How much do your hedgehogs cost?
My hedgehogs are between $200-300 depending on color, pattern, and personality.
Why are your hedgehogs so expensive?
There are many reasons! Raising Hedgehogs isn't inexpensive. We find trusted and educated breeders to buy our herd from. Most of my herd is shipped to me from other states so that I can get quality hedgehogs with amazing and lengthy pedigrees.
Proper diet (which includes multiple expensive quality foods, bugs, pinkies, cricket powder, organ meats), vetting, supplies (wheels, dishes, bottles, cages, toys, hides, etc.), not to mention the time I dedicate to these animals. There are many factors that reflect the price of a hoglet from a good breeder.
How long do hedgehogs live?
With proper care, the average lifespan is 4-6 years.
Are hedgehogs good pets for children?
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. You know your child better than I do. I can say that hedgehogs have sharp quills and occasionally bite. I wouldn't recommend them for small children.
Do males or females have better personalities?
There is absolutely no difference in personalities between males and females. Each hedgehog has their own individual personality. Some are grumpy but can be worked with, some are sweet from the start.
My hedgehog is lonely, does he need a friend?
NO. Hedgehogs are solitary animals and prefer living alone. SOMETIMES two females can live happily together as long as the living space is large and there are two wheels, two hides, two sets of dishes, etc. But I recommend having just one per cage.
My hedgehog is losing quills, is that normal?
Hedgehogs go through stages of quilling for the first six months. They shed baby quills and grow adult quills. They shed quills throughout their entire life, much like we lose hairs. If your hedgehog is experiencing massive quill loss after 6 months of age or has balding spots, your hedgehog will need to see a veterinarian for a skin scrape to determine the cause.
My hedgehog is spitting all over itself, why?
It's called anointing. It's thought that anointing is their way of camouflaging their own smell, with their surroundings. Anointing is completely normal and quite comical.
Are hedgehogs good with dogs or cats?
I don't recommend having your hedgehogs out and around your other pets. They could cause injury to your hedgehog.
How do I trim their nails?
The easiest way to trim nails is during a bath. Place the hedgehog in a shallow bath, and use small cat nail clippers or cuticle clippers to trim the nails. The hedgehog wont be able to ball up while in the water.
Are they easy to handle?
This is a tough question. Their quills are sharp! They can be extremely uncomfortable to hold. Some hedgehogs are sharper than others. Scooping them up under the belly is the best way to pick up and hold a hedgehog.
Do they bite?
Any animal can bite. Hedgehogs aren't usually biters but they certainly can be. Some also bite while they're anointing, not to be mean, but by accident. They do have sharp teeth and their bites can hurt, so it's always something to take into consideration before getting a hedgehog.
How do momma hogs give birth? Ouch!
Hoglets are born without quills. Hoglets are born with a thin membrane over the quills that acts as a protective layer. The quills do not emerge from the membrane until after they are born.
How do you socialize a hedgehog?
You must hold your hedgehog daily. Do not react to their sniffles and jumps. If you are intimidated by your hedgehog, he/she will continue to be grumpy. Scoop them up from under their belly and hold them. Hang out with them on your lap while you watch TV. Move them from hand to hand to get them used to be handled.
Do hedgehogs smell bad?
No. Proper diet and clean bedding will play a role in how "fresh" your hedgehog smells. For example, poor diet can cause more poops and fish based foods can cause stinkier poops. Bedding like newspaper would not be good for odor control or cleanliness, Pine shavings have great odor control.
How do I keep my hedgehog warm when the electricity is out?
I always keep hand warmers in bulk amounts. Place the hand warmers in a sock or wrap them in fleece and put it in the hedgehogs hide. It will keep them nice and toasty for about 8 hrs. I also keep a propane buddy heater handy (Please be careful when using propane heaters indoors, they can let off carbon monoxide. They have built-in CO sensors but it's still best to be careful.)
Can my hedgehog be free-fed?
Some hedgehogs are absolutely fine having full dishes at all times. If you start to notice your hedgehog is getting overweight and cant fully ball up, its time to start measuring food and maybe even get a lower fat diet.
Are hedgehogs Rodents?
No. Rodents have continuously growing incisors on both the top and bottom jaws. Hedgehogs are insectivores/opportunistic omnivores and are more closely related to moles and shrews.
My hedgehog has a bald spot on his head!?
That reverse mohican is completely normal! It allows them to fully ball up.
Do hedgehogs need vaccinations like cats and dogs?
No they don't, but they should still have yearly check ups.
Why does my hedgehog have dry skin?
Hedgehogs are prone to dry skin. Adding Flax oil or salmon oil to their food can help with dry skin. Do not bathe too often, this will strip the skin of natural oils and cause dryness. Only bathe when necessary. A good diet also helps with dry skin.
Whats wrong with my hedgehogs ears, they look crusty and uneven?
Sometimes hedgehogs get a collection of oil and skin cells on their ears, it forms tatters. I recommend very gently cleansing the ears and massaging a tiny amount of bag balm on the ears. Eventually the tatters will soften and fall off. Adding flax or salmon oil to their food with also help with tatters.
How do hedgehogs get mites? What should I look for?
Hedgehogs can get mites from bedding. To avoid mites, all bedding (except fleece) will need to be froze for 48 hrs to kill off mites.
Hedgehogs with mites will scratch often, get extremely dry skin, and have excessive quill loss that can lead to bald spots. If you suspect your hedgehog has mites, you will need to see a veterinarian for a skin scrape and Revolution medication.
Why is my hoglet biting me?
There are a couple reasons for biting.
Anointing is definitely #1. The scent of food, soaps, lotions, perfumes, cigarettes and even rings can be super interesting to a little hoglet. They may bite and even tug on your skin.
Before handling your hedgehog, wash your hands thoroughly with an unscented soap.
Another reason a hoglet may be biting is quilling. Hoglets go through some very painful stages of quilling as they grow to adult size. Think of it like babies teething, the smaller quills have to fall out and the larger quills need to push through the skin. It can be quite painful for them. Pain could also cause some biting.
An oatmeal bath may help soothe the skin, but don't over bathe.
If you are over handling, try handling less and slowly increase your handling time.
