Hedgehogs have complex needs As wild animals that are not domesticated, despite being bred in captivity for a number of years, these animals have very specific husbandry and environmental needs. They are certainly not suitable for a beginner, and their care requires a great deal of knowledge and preparation.
Hedgehogs may be compact pets, but they still require exercise, a nutritious diet, and regular veterinary care. Not only that, hedgehogs come with a host of requirements that will need to be met in order to keep them happy including a large enclosure with plenty of toys and an exercise wheel so they don't become bored.
Four-toed hedgehogs (African Pygmy hedgehogs) may legally be kept as pets. Australia: All hedgehogs are classified as exotic pets that are illegal to import.
Every hedgehog has a unique personality, but most aren't interested in human affection. Caretakers note that it takes a lot of time and effort to get a hedgehog to tolerate being held. Like porcupines, hedgehogs have sharp, prickly quills that they use to fend off predators.
In the wild, hedgehogs are solitary animals and they spend most of their time alone except during mating season. They tend to be shy and wary of people. It takes patience and a gentle hand to form a trusting bond with a pet hedgehog. Once a bond is established hedgehogs can be quite playful and occasionally cuddly.
Hedgehogs Are Solitary by Nature
1 If hedgehogs do not get along, they will fight, sometimes inflicting serious damage to one another. For these reasons, it is generally best to stick with one hedgehog per cage.
As stated above, bonding does take effort and persistence, and may require a great deal of time. Some hedgehogs will bond rather quickly, but other hedgehogs may take up to a YEAR to fully bond. Over time your hedgehog will become accustomed to your smell, feel, and will appreciate the warmth of your body.
Encourage the bonding process
The first two weeks with your hedgehog are the most important in shaping your new companion's personality and how they will react around you! Once home, you may notice a temporary personality change from when you picked out your hedgie, and this is completely normal.
Recommended Home for Hedgehogs
House your hedgehog in an area that you spend the most amount of time in–like your living room or bedroom so that they can spend time with you. Their home should not be in direct sunlight or in a drafty area. Optimal temperature is between 70 F-85 F; hedgehogs can overheat over 85 F.
However, you should try to use gloves when handling a hedgehog for your own health and safety. Hedgehogs can bite you, but very rarely will that happen. This usually happens when they are young and think your fingers are going to feed them (if they have been fed via a syringe as they had no mother).
Dr. Keller says, “With appropriate care and keeping, your hedgehog will live about five years, and some even live longer than eight years.” If you have any questions about hedgehogs, contact your local veterinarian.
The most common breed of hedgehogs is the African pygmy hedgehog, also called the four-toed hedgehog or the white bellied hedgehog. They are usually between 6” - 8” long, making them a great pet for a small household. Other popular pet breeds are the European hedgehog and the long-eared hedgehog.
Although hedgehogs do bite, their tiny teeth are unlikely to cause you very much pain. The force of a hedgehog bite is typically linked to what your pet is feeling. An angry hedgehog could cause a bite that hurts a bit.
It's very rare for hedgehogs to attack, but it can happen. If you look on YouTube, you can find some hedgehog videos where they are aggressive towards people. They tend to try to protect themselves rather than try to go after people, though. Their #1 go-to behavior when afraid is to curl up into a ball.
Free roaming is used by some enthusiasts and is acceptable, provided that you have ensured your hedgehog's safety in every aspect. We recommend saving it only for supervised playtime.
You should also hedgehog-proof your home. They love to run around and will need extra space to roam outside of their enclosure. Make sure there are not small items around for your hedgehog to swallow, or places that your hedgehog can get trapped.
Hedgehogs are nocturnal and only come out at night. Generally, any hedgehog out during the day is probably in trouble and will need to be picked up and taken to a wildlife rescue centre.
Keep your distance from a hissing hedgehog, just like you would from a hissing snake. When a hedgehog hisses, it means he is really annoyed and wants you, other hogs or other animals to clear off. Hedgehogs will often make the hissing noise if their nest is disturbed or if they are cornered or approached by a predator.
Hedgehogs are mostly awake in the early morning and evening. When awake, they are very active and it's fun to watch them dig, go through tubes, push toys around and run on their exercise wheel. They should get at least an hour every evening out of their cage to explore.
It is best to select a hedgehog that is between 6-12 weeks old. Young hedgehogs usually adapt to a new environment more easily than older animals. Older animals may still make good pets with extra precautions. All hedgehogs should be easy to handle at the time of purchase.
Sometimes a belly rub feels really good, and this hedgehog is here to show us just how good. Yep, it's impossible to ignore his blissful little face as he gets a mini massage!
Many hedgehogs will sleep under their shelter as opposed to inside it. Providing 12x12 squares of fleece also make good sleeping material. Hedgehogs will bury themselves inside the blankets. Cloth cage liners are great for hedgehogs as long as they are made with safe material.
Being nocturnal, they are most active at night. They are skilled climbers and diggers and are good swimmers. Hedgehogs can be let out of their cage to explore in a large supervised, secure room. "Bigger is always better so your hedgehog can have plenty of room for exercise!"