Hedgehogs from pet stores

[iZim]

One of my local pet stores got a baby hedgehog a week ago. As of right now, he is 39 days old. He is a pinto and he is already hand trained. The price is $129.99.

The problem is, I really want this hedgie, but I have heard bad things about hedgehogs from pet stores. The nearest (reputable) breeder is 2-3 hours away from me, and I do not think my mother is willing to 1-1.5 hours to meet the breeder for pick up, because she is a single mother and needs to take care of three kids.

Please give me what you would do and why.

Thank you.

[LizardGirl]

iZim,

After talking to you in chat, I think your best bet would be to wait until your mom (or yourself in a few years) is capable of going to a good breeder like Hurricane to get a hedgie. Wait until you are in a financial situation where you'll be able to afford the supplies and vet care that come along with ownership.

If the pet store told you the hedgie is 39 days old I would stay far far away because they are either lying or the hedgie is in desperate need to get back to its mother. They are weaned at 6-8 WEEKS, and if this is the hedgie you told me was there last week or the week before it was far too young to be away from mom.

Practically all pet stores know nothing about hedgies and are only trying to make money. Don't support them by buying a hedgehog there, they will only get more and treat those badly too.

[iZim]

Lizard,
We can afford the bills and food, we just can't find an hour in her hectic schedule to make time to drive all that way. I can certainly devote my time to caring for the hedgie and playing with the hedgie, it is just that she is trying to get her college degree, so it is pretty hard to find some free time, and when she does have some, she is running us everywhere for sports, school, and other activities.

And I realize they are lying to me, although I believe it meant the day it arrived at the store, but I think it said Date of birth. It still had decently sharp quills, yet it appeared to have been fully weaned and it also appeared to have been through the quilling process.

As for time, I think the soonest I can go that far is Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, where my mother wants to go to Venice Beach, Florida. I may try to get her to visit Beach Bum Hedgehogs while we are there, so this may work out.

[**hedgielove**:D]

I got my little boy from a pet store. I would ask the store where they got it from, the pet store i got Mushu from got him from a breeder. If he was weaned from his mother to early (39 days old?) then he was probably bottle fed which means he might be a biter. I have read about the risks of getting hedgehogs from a pet store, but if they got them from breeders then i'm not sure what the difference really is. those are just my thoughts though, I've only had my baby for a couple of months so i'm not exactly an expert.

[LizardGirl]

***hedgielove**, where are you getting your information? Anyone that will sell to a pet store won't go through the trouble of hand raising a hedgie. That is extremely difficult to do. Considering there aren't a great deal of hand raised hedgies out there, it would be difficult to stereotype them as biters. I have never heard of that being a problem.

A "breeder" that sells to any pet store should never be considered a responsible or reputable breeder.

[Nancy]

All pet stores get their hedgehogs from breeders but they are usually mills. A mill is still breeders so even if the baby has come from a mill, the pet store can say it came from a breeder and they aren't lying. No reputable breeder will sell to a pet store.

I don't know why a hand fed baby would be more likely to bite. If anything the opposite would be true as hand fed babies get a lot of socialization and handling.

[strawberryfields]

I would definitely say you stick with your plan to visit Beach Bum Hedgehogs! That is where I got my little Rocko. Shelly is a wonderful woman who spends ungodly amounts of time with her babies, so when the baby comes home he or she will be friendly and used to people. Rocko has only balled up once, and that was recently because he was quilling. We've had him for six weeks and he is healthy, happy, friendly, and beautiful. I recommend her to anyone in Florida that wants a hedgehog. Hurricane Hedgehogs is also a very reputable breeder, if Orlando is closer to you. Either way, getting Rocko from Beach Bum Hedgehogs was an awesome experience, and I plan on getting more babies from her in the future (Even if I live far away. That's how much I love her, hehe.)

[aesthetics]

If you look at the situation as "rescuing" the hedgehog, I don't see why not. There are worse situations, where people sell them on craigslist (Breeders, even!)

There is a family-owned petstore in my region, that breeds their own hedgehogs; and have a waiting list of upwards to ten months. I looked into it a while back, when I was deciding if I should get one.

Just talk to the pet store. Are they chain? or family owned? Likely, family owned may care for the quality of their animals. Conditions? Examine the hedgehog, of course! All situations persisting, everyone would buy from a breeder. (even though there are many hedgehogs to be rescued) And this little guy sounds like he could use a bit of rescuing, to me.

Just understand what you're getting yourself into. Should you fall in love with it, and want another, bare in mind you shouldn't breed a petstore hedgehog. Chances are, he's probably inbred himself. If he's hand trained, and is seeking a home, then rescue him. I say, it's better he goes to you (who sounds like they got their ducks in a row), than some impulse buyer.

[LizardGirl]

Even if that particular hedgie goes to a good home, where will the one that comse to fill his place go? The pet store is bound to get another once what they have is gone. It's better not to tell them there's a market for hedgies than to rescue that one, as harsh as it may seem.

iZim never mentioned breeding or even getting another, I'm not sure why you brought that up. That's certainly not something I would support, especially from a young, inexperienced owner.

[aesthetics]

Originally Posted by LizardGirl

Even if that particular hedgie goes to a good home, where will the one that comse to fill his place go? The pet store is bound to get another once what they have is gone. .... iZim never mentioned breeding or even getting another, I'm not sure why you brought that up.

At least that's one little hedgie going to a home that will love him/her permanently. That alone should at least warm people's hearts. Just because someone adopts a cat or dog at a pound, doesn't mean another dog or cat will take it's place. One animal at a time. It's honorable to adopt an animal in such a situation, than through a breeder, imo.

I mentioned breeding, because honestly, that's the only drawback I can possibly think, that involves rescuing a hedgehog. If they don't plan on breeding, ever, a hedgehog in this case, then I don't find the harm in saving an animal. I'm not supporting her to breed; I was just saying that if she doesn't plan to breed the hedgehog, which she shouldn't due to lack on lineage.