Hedgehog Housing

 

Creating a Happy Home


Creating a happy home for your new hedgehog is easy and fun! 


Items Needed:


  1. ๏ A hedgehog safe cage

  2. ๏ Bedding

  3. ๏ An exercise wheel

  4. ๏ Food & water bowls

  5. ๏ Shelter

  6. ๏ Heating source

  7. ๏ Light source

  8. ๏ Toys/Accessories

  9. ๏ Litter box


The Cage


Hedgehogs need a cage with at least 3 square feet of running space.


Aquariums:
Aquariums can be suitable for hedgehogs if the lid is left off otherwise they cannot get adequate ventilation.  Should be at least 30 gallons.


Rabbit Cages:

Rabbit cages are generally suitable for hedgehogs as long as the wire gaps are not large enough for your hedgehog to escape from or get stuck in.  You want them to be no larger than a half an inch wide.  This is very important.  Also, wire bottoms are not good unless you plan to work around them.  Hedgehogs can seriously injure their feet on wire bottomed cages.


I personally use a rabbit cage (seen at the top of the page).  It is quite large, the gaps in the wires are not large enough to accommodate hedgehog escape and it provides great ventilation.  It also has a pull out section underneath that I use to store supplies. 


The bottom of the cage is a wire grate, so you cannot use shavings in this type of cage.  I use handmade cloth liners.  Basically, they are like giant pillowcases made from an inner liner of vellux blanket with patterned cotton outside that the grate slides inside, so there is no risk of injury to my hedgie.  I suppose you could use shavings if you removed the grate and placed them inside the pull out part I use for storage.


Ferret Cages:

Ferret cages can be used to house hedgehogs.  You must make sure the wire gaps are escape proof though, just as you would with a rabbit cage.  The ramps and multiple levels in ferret cages can provide lots of room and exercise, but it’s important to modify them so that your hedgehog cannot fall from the upper levels or from the ramps.  Ferret cages provide good ventilation and are easy to clean.


Wading Pools:
Plenty of folks use wading/kiddie pools to house their hedgehogs.  This option can provide lots of room for exercising.  You should only use this option if you have no other household pets because there is no lid.  You should also make sure the sides are tall enough for your hedgehog to climb out of.  You can also use a pool as a play pen for your hedgie.


C&C (Cubes & Coroplast) Cages:

These are cages made from storage cubes that can be purchased from places like Wal-Mart and Target.  These cages are great because they are completely customizable.  You can build it to your exact specifications in many shapes and sizes. 


You should just be weary if you decide not to build a top on this type of cage because your hedgehog could climb the walls and escape.


A great site to learn more about these cages and their constructions is Cavy Cages.


Sterilite Cages:

These are another versatile type cage made from plastic storage bins.  You can create separate “rooms” with different bins and use PVC pipes to connect each “room” to another.  These cages are great for those who are innovative and mechanically minded. 


These cages don’t always have the best ventilation, especially if you decide to use a lid, so it’s important to drill holes throughout to better circulate air.  Obviously you don’t want to use a lid without air holes!


Bedding


There are a few choices open to you on the type of bedding for your hedgehog’s cage.


Shavings:

There are few important things to keep in mind if you decide to use wood shavings as your hedgehog’s bedding. 


Pine and cedar chips are unsafe for any small animal.  The strong odor produced from them can severely injure their respiratory systems.  Kiln dried pine is acceptable.  NEVER USE CEDAR.


Wood shavings can carry mites which can make your hedgehog sick, resulting in not only an unhappy hedgehog, but vet bills.


Shavings are pretty messy.  They get everywhere when you take your hedgehog out of its cage, need changing quite often and can get into their food and water bowls which can be quite annoying.  Also, they need to be replaced constantly, so they can become rather expensive.


It can also be hard to monitor your hedgehogs bathroom habits in this type of bedding.


Paper Bedding:

There are a variety of these types available such as CAREFRESH or CellSorb.  This type of bedding needs to be changed quite frequently like shavings, and can also be hard to keep track of bathroom habits in.  It is relatively safe, but can be dangerous if eaten.


Corn Cob Bedding:

This can be very dangerous if eaten and has been known to get trapped in male hedgehog’s penile sheaths, it’s generally best to avoid this type of bedding.


Cloth Liners:

This is my preferred bedding material.  Liners are easy to clean, easy on your wallet and very safe. 


Most commonly, liners are made from polar fleece and can be customized with many type of patterns and designs and are relatively easy to make.  Fleece can simply be cut to fit the cage size, no sewing required, but if you’re crafty you can customize the thickness, pattern and shape of your liners.  As stated above, I use patterned cotton with an inner vellux liner. 


Cleaning is a breeze!  You can simply throw the liners in the wash with unscented detergent and no fabric softener.  They can be used over and over again, so they are economically friendly.


Liners make it extremely easy to monitor your hedgehog’s bathroom habits and to see injury if it occurs.


Exercise Wheel


Your hedgehog’s exercise wheel is perhaps the most important part of its cage setup.  Hedgehogs need lots of exercise and their wheel provides most of it.  Your hedgehog will run anywhere between 5-8 hours a night, so a stable, safe wheel is very, very important.


You want to make sure that the wheel has a solid running surface. Mesh or holed wheels can seriously injure hedgehog toes/feet.  The wheel needs to have at least a 12” diameter to provide the safest running space.


Standard whisper or comfort wheels are not the best choices.  Not only are they actually loud and clumsy, they tend to be too small and the ribs on the wheels surface and hurt little hedgie feet.


The best wheels for hedgehogs are most commonly called Bucket Wheels.  They’re just like it sounds, made from a bucket!  They’re relatively and inexpensive to make and last forever.


MAKE YOUR OWN BUCKET WHEEL

or

ORDER A CAROLINA STORM WHEEL


Hedgehogs poop on their wheel, it’s just a fact of hedgehog life.  I like to put paper towels under the wheel to help absorb urine and catch poopies.


Food & Water Bowls


The best and most natural way for hedgehogs to drink is from a bowl, but if you’re using shavings/paper bedding they can be a pain.  Hedgehogs can use water bottles if they’re angled and very close to the cage floor.


Hedgehogs like to tip over their food bowls, so you will want to find a bowl with a bit of weight to it, like a crock or cooking bowl.  If it’s safe for a human to eat from it’s safe for your hedgie.


Shelter


Hedgies are crepuscular (most active at twilight), so they need a safe, quiet place to sleep during the day.  This can be an igloo, card board/wooden box, a PVC pipe or any other hidey place you can think of.  Just be sure that the opening is big enough for a full grown hedgie to get in and out of comfortably and the inside should be large enough for it to turn around completely.


Hedgie bags/snuggle sacks are essentially cloth bags for your hedgehog to sleep in.  They love these.  Generally, hedgie bags are made from fleece and cotton and come in many colors and designs.  It’s best to have a few on hand to change out frequently.  If you’re crafty you can even make your own!


Personally, I use a combination of hedgie bags and an igloo.  It gives my babies a warm and cozy, yet sturdy and safe place to sleep.


Heat Source


It is extremely important for hedgehogs to remain between 72-80˚F to prevent hibernation.  If you live in a warm climate all year round it’s not so hard to keep your hedgehog’s temperature stable, but if you do not it can be crucial to have an alternate heating source.


It is best to keep the entire area of your hedgehog’s enclosure at the suitable temperature with either your home’s heating system or a space heater, but if that is impossible you can use hand warmers or a heating pad.  Just make sure to monitor the evenness and temperature to keep from burning/scalding your hedgie.  It isn’t a bad idea to keep those things around just in case your home’s heating system fails.


Light Source


Providing enough light for your hedgehog is just as important as the right temperature.  Hedgehogs need between 12 - 16 hours of light a day to regulate their sleep schedules and it should happen on a consistent schedule - turned on and off at the same time every day.  It doesn’t have to be direct sunlight meaning you can use a lamp.  Some people swear by UVA or UVB lights, but you can also use a regular white light because it is generally believed that hedgehogs do not need UVA rays like people do.


A lack of light schedule can result in insomnia, behavioral changes and hibernation attempts.  There have even been reports of an increase in some cancers.


There has been much debate on whether it is possible to change your hedgehogs sleep schedules so they’ll stay awake during the day and sleep at night, but personally, I think that while it may be possible, it’s probably not good for them.  There are forces of nature beyond just light changes that regulate the instinct in all of us (the tides, etc.), so while you may be able to “trick” your hedgie into thinking it’s nighttime when it’s really daylight, it goes against the instinctual forces.  It’s not as simple as it seems.  I think that if you don’t like the fact that hedgehogs are awake at night and want a pet that will be more active during the day maybe hedgehogs are not the pet for you.


Toys/Accessories


All toys are rather hit and miss with hedgehogs, but you can always try different things to entertain your little one.  These are just a few suggestions.  Use common sense when choosing your own.


Toilet Paper Tubes:

Hedgehogs love to play with toilet paper tubes and thankfully those are always readily available!  If you keep them in the cage where they will be played with without supervision you can cut the tube down the center and round the edges to make it easier for your hedgie to remove from its head.


Cuddle Cups:

These are small animal beds and my hedgehogs have always loved them.  I keep two in the cage just for this reason.


PVC Pipes:

PVC pipes or any hollow tube large enough to run through (oatmeal containers work well) are a big hit too.  Can provide a way to play or a place to sleep depending on your hedgehog’s personality.


Cat Balls:
Some hedgehogs like to play with the plastic cat balls with bells inside, others don’t.


Stuffed Animals:

Some hedgehogs really love their stuffed toys and will carry them around with them all over the place.  Just make sure to remove any tags/strings before giving them to your hedgie.


Socks:

I had a hedgehog whose very favorite toys were my lover’s socks.  He would drag them around everywhere, annoint with them and burrow inside them.  Make sure they socks are clean, of course!


Hedgehogs really like anything they can push/roll around.  Experiment with your hedgie to see what it likes the best.  Always supervise when playing with toys.


Litter Box


It is possible to litter train some hedgehogs, but not all.  Consider yourself lucky if you get a hedgehog who will! 


If you want to try to litter train your hedgehog you will need a shallow litter box to put into its cage or under its wheel and you can fill it with paper towels, a hedgehog safe bedding, or a dust-free cat litter.  Place a few of your hedgehogs poops into the box to show it where to go and then hope that it will take to the box.  Don’t be discouraged if your hedgehog refuses to be litter trained.  Most of the time, they poo exclusively on their wheel anyway, so cleanup isn’t that bad.




If you have any suggestions for toys please contact me and I’ll add them to the list.

Contact: roxieprince@sayhedgehog.com