Another thing I wanted to mention is the fact that hedgehogs in captivity should NOT be allowed to hybernate. A lot of websites with hedgehog info neglect to mention this fact. I have seen several hedgies die when they get too cold, as they become inactive and can pass away. It is advisable to not allow a pet hedgehog to hybernate. Maybe do a search for pet hedgehogs instead of ones who live in the wild, as the care and husbandry is very different.Originally posted by cocker_luva
HEDGEHOGS: "Small enough to fit in your hands but too prickly to hold" is a good description of the hedgehog. Though small, it is by no means defenseless. Thousands of stiff, sharp spines-harder and sharper than those of a porcupine-cover the animal's back and sides, like a pincushion filled with needles.
That desciption is rather wrong for those hedgehogs kept in captivity as pets. I hold my hedgies all the time, every day. Tame hedgehogs rarely stick out their spines, and when handled they lay flat on the body so that they are not prickly. Of course, if you disturb them they will roll up, or hiss. However, I still hold my hedgies when they do this. Usually it's when I am introducing them to friends or family and they are a little shy. After awhile though, they come out of their shell and do not erect their spines. I also do not like how they describe them worse then porcupines. That is not even close to how they are. Yes their spines are thicker, and harder (in comparison to size of them both), but are they in no way pokier. They are much easier to tolerate because they are thicker. And unlike porcupines, you cannot be injured by the quills like with porcupines, as they do not come out unless tugged, which is painful to the hedgehog. If you are poked it can cause a little irritation but nothing major. It doesn't hurt, just feels like you got poked with something, obviously. SOme people however are allergic to their "pokes". Speedy had a quill removed once to check for mites, and it was very bothersome to him. So yes they can be handled, and very much like being handled.
BEHAVIOR: Hedgehogs are nocturnal and sleep most of the day. Some species hibernate in winter and others sleep or remain inactive during the dry, hot summer. Scientists report that before these periods, hedgehogs acquire a thick deposit of fat to live off while inactive. Though in some areas temperature changes seem to trigger the inactivity, the availability and quality of food are also factors. In Nairobi, hedgehogs are rarely seen during the height of the dry season, but are very conspicuous during and after rainy seasons, when insects are abundant.
As far as grooming is concerned, they do need to be bathed once in a while. I just rinse them with some soapy water, then with fresh and dry. They also require frequent nail trims (which can be done with a small childrens nail clipper) as they grow fast. I also once a week use a pair of tweezers and go through their quills looking for pieces of food or bedding that can get stuck in between them. I also brush their teeth.
I have two hedgies, one a recent addition. Speedy will be three this January and my little girl is still just a baby, around 2 months old. If handled from a young age they make great pets! They love to play with toys, and roam around the house (with supervision of course, unless you have a totally animal proof room as I do) and it's so cute to watch them stretch out on their tummies and take a short break. They also "annoint" when they smell new scents. Speedy does this quite frequently. Annoiting is when they smell something new, and they start foaming at the mouth, and then proceed to cover their body with their spit, so as to smell like the new object. So if you see your pet hedgie foaming at the mouth, he's most likely doesn't have rabies, he's just spitting on himself.
As far as feeding is concerned. Here is what my hedgies get.........weird my little Flower just LOVES fruits, Speedy hates them.
Hard boiled/scrambled egg
Nutro Max Cat kitten food
Briskys hedgehog diet
Insectivore Diet (it's a moist type of food)
crickets
meal worms
wax worms
pasta (Speedy LOVES pasta!!!)
bananas
grapes
peaches
apple
cottage cheese
chicken breast
ground beef
and they also get some leftover food we eat.....but not much because they can get tubby really fast. I had an older hedgie once (who passed away a few yrs ago, also named Speedy) who was "babysat" by a friend of mine. While I was gone this friend fed him nothing but wet cat food, a whole can a day!, and when I came back he weighed almost 4 pounds and was so fat he could barely walk. Luckily they also lose weight pretty fast, and once he lost it he felt so much more comfortable.
I keep my little girl in a smaller Superpet cage made for guinea pigs, and Speedy is in a 4 story SuperPet Multi Floor Ferret house. He loves using all the ramps. They both have wheels, with solid flooring as their feet are so small it's almost impossible for them to run on a wire one anyway (which is not safe), so they need to have a solid wire wheel. They absolutely LOVE the wheels! Just make sure you get one that doesn't squeek or you will be up all night long. One thing I do like about hedgies is that when they are up at night, they are not as noisy as most nightime creatures. They are relatively silent, which allows you to sleep. They can however be accostomed to a daily routine. My hedgies come out during the day and night. They love cat toys, liek bells and little nice they can chew on, as long as there are no pieces that can be easily swallowed.
They also come in a variety of colors, chocolate chip, and algerian colors (which means the mask on the face spreads furthur up on the cheeks), cinnamon, snowflakes (there are several kinds of snowflakes) and albinos. I believe I have seen some that are even an almost dark chocolate color, with no banding on the quills. Just take care, if you get one, to not let her/him get too cold. It can and will cause problems.
As far as health concerns, they are prone to fatty live tumours, but other than that are healthy for the most part.
Let me know if you want to know anything else. Attached is a pic of my two hedgies, Speedy and Flower.
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