Hedgehog Travel Guide

Since people love to travel, our hedgehog travel guide is helpful to those who want to include their hedgie. Recently we took Quilly on a trip to the mountains. It literally took three times longer to pack for him! We managed to pack our own clothes and essentials in 30 minutes. Quilly's gear took 90 minutes, so it was really frustrating! And during the entire drive, there were the mental gymnastics of trying to think if anything was forgotten. You know what they say…why make your own mistakes when you can learn from someone else's? We think that some of our readers might appreciate having a travel guide for their hedgie. And as a bonus, we have a downloadable checklist at the end of this article.

Before you and your hedgehog embark on any journey, there are several things that need to be considered. The rest of this article will help guide you through the thought process. By the end, you'll be able to pack what you need before you start your adventure with your lap cactus.

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The place you're traveling to and the activities you'll be doing should determine whether your hedgie will join you on outings or sit it out. Obviously, if you're going to be zip-lining, para-sailing, cliff-jumping or doing any other type of adrenaline-pumping activities, we suggest that your adventure hog stay in the hotel or wherever else you're staying. The same is true if you're going to a really loud concert, nightclub-hopping, or anywhere that has bright flashing lights.

Also please leave your hedgie in the warmth if you're going to be outdoors in cold temperatures for extended times. In fact, if your travels are going to be jam-packed day and night with non-hog-friendly activities, you may want to find a sitter for your hedgie and leave them in familiar surroundings. After all, if you aren't going to have time to spend with them, why disrupt their routine and subject them to new smells and sounds that only stress them out? (No judgement here – just food for thought)

If your activities are leisurely or laid back enough to include your hedgehog on outings, we recommend that you have a way to carry them around comfortably. You may already have something suitable, but if you don't, we recommend reading our article on How To Choose The Right Hedgehog Carry Bag.

Another more unisex and compact option would be a fanny pack that is specifically made for carrying small animals, like the one to the right. It makes a great hands-free carrier for your hedgehog to hitch a ride! As a side note, it may not be suitable for an extended outing with your hedgehog.

As Quilly discussed in his video, Do Hedgehogs Travel Well, hedgehog-friendly modes of travel transportation may be very limited. In most cases, if you want your hedgehog to travel with you, then it will have to be by car. Also in the video, Quilly discusses how to introduce hedgehog travel into your quill-buddy's life. It's pretty important to know that your hedgie can tolerate travel. Some hedgies can get motion sickness or may not tolerate changes to their environment very well.

The critical concerns when it comes to mode of travel are temperature, availability of water, and securing the carrier. If your hedgehog is traveling in a carry bag that is secured to your body, then these issues aren't as big of a concern. Being able to tend to these things yourself helps give you peace of mind. If you're the one driving the car then a carrier bag isn't all that practical. In that case, you'll want to make sure that your hedgie carrier is strapped in securely. Unfortunately accidents do happen and your quill baby will be much safer if they aren't able to projectile launch in the event of an impact.

If your mode of travel is by a public carrier and you can't keep your hedgehog with you in the main cabin, that poses a problem. You'll need to make sure that they have an auxiliary heat source like the microwaveable snuggle packs that provide heat for up to 10 hours. While the transportation provider will most likely make sure the carrier is secure, you should check with them about whether they provide water during travel.

Will you be staying at a hotel, a bed and breakfast, a cabin or maybe with friends/family? It really does matter! If you're going to be hosted by someone else, please be courteous. You should make sure they're comfortable with you bringing your quill-baby under their roof. The repetitive chatter of a noisy wheel at night might push the hospitality or friendship limit. It would be a great idea to find out ahead of time so you can make alternate arrangements if necessary. And if you do have someone hosting your stay, a small gift to show your appreciation would be a nice gesture.

With a commercial hotel (and we know some may disagree), we see no reason why you can't covertly keep your quill-baby in the room even if they aren't a pet-friendly establishment. Just put the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door and KEEP it there for the duration of your trip. It may be a bit of an inconvenience having to get your own towels and toiletries, but we think it's worth it.

Hotels set pet rules for protection of property and to avoid disrupting their guests. And understandably so! Many types of pets scratch, bark, howl, whine, and/or cause damage to the room. However, as long as your hedgehog is going to be contained in something (and not allowed to free roam), we don't see this as a cardinal sin.

When you're in familiar surroundings at home and your hedgehog gets sick, you probably freak out. We certainly do! Now imagine you're in a totally unfamiliar place and your hedgehog gets sick. Why put yourself through the mental anguish? Here is a good starting point for finding qualified hedgehog veterinarians in the area you're traveling. We recommend that you call any of the facilities you are considering to verify the accuracy of the information. Businesses change over time and the facility may no longer have an exotic vet on staff. If you're driving cross-country, then we recommend that you locate several places to rest along the anticipated path, as well as one or two at your final destination.

While we're on the topic of emergencies, make sure you don't forget any medications or supplements that your hedgie may be taking. And you should also take note that you have a way to keep any refrigerated medications cold en route and at the final destination. Quilly was on medication while on his trip to the mountains, so a cooler with freezer packs worked out well. Along with bringing any medications, it's a good idea to make sure you aren't the only person that knows how to administer them (just in case something happens to you). If you're traveling alone with your hedgie, please create detailed written instructions. Put this with a list of medical issues and the phone number of their usual vet if questions need to be answered.

Once you've established where you're going, how you're going, what you'll be doing, and where you'll be staying, most of the hard stuff has been done. One thing we realized during the great Quilly mountain adventure was that the final prep was so frustrating because we hadn't thought about any of these things until it was time to pack. And as an extra tip, waiting to pack at the last moment almost always results in things being forgotten. And where you're you're going may not have what you left behind at home.

We've put together a hedgehog travel checklist to help you pack what you need to take for your hedgie. Some things may not apply to you. There also may be things that aren't absolutely essential for you to bring. You can download the guide/checklist here. Have fun with your hedgie and make memories that will last you a lifetime!