Taming your Hedgehog

The most common complaint of amateur hedgehog hobbyists is that their hedgehog won't unroll for them. There are several ways of correcting this. Everyone has their own method of unrolling hedgehogs. I, personally, tilt it forward slightly and it comes out. At least, my hedgehog does. It depends upon the person and on the hog.

The reason the hedgehog curls into a ball and tries to poke you is not that it hates you- it's that it doesn't know who you are and why you're waking him up in the middle of his sleep. To get the hedgehog's trust, you need to somehow associate yourself with things the hedgehog likes. The most common way of doing this is by giving the hedgehog a treat when it unrolls- something he doesn't normally have access to in his cage. Try hand-feeding it mealworms or pieces of cooked hamburger or chicken. Expiriment with some fruits or vegetables, but keep in mind that hedgehogs, although classified as omnivores, mainly are carnivorous. When giving your pet new foods, be sure to watch for telltale signs that he/she didn't agree well with the food, such as green feces. If you notice such, ease off on the "foreign" foods. Sometimes when less is given, the problems cease; other times, you might have to stop feeding the hedgehog a certain food altogether.

NOTE: Don't be alarmed if your hedgehog starts foaming at the mouth when given a new food- this is a normal reaction, called self-annointing, and doesn't mean your hedgehog has rabies!

Treats for Hedgehogs

• Mealworms, dead or live
• Crickets, dead or live
• Chicken or hamburger, cooked
• Sandwich meat of any type- however, I've heard ham isn't good for them