I've taken in many hedgehogs from students who found they were too busy while in college to care for the hedgehog. There are also many on the internet sales sites like kijiji and craigs list. I do not recommend getting a hedgehog before you start college because you don't know how busy you will be. If you are already in college and have been through exams already, you know your time commitment both with studies and social life and can make a much better decision as to if you have time for a hedgehog.
One of the major issues we see on the forums and lists is a health problem develop and the "poor college student", not having the money to take it to the vet. This happens all the time and the hedgehog is the one that suffers.
We also see complaints, now that the hedgehog is living in the room with the student, the noise the hedgehog makes at night becomes an issue, or the smell when hedgie poops while up at night, or the student doesn't have the time to clean the cage, or the room is too hot because of the heat or, or, or, or....
You cannot adjust a hedgehogs time clock. They will still be up at some point during the night so if you are a light sleeper and the hedgehog has to be in your room chances are there will be problems.
Think about where you'll be when school is over. Do you go home for the summers and vacations and will your parents let you bring the hedgehog and do you travel in a way that the hedgehog can go with you. This is another recurring issue we see.
Talk to the shelters about how many puppies and kittens are brought in by students who get a pet to keep them company and then find they don't have the time or finances for it or they finish school and can't take it with them.
Yes, in many cases students having a hedgehog works fine but there are many that don't work out and the hedgehog suffers.
One of the major issues we see on the forums and lists is a health problem develop and the "poor college student", not having the money to take it to the vet. This happens all the time and the hedgehog is the one that suffers.
We also see complaints, now that the hedgehog is living in the room with the student, the noise the hedgehog makes at night becomes an issue, or the smell when hedgie poops while up at night, or the student doesn't have the time to clean the cage, or the room is too hot because of the heat or, or, or, or....
You cannot adjust a hedgehogs time clock. They will still be up at some point during the night so if you are a light sleeper and the hedgehog has to be in your room chances are there will be problems.
Think about where you'll be when school is over. Do you go home for the summers and vacations and will your parents let you bring the hedgehog and do you travel in a way that the hedgehog can go with you. This is another recurring issue we see.
Talk to the shelters about how many puppies and kittens are brought in by students who get a pet to keep them company and then find they don't have the time or finances for it or they finish school and can't take it with them.
Yes, in many cases students having a hedgehog works fine but there are many that don't work out and the hedgehog suffers.
