Hey guys. I've been doing my best to research here without doing a new post but I would just like some fairly direct answers to some specific questions that I have about hedgehogs. I am a horse/dog person, have never owned a small animal before of any sort (except a bird, hehe) so I am VERY clueless when it comes to the whole light/heat thing.
1) Can someone explain to me exactly how a CHE works? How long it stays on, how exactly using a digital thermometer works (does it turn it off when it reaches a certain temperature?) I know this sounds REALLY dumb but hey, everyone has to start somewhere right? hehe. Does this also work as the "light" for the hedgehog, or can someone explain that as well?
2) What is a good "starter" cage? Eventually I'd like to do the whole "cube" cage type thing (not sure exactly what it's called) but for starters, I'd like to use something I can pick up off Craigslist or at Petsmart.
3) Do hedgehogs smell at all? I know animals like ferrets and rabbits tend to carry an odor but I'm curious about hedgehogs. Is keeping one in someone's bedroom going to be noticable? Also, how noisy are they at night? Do they make little sounds as they get hyper and whatnot? Just merely curious on that one.
4) How do hedgehogs associate dogs in the room? If a dog is around, is the hedgehog going to "sense" danger and be less willing to be friendly? The hedgehog will stay in my room 24/7 but the dog is only in there at night as the upstairs of our house is off limits to the dog during the day.
5) When the temperature is warm outside (say springtime, so 70s F) can hedgehogs go outside? If I set up a little pen for them (supervised, of course), do they enjoy being in grass and whatnot?
Everything else seems fairly explanatory. Food, water, bedding (I am diggin the fleece liner idea), cute little house for them to hide, toys etc.
Thanks, and I apologize again for my ignorance but I am just trying to learn as much as possible before taking one home!
1) Can someone explain to me exactly how a CHE works? How long it stays on, how exactly using a digital thermometer works (does it turn it off when it reaches a certain temperature?) I know this sounds REALLY dumb but hey, everyone has to start somewhere right? hehe. Does this also work as the "light" for the hedgehog, or can someone explain that as well?
2) What is a good "starter" cage? Eventually I'd like to do the whole "cube" cage type thing (not sure exactly what it's called) but for starters, I'd like to use something I can pick up off Craigslist or at Petsmart.
3) Do hedgehogs smell at all? I know animals like ferrets and rabbits tend to carry an odor but I'm curious about hedgehogs. Is keeping one in someone's bedroom going to be noticable? Also, how noisy are they at night? Do they make little sounds as they get hyper and whatnot? Just merely curious on that one.
4) How do hedgehogs associate dogs in the room? If a dog is around, is the hedgehog going to "sense" danger and be less willing to be friendly? The hedgehog will stay in my room 24/7 but the dog is only in there at night as the upstairs of our house is off limits to the dog during the day.
5) When the temperature is warm outside (say springtime, so 70s F) can hedgehogs go outside? If I set up a little pen for them (supervised, of course), do they enjoy being in grass and whatnot?
Everything else seems fairly explanatory. Food, water, bedding (I am diggin the fleece liner idea), cute little house for them to hide, toys etc.
Thanks, and I apologize again for my ignorance but I am just trying to learn as much as possible before taking one home!