Hedgehog Care

Hedgehogs belong to the class of mammals and the subclass, Eutheria. There are many varieties of hedgehogs and the most common out of these is the European hedgehog. It is found very often in the gardens around the hedges and thus the name. These are taken care of by families. There are a type of pet hedgehogs too which are mainly domestic and are smaller in size than the larger wild ones. These animals have a very pleasant nature and have friendly personalities towards humans and other domestic animals like the birds. They are also kept in the house as great means of pest control since they feed on them, so you don't need to pay extra for pest management. The hedgehogs that are kept as pets are the African Whitebellied or African Pygmy Hedgehog. They are a mixture between two African species and thus they come in a variety of colors and sizes. Given below is all the required information about hedgehog care and maintenance. So, if you're thinking of getting one as a pet, take a look!

Hedgehog Care Information

It is not very difficult to take care of hedgehogs as pets since they are very obedient and well mannered animals. They also don't take up too much space, thus they are easy to maintain. Before we take a look at the hedgehog care and feeding, let's find out some basic information about this cute adorable pet.

Facts About Hedgehogs

• The average lifespan of the domestic African White-Bellied Hedgehog is about 3.5 years and the maximum is 9 years.
• The gestation period of these is 35 days and the litter size is about 4 to 9 babies per birth. The eyes of the babies open in 14 to 16 days and they gain complete physical maturity in 10 to 11 months.
• The average adult size is 5 to 8 inches and they weigh about 255 to 540 gms.
• These pets do not hibernate and it can be fatal, as they are pure breeds and are not used to the adaptation of hibernation.
• The best room temperature for these animals both young and old are 20 to 27 degree C, and both the males and females should be housed separately once they attain maturity. Read more on interesting facts about hedgehogs.

Hedgehog Care Tips

After reading about some basics about them, let's find out the various hedgehog care methods and tips from the following discussion. For this there are a few points you need to consider, like space, shelter, water, food and maintenance.

Space: Being a vital part of hedgehog care, the space and area required by these animals to survive should be thought about. It is a known fact that animals who don't have enough space to move around tend to become obese, get bored and fall sick very often. The space required by hedgehogs for survival is approximately 18 x 24 inches. Even though they are pet animals, they still have the urge to run and play, thus this area is enough to fit wheels where they can exercise on. Hedgehogs are very good at finding holes and cracks and thus till they are of a considerably old age, do not let them out of the cage for a longer time. Read more on hibernation in hedgehogs.

Shelter: Hedgehogs have originated from desert animals and thus they have very low tolerance for cold atmospheres. Thus their cages or living areas have to be spaced out with the temperatures of 27 degrees C. They need tiny place to hide and stay alone to enjoy their space, thus make sure there is a tiny, interior inside the cage. Do remember to paint this burrow, as it may rot in the cage and the hedgehog can catch an infection. There has to be some bedding in the shelter, such as corn cob or clay cat litter, which are not ingested by these animals. Also keep litter pans, as they are easier to clean than the entire cage after the animal has littered. Read more on tips on hedgehog housing.

Food and Water: The diet of a hedgehog includes, dry cat food, mink and ferret food, cooked poultry (never raw meat), cooked egg (never raw). You can give diet supplements or treats like assorted fruits and vegetables and insects like meal worms and crickets. The nutrition needed by them is protein, fat, calcium, iron and zinc. The recommended caloric intake for these tiny pets is about 70 to 100 calories per day with exercise. The water given should always be fresh and filtered, not stale and stagnant. They could catch very bad stomach infections and even die. If you can, boiled water would also do for babies. You can feed them the water either in a bowl or a bottle with nipples for the young ones.

Maintenance: Hedgehog care also includes grooming and maintaining your pet. You have to clip their nails regularly and bathe them often. They are very vulnerable, and thus you can hold them in your lap or gently put a belt, so they don't move while bathing. They snuggle a lot, so make sure you be careful while clipping their nails and feeding them too. Once you bathe them, you have to dry them and they love to be pampered, so you can gently blow dry their hair. Baby hedgehog care is the same, but you need to be extra cautious with their sizes. Be sure to clean their shelters often and when they are not well, consult a vet immediately. Read more on African pygmy hedgehog as pets.

With these basic hedgehog care tips and suggestions, taking care of your pet won't be a tough job now! Thus, make sure you care for them and pamper them as much as you can.