In my small hometown, I maybe know one other person that has a hedgehog. I get questions all. the. time. from people who do and don't have one about how I take care of Quinn. Now if you've never owned an exotic animal before, it may be a little overwhelming. I know it was for me, so it's normal.
A lot goes into taking care of these little creatures because of how temperamental their little bodies are. Below are a few tips on things I have either read or learned the hard way. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below. I'd love to help out any way that I can!
DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional and do not claim to be. Every hedgehog is different, so these tips may not work for everybody.
1. Make sure you have proper heating for these guys.
This may be the most important tip. I keep Quinn in my room with me in the basement which is
always cold, so this is an issues that was super scary at first. An ideal situation would be to have a reptile heating lamp. If not, just be sure you have a space heater, heating pad, and warm towels.
If you want a more in depth post about what to do when they go into hibernation, please let me know!
2. It may take a while to get used to the quills, and that's okay.
These guys are very prickly at first. Over time and with plenty of handling, you will get used to it. I promise.
3. If they weren't handled a lot as babies, they may take a while to get used to that, too.
Quinn was handled a fair amount when I first got her, but she wasn't quite used to me. Wear a poopy shirt for the day so your scent will get on it and stick it in with them overnight while they're snoozin'.
4. Feed them snacks.
For this, I recommend going to hedgehog sites for more information. There will be certain meats, fruits, and veggies that they can't have. No two hedgehogs like the same things, so it will be a guess-and-test situation for the foods they can have. Also, be sure to give them mealworms. I've yet to meet a hedgehog who doesn't like them.
5. If you don't have access to proper hedgehog food, cat food will also do.
Make sure the cat food is high in protein and of higher quality.
This website has some options for food. I don't remember which brand I get, but I'll add it in when I have to buy another bag. I only know it by the bag because it was a recommendation from another hedgie momma. Oops.
6. They do not need anything to chew on like rabbits and guinea pigs.
Thank God. It's one less thing to worry about.
7. A rabbit hutch or guinea pig cage will be fine for housing.
No need for a big fancy cage unless you feel like it. A regular cage will do.
8. Hedgehogs can be potty trained.
Quinn actually potty trained herself and I followed her lead. I gave her an igloo that I had for my guinea pigs a while ago and instead of sleeping in it, she took her blanket out and uses it as her restroom instead. How smart is she?
9. They love to burrow.
I give Quinn old hand towels to burrow in. I switch them out and wash them every other week. When they are too torn up, just throw them out.
10. Be sure to give them a wheel to run on.
This is pretty important. The wheel gives them something to do, but also helps keep them from being chubby. A word of caution, you will have to wash this often. They tend to go to the bathroom while running on it
I hope this was helpful to anyone wondering and informative to those who don't know anything about owning hedgehogs. Comment any questions!
Kristina
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