in there and close it up. Since he lives in my bedroom, I turn the lamp on the timer off, toss a blanked over his current cage and put a guitar on top of it to make it look like a work bench. The food and toys get thrown in the storage area and covered with a blanket. To be extra safe, I slide my big, wheeled amplifier in there, close the door most of the way, then roll the amp in place so that it onlly lets the door up about 2" and you can't see anything apart from my bed. They have no business in there anyways.

I've since discovered that the easier solution, for myself at least, is to simply cover his cage, put the guitar on it, and bring the little guy into work with me for the day. He sleeps in a hoddie on my desk while I type away. Much less effort. :lol:


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## lmashbri6983 (May 29, 2009)

Agreed with others, I actually moved in and about a week later came up with the story of getting a hedgie (even though I already had one and she was living with me). The manager was weary at first of such an odd creature living in HER apartments, but after explaining that they are basically an oversized spiky hamster, she was fine with it. Now Layla's legally and openly living with me, and I dont have to worry about anyone accidentally seeing her or breaking any rules.
That aside, my hedgie loves a hand towel in her tiny carrier, and that could even go inside a dresser drawer. My guess is as long as the strangers dont cast shadows on wherever your hedgie is hiding, you wont have to deal with a hissy fit. Layla's just fine if she's inside her carrier where I can block out all light, even if she's in the middle of a loud party... she'll just snooze away. (not to say I've put her in the middle of a loud party...  )


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## tokihog (Jan 28, 2011)

It's dogs under 30 and cats (didn't get that one in there). Sadly it's no small animals, birds, reptiles, or flippin fish :shock: ...it's in the lease. I wish that I had a somewhat reasonable landlord but I do not. They are not willing to work with their tenants in any way. They make me soooo angry that I just cant talk about them anymore. :evil: :evil: :evil: But I will have someone call and ask if they can move in with their hedgi 

They are checking the structure so I am guessing that the closet will be included. It's over a two day span and I really don't want to leave Toki with a friend for that long, plus it would be a decent drive to get him there. Unfortunately I can't tell the maintenance crew not to go in my bedroom one reason being that the inspection includes every room and even our basement, the second reason being is that the maintenance crew does not speak English and I do...I think it's purse FTW!

He even has his own purse! Well it was mine till he found it in the floor. Silly hog :roll:










Thanks for all your speedy responses!


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## Judi (Jul 9, 2009)

I never used to put up with apartment inspections...I always told them that my husband slept during the day, naked and with a gun under his pillow (the truth) and that if I didn't answer the door, they'd better not come in. I didn't have pets to conceal, I just didn't want to miss work to be home for the inspection.


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## NoDivision (Aug 29, 2010)

I think putting him in his "purse" (let's just call it a giant snuggle bag!) is probably a good idea. He'll probably be nice and calm and comfortable that way, and it won't be stressful for him.


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## DasIgelPoggie (Oct 21, 2010)

Yay for purses!!  And for hedgies, for liking them haha  It's gotten to the point with Igel that if he sees my purse and he can walk to ( or climb into / launch himself into) it, he will without any hesitation. Other than the crook of my neck it's his very favorite place!  
I'm sorry your landlords are such butts about it!! Good thing hedgies are good at being incognito.


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## tokihog (Jan 28, 2011)

I love the purse idea and I don't think Toki hated it too much. He sat on the couch in my purse with a hand wamer all day and also got to go to panda express.  

We get to do it again tomorrow too unfortunately because no one came today. I hope to make it up to Toki with some worms.


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## DasIgelPoggie (Oct 21, 2010)

Hahaha I just had a mental image of him sitting in his purse chowing down on some Spicy Orange Chicken :lol: Tell us how it went when they do show up!


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