Hey there! I’m glad to hear you’re excited about hedgehogs and want to have one in your care. Some posts I’ve read in this thread definitely brought out some good points, but I thought I’d share my two sense!
First off, you seem passionate about animals. Good for you! We need more people to raise awareness for animals and animal conservation. However, just because you *can* get an animal does not mean you should. There are a few contradicting statements throughout this thread. Hedgehogs can stink. They are omnivores just like us, and their poop shows it. And while hedgehogs do usually clean themselves, they can get quite messy. If they have an exercise wheel, they will- will- poop in it, due to their digestive system being more active when they’re more active. That means that they will step all over their poop in that wheel throughout the night. They can be litter trained, but even the most trained Hedgies can still be lax about using it while running. Also, they can make quite a bit of noise throughout the night. Being nocturnal, they’re asleep most if not all of the day, so they’re doing everything at night- crunching their food, running, exploring, etc. That gets noisy. If you do get a hedgehog, keep that into consideration when deciding where to house them.
Vet care is a must. They don’t require standard vaccinations or procedures, especially if the breeder has already fixed them, but an annual check up should be highly considered. This will run you, conservatively, about 100$. Keep this in mind as well.
Finally, I am a bit hung up on you *catching* pets. Your enthusiasm is commendable, but be responsible about animal care. Wild animals, even the smallest of ants, should never be taken out of their natural home- period. Hedgehogs require a good bit of socialization, bonding, and training if you want, so don’t take them lightly as an ‘observe’ pet, and make sure you have the time and energy to care for them!
I don’t mean to sound too blunt, just trying to give you as much info as possible. If you do get a hedgehog, yay! You’ll love them as much as I do. I hope this helps!
First off, you seem passionate about animals. Good for you! We need more people to raise awareness for animals and animal conservation. However, just because you *can* get an animal does not mean you should. There are a few contradicting statements throughout this thread. Hedgehogs can stink. They are omnivores just like us, and their poop shows it. And while hedgehogs do usually clean themselves, they can get quite messy. If they have an exercise wheel, they will- will- poop in it, due to their digestive system being more active when they’re more active. That means that they will step all over their poop in that wheel throughout the night. They can be litter trained, but even the most trained Hedgies can still be lax about using it while running. Also, they can make quite a bit of noise throughout the night. Being nocturnal, they’re asleep most if not all of the day, so they’re doing everything at night- crunching their food, running, exploring, etc. That gets noisy. If you do get a hedgehog, keep that into consideration when deciding where to house them.
Vet care is a must. They don’t require standard vaccinations or procedures, especially if the breeder has already fixed them, but an annual check up should be highly considered. This will run you, conservatively, about 100$. Keep this in mind as well.
Finally, I am a bit hung up on you *catching* pets. Your enthusiasm is commendable, but be responsible about animal care. Wild animals, even the smallest of ants, should never be taken out of their natural home- period. Hedgehogs require a good bit of socialization, bonding, and training if you want, so don’t take them lightly as an ‘observe’ pet, and make sure you have the time and energy to care for them!
I don’t mean to sound too blunt, just trying to give you as much info as possible. If you do get a hedgehog, yay! You’ll love them as much as I do. I hope this helps!
