# How to Care for a Hedgehog [HHAR]



## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

This is an article that I wrote for my animal rescue website. The link can be found in my signature.
Please critique!! I want it to be 100% accurate and helpful.
Editing the article will take place on my website, not on this topic 
Thanks! :grin:

*How to Care for Hedgehogs*

Introduction
Hedgehogs are exotic and unique animals that are related to the shrew family. They can be very fun animals to have as pets, but are often more work than one may think at first glance. They can live for 3-7 years if cared for and fed correctly. Hedgehogs are naturally nocturnal creatures, but living in captivity they seem to convert to crepuscular activity. Crepuscular means that they are most active at dawn and dusk, so if you want a hedgehog be prepared to be able to play with them in either early morning or late at night. The African Pygmy Hedgehog is the most common hedgehog that is kept as a pet across the US, so we are going to be referring to that particular species in this article.

Habitat
A hedgehog's cage should be 4ft long x 2ft wide x 2 ft tall (1,152 sq. inches floor space) at minimum, not including levels. Remember, bigger is always better! Their cage should be well ventilated. Bin cages are often recommended for hedgehogs because they are easy to make and you can buy a very large cage for a fairly cheap price. Bin cages can be easily built with a large storage bin (that are above minimum cage size), and all you have to do is cut out large sections of the plastic and secure wire mesh around it. And voila! There you have it- a very cheap and large cage that allows your hedgehog to run and play with plenty of space and air circulation.
Your hedgie is also going to need a food dish. Most pet owners find that ceramic food dished works well because it lasts a long time, it's easy to clean, and it takes much more effort for your hedgehog to push it over than a plastic dish.
Hedgehogs also tend to love snuggle sacks and fleece pouches to sleep in, and can make a nice addition to the cage.

Bedding
A hedgehog's habitat requires bedding material. They don't tend to dig burrows with it, but it is still good to have because it absorb pee, holds down wheels and toys, and it provides a soft flooring. They should have a minimum of 2" of bedding in their cage at all times.
A list of good beddings include: Kaytee Clean & Cozy (unscented), which is my favorite, but there is also Boxo, aspen and other soft paper based beddings (unscented).
Never buy the following beddings: Cedar shavings, pine shavings, dust based bedding, any kinds of scented bedding, bedding with baking soda in it, cotton bedding, pellet bedding or clay bedding. All of these beddings are harmful to your hedgehog. Pine, cedar, clay and bedding with baking soda or dust in it can cause respiratory issues. Scented bedding can hurt your hedgehog's nose or harm their sense of smell (as their noses are very sensitive). Cotton can wrap around your hedgehogs' limbs and cut off circulation or amputate their limbs. Pellet bedding can cause paws to blister or sores to form on your hedgehog's feet.

Wheel
Hedgehogs require large wheels because of their size. They need a 12" wheel or larger. Carolina Storm Bucket wheels and Silent Spinners are often popular choices among hedgehog owners, but other large wheels such as Comfort Wheels can also be used.
The wheel must not have a mesh or wire bottom. Your hedgehogs' feet or toes could easily get caught in the holes, and if he runs on the wheel too much it can give him bumblefoot.
Never use any of the following wheels because they are unsuitable: Wheels with mesh or wire bottoms, wheels with sharp edges, or wheels under a 12" measurement.

House
Hedgehogs love to curl up to sleep for most of the day, so providing them with a hidey house is a great idea. You want to make sure the hide is big enough for your hedgie to comfortably move around in and make a nest. A few good options would be igloo houses, hedgehog-safe wooden hides, a bend-a-bridge bent into a shelter shape, and also some commercial and ceramic hides can be fun for your hedgehog.

Cage Cleanliness
You should keep your hedgehog's cage clean so they can enjoy their environment. Hedgehogs often pick a specific corner in their cage to pee in, so you can either put a potty box there with bedding in it (not litter) and clean it out every day, or "spot clean" his pee spots every day. Spot cleaning helps keep the cage clean and also helps it stay smelling clean as well.

Diet
A hedgehog's diet needs to compose of a variety of foods. First off, they need a mix of good quality & high protein dry adult cat foods daily. This is the main part of their diet. Hedgies can also have meats, insects, and fruits and vegetables, but not more than 4 times a week.
Stay away from: raw meats, seasoned meats, & canned meats.
The best insects to feed are mealworms and silk worms. Keep the worms in the fridge to keep them in hibernation. Stay away from: bait-shop worms (as they can contain toxic chemicals) and wild-caught worms.
Stay away from: grapes and raisins, and be careful when feeding sugary or watery foods like strawberry or cucumber.
Do not feed your hedgehog milk or milk-based products such as cheese or yogurt, as hedgehogs are lactose intolerant.
Your hedgie should have fresh water available at all times. Water in a dish is the best choice, even though it can get dirty from the bedding. Water bottles are not recommended because hedgies have long tongues and their tongue could get caught in the water bottle spout and cause serious injury. Your hedgehog's water should be changed every few days.

Quilling
Young hedgehogs do something unique, called quilling. Quilling is when a hedgehog sheds lots of its quills and replaces them with new ones. Quilling takes place when the hedgehog is 6 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks old. It can also sometimes take place at 1 year as well. When your hedgehog goes through these stages they will most likely be grumpy and irritable, so you have to be extra patient with them.
Please do not confuse quilling with mites or a bacterial infection. Quilling does not take place if the hedgehog is over one year old. If your hedgie is losing his quills when he is over 1 year, it can be because of mites, infection, or stress.

Baths
Hedgehogs are usually quite clean animals, but they often benefit from a bath about once a month. You can bathe them in the sink, with only about 1/2 inch of water. Place a washcloth in the sink and then set your hedgehog on top of it. You can then use a toothbrush to gently stroke his quills and remove any dirt/debris from them.
Never use more than 1" of water (or your hedgehog is at a risk of drowning), and do not give your hedgehog a bath more than once every 3 weeks.

Time
Hedgies require about 30 minutes of time a day, 45 on cage-cleaning days. Daily, you have to make sure they have food, water, and that their bedding is clean. You also should take the time to make sure your hedgie is healthy. Every time you handle your hedgehog you should make sure that their eyes and nose have no discharge, their ears are clean, that their body has no lumps or bumps, and that their nails and teeth are healthy.
Hedgehogs also benefit from out-of-cage time, so you should let them run around outside of their cage at least 3 times a week.

Home
You should inform everyone in your home on proper hedgehog care so they do not hurt your hedgehog. Everyone in your household should learn how to gently pet and hold a hedgie, and what is okay and not okay to feed it. Children under the age of 14 usually do not make suitable hedgehog owners, but sometimes there are exceptions. Hamsters prefer people with calm & kind personalities that are patient and gentle.

To sum it all up, here is a checklist of things that you need for a hedgehog:
A proper sized cage - 1,152 sq. in. or larger
A wheel - minimum of 12"
Proper bedding
A water bottle
A food dish
A hidey house
Proper diet
A hedgie-safe owner and family
$$ for monthly bedding and food purchases
The time and patience needed to own a hedgehog
Extra $$ in case your hedgehog needs to go to the vet


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Silent Spinners are dangerous and shouldn't be used.
Pine shavings are safe as long as they are kiln dried.
Fleece liners are wonderful for bedding.
In the list of supplies should say water bowl not bottle.

You completely forgot heating and lighting.


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

nikki said:


> Silent Spinners are dangerous and shouldn't be used.
> Pine shavings are safe as long as they are kiln dried.
> Fleece liners are wonderful for bedding.
> In the list of supplies should say water bowl not bottle.
> ...


Oh my, I can't believe I missed all those things!!
Thank you


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

> Your hedgehog's water should be changed every few days.


No, every day.

Your bit on quilling not happening after a year old... they still shed quills out, just not at the rate they do during quilling. And, just because a hedgehog is under a year old doesn't automatically mean quill loss is from quilling.

Baths, less is best with full baths. Foot baths weren't mentioned, but can be done daily.

Home... Hedgehogs not hamsters.

That's what stood out apart from what Nikki mentioned.


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

twobytwopets said:


> No, every day.
> 
> Your bit on quilling not happening after a year old... they still shed quills out, just not at the rate they do during quilling. And, just because a hedgehog is under a year old doesn't automatically mean quill loss is from quilling.
> 
> ...


Thank you


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## Sarahgx__ (Mar 8, 2016)

Really good article to educate people! I believe I am right when saying that you should also add that hedgehogs should be taken out to "play" for socialization and bonding DAILY for at least 30 minutes.


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

Sarahgx__ said:


> Really good article to educate people! I believe I am right when saying that you should also add that hedgehogs should be taken out to "play" for socialization and bonding DAILY for at least 30 minutes.


Thank you Sarahgx!


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## EmersonTheHedgehog (Mar 20, 2016)

Nice article! Nothing else needs to be revised. Very informative!


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

EmersonTheHedgehog said:


> Nice article! Nothing else needs to be revised. Very informative!


Thank you so much!! That means a lot!


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

Updated. I would love more critique!
Added a whole new section- hibernation.

http://happyheartedanimalrescue.weebly.com/hedgehog-care.html


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Silent spinners still are dangerous. It's unsanitary and can cause health issues to leave water in the dish for more than a day. 
Honestly, that's as far as I made it.


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

Yeah I put them as unsafe.
Okay


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## Zanka (Jun 22, 2016)

Unless you are keeping this very basic (maybe last sentence should highlight that) in Wheeling you could mention that they should not get wheel under 12week old. Heating good point, and from experience, as I only just been researching about hedgies there is not much in internet with example photos (and people pay attention to photos more so this could be good idea for your web) So like, examples of heating install, playpens even food. Also I don't know if its available in States but in UK we have this amazing mat - VetBed it's expensive but amazing for people who don't have time to clean cage every day. We also use vivariums. I thought I'd share some ideas


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## Artemis-Ichiro (Jan 22, 2016)

Zanka said:


> Unless you are keeping this very basic (maybe last sentence should highlight that) in Wheeling you could mention that they should not get wheel under 12week old. Heating good point, and from experience, as I only just been researching about hedgies there is not much in internet with example photos (and people pay attention to photos more so this could be good idea for your web) So like, examples of heating install, playpens even food. Also I don't know if its available in States but in UK we have this amazing mat - VetBed it's expensive but amazing for people who don't have time to clean cage every day. We also use vivariums. I thought I'd share some ideas


Why no wheel under 12 weeks?


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

Zanka said:


> Unless you are keeping this very basic (maybe last sentence should highlight that) in Wheeling you could mention that they should not get wheel under 12week old. Heating good point, and from experience, as I only just been researching about hedgies there is not much in internet with example photos (and people pay attention to photos more so this could be good idea for your web) So like, examples of heating install, playpens even food. Also I don't know if its available in States but in UK we have this amazing mat - VetBed it's expensive but amazing for people who don't have time to clean cage every day. We also use vivariums. I thought I'd share some ideas


Thank you so much for the input! 
I will try to get some photos in there- I just have to take some good quality ones of my own


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Water bowl needs cleaned and fresh clean water every day. If there is a reason behind it not being a requirement, I'd love to hear it. 
They will walk through their dishes, lapping up water causes backwash, some even pee or poop in their water, dust and skin debris can settle in the water. Depending on the dish, cage set up and hedgehog, the only thing that is visible is poop.


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

Whoops I dont know why I havent changed that yet... Must have skipped over it on accident!
Haha thanks


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Babies can have a wheel as soon as they are weaned. There is no reason to wait till they are 12 weeks old. Some babies won't use a wheel right away but they still should have access to one.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

You need to understand this unfortunate fact. People don't always do the right things, like doing research on an animal they adopt. While they should, they don't. And many times, they will only look in one place. 
So, in the event that a person adopts an animal from you, your care information may be the only information they see. Or even if they don't and find your page looking for a rabbit but read the hedgehog information and decide that they should get a hedgehog.

Here is my suggestion taking that sad fact into consideration. Break it down into sections. One fact at a time, ask yourself how accurate it is? Is it a good practice? Is your message coming across clearly? Can you back it up, will someone find the same information elsewhere? How current is your information? Is it all the information?



> First off, they need a mix of good quality & high in protein dry adult cat food daily (wet and dry).


Exapmle: look at that section I pulled from your site. 
how accurate it is? Moderately, do they need wet and dry? Can they have just one?
Is it a good practice? Yes, with an understanding of the next issues
Is your message coming across clearly? That depends on what your trying to get across.
Can you back it up, will someone find the same information elsewhere? Parts of it, yes.
How current is your information? OUTDATED. Back in the 90's early 2000's that was part of the standard answer. High protein, low fat. Since then, pet food manufactures went higher in the protein. *see the next question*
Is it all the information? Nope. Fat isn't mentioned at all. Good quality is very interpretive, nothing about identifying what is and isn't good quality, i.e. Meat as the first ingredient. High protein, "50% is the highest I can find so that's THE food."

Please understand I'm not trying to rip your information apart, I actually had to look for a section that I could break apart. You obviously care a great deal and have gone through a lot of work building your site. Some sections may need to have a sub-page with more detailed information.


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

twobytwopets said:


> You need to understand this unfortunate fact. People don't always do the right things, like doing research on an animal they adopt. While they should, they don't. And many times, they will only look in one place.
> So, in the event that a person adopts an animal from you, your care information may be the only information they see. Or even if they don't and find your page looking for a rabbit but read the hedgehog information and decide that they should get a hedgehog.
> 
> Here is my suggestion taking that sad fact into consideration. Break it down into sections. One fact at a time, ask yourself how accurate it is? Is it a good practice? Is your message coming across clearly? Can you back it up, will someone find the same information elsewhere? How current is your information? Is it all the information?
> ...


No, no, thank you so much for helping me!!! I really want my site to be as accurate as possible. I really appreciate this!


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

twobytwopets said:


> You need to understand this unfortunate fact. People don't always do the right things, like doing research on an animal they adopt. While they should, they don't. And many times, they will only look in one place.
> So, in the event that a person adopts an animal from you, your care information may be the only information they see. Or even if they don't and find your page looking for a rabbit but read the hedgehog information and decide that they should get a hedgehog.
> 
> Here is my suggestion taking that sad fact into consideration. Break it down into sections. One fact at a time, ask yourself how accurate it is? Is it a good practice? Is your message coming across clearly? Can you back it up, will someone find the same information elsewhere? How current is your information? Is it all the information?
> ...


Is this better? If anything needs to be changed, I would love if you could point it out.


> A hedgehog's diet needs to compose of a variety of foods. First off, they need a mix of good quality dry adult cat food daily. Do not use hedgehog food, as the nutrition provided is not suitable. Most hedgehogs benefit from 35% or lower protein and 10-20% fat content. Although depending on your hedgehog's size and activity level, you may need more or less. Often times you need to mix multiple cat foods together to get the perfect mix for your hedgehog's specific needs.
> Some good adult cat foods include: Blue Buffalo, Wellness, Wild Calling, and By Nature.
> Your hedgehog will also benefit from about 1/2 a tablespoon of wet cat food as a treat and part of their diet a few times a week. If your hedgehog requires wet food as their main diet (ie. they have missing or no teeth) you will need to make sure that the protein is lower than 35%, and the fat content is in the 10-20% range, and that you feed multiple brands.
> To learn more about hedgehog diets, click here and here.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Do you understand DMB?


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

Like this? http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/12-diet-nutrition/142274-dmb-calculator-program-build.html
Should I include it?


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

I wouldn't because it's really not for the beginner in most cases. But they will see in your guide that they need under 35%. 
So let's say they find one with 34%. Moisture is usually around the 70's so for basic calculations we will say it's 75% moisture. 
So 100-75(moisture content)= 25%dry matter.
34(%protein)/25(dry matter %)=1.36 convert that to a percentage, you have 136% protein. 
You know that percentage can't happen, but by you see where I'm going with this. At 25% protein with 75% moisture, the food is straight protein. Potentially putting a huge strain on their filtering organs. 
Personally I wouldn't give a percentage on wet cat food. Maybe offer to help someone needing diet selection help.


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## Petlover500 (Feb 29, 2016)

twobytwopets said:


> I wouldn't because it's really not for the beginner in most cases. But they will see in your guide that they need under 35%.
> So let's say they find one with 34%. Moisture is usually around the 70's so for basic calculations we will say it's 75% moisture.
> So 100-75(moisture content)= 25%dry matter.
> 34(%protein)/25(dry matter %)=1.36 convert that to a percentage, you have 136% protein.
> ...


That makes sense, will do. Thank you!


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