What Kind Of Cage Does A Hedgehog Need?

New hedgie owners often ask, “What kind of cage does a hedgehog need”? If you find yourself wondering the same thing, this article presents everything you need to know about the essential components of a hedgehog cage. We'll even point out some of the common mistakes that new hedgie owners make when buying a cage for their roaming pin cushion. After all, their cage is where your hedgie will spend most of their hours, so shouldn't it be exactly what they need?

There are several hedgehog cage accessories that are broadly discussed in the article: Hedgehog Checklist: Must-Have Essentials. And in a future article, we will detail hedgehog products for the pampered hedgie. Look for that coming soon. Additionally, hedgie owners should ensure that the cage heating system is in place and meets their hedgehog's needs. Please read more about that here. The temperature control system is just as important as the kind of cage a hedgehog needs.

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Hedgehogs need room to roam, run around, and do all the things hedgehogs do in the middle of the night. There are several schools of thought on what the right cage size should be. That being said, the minimum amount of space is 4 square feet (0.4 square meters). However, if you can go larger, we believe your hedgie will appreciate it. And after all, it leaves more room to place toys in there to enrich their life.

Given the opportunity, hedgehogs will climb and are pretty fearless about doing it. However, if you look at the size of their tiny feet, you can imagine that they won't be able to hold on until someone rescues them. A fall from the top of the cage is most likely going to cause injury. For this reason, please be very critical about buying or making a hedgehog cage that is climb-proof.

When buying a wire cage or building one from wire shelving, it is best to line the vertical perimeter of the cage with Coroplast® or some other plastic rigid-wall sheeting. You'll want to make it high enough that they can't reach the top edge while standing on their back legs. AND, you want it high enough that they can't reach the top edge from any hides you may have within the cage if they climb on those. If you have a multi-story wire cage, you'll need to line the perimeter at each level. The great thing about Coroplast® is that it's relatively cheap and can be found in bright, cheerful colors.

If you want to have a multi-story hedgehog cage, they'll need a way to get from one level to the next. And because their eyesight is poor, any ramp needs to have side rails attached to keep them from toppling over the side. Additionally, any elevated perch that has an open edge needs a barricade to prevent them from walking or falling over the edge. The three most common ways of making it safe to get from one level to the next is by using flat ramps with side-rails, PVC pipe (not recommended), or flexible plastic tunnels like what is shown.

Caution

PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) contains phthalates to make it softer and more flexible. Phthalates have the ability to mimic hormones, which interferes with normal hormone production. This can result in reproductive issues and birth defects. For further reading, please read this CDC fact sheet on Phthalates.

Seasoned hedgehog owners don't often talk about the gap size between wires on cages, but it's an important consideration for new hedgie parents. Because hedgehogs are curious creatures, they'll stick their head anywhere it will fit. To confirm this, all one has to do is watch a You-Tube video of a hedgehog with their head stuck in a toilet paper tube. A cage that is specifically made for a rabbit is probably going to have wires far enough apart that your hedgie may get their head stuck. We don't want any hedgie wedgies, so please be careful when choosing a cage with wire bars!

Recently we were asked about a plastic cage that the owner couldn't get the pee smell out of in spite of disinfecting. Unfortunately, not all plastics are created equal. Some plastics are actually porous and can become embedded with bacteria. How do you know what type of plastic is in the cage you're considering? Short answer – you don't! Cages don't come with a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet), but we think they should!

There is often a misconception that hard surfaces are nonporous. While there are nonporous hard-surface materials such as stainless steel, solid surface and some rigid plastic materials, other commonly used materials such as laminate, granite and some plastic materials are porous. They might provide some moisture resistance due to coatings that may have been applied during the manufacturing process, but these eventually wear off if not maintained and reapplied. In many cases, the disinfection product and process will destroy any of these coatings.

American Society for Health Care Engineering

Because plastic is fairly inexpensive, it is the most common type of bottom basin found on hedgehog cages. If you buy this type, be aware that you may need to invest in a new cage sooner than you want. Cheaper isn't always better.

While we're talking about sanitation, let's discuss simplicity. It's human nature to avoid doing things that are complicated, cumbersome, or time-consuming. And if we're totally honest, a hedgehog cage that is complicated to disassemble and reassemble isn't going to get sanitized as often as it should. Many hedgehog cage towers fall into this category.

The footprint of a ranch-style hedgehog cage requires space that apartment dwellers may not have. However, if you can spare the space, this option is likely to be the easiest to maintain and arrange for your hog. Some single level hedgehog cages have an elevated perch pad. We like to call this the “raised ranch”. One of the disadvantages of a one level habitat is the heat control. Many owners find that in order to provide a uniform heat throughout, they have to use multiple CHE lamps. Additionally, if the cage is large, it may require multiple thermometers and thermostats.

Much has already been stated regarding safety issues with multi level hedgehog cages, so we won’t repeat it here. Hedgehog cages that have several levels provide the advantage of more space in a smaller footprint. This makes it attractive for apartment dwellers who want to provide a spacious home for their hedgehog, but don’t have a lot of square feet (or square meters).

Manufactured cages come in several layouts and provide most of the requirements needed to house a hedgehog. Some will require slight modifications to make it into a suitable and safe hedgehog home. They save time and if you're anxious to get to the hedgehog bonding, you can buy a ready-made cage and get to the fun stuff.

However, there are many people that either can't afford to purchase a ready-made hedgehog cage. Or, they want to make a special home worthy of their quilly prince or princess. We've seen many imaginative, hand-crafted DIY hedgie cages. One of our favorites is showcased here. It was graciously shared by Niki Long.

We've also seen some cages that are merely repurposed plastic storage totes. Because of the strong link to cancer and reproductive issues, please investigate the type of plastic used to make the tote you may be considering as a home your hedgehog will spend hours in. Most manufacturers guard this information very closely.

We've covered a lot of ground here regarding the kind of cage a hedgehog needs. It basically needs to provide safe shelter and be large enough for the little ouch mouse to get plenty of exercise. Sedentary hedgies quickly become sickly or overweight. What makes a house a home is love. And ultimately, the kind of cage a hedgehog needs is the kind that is in a loving home. Perhaps yours?

A big thank you to Tina Jones for our feature picture of her hedgehog's cage

Need Some Cage Renovation Ideas? Come Check Out Quilly's New Critter Nation Set-Up!