3/11/2019 1 Comment Caging optionsThere's a few things to consider when choosing the right cage for your hedgehog. You'll want a cage that is the appropriate size, can be sanitized and is safe for your hedgehog. Some cages will need to be altered with coroplast to provide a safe space for your baby. Totes I always recommend totes for cages because they are easy to find and come in a variety of sizes. The minimum size recommended is 110 qt, Christmas tree totes are nice and long and a great option. Pros You can buy totes just about anywhere and they come in a variety of different sizes (110qt is minimum). Totes have solid walls which holds in heat and prevents climbing injuries (No bars or platforms). These cages are super easy to sanitize and clean. By far the most inexpensive caging option. Cons Totes aren't the prettiest cages to look at. The lid will need to be altered for the lamp to sit on and to add ventilation (See blog post about altering lids). Critter Nation Cage This is my second favorite option but does take some preparation to make it a safe home for your hedgie. Pros CN cages are very well built and will last forever. These cages provide lots of floor space. Add on units are available for these cages to make them taller. CN cages have a shelf for storage. This is one of the few cages where both the doors open wide for easy cleaning. The lamp can be secured to the wire shelf Cons CN cages are very pricey. The walls of this cage needs to be covered with coroplast (10" up the walls). Ramps must be removed. Hedgehogs can fall off ramps and injure themselves. These cages are HUGE and take up a lot of unnecessary space. Your hedgehog will only use the floor space of the cage while the top area will go un-used because hedgehogs aren't climbing animals. Most people use the mental shelf to hold the lamp which works well. here to edit. Midwest Guinea Pig Habitat Pros These are affordable cages. This cage is a large size and provides lots of floor space. A great option for people who prefer fleece bedding. It's possible to cut coroplast to fit the floor and walls of this cage (coroplast should be 10" for the walls) Cons You may need to purchase the "Plus" version of the cage or purchase a top panel for the lamp to sit on and/or to keep your hedgie safe from other pets. These cages were designed for use with fleece and not great for loose bedding options. Because the walls are wire, these cages don't hold in heat well. With it being a long cage, you may also need two heat lamps to maintain the correct temperature for a hedgehog. Even though the bars are vertical, I have seen broken legs from this cage. It will need to be altered with coroplast to cover the bars and make it climb-proof. (You could replace the whole floor with coroplast and add tall walls of coroplast to improve this cage). Unless you have a large table for this cage to sit on, it will be on the floor which can be drafty and cause issues for your hedgehog. C&C Cages Pros Since C&C cages are made of grids, you can add more grids to create the size and shape of the cage. Another great option for fleece bedding. Because you are making it yourself, you can make the coroplast taller to help hold in heat and prevent climbing. Cons These cages take a bit of preparation and time to make. The grids have bars and will need to be altered with coroplast (10" tall) to prevent climbing. There is a solid grid option as well. You will need to build a "lid" to safely secure the heat lamp. These cages can be a bit more challenging to clean if you are using loose bedding. LIke the Mid West cages, these don't have walls and will be harder to hold in the heat (unless you make the coroplast taller than the minimum 10"). Depending on the size of the cage, you may need more than one lamp. Wire/plastic cages pros The plastic makes it easy to clean and sanitize. The lamp can sit right on top of the wire cage. Cons The bars will need to be altered with 10 inches of coroplast to prevent the hedgehog from climbing and injuring themselves. Some of these cages have ramps and platforms that will need to be removed. Aquariums There are better caging options than an aquarium. Tanks are designed to hold water/humidity and have poor ventilation, both of which will cause respiratory illness in hedgehogs. Extremely large aquariums could be used but there are so many other cage options that would be a better choice. . Wooden Cages & Hutches
No pros from me. I don't recommend these wooden cages, mostly because it takes a lot of effort to make them safe and sanitary. While these cages are more appealing to look at, wood is near impossible to sanitize. The urine will soak into the wood and harvest bacteria. Plus, the wooden cage would make a heat lamp a fire hazard.
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