Basic Care

• Hedgehogs need a fairly large cage with a wheel in it (see Other Information), or will need lots of time out of their cage in an indoor or outdoor run (or both).
• Hedgehogs need to have their bedding changed 1-3 times each week, and have fecal matter and wet bedding removed every day.
• If you want your pet to let you hold him, you will have to work with him each day until he becomes used to you're habits, voice, and scent.
• This will be a fairly long commitment. Hedgehogs can live from 4 to 8 years, with proper care, but a good average would be 4 or 5.
• Fresh food and water need to be provided EVERY DAY.

Hedgehogs have a varied diet in the wild. For the staple, though, I give my hedgies commercial hedgehog food I get at the pet store. I supplement this with the occasional piece of fruit or vegetable (not too much- they'll get sick) and some cooked hamburger or sandwich meat. When expirimenting with new foods on your hedgehog, be sure to watch for signs that they're disagreeing with him or her, like diahrea or green feces. This is a sure sign that they ate something that didn't agree with them, or that they are sick. If this continues for a long period of time, you should take your hedgehog to a vet, but usually this is a nutrition-related problem. Since hedgehogs are classified as insectivores, meaning they eat insects, you can also feed them live or freeze-dried mealworms and/or crickets. However, these shouldn't be given to them more than 1 or 2 times a week. For water, water bottles are best. You can buy holders that will fit on the side of an aquarium, or you can try making one out of a wire coathanger. Here's a movie of my hedgehog drinking out of one.

As for housing, the bare minimum is two square feet. Any less is two little space for the hedgehog to live in, but more is always better. If you're thinking that you'll just get a smaller cage for him and let him out, imagine living in your closet, and being let out in the middle of the night for a few minutes- hedgehogs are nocturnal, and are usually less active during the day, so you're day would be their night- get it?

Some housing options are animal carriers for dogs and cats, 20+ gallon aquariums, and cages made out of organizing shelves (see Cavy Cages and the picture on the left). However, be cautioned that hedgehogs can, and will, climb, unlike guinea pigs. These kind of cages are good, because you don't have to go broke to make your hedgehog a largercage. Another option is a cage made out of Rubbermaid (or another brand) storage boxes. I reccommend that you buy the kind with snapping handles, so you don't have to shake around the cage to hold your pet. Also, you may want to drill holes in the lid to make sure your hedgehog has enough air. 'Pre-made' cages for rabbits and guinea pigs are often very expensive, and hedgehogs long feet can get caught in wire, if it is on the bottom of the cage. If you do have a cage with wire on the bottom, I would recommend covering it with something like plywood cut to fit.

If you have a hedgehog, you might consider attempting to litter train it. Although I have never tried this firsthand, I have read from various sources that the best way to do this is to take droppings from the cage, and place them in the litter box. Continue doing this, and maybe move the hedgehog to the litter box if you see him going to the bathroom somewhere else. This way, he'll associate the litter box with using the facilities. That way, if you're hedgehog escapes, you can put litter boxes in various places, so you won't find hedgehog droppings underneath you're furniture. However, some hedgehogs simply won't figure out what the litter box is for.

Hedghogs need lots of exercise. They may run up to two miles a night. Many hedgehogs will use a wheel if you provide them with one. However, most wheels sold at pet stores that would fit a hedgehog are wire, and the hog could get its feet stuck between the bars. If you do buy a wheel like this, you could line the wheel with craft foam for the safety of your pet. Another option is building your own wheel out of a bucket and a scooter or inline skate wheel, or you could buy wheels like this. See Seaborn Designs to buy a wheel, or see here to make your own.

Many people will not spend enough time with their hedgehog, and complain that their pet hates them. However, hedgehogs have only been domesticated for about 13 years, and some hedgehogs just don't like being handled. For a hedgehog, a shadow overhead is a bird of prey, and a sudden movement is an enemy. Respect your prickly friend! If you want your pet to be tame, spend time with it each day. Eventually, the hedgehog will get used to you, and will not spike you or roll into a ball. However, the older the hedgehog, the harder it will be to tame.

Also, hedgehogs will periodically require a bath. It's up to you how long you wait between each one. Some hedgehogs can and will like to swim; others won't. You can get dirt from between their spines with a toothbrush and some baby shampoo ("no tears" formula). After their bath, you may want to clip their toenails before they grow too long and break and bleed. This can be accomplished by one person holding the hedgehog, while the other takes hold of a leg, and clips the part of the nail that goes down. Always have some corn starch (baby powder) or a styptic pencil nearby in case the hedgehog's toe starts to bleed. However, this is typically easy to avoid: just don't clip the pink portion of the hedgehog's clear nails, and you won't have any problems. Be warned, though, that some hedgehogs will detest the idea of having somone cutting away at their toes, and will squirm around, and might accidentally be cut. Be prepared.