Hedgehog Care And Maintenance

How Should You Opt For Hedgehog Care And Maintenance?

We provide primary and emergency care for your pet hedgehog as small mammal veterinarians, including:

• Annual exams with nutrition and husbandry consultations

• Appointments for primary care

• Nail trims

• Routine and emergency dental exams

Hedgehogs are entertaining, friendly, and inquisitive pets. They prefer to sleep during the day and are most active at dusk and at night. With proper care, your hedgehog should live for at least 6 years. Here are some crucial hedgehog care and maintenance tips:

Diet

Hedgehogs are insectivores, which means that they eat mostly insects. They also consume some vegetable matter, but their digestive tract lacks a cecum to aid in plant digestion. A hedgehog's diet should consist primarily of high-quality, low-fat protein.

Crickets, mealworms, and earthworms are high in nutrition and make excellent snacks for your hedgehog. To avoid digestive upset, introduce new foods one at a time, keep things varied, and don't overfeed any treats. You should not feed your hedgehog seeds, nuts, uncooked hard raw vegetables, raisins or grapes, avocado, raw meats, dried fruit or vegetables (read pet food labels carefully), onion (or onion powder), bread, tomatoes, honey, or junk food (salty or sugary).

Fill a water bottle with clean water for your baby hedgehog. If you notice him chewing on or struggling with a bottle (which could cause tooth damage), switch to a water bowl that is heavy enough not to tip over.

Environment And Housing

Hedgehogs thrive in large terrariums or solid-bottom guinea pig cages. Because they like to explore, the cage should be large, 4' x 2' in size. A larger cage also provides better ventilation. C and C cages are a low-cost option that can be built large enough to allow your hedgehog to roam. Only solid bottom cages are appropriate for hedgehogs; wire bottom cages may trap their legs or rip off toes.

Provide dust-free bedding, such as recycled paper pellets, or kiln dried pine or aspen shavings if you use wood shavings. Cedar shavings should not be used because they may irritate your hedgehog's lungs. Some people give their hedgehog a very shallow litter box (located in the area of the cage where he prefers to soil) and fill it with soft pellet type litter or paper towels. Use neither clay nor clumping cat litter.

In addition to a large enough cage, provide a large enough wheel (with a solid bottom and no spokes to avoid injury) for your hedgehog to use. There are some giant size ones made for chinchillas that would be good options for your hedgehog. Make a hiding spot for your hedgehog, such as a sleeping pouch or igloo.

Hedgehogs require temperatures ranging from 70 to 80 degrees. Keep your hedgehog's cage away from drafts, direct sunlight, and freezing temperatures. You might want to give your hedgehog a small warm spot in his cage where he can go to get warm but also get away from if he gets too warm.

Hedgehogs are solitary creatures that must be kept alone. If male hedgehogs are housed together, they will fight to the death. For your hedgehog care and entertainment, you can buy a variety of cat or small dog toys. Just make sure they don't have any small areas where their feet, nails, or noses could get caught.

Bathing And Nail Care

Hedgehogs may require assistance with nail trimming, but they should be able to survive on their own. Unless your hedgie gets really dirty, you don't need to bathe him.

Personality

When you first bring your hedgehog home, he may have a different, grumpier personality than before you brought him home. Give him some time to adjust to his new surroundings because his world has just been turned upside down. Speak quietly and gently to him. Approach a hedgehog slowly and quietly to avoid surprising him. Pick him up gently with two cupped hands from beneath, where his fur is soft.

When picked up, they may roll into a ball, but if you hold him and are patient, he will unroll and sniff around. He will become less irritable as he adjusts to his new surroundings and realizes that you are the source of delicious treats. Handle your hedgehog frequently to make him tame and accustomed to playing with you.

Hedgehogs are quiet and make excellent pets for owners who are gentle, patient, and observant.

Health

Nutrition, digestive, dental, or obesity issues are the most common causes of hedgehog health problems. Keeping your pet happy and healthy requires regular veterinarian visits.

If you are looking for more of hedgehog care and maintenance tips, visit us at Hedgy Life!

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse