# New Hedgie Owner here...any advice?



## muziek713 (Aug 16, 2013)

Hey all! I've been scouring these forums for a while, but I figured I'd like some more personal advice.

I just got my hedgie a few days ago. His name is Mr. Bo Bowser  He's two months old.

We built him a little loft... he hasn't really used it yet. Thinking about getting him one of those dryer vent tubes for the ramp instead. He's actually pretty friendly but I have been a little worried lately. (probably me just being a new paranoid hedgie mommy)

He is pretty friendly. Some times he's more finicky and huffs more than others. But I find he really isn't active during day at all (I know they are nocturnal but it seems that some owners hedges will romp around a little. I take him out to run around the room but he just usually finds a towel or something to burrow under. Is this normal? He is active late into the night...runs on his wheel. I just don't see him moving around his cage a lot. Mostly he just sleeps.

I don't have much for toys yet. Just a wheel, and a bunch of felt strips and a hedgie sack. Any advice for toys?
















Also, attached are pictures of his cage. I used fleece for liners and such.

Any advice is really appreciated!!! I want to make sure I'm doing everything right!


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## Tom (Jul 21, 2013)

Welcome! Him not being active during day and wanting to sleep when out is completely normal.

Few tips:
Get a bigger cage- that one seems fairly small
Lose the Silent Spinner Wheel and opt for a Bucket Wheel, Flying Saucer, or Giant Comfort Wheel
Some hedgies won't use a loft- if you do continue to use one- either build a guard on the side so he can't fall off or use a dryer tube (also build a guard on the top so he doesn't fall off from the loft itself)

Most hedgies won't use toys- if they have their wheel, food, water, occasional treats, a place to hide/sleep and bonding time then they're happy.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

His behavior is perfectly normal.  It's pretty rare that hedgehogs will come out during the day, and many that do only come out for a quick snack, then back to bed. I wouldn't get him out and expect him to be active during the day - if you want to get him out for snuggles during the day, that's fine, just make sure he doesn't seem too disturbed by it & let him get his beauty sleep!

There's plenty of toy ideas listed in the Toys forum. Some common ones are toilet paper rolls (cut down the middle), small toy cars or cat toys, small stuffed animals, and digging boxes.

It's pretty common for hedgies not to use a second level. And I can't tell what the bottom of the ramp is - if that's cardboard as well, if he feels unsteady on it, that'll discourage him from using it as well. Also, because you'll probably get the comment sooner or later, the wheel you're using, the Silent Spinner, has been known to catch nails and toes and cause injuries - there's a picture in the Wheels Product Reviews forum, I believe, of a Silent Spinner covered in blood from a nail injury. Might be worth it to find a safer wheel - Comfort Wheels and Flying Saucers can both be found in pet stores usually, but bucket and cake cover wheels are more popular, quieter, and easier to clean. You can find those on breeder websites, or from www.carolinastormwheels.com. You can also make your own, there's tutorials on youtube.


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## muziek713 (Aug 16, 2013)

Hey thanks guys!
His ramp and the loft have ledges (it might be a bit hard to see) the loft has one only a few inches high then covered in felt... I just put the loft in yesterday so i need to get a bigger piece of wood for the side! The ramp is made of the same wood the loft is, just covered in felt and i just put up cardboard sides covered in felt for now (ran out of wood).

I got the wheel and cage from my friend who had a hedgie, but I've been seeing a lot of bad stuff about the wheel. I might snag a bucket wheel or make one! Any good tutorials you could shoot my way?

When is a good time to get him out to play? And what kind of bonding things would be good? He loves to romp around and find things to burrow in.

Also, here is the little guy


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## AngelaH (Jul 24, 2012)

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new quill-baby!

It is perfectly normal, and actually more common, for him to be hiding and sleeping all day. I never see Thistle during daylight unless I pull her out, and that makes her crabby. He'll be more likely to explore and play if you wait until nighttime and have the room dim.

I can't tell for sure from the picture, but I agree that wheel is probably too small. I think it's the same one I mistakenly started with and Thistle quickly outgrew. Look for a bucket wheel or giant comfort wheel. It can't be less than 10" diameter. I got a Carolina Storm Wheel and its been great and easy to clean.


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## Tom (Jul 21, 2013)

I see the ledges- but hedgies can climb quite high, the ledges should ideally extend to the top of the cage.


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## AngelaH (Jul 24, 2012)

Oops, my computer didn't refresh, sorry for basically repeating what was already said!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

He's a cutie!  I would still make the walls/ledges higher on the ramp and second level, like Tom said. The ledges you have might keep him from just walking off the ramp/level, but it won't stop him a bit if he tries to climb over it. Usually it's best to make second levels completely enclosed to make sure they're safe.

Honestly, you might be better off removing the second level, if he's not going to use it. Keep in mind, it's entirely likely he will pee and poop on the ramp or second level - pee will soak through the felt after awhile and if the wood's not sealed, you have no way to clean it. It'll get pretty disgusting pretty quickly!

Most people aim for getting their hedgie out in the evening, at least after 6 or 7 pm. For most hedgies, the later the better. If he's an explorer, you can lay on the floor and watch him run around and he'll get used to your presence that way. You can also let him snuggle into a blanket in your lap and sleep on you while you read, watch tv, etc.


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## muziek713 (Aug 16, 2013)

Will do on the ledges! Probably gunna get him a vent tube tomorrow  He hasn't even been in the loft so I didn't worry too much about it. The wheel is rather big. I think its a 12 inch. But I am going to get him a bucket wheel then. Or make one. It probably will be quieter >.<

The loft has only been up there a day (I just got him wednesday) Should I keep it up there a little longer... see if he uses it? Any suggestions on how to make more room for him then? I'll be in a dorm in a few weeks so I can't have a huge elaborate cage. The one I have is 3 feet by 2 feet ish. 

Awesome! I've been doing just that... sitting around while he scurries about on the floor, and then when I'm on the computer I have a sweatshirt or something in my lap and he just sleeps


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

My favourite DIY hedgehog wheel instructions. If you live in the US, you can reportedly find 12" cake-toppers at Walmart or Target, but if you live in Canada, no such luck & you'll have to find & cut a bucket instead. If you don't have all the tools you need, see if your city/town has a hacker/maker space.

For hedgehog-adventuring... I sometimes go on supervised-explorations with my hedgehog, leaving him shoes, dirty laundry, clean laundry, musical instruments (his favourite), books, and other goodies to sniff. Just make sure to block off anywhere he shouldn't go (behind bookcases!), and be ready to intervene if he manages to nibble on something he shouldn't, or need help getting off something he climbed.

Since he's brand-new and just-got-home, who knows if he'll use the loft or not? I'll go with the minority opinion and say leave it in for a little while to see if he likes it. If he does, you can upgrade & improve it to work longer-term (the pee-soaked-into-wood is a very valid issue; a temp-fix is line it with coroplast under the felt?). If he doesn't, you won't have spent a lot of money fixing something he never uses & that you end up taking out. A temporary-fix to the too-short walls is to string up a fabric-wall or coroplast-wall all the way up to the ceiling -- something that would be a pain to clean longer-term, but would keep him safe while finding out if he even likes the loft-concept.

If you do end up switching cages over time, bins or C&Cs are flexible enough in shape to fill in strange places around dorm furniture -- under desks, wrapping around corners, taking over a lofted bed space.


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

I have a similar sized cage - I compensate by taking him out for playtime every night, often in different parts of the house, so he gets to smell new things, try to eat new things out of the carpet, try to wedge himself into new places, etc! I do this after he's woken up for the night, eaten a bit, and had a good run and poo on his wheel (~9:30pm). He has a playpen ~3x the size of his cage too, although when I put him in there, he usually just runs on his wheel. I think right now your hedgehog is probably adjusting to the new place - everything smells new and different and therefore scary, and will take time for him to feel safe enough to explore at length.

I second hedgie-proofing your dorm room, and also get or DIY a playpen that you can put in different spaces (friends' dorm rooms! The hallway! The common room!) to give him some variety of scenery. I cut up a long cardboard box into 4x1ft wide strips and taped them together into a loop for my pig's pen. He sometimes tries to chew the tape and the cardboard, and I think he could wriggle under it if he were really determined, so I have to supervise when he's in it, but it works fine (with a bit of intervention and redirection) and was free, so it's good for now!

As long as he's getting handled regularly, gets out and about decently often, and loves his wheel, I don't think you'll have much trouble with the cage you have. Look up signs of stress and boredom, so you'd recognize symptoms if you saw 'em, and take your cues from your pig. Nights I don't take Ambrose out, he often pulls his snuggle bag inside out, burrows under his liner, folds his litter liner under his wheel, and generally wreaks havoc.


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## muziek713 (Aug 16, 2013)

Thanks so much! I notice he doesn't come out for the night until late... like 3 am. But that's after being handled a few times during the day, and he's only been here a few days. Maybe he's still adjusting? Or is that a normal time?

I will definitely have to make him a playpen. the cardboard one would be really easy. I'm in a suite setting so i could use the hallway and common room etc.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Babies sleep a LOT, so that's pretty normal for them to get up late or only stay up for a few hours. As long as he's eating, drinking, and pooping/peeing, he should be just fine.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

If I don't intervene and wake him for playtime, my small friend wakes up on his own at 9:30 for breakfast, takes a small (15min) jog, poops, and returns to sleep until 11pm, when he repeats the cycle. Around 1am, he wakes up for solo-playtime interspersed with naps, with quick warm-up jogs on the wheel interrupted by cage-exploring. He doesn't get seriously running until 2am.

If he's playing with his people (human-wake-up call is always after 7pm, usually after 9pm), the timing gets all wonky, but he still gets hyperactive at 2am and demands his wheel even if he has the whole house to explore.

If he's had a daytime disturbance (meeting visitors, vet visit, cage cleaning day), no matter how short the disturbance, his entire schedule shifts back by 2 hours.

So, yeah, 3am-peak-activity sounds entirely normal and fine.


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

Just make sure you get some carpet cleaner (preferably one without gross chemicals that could harm your hedgehog during later explorations) and/or a fleece blanket to put under the playpen (pee will still soak through single layer fleece). Don't want to have to explain hedgehog poop smears on the carpet to your suite mates!


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## muziek713 (Aug 16, 2013)

good news! he started using the loft! super excited.

I had just a few other questions...
Whats the best brand of cat food to feed them? And how much should i be feeding him?

Also, He's losing a lot of quills lately...He was born in June (early june i believe) I'm not sure if this is him quilling or something to be concerned about. Any advice?
Thanks!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Either way, that'd make him between probably 10-12 weeks. They quill at 6, 9, and 12 weeks, and for many hedgies, they can start early/late, or have all three just seem to run into each other so they quill for six straight weeks. I would guess he's just quilling. 

For food, there's a few stickies in the Nutrition forum - http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/foru...3034-beginner-s-guide-hedgehog-nutrition.html, http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/12-diet-nutrition/12-dry-cat-food-list.html, and http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/12-diet-nutrition/23042-recommended-foods-list.html. The second one is more of a general list of ideas, but it's also pretty old, so some may have changed ingredients or analysis, so you'll want to double check. The third link has brands that have been popular among a lot of owners on the forum recently. As far as amount, I think that might be covered in the first sticky, but if not, usual amount is 2 tablespoons, but it's recommended to free feed - so try 2 tablespoons, if he eats it all, increase by half a tablespoon or so, and continue until he has a little left in the mornings. If he gains weight, the usual first approach is to lower the amount of fat in the food first before limiting food.


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