R. Wallace-Hill - 2007-09-01 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.
Indi - 2007-07-03 I had a four year old female hedgehog named Dafina. Unfortunately, there is a disease called "Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome" that has very little information on it. She stopped eating and drinking completely, and was constantly throwing up any and all medications/dextrose/glucose that I had her on. (She went to the vet) Hedgehogs become off-balance and wobbly when they have this weird neurological disease. She became paralyzed in three of her legs and could not move. In short, I had to have her euthanized far before her time. I did all the right things for her through her entire life but this is a disease that isn't well known. No one is sure what causes it and how to treat it.
I just wanted to inform all the hedgehog owners out there of this possibility. I have heard that it is uncommon to see this--but I also want to say that all of you need to enjoy your little ones while you have them, spikes and all. If they do not cuddle, or ever become socialized, continue to love them with all your heart.
B. King - 2007-06-09 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.
Eleanor, 13 years old, England - 2007-04-03 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.
Siobhan, 9 years old, England - 2007-04-03 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!
Jodie - 2007-03-23 I have got 2 hedgehogs, one salt anf pepper colour called Mr Moose and a cinnicot colour called Apricot, we have had them for nearly a year now, and i love them. They are great pets and so much fun, they both love playing around the house with their balls. We put them together a couple of weeks ago and we think the Apricot is pregnant, so how exciting hopefully soon we will have little hoglets.
G. Dodger - 2006-09-05 I got sisters, Sugar (white) and Spice (brown) for Christmas 2004. They lived with out trouble in the same cage. They were perfect pets for me because I'm nocturnal too. Sugar was my cuddler and Spice was my hisser. On August 12, 2006 about 5:30 A.M. after playing, I gave them food and then I went to bed. It wasn't until around 2 P.M. I noticed something wrong with Sugar. Somehow she had broken one of her back legs (probably fell after climbing up the cage side) and the bone had ripped through her skin. She had lost allot of blood and went into shock. She died as a result of her injuries. Spice raced around looking for her sister for days. Then she got very quiet and stopped eating. Even though she was in good health she grieved to death within a week. They were wonderful friends and I miss them.
Anonymous - 2006-09-02 I have had my female hedgehog for over 3 years now and she has been amazing from the start. She is one of the few hedgehogs that i have seen that loves cuddling, she is super freind and almost never spikes up! The one problem that i will be fixing soon is that her ears are falling apart, but she is the cutest and friendliest hedgehog ever!!
Yehoshua Cirt - 2006-07-31 I live in Israel and I have African Hedgehogs all around my home during the summer-- I mean outside. There are a few varieties here, even a desert spiecies. In addition to being insectivores, they re said to attack poisonous snakes. Some people keep them in pens in there gardens in the settlement I live in. I don't like to pick them up with my hands because they seem to carry ticks. But I love seeing them wobble around in the streets when I do my nightly walk!
Christine (DE) - 2006-07-12 I have had hedgehogs since 1996, all with different personalities, from snugglies to huffies. They are wonderful little pets. They love they runabout balls and wheels. Add to your list of BAD states for hedgehogs, Pennsylvania- you cannot ship there or own there legally. There was a state law put into effect seveal years ago, if they are found they will be confiscated and euthanized.
They have such a cute little face and you'll love their darling waddle!
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.
I had a four year old female hedgehog named Dafina. Unfortunately, there is a disease called "Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome" that has very little information on it. She stopped eating and drinking completely, and was constantly throwing up any and all medications/dextrose/glucose that I had her on. (She went to the vet) Hedgehogs become off-balance and wobbly when they have this weird neurological disease. She became paralyzed in three of her legs and could not move. In short, I had to have her euthanized far before her time. I did all the right things for her through her entire life but this is a disease that isn't well known. No one is sure what causes it and how to treat it.
I just wanted to inform all the hedgehog owners out there of this possibility. I have heard that it is uncommon to see this--but I also want to say that all of you need to enjoy your little ones while you have them, spikes and all. If they do not cuddle, or ever become socialized, continue to love them with all your heart.
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!
I have got 2 hedgehogs, one salt anf pepper colour called Mr Moose and a cinnicot colour called Apricot, we have had them for nearly a year now, and i love them. They are great pets and so much fun, they both love playing around the house with their balls. We put them together a couple of weeks ago and we think the Apricot is pregnant, so how exciting hopefully soon we will have little hoglets.
I got sisters, Sugar (white) and Spice (brown) for Christmas 2004. They lived with out trouble in the same cage. They were perfect pets for me because I'm nocturnal too. Sugar was my cuddler and Spice was my hisser. On August 12, 2006 about 5:30 A.M. after playing, I gave them food and then I went to bed. It wasn't until around 2 P.M. I noticed something wrong with Sugar. Somehow she had broken one of her back legs (probably fell after climbing up the cage side) and the bone had ripped through her skin. She had lost allot of blood and went into shock. She died as a result of her injuries. Spice raced around looking for her sister for days. Then she got very quiet and stopped eating. Even though she was in good health she grieved to death within a week. They were wonderful friends and I miss them.
I have had my female hedgehog for over 3 years now and she has been amazing from the start. She is one of the few hedgehogs that i have seen that loves cuddling, she is super freind and almost never spikes up! The one problem that i will be fixing soon is that her ears are falling apart, but she is the cutest and friendliest hedgehog ever!!
I live in Israel and I have African Hedgehogs all around my home during the summer-- I mean outside. There are a few varieties here, even a desert spiecies. In addition to being insectivores, they re said to attack poisonous snakes. Some people keep them in pens in there gardens in the settlement I live in. I don't like to pick them up with my hands because they seem to carry ticks. But I love seeing them wobble around in the streets when I do my nightly walk!
I have had hedgehogs since 1996, all with different personalities, from snugglies to huffies. They are wonderful little pets. They love they runabout balls and wheels. Add to your list of BAD states for hedgehogs, Pennsylvania- you cannot ship there or own there legally. There was a state law put into effect seveal years ago, if they are found they will be confiscated and euthanized.