If you should change the bedding weekly depends on how much bedding you use in the cage and how accurately you do the daily spot cleaning. So for some, it would be ok to change after about 10 days, while others have to do it after 7 days. For the change itself, it is important that you remove all the old bedding.
One day each week, you should completely clean your hedgehog's cage. If you consistently spot clean it, it should be safe to do a full clean once every other week.
For a hedgehog house in your garden, choose natural nesting materials like leaves, hay or straw. If you are looking for bedding for an indoor hedgehog care box, hay and straw are still fine, but you could also use other small animal bedding, like wood shaving bedding of fleece.
You can put soft hay or dried grass in as bedding, but do also try and leave some fallen leaves around for the hedgehog, not only add to options for bedding but are good places for hedgehogs to find insects and beetles which make up the bulk of their diet.
Having enough bedding is also very important if you want your hedgehog to be comfortable when walking around in its cage. The ideal range of thickness you'll want to aim for us 2-3 inches. Having enough bedding is also important for enrichment and allows your hedgehog to burrow effectively.
Only solid bottom cages are suitable for hedgehogs, any wire bottom cages could trap their legs or rip off toenails. Provide a soft bedding free of dust, such as recycled paper pellets or if you use wood shavings use only kiln dried pine or aspen. Do not use cedar shavings as they could irritate your hedgehog's lungs.
Whether you make your own or buy one, fill the chamber of your hedgehog home with a layer of dead, dry leaves. Hedgehogs prefer small leaves such as birch, oak, hawthorn or hazel. Then screw the roof to the box so that you can remove it in future to clean the box out.
Avoid corncob bedding as it tends to grow mold when wet. Dusty shavings or cedar shavings should never be used as they can be irritating to your hedgehog's eyes and respiratory system.
Take the hedgehog out of the cage and place him in a bin, playpen or a secondary cage. Take everything out of the cage, use a waste bag for the bedding to lock away all the smells. Disassemble the cage and wipe all surfaces and wires with hot water and soap.
You can encourage hedgehogs into your garden by providing food and fresh water. Tips for leaving out food and water: Leave out foods like tinned dog or cat food and crushed cat or dog biscuits. Supply good quality, meaty hedgehog food from wildlife food suppliers.
There are two reasons to choose a hedgehog house with a solid floor. The first is predator proofing. Foxes and cats have been known to tip up houses with not floor, to get at the hog inside. Second is warmth, dryness and weatherproofing.
If you own a pet hedgehog, you should ensure that the lighting in and around their enclosure imitates natural lighting. At night owners should dim the lights or set the lighting on a timer. Owners should also avoid exposing their pet hedgehog's enclosure to excessive light, as too much light makes them uncomfortable.
This is up to you, but usually you should not need to give your hedgehog a bath more than once a month. If they need it sooner because they are extra messy, that is fine.
They are nocturnal animals and they come out to play at night. They must get complete darkness as they are sensitive to the light, however, they do need light during the day for about 12 hours. If they are not getting enough light in their cage, an additional light source on a timer should be set up.
It's a good idea to put out food for hedgehogs all year round. In spring, it will be a boost for those emerging from hibernation, while in late summer and autumn it will help hogs build up those all-important fat reserves to survive the winter.
Many people get confused about how often they should bathe their hedgehogs. Your vet should be the ultimate authority here. That said, in general, about once a month is good. Don't bathe your pet too often: this could dry out his skin!
Fleece Flippers or Cages Liners from Guinea Pig Market give you soft, absorbent bedding which is easy to clean and maintain. Fleece is the bedding of choice for hedgehog owners!
Most hedgehog owners only provide a traditional bath to clean a dirty pet hedgehog but in addition to the fun of a dust bath there may be some benefits. HedgeMom posted on Hedgehog Central that she has many hedgehogs that seek out and play in spilled chinchilla dust.
Once a month bathing is adequate for the average hedgehog. Some hedgehogs need baths frequently and others seldom need one. Bathing generally helps to relieve dry skin; however, bathing too frequently may contribute to dry skin.
Hedgehogs are very solitary animals and should be housed separately. In the wild, they are only social during the breeding season. Their solitary nature can make it difficult for these pets to warm up to you.
Q: Why is hay more suitable than straw for use as hedgehog bedding? A: Hay is made from soft grass, which the hogs will naturally collect for bedding.
The best place to put a hedgehog house out is a quiet, shaded position in your garden (ideally facing east to south), where the entrance hole will be shielded from bad weather.
Pine shavings: This is a classic small pet bedding but is not good for most small pets. The wood shavings aren't very absorbent and there is some discussion that the pine oils can cause health problems in your hedgehog and even cut up their tiny, delicate feet. It is best to just avoid this wood product altogether.