Hedgehogs make excellent pets for patient and dedicated people. The specimens of the breed called "four-fingered", or pygmy, are hybrids resulting from the crossing of two wild races originating from Africa; they are tame, and known to be intelligent, friendly and funny. Just like with any other pet, it is vital to research curls and the type of care they need to see if you can have one, considering your lifestyle as well. Make sure you know its habitat and feeding needs, so you'll be ready to take one home and take care of it as best you can.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Picking and Bringing the Hedgehog Home
Step 1. Verify that having a pet hedgehog is legal in your region
The African hedgehog is considered an exotic animal and therefore subject to various laws and restrictions; for this reason you must be sure that there are no legal impediments to its possession. Sometimes it may be necessary to obtain a municipal, provincial or regional permit; check the ordinances of your municipality.
If you want help retrieving information about exotic animal regulations or want to find a safe home for a hedgehog you are not allowed to own, contact an animal welfare organization in your area or one that specifically deals with hedgehogs
Step 2. Choose to purchase the animal from a certified breeder
A hedgehog that comes from a good breeding is more likely to be sociable, and because the breeder also knows their parents, you also have more assurance about their health. That said, it is important to find a reputable breeder. If not, you will have a sick or grumpy hedgehog.
- Make sure the breeding is made up of healthy specimens with a certified pedigree and that no one in your hedgehog's bloodline has suffered from Wobbling Hedgehog Syndrome or cancer.
- Check that the farm is in compliance with all the permits and licenses required by law. The purchase of a hedgehog must be accompanied by a series of certificates and documents on which the breeder's name, registered office and ASL authorization must appear.
- Be wary of breeders who advertise their animals on free classifieds sites.
- Ask if there are any guarantees on the health of the specimen. The sales policies of each farm may change, but you will feel safer and more peaceful if the owner allows you to return the hedgehog in case medical unforeseen events arise in the early stages. Furthermore, a strangely sick hedgehog is a wake-up call for the breeder, as it could be a sign of a genetic problem and therefore of a certain generation's bloodline. All this falls under the responsibility of the breeding.
Step 3. Check the health of the hedgehog
There are several factors you need to take into consideration before making your choice.
- Clear eyes: the animal must have a lively appearance, the eyes must not be swollen, sunken or crusty.
- Clean fur and quills: While some dirt is completely normal (see next steps), the presence of fecal material near the anus could indicate diarrhea or other health problems.
- Healthy skin: If the skin has scabs around the quills, then it may be dry or infested with mites. In the second case you will have to treat the hedgehog to free it from parasites. Check that there are no fleas (small brown dots, the size of a pinhead, which jump quickly), otherwise you will have to treat the animal for this infestation.
- No scabs or wounds: In case there are any open cuts or scabs, the breeder should be able to explain what happened and must be absolutely certain that the specimen is healing well. Although some hedgehogs can survive injuries that occur at an early age (such as loss of a limb or blindness) and can continue a happy and healthy life, you need to keep in mind that these specimens need additional care and you need to be realistic about your abilities to guarantee them.
- Readiness and lucidity: a hedgehog should be alert and aware of his surroundings, he must not be lethargic or unconscious.
- Leaking: Check for green droppings or diarrhea on your body. If they are present, it could be a sign that the animal has some health problem.
- Moderate weight: an obese hedgehog has "pockets" of fat around the armpits and is unable to close "hedgehog". One that is too thin has a concave belly and hollow hips. Both are signs of health problems.
- Healthy Paws: Paw nails should be cut short enough so that they don't curl down. If they are too long, ask the breeder how to cut them.
Step 4. Bring the hedgehog home the right way
Before purchasing, make sure everything you need is ready. Give the hedgehog at least a month to get used to you, the new smells and the new environment around it. This is a profound change in his life!
Keep it in your hand every day, so it will get used to you. You don't have to do anything special, just put him on your lap and talk to him. Try to gain his trust by giving him treats with your hands and put an old shirt of yours, which you have been wearing for a few days, in his den, so the hedgehog will get used to your smell
Step 5. Be prepared for it to get anointed
One of the strangest behaviors of hedgehogs is salivating excessively in the presence of a new smell, new food or salt. The pet writhes into an "s" shape, turning its head to the rear and sprinkling the quills with saliva. Although the reasons for this action are not yet clear, it is believed that in this way the quills become more effective weapons as they are covered with an irritating substance. This is why you will notice a slight irritation in your hand the first time you handle the hedgehog.
Part 2 of 4: Providing Shelter for the Hedgehog
Step 1. Get a good fence
Hedgehogs need a large cage to live comfortably: they love to explore their space and their territory, in nature, it extends for a radius of 100-150 meters. There are other factors you need to consider when purchasing the cage for your prickly friend:
- It must be big enough. At a minimum it should be 45x60cm, but if you can afford a more spacious one, so much the better. A 60x75cm fence is definitely better and a 75x75cm fence is a "palace".
- The walls should be at least 40 cm high. Some recommend that the surface of the walls be smooth, but others warn that this reduces the ventilation of the cage. Remember that grids could create a problem if your hedgehog likes to climb! Also know that these animals are masters of escape, so make sure the cage has a closed ceiling or, if this is missing, take other measures so that the hedgehog cannot escape.
- The floor must be of solid and even material (not with bars), because the delicate paws of the hedgehog could slip and get injured.
- His house shouldn't have more than one floor, because the hedgehog has bad eyesight and his legs break all too easily. Even the cages with bars that allow him to climb are a risk, if you have a "hedgehog mountaineer"! There must be enough space inside to fit bowls of food, toys and a litter box.
- The cage must be well ventilated. The air flow must always be available; the only case in which you have to prevent this from happening is when the ambient temperature drops suddenly (for example during a blackout): on these occasions you have to cover the cage with a blanket.
Step 2. Choose good substrate
Hedgehogs like sawdust, but use poplar instead of cedar, as this plant releases carcinogenic phenols (aromatic oils) which, if inhaled, can cause cancer. Alternatively, you can line the inside of the cage with a sturdy fabric (twill, velvet or fleece) cut to size.
On the market you can also find a type of litter for small animals that looks like shredded gray cardboard. Some recommend it, but be aware that particles of this material can get stuck in the spines and genitals of males
Step 3. "Furnish" the cage
You will need to add a few elements to meet the hedgehog's needs.
- A hiding place: given that it is an animal preyed upon during the night, the hedgehog needs a safe area to "rest" from the continuous state of alert, from the light and to stop all general activities. A small igloo or a doghouse are fine.
- A training wheel. Your pet has to move around a lot, and a wheel is perfect for its hectic nocturnal activity. The wheel should have the inner wall of solid material, the nets and bars are dangerous because the hedgehog's legs can get stuck there with the risk of fractures or torn nails.
- Make sure you keep the substrate away from water at all times. The chemicals that the substrate contains could contaminate the hedgehog's water, which could be lethal to him.
- Add a tray as a litter box that is no deeper than 1.5cm so your pet can access it without injuring himself. Use only a lump-free cat litter or paper towel. The tray needs to be large enough to accommodate the size of the hedgehog and needs to be cleaned every day. You can use a small cookie pan or a special plastic container. Most hedgehog owners place the tray under the wheel as it is the pet's favorite place to fulfill its needs.
Step 4. Ensure the right temperature level
Hedgehogs need slightly more heat than most of our homes, between 22 and 27 ° C. If it were colder, the hedgehog would be tempted to go into "hibernation", which would be fatal (because it could develop pneumonia), while excessive temperatures could cause heat stress. If you notice that your pet is lying "bearskin" in the cage, it means that it is too hot, so adjust the thermostat accordingly. If you notice him lethargic or his body temperature is lower than normal, try to warm him immediately by putting him under his shirt in contact with your body heat.
If the hedgehog is still cold after an hour, take him to the vet right away
Part 3 of 4: Feeding the Hedgehog
Step 1. Have a varied diet
Hedgehogs are mostly insectivores, but they love to taste other foods such as fruit, vegetables, eggs and meat. They tend to put on weight, so you need to plan your nutrition carefully to prevent your friend from becoming obese. An overweight hedgehog is unable to curl up and has "pockets" of fat that dangle down and restrict his ability to walk.
Step 2. Choose quality foods
Although the exact nutritional needs of a hedgehog are still quite mysterious, high quality kibble for cats is considered a great choice as a staple food, but it must be integrated with other foods, as we will see later. Croquettes should contain 15% fat and 32-35% protein; choose organic products and avoid those that include corn and similar foods among the ingredients. Give the hedgehog 1-5 tablespoons of dry cat food per day.
Avoid low-quality foods, as they contain a lot of poor ingredients. Ensure only the best for your friend
Step 3. Leave the kibble at the hedgehog's disposal if you are not home at mealtimes
Many owners have the hedgehog feed on their own, leaving them slightly more food so that there are leftovers.
Step 4. Provide a varied food to avoid nutritional deficiencies
Integrate the kibble diet with small amounts of other dishes, just a teaspoon every day or every other day. Here are some suggestions:
- Chicken, turkey or salmon, cooked, without skin, without flavorings and minced.
- Small bites of fruit or vegetables such as watermelon, cooked and mashed peas, sweet potatoes or an apple puree.
- Scrambled or hard-boiled eggs and chopped.
- Worms, crickets and beetle larvae. It is very important food for the hedgehog's diet. Since it is an insectivorous animal, it needs mental stimulation when it eats and you can provide it with live prey (which are also vital to its nutrition). Feed it a few bugs 1-4 times a week. Never feed it wild-caught ones (such as those found in your garden), as they may be contaminated with toxic pesticides or pests that can infect your prickly friend.
Step 5. Know the foods to avoid
Although hedgehogs enjoy a wide range of foods, there are some things they should never eat: seeds, nuts, dried fruit, raw meat, raw and hard vegetables, hard, sticky or fibrous foods, avocados, grapes or raisins. milk and its derivatives, alcohol, bread, celery, onions (not even in powder form), raw carrots, tomatoes, junk food (candies, chips and anything that is salty or sweetened), honey and anything that is acidic.
Step 6. Adjust the amount of food if you notice the hedgehog is gaining weight
If you notice him "chubby," reduce the amount of food and increase exercise.
Step 7. Feed him in the evening
The hedgehog is a crepuscular creature, therefore active near sunset; try to feed him around this time.
Step 8. Buy the right food bowl
It needs to be wide enough to allow access to the hedgehog, and quite heavy so it doesn't tip over (so the hedgehog won't get injured and tempted to play with it).
Step 9. Add a water bottle with a tube or straw, or a bowl of water
The hedgehog must constantly have access to fresh water.
- If you have chosen to use the bowl, make sure it is heavy and deep enough for the hedgehog to not be able to turn it over. Wash it every day and fill it with fresh water.
- If you have decided to use a bottle with a straw or tube, make sure your friend knows how to use it! He should have learned this from his mom, but he may need to show him again. Remember that the water in the bottle must also be changed every day to avoid bacterial growth.
Part 4 of 4: Keeping the Hedgehog Happy and Healthy
Step 1. Keep the hedgehog in a quiet and peaceful place
Do not put the wire cage under the stereo or TV. Since, in nature, the hedgehog is a predated animal, it is more dependent on the sense of hearing, and if it perceives too much noise and activity it becomes stressed. Make sure the sounds, light and activity levels in the surrounding area are low and move the cage if conditions change. Hedgehogs get used to noise if it is introduced into their life gradually.
Step 2. Give your thorny friend plenty of opportunities to get active
Curls are predisposed to gain weight, so exercise is imperative. This means that it must have a lot of games available and a wheel. Toys should be things he can nibble, push, flip, and rummage through; just make sure they don't break into small pieces that the animal could ingest. Make sure the hedgehog's nails and legs don't get stuck in threads and small holes.
- Here are some toys to suit him: rubber balls, old baby toys, rubber figurines, baby teething rings, toilet paper tubes cut lengthwise, balls or toys for cats and birds with a bell inside.
- Occasionally allow the hedgehog to play in a larger enclosure. You can buy a large plastic tub or let him explore the bath tub (without water, of course).
Step 3. Check your behavior and your food and water intake
Hedgehogs are notoriously very good at hiding disease, so paying close attention is vital. Make a note of any changes you see, and call your vet to find out if you should have your pet examined.
- If the hedgehog doesn't eat for a day or two, something is wrong and it needs veterinary care. Hedgehogs who don't eat for a few days are at risk for fatty liver disease, a life-threatening condition.
- Check that there is no dry, flaky skin around the quills - this could be a sign of a mite infestation that makes the animal very weak if no action is taken.
- If you are breathing hard, noisily, and you notice secretions on your face and paws, then be aware that there may be a respiratory infection, a common but serious disease for hedgehogs.
- Soft stools produced for more than a day, or diarrhea accompanied by listlessness and loss of appetite, are indications of parasitic infection or another condition.
- Hibernation, which is completely normal in nature, is not safe for home hedgehogs. As mentioned earlier, if your pet has a cold belly, try to warm it by putting it under the shirt, in contact with your skin. If he doesn't warm up within an hour, take him to the vet.
Step 4. Physically interact with him very often
A hedgehog that is touched and handled often gets used to this practice faster. Try to always be sure of yourself and determined, after all they are not as fragile animals as they seem. As a general rule, touch and "manipulate" your hedgehog for 30 minutes a day.
- Approach him slowly and quietly. Lift it up from under your belly and hold it with both hands parted cupped.
- Organize play sessions. When you pick up the hedgehog, don't be afraid to play with it; over time he will accept your involvement in his fun activities if you do it regularly.
Step 5. Constantly clean his cage
Wash your food plate and water bottle / bowl every day with very hot water. Clean the wheel, litter and change substrate weekly or as needed.
Step 6. Wash it as needed
Some curls are cleaner than others, so you may need to bathe them more or less frequently.
- Fill a sink with warm (not hot) water up to the level of the hedgehog's belly. The water must not reach his ears or nose.
- Add a gentle oat-based shower gel (like Aveeno) or puppy shampoo, and use a toothbrush to scrub his quills and paw pads.
- Rinse it with warm water and wrap it in a clean, dry cloth until your prickly friend is dry. If it can stand it, dry it with a hair dryer at the lowest temperature, otherwise stick to the towel method. Never put a wet hedgehog back in its cage.
Step 7. Check his nails regularly
If they are too long and curved, they can tear as the animal runs on the wheel.
- Trim your nails with small manicure scissors and limit yourself to the tip only.
- If you notice any bleeding, swab the area with a cotton swab sprinkled with cornstarch. Do not use commercial hemostatic powders because they burn.
Step 8. Be prepared for the "moult"
This is a process analogous to the loss of baby teeth in babies or skin shedding in reptiles. The process begins at 6-8 weeks of age and can repeat several times during the first year, as childhood quills are replaced by adult ones. This is a natural occurrence and there is nothing to fear unless you notice signs of illness, pain, or if the new quills fail to grow. In this phase the animal presents irritability and is less willing to be touched; you can try giving him an oatmeal bath to relieve his discomfort, but this is still only a passing phase.
Advice
- When you give the hedgehog the toilet paper tube, cut it in half lengthwise so there is no risk of it getting stuck in it.
- Make sure that there have been no cases of “staggering hedgehog” syndrome in the farm where you buy the hedgehog, especially in the bloodline of your specimen, because it is a genetic disease that could manifest itself over time. Don't rush to buy a hedgehog, do your research to find the right breeder.
- Unless you want puppies, don't buy a boy and girl. A female hedgehog is able to have cubs as early as 8 weeks old, but she is not really able to care for them until she is at least 6 months old. The last thing you want is an unplanned and unwanted litter; furthermore, if the mother is too young, the pregnancy could kill her. Breeding hedgehogs is expensive and dangerous, often mothers and / or babies die, so this is a decision not to be taken lightly.
- If you want to keep more than one hedgehog, it would be best to keep them separate. They are solitary creatures who do not much enjoy the company of their own kind. If you keep them in the same cage, they could go to fight and do so to death if they are male.
- If the temperature in your home is too low, add ceramic heaters, ceramic heating elements or, if you have no other choice, electric heaters set at the correct level (although these are not recommended because they can cause very serious burns, even mortal). Do not use light bulbs to maintain the temperature, as they disturb the hedgehog's sleep-wake rhythm.
- Be very careful with thin strands and hair. They can roll up around the hedgehog's paws and block circulation to the area. If this does not solve the problem, amputation of the limb may be necessary.
- Not all vets are capable of taking care of hedgehogs. For this reason, it's best to ask the breeder or pet store where you bought yours for the address of a local doctor. There are also associations or clubs of hedgehog owners that you can contact for a list of veterinarians who specialize in this animal. Contact your doctor beforehand so that you can develop a good relationship with him before any health emergencies arise for your prickly friend.
- When holding the hedgehog, be gentle otherwise it will bite you.
- If there are no farms in the area where you live, you can get the hedgehog in a pet shop; if so, check carefully for any symptoms of illness, as explained in the first and third parts of this article.
Warnings
- Do not allow "semi-hibernation" to occur, it is lethal for African hedgehogs. The most common symptom is severe lethargy, and the animal's belly is cold to the touch. If this happens, immediately remove the hedgehog from the cage and place it under your shirt, close to your body, to warm it up. Continue like this by gradually heating it with warm but not hot objects: you can use, for example, warm cloths, a warmer set to minimum or a bottle of hot water - but don't put the hedgehog in hot water to warm it. If the animal does not recover and becomes unconscious after an hour, take him to the vet immediately.
- Never use, for any reason, cages or wheels with metal bars or grids. They are very dangerous because the legs and nails of the hedgehog can break or tear. Do not use the silent wheels, as the hedgehog's legs easily get stuck in the seams of the wheels. Use only those that have a solid and "one-piece" surface.
- Warning: do not use cedar sawdust, if mixed with the urine of the hedgehog it releases toxic fumes for the animal (even that of pine, if cooked incorrectly, reacts in the same way). Smell the bag before using it - if you smell a strong pine smell, then the baking may not have been done properly, so look for a batch of pine sawdust that tastes more like generic wood than pine.
- Don't abuse your hedgehog by dropping and rolling it when it's closed, and don't throw it. This is the sure way to have a constantly irritated and unsociable pet.
- Don't confuse the normal change of quills with alopecia caused by mites, infections, or poor nutrition. If you notice spikes on your pet, take him to the vet.
- If you are not very careful, the hedgehog may bite you. Any living thing with teeth can bite, but it is very rare for the hedgehog to do so, as it relies on the quills for protection instead of its teeth. If he bites you, don't react because most of the time your move will cause him to tighten his grip. Sometimes you can push it gently to get it to quit. Once he has let go, don't put him back in the cage as he may experience it as a reward.
