Brand new hedgehog owner.. In a week

[JavaJoy01]

I am in the process of getting my first Hedgehog and I found this site doing research. I had to put a down payment on her because we have to pay our taxes this week so all my paycheck had to be dumped into that, so next weekend I will pay her off and pick her up. My new hedgehog will be a little girl and is about 3 months old. She's a light brown/cinnamon color and very sweet. She did not roll into a ball when I held her and she was very curious hence why I chose her. I have a tank and an exercise wheel. I need to get the food and bedding when I get her. Now I have a colony of Dubia Roaches that I bred to feed my bearded dragon, but she won't eat them. Can I feed the Dubia to the Hedge Hog? What other advice can you all share with a newbie??

[Lilysmommy]

Welcome to the forum!

Just so you know, a tank isn't really ideal at all for a hedgehog. They're usually not large enough (and ones that are are pretty heavy and hard to wash out completely), and they don't have good ventilation at all. It'd be a good idea to look into other cage options for one that's better suited.

Yup, dubia are just fine to be fed to a hedgehog! Other good insect treats are mealworms and crickets.

For other advice, my best advice is to download and read this care book - http://www.westcoasthedgehogs.com/fi.../download.html It's very thorough and up-to-date and you may find information in there that you missed in your previous research. I'd definitely take a look through it before you bring your new girl home, in case there's anything you need to get still, or change. One thing that you haven't mentioned that could be a big deal - what kind of heating set up are you planning on using for her? She'll need to be kept between 73-78* and it's best if the temperature stays steady.

[JeffX]

The roaches will be fine.

I'd look into a different setup for her. Tanks aren't the best. It'll work temporarily though. You should be able to get a wired cage for anywhere 40-80 dollars.

[JavaJoy01]

I do plan on a better house, the tank is just a temp home till I find the perfect home. I have my choice if pet smart or pet shop and neither has much of a selection to choose from. Do you all have some sites that sell houses so I can research more?.

As for heating, since we have a bearded dragon, we have a bunch of heat lamps with the bulbs that don't produce lights. I was told that would work, that or heating pads. I'm kinda Leary if hearing pads thou.

[JavaJoy01]

As for heating, since we have a bearded dragon, we have a bunch of heat lamps with the bulbs that don't produce lights. I was told that would work, that or heating pads. I'm kinda Leary if hearing pads thou.

[Lilysmommy]

I really like Foster & Smith if you're looking to order online. They removed a very bad hedgehog food from their product line when I pointed out that it was horrible nutrition-wise. I've been pretty impressed by them ever since that and like recommending people to their site because of it. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/

And great, you're right on point with heating! Heating pads aren't a great option for hedgehogs, so your choice of the CHE lamps is right. Just make sure to use a thermostat too.

[JeffX]

I second Drs. Foster and Smith. You can also find cages to buy online from Petco and Petsmart as well. I'm not sure how much of a price difference their is, but you could always check around.