Adopting a Hedgehog and need to know about care and housing

Question

I am adopting a rescue hedgehog this week and he is coming home with me on Tuesday. I am currently looking for a cage for him and have decided on an aquarium as they are escape artists and can sometimes be messy. Would a 20 gallon aquarium be sufficient? Also being that he was abandoned he is terrified right now so I honestly don't know what his temperament is going to be like. What are some things I can do to make him feel more at home and comfortable. What kind of toys do they like? Also as I know they can be litter trained how do you go about training them. I wouldn't of course start until he was comfortable in his new home. Any advice on hedgehogs at all would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

try ebay or criags list for a cage. if not one for hedgehog, mabye a dog cage or something. that is a great thing your doing. maybe google can help too.

Answer 2

You'll have to clean it more often than a wire cage, and make sure it is well circulated. A 20 gallon is about the minimum, 30 would be better, but it depends on the size of the hedgehog. They also need a solid wheel to run on, they love to run! You'll want to get your hedgehog a large hut or place to hide. The guinea pig sized igloos are ideal, they sell them at Petsmart and Petco.

Make sure to give him a few days to adjust to his new environment with you before you handle him, since he'll be adjusting to a new environment as well as being afraid due to his past.

I've never had my own hedgehog, but I have rats, and assuming litter training goes the same for both, I can help you out. You might notice him going to the bathroom in the same spot pretty often. If that's the case, get a small animal litter box (usually made of plastic, you can probably make your own out of something if you want to) and place it in that corner. Make sure the bedding in it is different from the bedding lining the cage. Place any poops he does in the cage into the litter box, so he knows what it's for, and keep doing this until he figures it out. ;P That's another reason why you should get the largest cage you can. With a wheel, litter box & house, it might get a bit cramped in there.

Good luck with your new pet, and make sure to check out hedgehogworld.com, if you haven't already. It's a useful site.

Answer 3

Animals do not hold onto the past as humans do so once he is comfortable in his new home he will be fine.  Diet and housing is most important for hedgehogs so do your research whether it bbe by internet or bookstore for these two important issues.  Although they are escape artists, they need plenty of room and sufficient ventilation in their cage so I don't think an aquarium would be the best choice, especially such a small one.  Even if he/she is small now, he won't always be and then you will be faced with buying a whole new home for him.  Here is a link that will give you all the hedgehog answers you are looking for and is an easy read.  It's http://hedgehogcentral.com/care.shtml.  You should probably save the link to your "favorites" or bookmark it so that it can be a quick reference for you should the unexpected come up with your hedgehog.  Caring for one of these, as with any pet is ongoing and it is impossible to know everything the first day so relax, enjoy him and review the link!  You'll be a hedgehog expert in no time!  :)

Answer 4

hedgie's don't eat chili dogs like sonic does but they do eat hedgehog food and insects. any large to medium sized plastic and metal rabbit cage would work. cages should be cleaned every 2 or 3 days. get him a hamster wheel without bars just a plastic large hamster wheel.