A reliable hedgehog checklist of must-have essentials is the place to start once you've decided to get a hedgie. We're here to help you figure out the items you definitely need. Like most things, there are good and bad options. There are also accessories that are necessary and those that are optional creature comforts (all puns intended). At the end of this article, we have a free downloadable checklist to make sure you get everything you need. And that list will specify whether the item is mandatory or optional.
Often, where you buy your baby hedgehog can impact your timeline of getting your hedgie's environment set up. Some breeders want proof that you have all the essentials ready before they will release a baby hedgehog to you. Hopefully you won't see this as a negative. We don't! A breeder that genuinely cares about the hoglets they send off with owners is definitely tops in our book. Some breeders will offer an abbreviated hedgehog checklist of equipment, but they are rarely comprehensive. Sometimes, breeders will have a “starter kit” that they sell at an additional cost.
If you think of it in human terms, what do we absolutely need to survive? At a bare minimum we need:
- Shelter that is adequate for the environment we live in
- Sanitary food and water
- A designated way to deal with waste from the body
- Some type of activity to remain healthy
Top of a Hedgehog Checklist: Safe Shelter
Hedgehog cages come in all shapes and sizes. And if you're a handy person, you can build a cage that has all the features you envision. We've seen some pretty elaborate setups on Pinterest. If you haven't seen our Hedgehog Cages DIY board already, check it out. You'll see a multitude of cages that will get you designing a heavenly haven for your hedgehog. Many of these ideas were originally built for a different kind of small animal, but with some imagination and ingenuity, we're sure you can adapt these ideas!
Just like humans have all sorts of prefabricated houses, hedgehogs can have a huge variety too. In fact, almost any small animal cage for guinea pigs or rabbits, can work for your hedgie just as well. Please be warned though! Hedgehogs can climb and a cage (or any enclosure) without a top that securely closes may become an empty cage. They are fairly talented escape artists!
If your home does not maintain a temperature between 74º-80ºF (23º-27ºC), then you will need a way to heat an area of the hedgehog cage to maintain this range. Even if you cannot heat the entire cage, it will be more critical for their sleeping area to be heated since temperature drops in all living things while they sleep. If the temperature gets too low, your hedgehog may try to go into hibernation which will impact their health. If they're hibernating, they aren't eating! Attempting hibernation is a serious risk for your hedgehog, so we highly recommend that you read this article about Hedgehog Hibernation Signs and Symptoms.
Inside the cage, there should be areas for them to hide, which is one of their favorite pastimes - especially when they sleep. In fact, whether it's in a pipe, a plastic igloo, a snuggle sack, or even a slipper, hedgehogs love to curl up in confined areas. Perhaps the tight confines helps them feel safer and hidden from predators.
Food and Water Dishes or Dispensers Belong on the Hedgehog Checklist
Obviously your hedgie will need food and water. We've already discussed the best hedgehog food list in great detail, so we won't rehash that here. If you haven't read that article, please take a moment to do that for the sake of your hedgehog. Instead, we're going to discuss what dish to feed them from and a means to provide them with water.
From our experience, a small, but heavy, ceramic crock dish for food is your best choice. Hedgies aren't neat when they eat - ever! If they have a flat saucer, they'll walk on it, in it, and through it. And a grumpy hedgie, who perhaps doesn't like their dinner, will even stick their snout under the edge and flip it over! Did you know that a hedgehog's snout is very powerful and they can lift a surprising amount of weight with it? You are much better off to get a small, weighted, ceramic crock that has straight sides. The weight helps keep them from tipping it and the straight sides help keep most of the uneaten food in the dish.
For their water, we suggest that you provide them with a gravity water bottle that fills a reservoir. Try to find one that is weighted or that can be mounted it in some fashion that can't be tipped over. This suggestion is from years of experience with this peculiar pet.
We shy away from water bottle with a metal nipple. Hedgehogs can bite it and crack their teeth. Or some have gotten their tongue stuck between the spring ball and metal straw. Also, because they are particularly clumsy and have poor eyesight, they can injure their eye if the metal straw is at ey level.
Another watering method is a dish laid in the cage. More often than not, is just going to get contaminated with bedding and droppings. Like the food dish, they'll walk on it, in it, and through it. There are also some sassy-pants hedgies that will overturn their water for amusement.
Speaking of Droppings - Next on The Hedgehog Checklist
There are some exceptionally patient hedgehog owners have managed to train their hedgehogs to eliminate in a specific litter area - like a corner. In fact, Quilly is completely litter trained! However, most of the hedgehogs we've owned never learned to eliminate in a certain area. In fact, one hedgie was too lazy to be bothered to leave her snuggle sack to do her business. Because of this, we went through a lot of snuggle sacks with her! So if you can't get your hedgie to litter train, don't feel bad about it…some will flat out refuse.
What this means is that you should put litter in the majority of their cage bottom. And you may even have to put it across the entire bottom. Talk with the breeder about their practices, because your hoglet will likely continue what they've learned during the weaning period. Regarding the type of litter for hedgehogs, we recommend the Unscented version of Yesterday's News. Hedgies have a sensitive respiratory system and since this brand of litter is 99.7% dust free, organic, and highly absorbent, it's the only brand we endorse.
If you have a multi-level cage, like the one in our feature picture, you'll need to spread out washable cloths to minimize the mess. This will also help reduce the frequency that you have to deep clean the cage. Even with the most diligent litter-changing and potty-cloth changes, you'll still need to deep clean the cage periodically.
The Fun Part of The Hedgehog Checklist
Hedgies need to be active if they're going to remain healthy. One way of providing them with activity is by providing a running wheel. Because they can really get moving, we recommend that you bolt it to the wall, firmly attach it to the side of the cage, or make sure it has a wide, sturdy base. Additionally, please make sure that the wheel is a solid one rather than a wire one. Your hedgie has very small feet that can be injured if they get caught in a wheel spinning fast. Because hedgehogs are nocturnal, you might want to verify that the wheel has a squeak-free bearing system. We've suffered through squeaky wheel trauma (while trying to sleep).
Other forms of activity that hedgehogs like are running through tubes, going up and down ramps, and knocking things over. That last one is yet another good reason to get a heavy food dish, as we previously mentioned. We've never set up night-time infrared camera on any of our hedgies, but I think they also like to rearrange furnishings in their cage on a nightly basis too.
Wrapping up The Hedgehog Checklist of Must-Have Essentials
AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Heavenly Hedgies is an Amazon Associate. We have partnered with them and other reputable merchants when they sell something that we feel will benefit our readers. By purchasing through our links, we may earn a small commission on sales, that helps us continue to provide informative and educational information for hedgie lovers. And the best part is that there is no additional cost to you. Thank you for being a loyal and supportive reader here at Heavenly Hedgies.
As you can see, hedgehogs have the same basic needs that humans do, but at a much smaller scale. There are many, many other accessories that you can buy that will make their life more fulfilling, but we'll leave the hedgehog wish list for another article. The picture above shows almost all the elements we've talked about, and as you can see, it doesn't have to be elaborate to be functional.
One thing that we didn't mention as a must-have for your hedgehog checklist, but strongly suggest, is a critter carrier. In a pinch, you could use any vented box to transport your hedgehog on trips to the vet or short car trips. However, since you've made the commitment to care for this precious animal, we recommend a well constructed carrier with a handle. One of the things that your hedgehog needs is love! And that's something you don't have to put on a checklist. It may take a period of adjustment for each of you, but they're worth it!
Feel free to download and print a copy of our hedgehog checklist so you can begin gathering your essentials together to welcome your hedgie to their new home!
A big thanks to the source of our featured image by Benjamin Hollis under the CC BY 2.0 license
I love the information that you provide but only thing so far that I disagree with is putting a water bottle in their cage. My 2 hedgehogs have silver dishes now and I taught my one hedgehog not to spill or go in her water by placing a small but heavy rock beside it and she no longer tips any of her dishes and my other never has. They’re both so clean. They have their areas to their business without the litter and I only use pee pads. As for the water container with a spout is that I fear they will poke out their eyes because of their poor eyesight. Other sites don’t recommend and my friend had experienced it first hand so for me not recommended.
Thanks for the feedback Trena! I won’t disagree that water bottles can be a hazard if not situated safely. A water bottle can be safely used if you put the tip above eye level and give them a way to support their front paws to elevate them when they wish to drink. I no longer use a water bottle and I don’t use a traditional dish either. If you look at the newest article (https://heavenlyhedgies.com/a-critter-nation-hedgehog-cage-makeover), you’ll see a gravity water dispenser. We are designing a better and user friendly version of the gravity water dispenser. In my 20+ years of raising numerous hedgehogs, I find that most hedgies will tip or walk through the dish. I’ve rarely had one that could be trained to leave it alone (Quilly included). They all have different mannerisms and personalities, which makes them special. You’ve been blessed with some exceptional hogs 🙂 We hope you’ll find other useful information as you explore the site.