[cloverbordercollie]

I would like to get a hedgehog but I don't know how to Care for them.:???: I need some advice about caring for them. Please give me all the info you have.

[Lara's mom]

Google Tiggywinkles Hedgehog Hospital. I visited the hospital the last time I was in England...Amazing place. They should have links to all kinds of info.

[mrandrei]

Hedgehogs are flea magnets, aren't they?

[Lara's mom]

No. Fleas don't live on hedgehog. However they are prone to ticks. Hedgehogs to not make good pets.

[Lunareclipse]

I had a hedgehog. He was great. You have to handle them for at least an hour everyday. They tend to be really shy. If you get one, make sure you have a more than average tolerance of pain. Their spikes are prickly, but not sharp. As long as you handle your hedgehog gently, you won't get stuck. Keep Noesporin and bandaids on hand just in case. Make sure you have a glass aguarium for him. No wire bars, especially for the floor. They have very tiny, fragile feet. I fed mine catfood because there wasn't a hedgehog food on the market at the time. I don't know if that has changed, but catfood worked great for him. I gave him pine bedding. For some reason the seller told me that cedar bedding could be dangerous for him. Make sure you change his bedding every two days. They have very little fur, so they do not shed. And they are not messy creatures. Sometimes when you change their bedding, they foam at the mouth and rub the foam on themselves. There is nothing wrong with them, they are just trying to smell like their new bedding. They are great if you want an unusual pet in a house full of cats. Cats quit bothering them after the first couple of pricks. They do make an unusual huffing noise. Nothing is wrong. They just do that. Just like barking is a dog noise. That's all i can remember from owning mine. Make sure you do lots of other research. Things may have changed from when I owned one.

[Lara's mom]

Hedgehogs are wild animals. They should not be sold as pets in the first place. Purchasing one is like getting a dog from a puppy mill. You just encourage those who are intent on making a quick buck to take more of these creatures out of the wild where they belong.

[cloverbordercollie]

Originally Posted by Lunareclipse

I had a hedgehog. He was great. You have to handle them for at least an hour everyday. They tend to be really shy. If you get one, make sure you have a more than average tolerance of pain. Their spikes are prickly, but not sharp. As long as you handle your hedgehog gently, you won't get stuck. Keep Noesporin and bandaids on hand just in case. Make sure you have a glass aguarium for him. No wire bars, especially for the floor. They have very tiny, fragile feet. I fed mine catfood because there wasn't a hedgehog food on the market at the time. I don't know if that has changed, but catfood worked great for him. I gave him pine bedding. For some reason the seller told me that cedar bedding could be dangerous for him. Make sure you change his bedding every two days. They have very little fur, so they do not shed. And they are not messy creatures. Sometimes when you change their bedding, they foam at the mouth and rub the foam on themselves. There is nothing wrong with them, they are just trying to smell like their new bedding. They are great if you want an unusual pet in a house full of cats. Cats quit bothering them after the first couple of pricks. They do make an unusual huffing noise. Nothing is wrong. They just do that. Just like barking is a dog noise. That's all i can remember from owning mine. Make sure you do lots of other research. Things may have changed from when I owned one.

Why in the world do you have to Groom a Hedgehog? Do you realy need to change his bedding every two days? why not longer? Did it ever wake you up at night?

[Lunareclipse]

I never said anything about grooming them. They groom themselves, except for the occasional bath. Why would you want to go more than 2 days without cleaning their cage. That would be unsanitary. At least scoop out the areas that they pooped and peed in. My hedgehog was not nocturnal, so he didn't keep me up. Sometimes he would wake up at night to go pee, like we all do.

[rayter]

Sure. Take note however that pet hedgehogs need to be kept indoors in the warm and should never be allowed to hibernate as this can be dangerous for domesticated hedgehogs.

[cloverbordercollie]

Originally Posted by Lunareclipse

I never said anything about grooming them. They groom themselves, except for the occasional bath. Why would you want to go more than 2 days without cleaning their cage. That would be unsanitary. At least scoop out the areas that they pooped and peed in. My hedgehog was not nocturnal, so he didn't keep me up. Sometimes he would wake up at night to go pee, like we all do.

Thanks very much for the info! Did you ever get bit?