# Lighting my room hedgie-friendly?



## margolia.wind (Oct 4, 2010)

Hi!
So the more ready I get (10 days!), the more nervous I become that something is going to go wrong - and the more obsessive I get about reading everything posted here. However, I'Mm still running into questions. Right now - as I'm organising all the bags and bags of things I have been buying, I'm wondering what to do about light in my room.
So, I have a lamp on a timer beside the cage. I am thinking I will have the timer set from 7am to 7pm, as that works well with my weekday schedule. However, what is only now occurring to me is that, in fact, I will not be going to bed at 7pm. My baby will be living in my one-room apartment with me, which is of a...cozy variety (small-ish). What I'm wondering is if there is a way for me to have enough light in my room to function for the hours until I go to bed. I know I will be taking her out and handling her for at least an hour after she wakes up, but I will also have stuff of my own to get done. 
I realise from my reading here that it depends on the hedgehog how much light it will put up with and I know that as we are going to be roommates, we'll have to work together a bit, but I don't want to distrupt her light cycle. 
What can I do? Would a dim light that pointed away from the cage be okay? I have a reading light I can use if I am only reading, but realistically there will be nights when there is more for me to do. 
Sorry for the convoluted question. I'm trying to work everything out in my mind.


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

Mine have their light on from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. and even then they will come out to wheel and eat if I have the computer monitor light on, as long as not the main room light. I'd say if you are going to be up past 10 p.m. or 11 p.m and she/he isn't coming out because it is too bright, you could cover the cage with a blanket (like people do for birds) so it is darker in the cage, or you could perhaps block off a small section of its area with perhaps cardboard to block direct light during the later hours that you want to be up.

You will want to make sure its fairly consistent and watch that it is staying active, not sleeping all the time. Once you find a general schedule that provides ample lighting for both of you, just stick to it as best you can. That helps them stay on schedule as well for their body regulating. 

You could also have a dimmer light in a different area of the room where you are likely to hang out but don't need full lighting for the task. Say, a reading light near your bed but further from the hedgie and not as bright as room light.

Hope this helps.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Mine have their lights on 7ish am to 9-10 pm. 

Past that, you can put a dark towel around the cage to block out the light until you are ready for bed. A folding screen will also work. The screen can be as simple as a cardboard 3 sided presentation board. Anything that will block light into the cage but not inhibit air flow will work.


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