Hedgehog Care Sheet: 2019 Version

You have found the most up-to-date hedgehog care sheet that will help you prepare and care for your bundle of quills. We've seen improper information and opinions be sprinkled around the internet, and discovered that it is hard to trust one source. So, with that being said, we assure you that we learn from and network with successful expert hedgehog owners. Our information comes from professionals who have been through battles and seen healthy hedgehogs live full term. The following hedgehog care sheet information is meant to cover the basic foundation of hedgehog care. Always seek mentorship from a local reputable breeder and guidance from your trusted exotic veterinarian.

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Hedgehogs are not like any other animal. They are awake during the night and short periods during the day. Because they have poor eye sight, hedgehogs are very wary of their surroundings and tend to be cautious of sudden movements, large shadows, and unfamiliar voices or scents. They don't usually seek out social interaction and it is never a good idea to leave two or more alone together inside a cage. But, we have met some adorable friendly hedgehogs who love cuddles and belly rubs or who even act as an emotional support animal for their humans.

From the time you bring him home, it could take up to a year or more for the hedgehog to bond with you; or it could never happen at all. You must handle them with bare hands daily to show them attention regardless of their attitude. A bonding scarf may be a good item to purchase to help with quality time together. Other hedgie parents hang out with their quilly friends at least a half hour during the day and one hour at night. Handling them or letting them crawl on you is the most rewarding experiences you can do with your hedgehog while he's awake. Don't let the possibility of poop deter you, a warm foot bath before handling combined with litter training your hedgehog could help reduce mess.

Read more about bonding with your hedgehog here where we give helpful hints and tricks.

Making sure you first have an exotic veterinarian near you that heals hedgehogs is vital. As a preventative measure due to uterine infections being so common, some vets do recommend you get your young hedgehog spayed. Hedgehogs are prone to many illnesses, but have less risk of coming down with one if you get them from a reputable breeder. We interviewed a licensed one in this article about what exactly an ethical breeder does for the longevity of your hedgehog's health where we talk about how important it is to follow educated professional advice rather than opinions. Your vet and your breeder together should be an excellent source for information about your hedgehog's health.

Well known hedgehog illnesses and symptoms are explained here more in depth.

Their weight should be monitored at home ensuring they remain the same. You want to make sure their bodies have a tear shape when looking at them from the aerial view. If their sides are caving in, this could mean metabolism issues. Make sure before you bring him home from the breeder that he weights at least 200 grams/0.44 lbs/7.05 oz. A hedgehog's normal weight can be anywhere around and between:

Grams (g)	200 g – 800 g
Pounds (lbs)	0.44 lbs – 1.76 lbs
Ounces (oz)	7.05 oz to 28.21 oz

For more in depth information on healthy hedgehog weight that describes ranges, exercises, body shapes, and diet lists, click here!

They do not need hedgehog specific food and should be eating cat kibble. The protein content of the kibble should be 30-33%, the fat content should be 10-13% and the fiber content 3-9%. Giving your hedgie 1-2 tablespoons of this per night is sufficient. The cat kibble needs to have whole meats like chicken, duck, or turkey as the first ingredient. It should never contain fillers like blood meal, by-products, corn, vegetables, or wheat. Other sources say to feed hedgehog specific food, even some veterinarians will recommend it, which is why we made this hedgehog care sheet: to set the record straight. Ingredients lower in the list mean there are less of that item in the mix, which is why we want you to look for whole meats as the first few ingredients. Try to find something with less vegetables and fruits like our favorite cat kibble option here, but we know pea fiber and peas are next to impossible to avoid, but that is okay if those vegetables are lower in the list.

For more in-depth information on this topic and to see feeding examples, please see our hedgehog food list.

Offering them one or two live insects daily should give you a very happy hedgehog who is receiving all the nutrients it needs in combination with their cat kibble. Only purchase these insects from a trusted source, never feeding from your garden. This is because insects from any other source could be carrying dangerous diseases or mites. Hedgies thrive off the chitin found in the exoskeleton of feeder insects, this gives them fiber.

The following insects are safe for your hedgehog. For nutritional facts on each of these, please read our guide to hedgehog insects here.

• Phoenix Flies/Black Soldier Fly Larvae
• Dubia Roaches
• Crickets
• Superworms
• Silkworms
• Hornworms
• Mealworms

Keeping in mind to never season any food given to your hedgie. the following can also be offered:

• Fresh Low Sodium Fish
• Raw or Cooked Eggs
• Cooked Roast Beef
• Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
• Boiled Duck Meat
• Roasted Turkey Breast

Pro Tip: Sometimes you may need to add supplements to their diets because of calcium phosphorus balancing, indigestion, weight issues, or lack of appetite.

A large cage is required like the 36″ x 25″ x 38.5″ critter nation enclosure shown above. This is one of the most important items on your hedgehog care sheet. Please take out the second floor option because it is a fall risk for your hedgie or create ramps that have sides to stop falling. Critter Nation cages by MidWest are the most popular with hedgehog owners, and they prevent climbing by installing a coroplast base. For your hedgehog's cage setup you'll need:

• Critter Nation Cage or similar with coroplast base
• 100W-150W CHE (1 or two of them depending on size of cage plus one extra in case of emergency)
• 10″ Dome for CHE
• Light stand to hold bulb and extend its hours of use
• A light source on a timer – 12 hours on during day time/ 12 hours off during the night
• Fleece blankets to line the bottom
• Toys
• Bucket wheel
• Food and water sources
• Litter pan
• Dig box
• Enclosures

There are many types of litter you can choose from, and we go into great detail about that on this site. The most popular bedding types are paper pellets, paper towel, and fleece. The most popular hedgehog cage set-up though is fleece and yesterday's news. Line the bottom of the cage with three fleece blankets and use Purina's yesterdays news inside a litter pan directly under the wheel in a pan like this. The fleece blankets are absorbent and easy to clean, just don't use fabric softening sheets in the dryer for your fleece and wash with vinegar to keep it soft. They can be easily cleaned using cleaning vinegar and or an unscented detergent safe for babies. To begin cleaning, first remove debris with a pet vacuum then put in the laundry. HEAVENLY HEDGIES DISCOURAGES THE USE OF WOOD SHAVINGS OF ANY KIND. Even Aspen shavings can cause respiratory damage and/or allergy issues, so use at your own risk. If you use anything other than fleece, freeze the bedding for 24-48 hours before use. Mites often come in wood shavings and litter material, so be careful and always freeze before.

Learn more about how to prevent mites, CLICK HERE to watch an #AskQuilly episode!

Please keep your cage around 74°F and 80°F. Use a CHE heat emitting lamp, a thermostat, and a thermometer. You'll also want to utilize a microwavable heating dish for under their bed and a space heater under supervision. Knowing this pet hedgehog care fact will set you apart from many other hedgehog owners and protect your quilly friend from possible hibernation or aesivation.

For our recommendations on the best heating system setup to keep your hedgehog warm, please read our article here.

We recommend a quiet wheel made of solid plastic that is at least 10.5″ – 12″ in diameter. Our favorite is the Comfort Wheel or the Carolina Storm Bucket Wheel. Hedgehogs love mint sticks, tiny balls, and dig boxes. Hedgies also love snuggle sacks and igloos to hide inside. Funny creatures that they are, they will also easily use something like your slipper or a toilet paper roll to burrow in. A pet carrier is very important to obtain before picking up your hedgehog. You'll use this any time you need to transport your hedgie or place them somewhere safe while you clean their cage.

If you would like to see a complete list of suggested essential hedgehog items, click here.

Between birth and about 6 months, a hedgehog can begin losing its quills and grow new ones. This could last up to a month depending on each individual hedgehog. Quilling also could re-occur throughout its life time but in smaller quantities.

To help keep a hedgie's skin supple while they are quilling, use an oatmeal soak during bath time to help moisturize. After the bath, use a nailbrush to help ease out the stubborn quills and provide relief. Brush in the same direction as the quills grow. Adding fish oil, coconut oil, or flax to their food will help with skin moisture. CBD is also becoming widely popular inside the hedgehog community and is safely easy our own in-house hedgehog, Quilly, with his symptoms of quilling. Adding a humidifier in your hedgehogs habitat environment setting it on low should also help

Sometimes a quill can become ingrown and will require your assistance to grab it out using tweezers. Keep the spot clean after because it could become infected. This hedgehog care sheet recommends Polysporin to help fight infection. Anything that looks worse than the above picture could be mites. Check if the quills have a natural ball at the end of the quill.

For more information on the quilling process, see our hedgehog quilling symptoms article.

Hedgehogs get really messy with the anointing, the bathroom going, and the private time. A room temperature bath is recommended as you see fit using a fragrance free wash or no soap at all. Use a soft or medium tooth brush and rub in the same direction as their quills grow. Sometimes you may need to give them just a foot bath. Once hedgehogs become carriers of salmonella they will always be, so diligent hygiene is a must with hedgehogs. Always make sure to wash them and yourself after handling, and clean their cages daily. Adding CBD pet drops helps fight bacteria and keeps their quill fortified and skin moisturized.

If you don't know what the above mentioned “hedgehog anointing” is, it is a very common and messy hedgehog ritual that occurs for a variety of reasons. To read more about this phenomenon, you can learn more about that here.

For bathing tips and tricks, this will be helpful!

To cut their nails, you want to do this after or during bath time. Use small steel 1 1/2″ nail trimmers or clippers. Avoid the pink part and only get the white part of the nail. If clipped too much and the nail bleeds, apply pressure with a cloth then add corn starch or Polysporin.

To trim their nails, hold the hedgie against your chest with your hand, holding their little legs in between your fingers as you clip with the other hand. Another method is to clip their nails while they are standing up in the bath, just lift one leg up at a time and gently clip their nails if they will let you. Be careful and make sure your little friend doesn't go underwater, this could hurt them especially if soap is digested.

Read our Hedgehog Grooming article on more tips and tricks for cutting your hedgehogs nails!

Keep in mind this may not be possible, but you can add a litter tray/box to your care sheet supplies list. It begins by setting the litter tray underneath the exercise wheel using “yesterday's news” cat litter. Then, place some old excrement pieces inside the litter pan. Try placing your hedgehog in the litter pan when you think it may have to go. Hedgehogs naturally poop when they run, so expect a messy wheel and cage.

We created this fantastic guide for you to follow here to try and litter train your hedgie!

Hedgehogs are not always friendly creatures, but handling your hedgehog is super important no matter what. A working relationship with an exotic veterinarian who treats hedgehogs is required. Please be careful what you feed your hedgehog, because anything we don't mention is most likely toxic to them. If you are ever in doubt, please contact us.

Always keep your hedgehog's environment warm and consistent. They need a large cage with lots of fun things to do inside of it. Quilling can occur at any stage of their life. Be on the look out for large quill loss because it could be mites. Keeping the hedgehog, their cage, and yourself clean is important when it comes to fighting salmonella possibilities. Nail care for your hedgehog is a must. And don't be disappointed if you cannot potty train your hedgehog.

Now be sure to enjoy your huffy puffy quilly friend, because being a hedgie parent is truly wonderful and rewarding.

If you are not yet a hedgehog owner and would like to discover safe places to buy a baby hedgehog, see our information here.

Becoming a new hedgie parent is an exciting event and if you need some inspiration chosing a name, come participate in our fun hedgehog name poll.

Hedgehog breeders or those who found themselves with pregnant hedgehogs should see our article on newborn baby hedgehogs and how to care for them until they are weaned.

Are There Rare Breeds Of Hedgehogs? Click To Discover The Most Desired One Here.