One other thing to remember is that when some of us seem adamant that things need to be done a certain way its because we have been around for years, seen it done otherwise and seen hedgehogs die from unnecessary risks. We talk from experience.
Some hedgehogs may do fine at temperatures of 68 or 69. The problem is you are taking a risk. A single hibernation attempt can cause a hedgehog to become ill.
Let me share with you an experience, while I don't remember each and every detail I do remember the situation and the outcome well. About 8 or so years ago, I was in the old CnQ chat room when a new person joined in frantically because her hedgehog was cold, stiff and unresponsive (seemed to happen a lot back then). I asked if she was keeping the hedgehog at 72. She replied no. I talked to her for a long time that evening until the hedgehog woke back up, was eating and walking normally again. A few days to a week later she emailed me that the hedgehog was not eating. A long story short, the hedgehog developed a URI, which quickly turned into pneumonia and later died. The vet felt that the hibernation attempt lowered the immune system, letting the URI take hold, to run rampant and ultimately causing its death.
Even if you catch your hedgehog attempting to hibernate, illness can show up later from it. It has been our experience that it is best to not even take a risk in this area.
I wish you the best with your hedgehog, but please do understand where some of us are coming from. We have been there, done that, and suffered the heart ache from it.
Some hedgehogs may do fine at temperatures of 68 or 69. The problem is you are taking a risk. A single hibernation attempt can cause a hedgehog to become ill.
Let me share with you an experience, while I don't remember each and every detail I do remember the situation and the outcome well. About 8 or so years ago, I was in the old CnQ chat room when a new person joined in frantically because her hedgehog was cold, stiff and unresponsive (seemed to happen a lot back then). I asked if she was keeping the hedgehog at 72. She replied no. I talked to her for a long time that evening until the hedgehog woke back up, was eating and walking normally again. A few days to a week later she emailed me that the hedgehog was not eating. A long story short, the hedgehog developed a URI, which quickly turned into pneumonia and later died. The vet felt that the hibernation attempt lowered the immune system, letting the URI take hold, to run rampant and ultimately causing its death.
Even if you catch your hedgehog attempting to hibernate, illness can show up later from it. It has been our experience that it is best to not even take a risk in this area.
I wish you the best with your hedgehog, but please do understand where some of us are coming from. We have been there, done that, and suffered the heart ache from it.
