KWHedgehogs

The following information has been given for you to read and should be used as a guideline only. I feel that everyone offers different advice about how to care for their African Pygmy Hedgehog. I have provided some pictures for you to use as reference.

Your hedgehog needs to have a cage with ample room to move around in as it can be very active and likes to explore its surroundings. A cage that is all plastic is ideal although a wire cage can be used as long as it has a solid bottom and the space between the wires is no larger than about one inch apart. The cage will need to have a secure lid as hedgehogs are great climbers. There are three good cages available in different colours, these are made by Zoozone, Nero and Ferplast.

It is important to provide a hiding place for your hedgehog as it will tend to sleep alot in the daytime and needs a safe house to go and burrow in. There are lots of different houses available such as a plastic igloo home, a wooden box, a wooden house or cave. 

Up to 2 inches of bedding should be used in the bottom of the cage and also inside the house. Dust - extracted fine wood shavings are ideal, great value and easy to keep clean, these should be fragrance free. You could also use fine hemp bedding and a shredded paper product. A hedgehog can be litter trained and should you do this then a corner tray with a wood based cat litter would be most suitable.

Your hedgehog should be kept in a relatively quiet location, out of direct sunlight and draught. It should have a temperature of around 68 - 80F, this will usually be room temperature in a typical household enviroment. If the temperature falls below 68F then an additional small heat mat can be placed into the cage. 

There are a variety of toys that can be given to a hedgehog to prevent boredom. Hedgehogs are very curious and require some stimulation by climbing and playing both inside and outside of the cage. The best thing you can do is handle your hedgehog daily so that it remains friendly and calm. You could add a plastic exersize wheel , balls, cardboard tunnels and tubes or other toys designed for small animals. If you add a tube that is from the inside of household kitchen roll, for example, then make sure it is cut in the middle so that your hedgehog doesn't get stuck. Live foods can be thrown into the cage to encourage your hedgehog to use its scenses and hunt.

Although a hedgehog is a clean animal, it is vital that any soiled bedding is removed from the cage daily and replaced with clean bedding to prevent any germs. Once or twice a week a full bedding change will be needed, a scoop is a good idea for doing this, and the cage needs to be cleaned out with warm water and a very mild non - scented soap or animal cage disinfectant. Make sure that you also wipe down the house and any toys. After doing this you should follow good hand washing tecniques and could apply an alcohol gel for extra protection.

Sometimes a hedgehog may get some food debris stuck in its spines and will require a quick groom. You can use warm water and a soft brush or toothbrush to do this. Some hedgehogs actually like to bathe in a sink with a small amount of warm water in. After any contact with water it should be towel dried.

Food should be given in non - tippable ceramic dishes. Water can also be given in a dish or alternatively a drinks bottle can be used. You should introduce a regular feeding schedule and stick to this. You may choose to feed in a morning or in an evening, or you could divide the portion size into two meals and feed morning and evening. The amount of food you give will be trial and error until you get used to the individual eating habbits of your hedgehog. A fresh water supply should be given daily and any uneaten food needs to be trown away within twenty four hours.

There are three types of food that should be introduced into a hedgehogs diet. These are DRY FOODS, MOIST FOODS and LIVE FOODS. Complete dried cat buiscuits form the base of the diet and these should be provided every day but must be supplemented with a variety of other foods to ensure that the hedgehog gets a well balanced meal with different tastes and textures that is full of nutrients and vitamins. Here are some ideas of what foods to provide.

DRY FOOD

Various brands of complete dried cat buiscuits - meat flavours only.

Ready made mixtures of dried ingredients - such as those made by Vitakraft, Rowena's mix, Rspca, Spikes Dinner hard and Spikes Dinner moist.

Dried meal worms or Dried meal worms with honey and berries.

 MOIST  FOOD

Various brands of tinned or packet cat food in jelly - meat flavours only.

Moist meal - such as that made by Spikes Dinner.

Skinless and lean cooked meats cut into small pieces - chicken, turkey, lamb and mince.

Cottage cheese.

Boiled or scrambled eggs.

Fruit and vegetables.

LIVE FOODS

Mealworms.

Locust.

Crickets.