new hedgie

Do you have 300 all together? Or do you have money for the hedgie then 300 left over?

I add prices around what I think they would be where I live feel free to change anything
Things you will need :

Cage depending on the type 10-20 $ OR 60-120 $
fleece ( or bedding) 20$ (for a good amount)
Food 10$
Water bottle or water dish 2-6 $
Wheel 15-20$
toys 5-10$
litter box w/litter 10$
igloo or a hiding hole 6$

Anyone feel free to add on to this if I forgot something.

It depends on what you need and want and in what quality:

Cage- C&C $40-$60, tub $10- $15

Heating- Ceramic Emitter $ 80 (ceramic bulb, lamp, thermostat).

Thermometer- $10-$25

Liners- $20- ... We got a delux pack from Nancy for a tub that had 3 liners, and 4 little hidders (hat, bag, blanket) for $80 or so (depends on the size of cage). They are really good quality! But we now realize its not the size of cage we want for her and are in the process of switching.

Wheel- $40 is average

Igloo- $6- $10

Dishes $4- $25 (normally recommend 4 dishes-2 water, 2 food)

Food- $12- $15

(if anything is ordered online remember to add in the shipping costs! They can really get you there)

That is the basics of a cage. Toys can either be things around the home or even little toys from the dollar store so don't necessarily cost a lot. We have 3 playpens that hook together so when she is out she is not loose but still lots of room. What you get will mostly depend on you and your preferences. My biggest recommendation would be to follow the guidelines of this forum and then go from there. All the Best!

Cheapest set up (while safe) I've seen:

Free:
* LARGE plastic ice cream tub or cool whip tub with door cut out for an 'igloo' - Priceless (come on, you get to eat the ice cream!! - I'm talking one of those 4L tubs, mmm)
* A shirt you've worn recently & don't mind never wearing again - put it in the cage in the sleeping area for your sent & added warmth/comfort - CHECK FOR LOOSE THREADS AND REMOVE
* Toilet paper roll cut down the centre for a toy (replace weekly/biweekly)
* Paper bag as a toy (Sylvie loves to play & dig when I give her one)
* Paper towel for a litter liner (free as I'm guessing you already keep some in your house)

Low cost:
* LARGE plastic sterlite bin - $15ish? (search the forums on the bins, use & modification)
* Food dishes - $10-20? Remember not to get ones from the dollar store as the paint may contain chemicals that will seep into the food/drink (any dishes from China/Japan/Asia) - you can also try a cat dish, some people have luck, others the hedgies flip them.
* Fleece for liner - check out walmart or target, espec in the summer, tends to be cheaper. Cut it to size. You can also cut up pieces into 1" x 3" (ish) pieces & throw them in the 'igloo'
* depending on the wheel, a pan for a litter dish (or if you go with a CWS, you may find just using paper towel is enough)

Things I would 'splurge' on (aka. needed & worth the extra money to get 'the next grade up'):
* Wheel - $40 - $60. I would recommend going bigger & more expensive, you'll probably find yourself wanting to within a couple weeks. Search the forums for DOs & DON'Ts on wheels
* Food - again, search the forum, Reaper has a great suggested foods list. Take the list to the store with you & see if you can't find 3 on the list & that's your cost (get the smallest bags possible. many people will divide the food up & put it in the freezer, search the forums for 'expired food')
* Heat emitter & thermostat - these will depend on your set up & your needs. Sylvie has a digital thermo for her cage but no heat emitter as I like my apt hot & keep the whole place warm
* Scale - get a digital scale, very important for making sure you're hedgie stays healthy. You might find one on sale at walmart, targets or even in your grocery store. A digital food scale works great.

Ok so I didn't price those last things, but pricing really depends on where you are.

Oh & a little something I would throw in there - pump hand sanitizer. I keep some near Sylvie's cage so if anyone is handling her (even just a pat) they can clean their hands right away after rather than forgetting. It's too easy to think "ah I just patted the hedgie, my hands aren't that dirty" without remember "ah yes, the wheel & running through their own pee & poop"