Heat lamp okay for babies?

[AmptheWaldo]

I recently just came home today to newborn baby hedgehogs which I assume just happened last night.
I know they are supposed to keep them and the mother together in a dark corner with a sheet or blanket over the cage,
But I've always used a heat lamp to keep my hedgehogs warm,
Will they be warm enough with just a blanket? or should I keep the heat lamp?

[Lilysmommy]

What kind of heat lamp do you have? Does it give off light? If so, that's not what you should be using. You need a CHE or ceramic heat emitter bulb, which gives off heat only. The babies need to be kept warm & mom needs to stay at the same temperature she's used to in order to avoid hibernation attempts. So if you're not already using one, make sure it's a CHE bulb & keep using it.

Mom also needs light - you don't want to keep them in darkness day & night. Make sure she's still getting a light schedule of 12-14 hours during the daytime. I don't think a dark corner & covered cage is necessary - you just need to make sure the room where the cage is isn't frequently used so that you can stay out & let them have privacy.

[AmptheWaldo]

The one I have emits a red light, so I will have to fix that. Do you know what stores sell the CHE bulb? Can I get it from Petsmart?

And so will a blanket be okay for now while I go get the CHE light bulb?

[Lilysmommy]

I would just leave the heat bulb on for now while you go get the CHE bulb. They do sell them at Petsmart. The same wattage as your heat bulb should be fine. And another note - if you don't use a thermostat with your heat bulb, they're usually a good idea to use with CHE bulbs. The thermostat turns the CHE bulb on & off as needed to keep a steady temperature. But the main concern right now is the CHE bulb.

[AmptheWaldo]

Okay, and one more thing, are they expensive at all? I just spent a lot of money on my anniversary with my fiance and I might have to pull a tiny bit from my savings

[Lilysmommy]

They're typically $30-40, depending on the wattage you buy. It'd probably be best to take $50 or so, just to be safe! They do last for years though. Also, make sure you open the box and take a look at the bulb before you buy it, sometimes they can be deformed & such.

[AmptheWaldo]

Ouch, looks like I will have to dip into it then. But it's all for unexpected babies safety so here goes.
Thank you very much!

[AmptheWaldo]

So what wattage then because petsmart only have the cheaper ones, is 60 watt okay?

[Lilysmommy]

It depends on the cage size and how open it is. I'd get the highest wattage you can. If that's 60, it wouldn't hurt to get it for now & you can order a higher wattage online, then return the 60-watt when you get the better one.

[nikki]

I just wanted to mention that unless you have been keeping the cage covered before the babies were born I wouldn't start covering it now. A big change like that can stress mom out and put the babies in danger.