|
|
|---|
|
 |
African Pygmy Hedgehog
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dr. Jungle shares what Lisa has to say about "Dizzy"!... "A very sweet, playful pet, "Dizzy" is a one and a half year old female hedgehog. She loves to give me kisses, especially when offered her favorite treats which are bananas and cottage cheese! Her favorite evening activity is to waddle onto her exercise wheel and get her daily workout."...Lisa |
| Geographic Distribution Atelerix albiventris |
|---|
| Data provided by Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
Hedgehogs make a very quiet, small friend and are not aggressive as long as you hold them regularly, making them a great choice for adults and older children. They virtually fit in the palm of your hand!
Most people have no allergic reactions to hedgehogs. They have virtually no odor, are clean, and can be litter box trained. If you want a small pet but with a longer life span than say, a hamster, a hedgehog is definitely the pet for you!
| Dr. Jungles thinks...."the cutest things come in small packages!" | |
|---|---|
|
|
"Sonic
is a salt and pepper african pygmy hedgehog :) He is about 6 ounces,
slightly small (not underweight!) for one of his species. He loves
to pose for pictures, and almost never bites or spikes, AND he has
been to school!...Sarah"
|
|
"Sonic"
- Salt and Pepper African Pygmy Hedgehog
|
|
|
Photo
Courtesy: Sarah
|
|
Being basically a solitary animal, they don't mind being left alone for long periods of time, especially during the day. They get active in the evening and that's when you are more likely to be home to enjoy them. Yes, they make the perfect apartment pet!
For information about Small Animals and their care visit:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy
Small Animal
Scientific name: Atelerix albiventris and Atelerix algiris (from Algeria)
Background:
Hedgehogs inhabited the earth even during the time
of dinosaurs, making the Erinaceidae family
the oldest living insectivore!
In the wild these animals are found in Europe, Asia and Africa.
They are not native to the United States and can no longer be imported,
but many African hedgehogs are bred here.
Importation of the African Hedgehog was banned in 1990. In
1992 the North American Hedgehog Association (NAHA) was formed by fanciers
dedicated to the health, happiness and successful breeding of this cute
little creature.
Note: There is also a European Hedgehog, Erinaceus, that is larger than its African cousin, growing to about 12 inches long and weighing about 3 pounds. The European Hedgehogs are now protected in their native countries but were well liked by European gardeners, as they would eat up to a third of their weight in slugs, snails and insects in a single day!
Description:
The African Pygmy Hedgehog, African Hedgehog, or Pruner's
Hedgehog grows between 6.7 and 9.5 inches (17-24cm). They generally live
four to six years, but have been known to live up to nine or 10 years
in captivity.
This hedgehog is a small mammal about the size of a guinea
pig. They have a long pointy snout, large eyes and ears, four digits on
each foot and a short tail. They have soft white to dark brown or even
black fur covering their face and under parts.
Their coloring varies from black to white to gray and they
have white-tipped spines or quills covering the top of their head, their
back and their sides. With captive breeding quite a variety of quill colors
and patterns have been developed. Some of these are chocolate, panda,
snowflake, cinnamon, fawn, mocha, cream, smoke, albino and various patterning
including spotted, large spot areas, and striped areas.
Though they are not related to porcupines, they also use
their quills for defense. Their natural defense when alarmed is to become
a prickly little ball. They roll up into a tight circle with their quills
pointing outward in all directions. A tame "socialized" hedgehog
will rarely erect its quills.
Another trait of this hedgehog is called "self-anointing"
or "anting". This is caused by new or unusual scents on an object,
After chewing or licking the object, they will foam at the mouth, producing
lots of frothy saliva.
Environment:
An indoor rabbit cage or hutch makes a perfect
hedgehog home. The cage should be a type that does not have a wire bottom.
(Also make sure you do not provide any toys that contain wire as it can
be hazardous to hedgehogs).
Keep the cage in a draft free place with a constant temperature
between 60 to 80 degrees, for non-hibernating hedgehogs the temperature
should be kept above 72 degrees. If the temperature fluctuates and it
becomes cold, the hedgehog will become inactive and sleepy.
The cage should be large enough to put in a little sleeping
hut or burrow for the animals privacy and still leaves a little
space for running around in. A wooden bird nesting box will work great
as a sleeping hut.
Use natural bedding on the floor of the
cage to absorb waste. Hedgehogs are naturally clean animals and can become litter box trained. You can provide a small litter box
away from food and sleeping areas with a pelleted litter or recycled paper.
It is best to avoid clumping or clay type kitty litters.
Remove the animal waste everyday. Once a week change the
bedding, the litter box, and disinfect the cage with bleach, rinsing it
well.
Care and feeding:
Use a crock for its food, as crocks are difficult to knock
over and spill and they are hard to chew. Because they are insectivores
they will like worms, mealworms, waxworms, crickets, slugs, snails, bugs,
moths, spiders, pinkies and baby frogs. Even though they are classed as
insectivores, these hedgehogs are opportunistic eaters with a healthy
appetite and especially like foods they can hold and crush.
Offer a commercially prepared hedgehog food,
if that is not available you can offer them a dry cat food that is high
in meat or poultry. They will also eat small amounts of vegetables and have been know to like an occasional bit of apple or a grape.
Provide a water bottle with fresh water daily.
Activities - Exercise and Play:
Hedgehogs are nocturnal little critters, meaning they
will sleep all day and get be active during the night. This is when they
will love a wheel to run on. For exercise they can use a guinea pig wheel.
To offer a little more adventure, think about getting a guinea pig ball.
This offers your little pet an opportunity to run around a room without
getting loose or getting hurt.
Hedgehogs can get lots of enjoyment out of pushing balls
or other toys around. They also like to climb and explore tunnels. Many
cat, hamster, and ferret toys are great for hedgehogs and are readily
available at pet stores.
Social Behaviors:
In their natural habitat the African Pygmy Hedgehog does
not exhibit aggressive behavior, but is solitary except during their brief
mating period. It is best to keep individuals separate in captivity. Males
will often fight, though two females can be house together as long as
there is plenty of room and they have separate sleeping places.
To most household pets a hedgehog is considered prey, so
be sure to keep them well out of the reach of any other pets.
Handling and Training:
Although not a social animal in the wild, hedgehogs
will respond positively to quiet handling and touching, being talked to
and getting attention. They do need alone time and do not like to be disturbed
during the day when they are sleeping. Some will be grumpy if bothered.
It is best to interact with your pet in the evening when it is awake.
Most hedgehogs will accept handling, but will not come looking
for it. Pick up your pet up by gently scooping him up underneath along
his sides, then you can either hold him in the palm of your hand or set
him gently on your forearm. A relaxed hedgehog will come
out of his ball, but they can stay in a ball for hours at a time. Regular
handling and offering treats will help to relax your pet. A tame "socialized"
hedgehog will rarely erect its quills and will generally accept handling
from anyone.
Breeding/Reproduction:
The breeding period in the wild is October to March. These
animals are sexually mature at about eight to ten weeks, with a gestation
period of 32-36 days and a litter of four to five though they can have
up to ten.
Common health problems:
Hedgehogs are remarkably healthy hardy pets that only need
to see a veterinarian if they get ill or hurt. Some ailments to watch
for though are listed below:
Diarrhea and
vomiting: If your hedgehog is experiencing either of these,
remove all foods and offer only a small amount of water. If the symptoms
do not clear up or it is severe, you will need to take him to a veterinarian.
Mange: This is probably the most common reason a hedgehog is taken to see a veterinarian.
Signs of a problem are heavy flaking, scabs or redness, loss of hair or
quills, crusted ears, or swollen crusted feet. This is generally caused
by a microscopic mite and you should take your pet to a veterinarian for
treatment.
Ringworm: A fungal disease of the skin, it looks similar to mange mites, but the
hedgehog is not itchy. You should take your pet to a veterinarian for
treatment.
Fleas, ticks,
maggots: Generally dirty conditions may provide breeding places
for these types of pests so make sure and provide a dry, clean environment.
A tick can be removed by firmly grasping
it with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pulling it out.
Then clean the area with a skin disinfectant.
Fleas can be eradicated with use of a mild
flea shampoo that is safe for cats. A thorough cleaning and disinfecting
of the cage is also necessary.
Maggots are a fly larvae and are rarer,
but can cause significant skin damage. Some can be removed with a good
bath and then a rinse in hydrogen peroxide and rinsed again, but some
burrow too deep and need a veterinarians attention to eradicate them.
Respiratory illness: Signs of this are nasal discharge, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing,
and loss of energy. This is often caused by being too cold, a poor diet,
or a dirty environment. Respiratory disease can quickly turn into pneumonia
so it is important to see a veterinarian as quickly as possibly.
Shock: If your hedgehog is weak or unable to move it may be experiencing shock.
Handle him as little as possible take him to a veterinarian.
Low body temperature: Sometimes your hedgehog will get sluggish if the temperature of its environment
is too extreme. Hedgehogs will go into a period of rest or hibernation
if they get to cold, and will also aestivate if they get too hot. Adjust
the temperature to a more comfortable level.
Availability/Purchasing your Hedgehog:
The African Hedgehog, African Pygmy Hedgehog, or Pruner's
Hedgehog is the most readily available; with the European Hedgehog being
much more rare.
This animal is available in most states, with the exception of California and Arizona. You may have to have a permit in some areas. Your best bet is to look for one at your local pet store, they can tell you what the legalities in your area are, or check with your local animal control officer.
When buying your hedgehog check its eyes, ears, nose, feet,
fur, and the skin between the quills to make sure they are healthy and
clean looking. Overall you should not see any sign of injury such as limping,
no excessive scratching, and no undue wheezing or coughing.
Each hedgehog will have its own temperament, but a good outgoing
pet is most desirable. Either a male or a female will make an equally
good pet
Comments from people who have kept this pet:
One of my very best friends is getting a hedgehog. She is very exited and can't wait to get one!
Oh, I would LOVE to get a hedgie! They're so sweet and loveable! I aspire to be a hedgie breeder someday...though I know it wouldn't get me much money, but I don't care! Oh, and one suggestion for this site: You should have a section for dogs. I've got a Bichon named Buddy. NOTE: Dr. Jungle says a dog section is coming within just a few weeks!
I just bought a hedgehog and named him Sonic. The first day he was very lively and I let him run in our bathroom and underneath my bed. However the 2nd day he wasn't lively at all and was very wobbly on his legs. I ended up taking him back to the pet store to see what was wrong and found out he was very dehydrated. I thought that was what it was because he wasn't drinking out of his water bottle. I don't think he understood how to use it. Anyway he's doing loads better now. I've switched his bottle to a dish and he now drinks from that! He also loves me to pick him up out of his cage and he sleeps beside my body, I think because of the warmth!
I have a two year old salt-n-pepper female that means the world to me. "Sonic" is the second heggie i have had the honor of owning. She is absolutely opposed to handling during the day but becomes the most lovable little devil at night. I'm not an emotional person but i could barely stand to finish G. Dodger's account and i wouldn't know how to deal with the loss of such a benign little friend.
I was walking home from church one day, and I saw something by the side of the road. I saw that it had spikes... a snout... small, black, beady eyes...it was snuffling- yes, a hedghog! I crossed over and found that wasn't a happy chappy, so I wrapped it in my jumper to bring it home and nurse it. On the way home I called it Bobby. I have guinea pigs and have a couple spare cages. I bedded one of these as I would for my guinea pigs, and put newspapers, woodshavings, and hay in it. I also included a water bowl and food bowl. I then got some woodlice, worms, and any other grubs I could find, and he chewed them up happily. Well, I kept him for a few days. Here are my notes: Do not feed them milk(it can kill them, but they'll obliviously drink it if they have the chance). Feed cat/dog food like chicken liver jelly or pet turkey pate and, of course, grubs like they eat normally. Provide them with a lot of water. They won't eat grass, but put them in a large run every day so they can root around the earth or grass. Try to resume, for them, a normal enviroment. Provide a patch of leaves or hay, a water bowl, and some extra food. They aren't aggressive in any way, but don't provoke these sweet little creatures, as they'll curl up, frightened, into a ball if aggravated or scared. Therefore, keep them away from predators that might scare it. They won't respond to other pets very well, and don't bring them near domesticated pets for fear of ticks, mites, and fleas. Don't put any solution for fleas or things on it, as it is a wild animal. It'll sleep, in the wild, for all of the day and scavenge at night. But you'll find that it'll be quite disorientated if you take it from the wild, and so will sleep in the night. Nevertheless, it will be jerky and wobbly in the day if it walks around, so don't worry.
He'll be very pleased if you give him cat food and grubs, if he's all right and not injured. Don't touch him since he's a wild animal, and it would be cruel to do otherwise. Hedgehogs rock, they are really fascinating!
Some of the coolest comments:
Don't forget to clip your hedgies nails regularly. This can be time consuming. It is best to try after their bath, and this is sometimes no easy task. Be careful not to clip too short as they will bleed if you cut into the quick. If you plan on breeding them, get a young animal. If they haven't had their first litter by 18 months of age, they may experience difficulties during the birth. just a couple hints from a former experienced owner/raiser but not a commercial breeder.
We have a total of 14 animals, all of which were rescued from abusive/neglectful homes. What I discovered about hedgehogs is that they are wild, not domesticated, animals. I always study up on the behavior of any animal we live with. Spiny Norman was fine in his clean crate with aspen chips and a wheel, fed on dry cat food. after reading up, I added a driftwood stick (pet store, reptile section), alfalfa hay, and a pressed alfalfa hut. Norman immediately sniffed the new additions and totally annointed himself. He is so much happier since I tried my best to replicate his natural environment. He also has a pan of water big enough to get in (only 1" deep). I try to handle him as little as possible, though he will take crickets or mealworms from my hand, and comes out whenever I come in the room. He is in the small rodent room and the big animals are not allowed in there. Norman is about six yrs old now and very healthy. I lined his crate with slate tiles & now his nails stay worn down. Oh yeah, don't feed fatty foods - it messes up their liver.
| Sponsored Links |
|---|
[Home] [Newsfeed]
[Saltwater Aquariums]
[Reef Aquariums]
[Freshwater Aquariums]
[Cats][Pet Birds] [Small Animals] [Reptiles] [Cute Pets] [References] [Team] [Pet Links] [Pet Supplies] [Care Sheets] [About Animal-World] [Site Map][Privacy Policy] [Recommended Pet Books]
