Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Hedgehogs are a kind of pet suitable for those who are patient and dedicated. The African dwarf hedgehog is a hybrid of two native African species that is an intelligent, friendly domesticated animal and a good friend to the owner of a devoted owner. As with any pet, you should research your hedgehog and care for it to see if it is suitable for your lifestyle. You need to understand your hedgehog's environment and dietary needs to be ready to bring a baby home and take care of you in the best way you can.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Choosing and bringing your hedgehog home

1. 

   Make sure that porcupine farming is local legal. Hedgehogs are considered exotic animals, and pet behavior may be governed by local or national laws. In some places this is illegal, while others require special permits. You should learn about your local, city, and county regulations to learn about alien animal farming laws or regulations.
   • If you need help understanding local regulations, or finding shelter for a hedgehog that you are not allowed to keep, you can contact an animal social work organization or an organization dedicated to the hedgehog. .

2. 

   
   
   Buy hedgehogs from a licensed ranch. Hedgehogs provided by responsible breeders are usually very sociable, as they take good care of their father and mother porcupines, so you will have a healthy baby hedgehog. This means you should look to the ranch have quality. Otherwise, what you will get will be a grumpy and sick hedgehog.
   • The farm should have a high-quality supply of hedgehogs that do not have porcupine spikes syndrome (WHS) or cancer.
   • USDA licensed farm inspection. In the United States, hedgehog farms must have a USDA license. The buying and selling process includes a number of papers that provide the camp's permit number.
   • Be careful with farms that post information on advertisements or online advertisements.
   • Ask the breeder about the health certificate. The policies vary from place to place, but you will be comfortable with your choice if the farm allows exchange or choice if your current porcupine experiences unexpected health problems early on. This also alerted the farm to the risk of diseases that could arise in certain varieties of porcupines. Therefore, this concern shows that this is a mindful business farm.

3. 

   
   
   Check the health of the hedgehog. You can observe a few signs that your hedgehog is in good health before making a choice.
   • Transparent eyes: The hedgehog must be awake; eyes are not red, dim, or swollen.
   • Clean bristles and spines: While a sebum is normal (see below), stools sticking around the anus can be a symptom of diarrhea or some other potential health problem.
   • Healthy skin. The red area under the thorn may be caused by dry skin or a tick. If your hedgehog has a tick, you will need to treat it. You should also look for signs of a flea infection (the pinprick nodules jump very quickly). If so, you must treat them as well.
   • No scabies or injuries. If the hedgehog has scabies or wounds on the body, the breeder needs to explain the cause, and confirm that they are recovering. Some hedgehogs can survive congenital damage (such as blindness, loss of a limb, etc.) and still live a happy and healthy life, but you must consider the need to care for these animals and whether see whether in reality we have enough energy to take care of or not.
   • Apples: Hedgehogs should be aware of their surroundings, not lethargic or unresponsive.
   • Manure: Make sure that the barn is free of green manure or diarrhea. If so, the hedgehog may have had a health problem.
   • Moderate weight. Obese hedgehogs have "pockets" of fat around the armpits and cannot curl into balls, while emaciated ones often have concave bellies and sunken sides, both of which may be related to health problems. strong.
   • Healthy feet. The toenail should be kept short so that it doesn't curl underneath the nail. If your hedgehog nails are too long, ask your breeder how to cut them.

4. 

   
   
   
   
   Take your hedgehog home properly. Before you start buying your hedgehog, you need to have everything ready. Allow at least a month for your hedgehog to get used to you, new smells and new environments. They just went through a big change in their lives!
   • Squeeze your hedgehog every day to get used to them. You can do simple things like placing your hedgehog on your lap and talking to them. Build trust by hand-rewarding food, and expose your hedgehog to an old t-shirt you've been wearing all day to let it get used to your smell.

5. 

   
   
   Be prepared for poisoning. One of the hedgehog's most bizarre behaviors is to produce saliva when exposed to new food, a strange smell, or salt. The hedgehog curls up in an S shape, turns its head back and dabs its saliva on the spikes. No one knows why, but it is possible that they do so to armament by applying irritants to the spikes. For this reason, you may experience slight irritation when first touching your hedgehog. advertisement

Part 2 of 4: Preparing the hedgehog's accommodation

1. 

   
   
   Prepare a high quality barn. Hedgehogs need to be in a large cage: they love to explore living spaces, and their territory in the wild is usually about 200 to 300 meters in diameter. There are also other factors to consider when choosing a cage for your new friend.
   • The barn must have a large area. The housing should be at least 46 x 61 cm, but if possible, expand the range. An area 61 x 76 cm is suitable, and 76 x 76 cm is quite ideal.
   • The side of the cage should be about 40 cm high. While some people recommend choosing a side edge with a smooth surface, others believe that pens with smooth side walls are often difficult to vent. Be aware that the edge of the barn made of wire mesh can cause problems if your hedgehog likes to climb! These are animals that master the escape. Choose a covered cage, otherwise cover with a board or anything else to keep your hedgehog from climbing out.
   • The barn should have a solid floor, as the hedgehog's small feet can slip through the wire mesh floor and injure them.
   • Porcupine barn are not should have more than one floor because porcupines have poor eyesight and their legs are prone to break. The wire cage is also dangerous if your hedgehog enjoys this activity! Consider the amount of space you have for food bowls, toys and litter boxes when considering buying or building a hedgehog cage.
   • The barn should always have good ventilation. The barn area should be ventilated at all times. You should only prevent airflow in the event of a sudden drop in room temperature (eg during a power outage) and need to cover the cage with a blanket.

2. 

   Select a good quality bearing liner. Hedgehogs love wood shavings, but you should use poplar bark instead of cedar, as cedar contains phenol (aromatic oils) that when inhaled can cause cancer. Alternatively, you can line the nest with a durable fabric (diagonal fabric, corduroy, or wool) cut to the right size.
   • Carefress is an industrial product similar to gray cardboard sandpaper. While some recommend this, be aware that granular materials can linger on male genitals or on hedgehog spikes. In addition, Carefress can damage your hedgehog with the new formulation in Carefresh Bedding.

3. 

   Furniture in barn. You need to prepare a few more things to meet your hedgehog's needs.
   • Shelter: A type of animal that is primarily hunted at night in the wild, hedgehogs need a safe area to "get away from" prying eyes, light, and general activity. A snow tent or sleeping bag is quite suitable.
   • Fitness wheel. Hedgehogs require a lot of practice, and the wheel is a great night-training tool. The wheel should have a solid bottom, while a mesh or rod bottom will cause the hedgehog to become trapped, cut off the nail, and even break a leg.
   • You should keep your hedgehog's nest box from constantly absorbing water. Chemicals in the nesting material can contaminate the hedgehog's drinking water and kill them.
   • Provide a litter box that is not more than 1.3 cm high on the side to allow your hedgehog to get in and out more easily and prevent broken legs. Friend just Use non-lumpy sanitary sand if you want to use toilet sand, or use toilet paper. The litter box should have a large amount of space for the hedgehog and should be cleaned daily. You can use a cookie tray or an industrial plastic cleaning tray. Most porcupine owners often put trays under the wheels because this is the place where they "deal with their sadness" the most.

4. 

   Maintain the right temperature. Hedgehogs adapt well to room temperatures warmer than human standards between 22.2ºC and 26.6ºC. If the temperature is lower, the hedgehog will switch to a "hibernation" mode, leading to the risk of death (because it can cause pneumonia). When the temperature is high, the hedgehog becomes stressed by heat. Adjust the temperature when you see your hedgehog spread across the floor as if it were hot. In the event that your hedgehog falls in lethargy, or has a cooler temperature than usual, you need to warm up immediately by holding it inside your shirt and using your own body temperature to heat them.
   • If after an hour your hedgehog is still cold, you should take them to your vet immediately.
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Part 3 of 4: Feeding your hedgehog

1. 

   Feed your hedgehog on a diet that includes a variety of foods. Hedgehogs feed primarily on insect pests, but can still absorb fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meat. This animal is easily obese, so you need to feed them carefully to avoid gaining too much weight. Obese hedgehogs cannot curl and may have "several bags" of fat dangling away, making it difficult to walk.

2. 

   Provide a quality diet. Your hedgehog's nutritional needs are not yet determined, but you should choose high quality cat pellets as a key ingredient in their diet and add a few other diverse foods listed. listed below. Pellets should only contain 15% fat and about 30-32% protein; You need to choose organic or all-round foods and avoid pellets containing by-products, corn and similar ingredients mentioned. Eat 1 to 2 tablespoons of dry cat food per day.
   • Avoid low quality hedgehog foods because they contain many poor quality ingredients. Instead you should choose high quality foods like L’Avian, Old Mill, and 8-in-1.

3. 

   Have your pellets ready if you don't have time to prepare the food. Many people feed their porcupines freely, pouring just enough food so they don't have too much left over.

4. 

   Offer your hedgehog a variety of foods to avoid nutritional deficiencies. You can add small amounts of other food to pellets, just 1 teaspoon per day or every other day. Other foods include:
   • Chicken, skinless turkey, or chopped salmon cooked with no added spices.
   • A few pieces of fruit and vegetables like cooked watermelon, peas or sweet potatoes or apple sauce
   • Eggs scrambled or boiled & chopped
   • Crickets, crickets and waxy worms. These are important components of a hedgehog's diet. As insectivores, they need to be mentally stimulated by eating live animals in addition to absorbing the nutrients needed for life. You can feed them less insects four times a week. Never feed your hedgehog with wild-caught insects (eg garden insects) as they can contain toxic pesticides, or parasites that can infect your hedgehog.

5. 

   Avoid certain foods. Hedgehogs love to eat a variety of foods, but there are a few things you should avoid giving them: nuts / seeds, dried fruit, raw meats, raw undercooked vegetables, sticky / fibrous / hard foods, butter. , grapes or raisins, milk or dairy products, alcohol, bread, celery, onion and onion powder, raw carrots, tomatoes, junk food (potatoes, candy, sweet, salty foods , etc.), any highly acidic food, or honey.

6. 

   Adjust food intake if your hedgehog gains weight. Reduce the amount of food you are giving your hedgehogs if you notice they are plump, and increase your exercise.

7. 

   
   
   Feeding at dusk. Hedgehogs are active at dusk. So you should feed them once a day at that time.

8. 

   Use an appropriate food bowl. The bowls should have a wide contact surface for the hedgehog to reach and not be so light that they can knock the food over (and start playing with the food bowl).

9. 

   
   
   Provide a water tank with a straw or a bowl of water. You need to keep your hedgehog clean at all times.
   • The bowl of water should not be too light and shallow enough so that your hedgehog does not easily knock over. Wash thoroughly daily and change with clean water.
   • If you are using a water bottle with a straw, teach your hedgehog how to use it! They usually learn from the mother porcupine, but may require additional instruction. You need to change the water in the bottle daily to prevent bacteria from accumulating.
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Part 4 of 4: Caring for your hedgehog always happy and healthy

1. 

   
   
   Place your hedgehog in a quiet and peaceful place. They should not be placed under the music player or television set. An animal that is hunted in the wild primarily based on hearing, hedgehogs will feel anxious if there is too much noise and annoying activity around them. You need to keep the sound, lighting, and activity around the hedgehog low and move the cage away if the noise level is high for any reason. Hedgehogs can adapt to noise if exposed slowly.

2. 

   Give your hedgehog a chance to get regular exercise. Hedgehogs are very easy to gain weight, so exercise is a must. This means giving them lots of toys along with the fitness wheel. Porcupine toys are usually chewable, pushed, sniffed, and even stepped on, as long as they cannot be chewed into small pieces or swallowed in their mouths. The hedgehog's nails or feet should not get caught in loose strings or tiny holes.
   • Some suitable toys include: rubber balls, old children's toys, rubber decorations, baby gum rings, toilet paper cores cut in halves, cat balls or toy birds have bells inside, etc.
   • Occasionally let your hedgehog play in a large crate. You can buy a large plastic bath or have them explore the indoor bath (no water of course).

3. 

   Watch for your hedgehog's food / water absorption behavior. This is an animal that is very good at hiding, so you need to watch out for your hedgehog carefully. Keep track of any changes and call your veterinarian if need check out.
   • In cases where hedgehogs don't eat for a day or two, they may have had a problem and need medical attention. Hedgehogs that do not eat or drink for several days are often at risk for fatty liver, a disease that can be life-threatening.
   • Look for dry, scaly skin around the spines: this could be a sign of a tick infection that has debilitated the condition of the hedgehog if not checked.
   • Wheezing or noisy breathing as well as secretions on the face or limb joints are signs of a respiratory infection, a common and serious disease in hedgehogs.
   • Soft stools that last for more than a day, or diarrhea with lethargy or loss of appetite could be a symptom of a parasitic infection or another illness.
   • The state of hibernation, although common in nature, is not safe for porcupines in the cage. As mentioned above, if your hedgehog has a cold stomach, warm them by holding them to your shirt and rest against your skin. If your hedgehog's body temperature still doesn't warm up within an hour, you should take them to your vet immediately.

4. 

   Cuddle your hedgehog often. Once used to cuddling, your hedgehog will adapt to being cuddled often. Always have confidence when petting your hedgehog: they are not as fragile as they seem. As a general rule, you should cuddle for at least 30 minutes a day.
   • Quietly and slowly approach your hedgehog. Lift them up by lifting from the lower part, then use your cupped hands to hold them.
   • Spend time playing. In addition to being close to your hedgehog, don't be afraid to play with them. Hedgehogs will let you play along if you join them often.

5. 

   Clean the hedgehog's cage regularly. Rinse dishes and water bottles daily with hot water. Clean wheels and spot cleaning daily, changing the bedding weekly or whenever necessary.

6. 

   Bathe your hedgehog when needed. Some hedgehogs are cleaner than others, so you need to bathe them often, more or less.
   • Flush warm (not too hot) water into the tub at the level of your hedgehog's belly. Do not let water get to your hedgehog's ears or nose.
   • Mix a mild oat soap (such as Aveeno) or puppy soap in the water and use a brush to scrub away the spines and legs.
   • Rinse with warm water and pat dry your hedgehog's entire body with a clean towel. If they can stand it, you can use the dryer on a low heat setting, otherwise just keep using a towel to dry. Do not put your hedgehog in a cage while it is wet.

7. 

   Examine your hedgehog's toenails. If the nail grows too long and curls, it will easily peel off when it is on the wheel.
   • Use small nail scissors to cut your hedgehog's nails, only pruning long parts of your nails.
   • If your hedgehog is bleeding, use a cotton swab to gently dab the cornstarch on the affected area. Do not use commercially available powder, as this can cause your hedgehog pain.

8. 

   Prepare for prickly shedding. The urchin shedding phenomenon is similar to tooth loss in children or the skin change in snakes. This process begins when the hedgehog is 6-8 weeks old and can take place during the first year, as falling young spikes allow new spikes to grow. This is normal, and you don't need to worry too much about it, unless it shows signs of illness or discomfort or the thorns don't regrow. During this stage, the hedgehog becomes irritated and doesn't like to be touched; You can use oat soap to make them more comfortable. This is just one stage in the hedgehog's life. advertisement

Advice

• When cuddling your hedgehog, be gentle, otherwise it will bite you.
• If the indoor temperature is too cold, you need to turn on the ceramic room heater, ceramic room heater. If that doesn't work, you can use the heating pad properly set (although this is not recommended as it could result in a severe or life-threatening burn). Don't use light bulbs, as this will disturb your hedgehog's night and day cycles.
• When you let your hedgehog play the toilet paper core, cut it in two equal halves so that they don't get stuck inside.
• The farm where you buy your hedgehog should not include a previous breed of WHS, as this may affect the hedgehog with the same genetic syndrome over the long term. Don't be hasty when choosing a hedgehog, instead you should do your research first and find a suitable farm.
• Unless you intend to breed, you should not buy a pair of male and female hedgehogs. Female hedgehogs can reproduce at eight weeks of age, although they are unlikely to reproduce safely until they are six months old. And the result is that the hedgehogs have not been planned in advance, unintended, and hybrid. If the female hedgehogs are too young, pregnancy will kill them. Breeding is a very dangerous and expensive process. Usually the mother and / or baby porcupine won't make it, so don't take this lightly.
• Be careful with fibers and fine hairs. They can easily wrap around the hedgehog's feet or lower legs, block blood circulation, and if left untreated, the leg or foot will have to be amputated.
• Not all veterinarians are well versed in treating porcupine diseases. For this reason, it's a good idea to ask your breeder or pet store when buying hedgehogs for appropriate recommendations. Porcupines' organizations or clubs often provide a list of veterinarians with experience in treating hedgehogs. Contact in advance to schedule an appointment with a veterinarian before Something went wrong.
• If you want to keep multiple hedgehogs, separate them. Porcupines are solitary creatures that prefer to be alone. If you keep them in the same cage they will fight. Males will fight to death.
• If you don't have a farm in the area, you can buy porcupines from the pet store. In this case, you need to watch for signs that they are in good health listed in Part 1, Step 3.

Warning

• Do not let status sell hibernation happening. This can be fatal for the dwarf hedgehog. The most common symptom is severe lethargy and a cold stomach. If this happens, take the hedgehogs out of the cage and hold them tightly against the skin underneath your shirt to warm them. Continue slowly with a warm but not too hot object, such as a warm towel, low-set heat pad, or use a pitcher or two of warm water. DO NOT put the hedgehog's body in water to warm it. If your hedgehog does not recover or regains consciousness within an hour, you should take them to your vet immediately.
• Under no circumstances should a rope wheel or mesh wheel be used. These are very dangerous types of wheels, because hedgehog's toenails and claws are more likely to get caught in wire mesh and fracture their legs. DO NOT USE the Silent Spinners manual wheel. Hedgehog's toenails are very easy to get caught in the tread of the wheel. Use only smooth surface wheels from brands such as Comfort Wheel, Flying Saucer Wheel, or Bucket Wheels.
• Attention: are not using cedar shavings; This material can mix with hedgehog urine and create smoke that is toxic to them. Incorrectly baked pine shavings can create smoke when combined with your hedgehog's urine, so it's important to smell the packaging before you use it. If there is a strong pine smell, they may not be heated properly. Choose something with a woody smell instead of a pine tree.
• If you're not careful your hedgehog may bite you. Any creature with teeth can bite, but this behavior is very rare in hedgehogs because they usually defend themselves with spines instead of teeth. If you are bitten by your hedgehog, do not react, as this will make them bite harder. Sometimes you should drop them down lightly. Once you release your hedgehog, do not put it back in the cage as this will serve as a reward.
• A normal thorn replacement should not be confused with prickly shedding due to ticks, infections or poor diet. If you notice that a part of your hedgehog's body is bald, take it to your doctor.
• Don't mistreat your hedgehogs by letting them drop, roll their bodies while they are curled up, or throw them away. These actions will only make the hedgehog cranky and dissonant for long periods of time.