[Free2Dream]

I looked through the forum archives and couldn't find the answer to my question... sorry if I overlooked it!

I am well aware of the temperature requirements of hedgehogs, but I am more than a little paranoid about keeping Annabelle comfortable through fall and winter. She is currently living in a cage with a flat plastic bottom and wire sides. I bought her a "small animal heated pad," which is designed for outdoor rabbits. Here's a link to the product: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2754324

Do you think this would be sufficient for heating? The apartment where I live supposedly stays relatively warm during the winter (according to the landlord), but I want to make sure that while I'm comfortable lounging around in a sweater, my hedgie doesn't get cool enough to hibernate, the thought of which absolutely terrifies me. If I slip the heated pad under the cage and keep it on day/night, do you think that will be sufficient? I also plan on buying her a SnuggleSafe disc to keep in the cage just in case of power outages and the like.

I would go the space heater route, but I am worried about driving up the heating bill, and the thought of having a space heater on during the day while I'm not there makes me very nervous.

Please share your advice! Thank you!

 

[Immortalia]

The problem with having ONLY a heat pad, or something similar, is that the air inside the cage is still cold. You can end up with a hedgie that refuses to come out of their nice warm sleeping place because the air outside of it is too cold.

That being said, it also depends on what the temperature is, which is where having a digital thermometer reading the temperature inside the cage comes in handy.
For example, I don't use any other outside heat source, because I personally like a warmer environment. My apartment is always set at 78-80 in the summer, and 76 in the winter months. So the cage thermometer always reads 76-77. And same thing when I'm at my mom's. Only in the winter, I also have a space heater for my room as well.

IF your thermometer does not stay at a stable temperature, then you will have to invest in a ceramic heat emitter, since you don't want to use a space heater. If you do a search for "ceramic heat emitter" lots of different threads will come up.

 

[Free2Dream]

All right, I am looking into the heat emitters now. How would I suspend the bulb above her cage? Would I have to rig something up, or could I safely hang the lightbulb from the top of the cage?

Sorry I'm such a newbie, haha. Thank you for helping.

 

[Immortalia]

If you do a search for "ceramic heat emitter" many threads will pop up, including what you need.

But basically, you'll need the reptile heat lamp to put the bulb in, and that can actually rest on top of your cage, since it's a wire top/plastic bottom. Just make sure you have a thermostat with the emitter. Again, just do a search and there are links to those as well.