[KY Grow Guy]

Hello everyone,

I am getting a hedgehog for my 11 yr old daughter who is in love with animals. she has proven herself responsible in caring for our other pets (with assistance of course) and is gaga over hedgehogs.

After weeks of reading, watching videos, and perusing the internet, I have found this forum and wanted to go over the choice of supplies that we have shipping in to be ready for when we pick up the hedgehog.

I want to make sure that we give this unique animal a happy life and due to the level of difficulty that these little cuties can sometimes offer, I will most likely become the primary care giver until I am absolutely certain she can handle the responsibility.

First off, I am leaning towards an adult female, almost 2 yrs old. The breeder describes her as "sweet and loves to explore" . My logic behind getting an adult is that they have already gone through quilling. Also I assume most people go for the babies so it gives an older hedgie a chance. I have seen where adults may take longer to bond with, but I am patient.
IS THIS FLAWED LOGIC?

Here is a list of items I am going to use. PLEASE let me know what and why any of these items are not suitable. I am here to learn.

Food : Chicken Soup for the Soul: Weight and Mature Care Dry Cat Food / and dried mealworms for treats

Housing : wire storage cubes that will be lined with cloth for bedding(fleece,blankets, etc.) the total area will be a 29"x29"x15" space.
I also have some soft, plushy hideouts for her so that she can rest/feel safe.

water: I was going to use a small dish due to the horror stories I have read about tongue amputation from getting stuck in a water bottle.

Wheel : THIS IS THE IMPORTANT ONE - A few of my family members are light sleepers so I looked up "silent wheels" and found the silent runner. I thought "awesome looks great" it advertised a trimmer track. I thought " Even better! Now I don't have to worry about clipping her nails too short." (I did that once to a bunny I had. NEVER FORGAVE MYSELF) So I order it. But the issue is there is absolutely nothing I can find consumer review wise that have used it for hedgehogs.
On top of that I just found out that they run on the balls of their feet so I don't know if it would do any good. But I'm more concerned, will it do harm?

Lighting ; I have a timer that I am going to set a lamp for 12L/12D roughly 8am-8pm to prevent hibernation and have a digital thermo to ensure the heat stays between 72-78 . ANY TIPS ON LIGHTING AND HEAT WOULD BE GREAT.

Bathing : baby wash with moisturizer and soft toothbrush.

That's it. If I am forgetting anything please let me know. Give it to me straight. I'm not easily offended and like knowing how to do things right.

Thanks for reading!

~KY Grow Guy

 

[AnnaLK]

First off, please understand that some hedgehogs will never be the cuddly pets you see on the Internet. Your daughter might never find an interest in her, especially since they're most active at night, and they're not usually playful. It seems like you mostly understand this though.
An adult female is fine, but as you said, it might take more time to bond. She may be sweet now, but this can still change when you bring her home, even though she's done quilling. Also be prepared for the fact that she might never open up, or might always be grumpy.
For food, I believe that one is fine. Most people feed a mix of two or more foods just in case one gets recalled or something. Take a look at the stickies for more on treats and feeding.
A C&C cage is awesome! Be careful with using blankets. Any exposed threads/seams can catch a toenail and cut off circulation. Same with plush houses.
Water bowl is good. I reccomend using ceramic so it doesn't tip.
Is it also called a Silent Spinner? If so, those wheels are not safe for hedgehogs. Could you post a picture of it so we can see?
Personally, I recommend a Carolina Storm Wheel. They're silent, safe and easy to clean!
Yes, please do not use the nail filing track. They do not work with hedgies and it will rub her paws raw.
Lighting sounds good. What exactly are you using to heat the cage? I use a two CHEs connected to a thermostat. It's best to keep the temperature between a few degrees (like between 73-75 for example). Wide fluctuations also cause hibernation.
And bathing looks good to me.
I recommend that you look through the stickies to get even more knowledge. Good luck and welcome!

 

[Artemis-Ichiro]

Hello everyone,

I am getting a hedgehog for my 11 yr old daughter who is in love with animals. she has proven herself responsible in caring for our other pets (with assistance of course) and is gaga over hedgehogs.

After weeks of reading, watching videos, and perusing the internet, I have found this forum and wanted to go over the choice of supplies that we have shipping in to be ready for when we pick up the hedgehog.

I want to make sure that we give this unique animal a happy life and due to the level of difficulty that these little cuties can sometimes offer, I will most likely become the primary care giver until I am absolutely certain she can handle the responsibility.

First off, I am leaning towards an adult female, almost 2 yrs old. The breeder describes her as "sweet and loves to explore" . My logic behind getting an adult is that they have already gone through quilling. Also I assume most people go for the babies so it gives an older hedgie a chance. I have seen where adults may take longer to bond with, but I am patient.
IS THIS FLAWED LOGIC?

IF THE HEDGEHOG HASN'T BEEN HANDLED OR WAS MISSTREATED, IT WILL TAKE EASILY A YEAR TO BOND. YOU ALSO CAN HAVE A SHY NANY THAT WILL TAKE FORERVER TO BOND SO ITS A PERSONAL CHOICE

Here is a list of items I am going to use. PLEASE let me know what and why any of these items are not suitable. I am here to learn.

Food : Chicken Soup for the Soul: Weight and Mature Care Dry Cat Food / and dried mealworms for treats
DRIED MEALWORMS ARE NOT GOOD, LIVE OR CANNED ARE OK AND THERE ARE OTHER INSECTS THAT YOU CAN FEED IT

Housing : wire storage cubes that will be lined with cloth for bedding(fleece,blankets, etc.) the total area will be a 29"x29"x15" space.
I also have some soft, plushy hideouts for her so that she can rest/feel safe.

water: I was going to use a small dish due to the horror stories I have read about tongue amputation from getting stuck in a water bottle.

Wheel : THIS IS THE IMPORTANT ONE - A few of my family members are light sleepers so I looked up "silent wheels" and found the silent runner. I thought "awesome looks great" it advertised a trimmer track. I thought " Even better! Now I don't have to worry about clipping her nails too short." (I did that once to a bunny I had. NEVER FORGAVE MYSELF) So I order it. But the issue is there is absolutely nothing I can find consumer review wise that have used it for hedgehogs.
On top of that I just found out that they run on the balls of their feet so I don't know if it would do any good. But I'm more concerned, will it do harm?

SILENT SPINNER ARE NOT TECOMMENDED, CAROLINA WHEELS ARE THE BEST AND ARE ACTUALLY SILENT.

YOU STILL NEED TO TRIM THEIR NAILS
ON REGULAR BASIS

Lighting ; I have a timer that I am going to set a lamp for 12L/12D roughly 8am-8pm to prevent hibernation and have a digital thermo to ensure the heat stays between 72-78 . ANY TIPS ON LIGHTING AND HEAT WOULD BE GREAT.

CHE LAMP WITH CHE BULB (SHOULD NOT EMIT ANY LIGHT) WITH A THERMOSTAT.

Bathing : baby wash with moisturizer and soft toothbrush.
AVEENO BABY WASH IS THE BEST

That's it. If I am forgetting anything please let me know. Give it to me straight. I'm not easily offended and like knowing how to do things right.

Thanks for reading!

~KY Grow Guy

Also, get vet insurance from National.

 

[KY Grow Guy]

Thanks for information.
The site link to the wheel is ... http://www.exoticnutrition.com/siruwh12inw.html
I emailed the manufacturer to make sure and they said that the trim track IS NOT recommended for hedgehogs. What confused me is that the site section under hedgehogs has it listed in supplies. Either way I have already decided not to even try it.

I have seen a lot of good stuff on here on the CSW. I think I might return the other and go with it in the long run.

I like the idea of CHE's with a timer. Can you detail your set up?

Thanks

 

[KY Grow Guy]

Thanks for all of the great info!

 

[AnnaLK]

Everything you want to know about heating is in this thread:
http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/113-heating/4048-heating-your-hedgehog-s-cage-simplified.html
Basically, I have the two 150 watt CHE bulbs from Amazon in 10" domes (I got mine at a feed store and used them for pigs. You can get them off of Amazon, but make sure they can be used for CHEs). They sit on the back of the cage, and are connected to a thermostat which turns them on and off. The temp stays around 74-75 degrees farenheight. Right next to the thermostat sensor, I have a sensor that leads to a thermometer so I can keep an eye on the temp.
I use the Zilla thermostat that can handle up to three lamps and 1000 watts, and the ZooMed thermometer. Everything I got off of Amazon, minus the domes.

 

[nikki]

Freeze dried mealworms can cause intestinal blockages and aren't recommended. Your wheel should have an open face since hedgehogs poop and pee while running on their wheel and one like the one you linked will trap all of that in with your hedgehog.

The CHE needs to be on a thermostat not a timer. A timer can be used with the light.

 

[Artemis-Ichiro]

Something else I forgot, be prepare to become the hedgehog parent, a lot of kids freak out with hedgehogs or get bored of them easily since they are not really kid friendly and some can take a long time to warm up to the owner, they are not playful and they are awake when kids sleep so it's possible your kid will have no interest in the pet after few days and you will have to take full responsibility for it.

Also hedgehogs are prone to a lot of ailments so vet bills can be expensive and you should also be willing to take it to the vet for simple things since by them being prey animals they hide illness and when things are discover they are usually emergencies.

 

[ArizonaHazelnut]

C&C cages are great! I made mine and love it!:smile:

My only question is, do you have a coroplast bottom to insert into the cubes? You just mentioned the wire cubes and then blankets for the bedding. You'll need something to cover the wire cubes, and you can buy a sheet of coroplast at Home Depot for $15 and cut it so it folds into a bottom (you'll want the sides at least 12" high to discourage climbing). Also, you'll need a lid on your cage to prevent escapes. I used more wire grids, and left one of the grids on a "hinge" made from zip ties so I can swing open the "door." I then use a clip to keep it firmly shut.

As others have mentioned above, blankets and towels can have loose threads which can wrap around your hedgie's toes and cause an emergency visit to the vet. I use fleece (which doesn't fray) and love it!

You will have to trim your hedgie's nails. There are several good posts about it on this forum. Thankfully, hedgehog nails are somewhat see-through, so you can usually tell with the quick is. I use regular human nail clippers and cut Hazel's nails while she's in a shallow bath so she can't curl up on me. Don't use the anything on the wheel to try to "sand" or "wear down" your hedgie's nails, as it will tear up the paws!

Best of luck! Enjoy!