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Written by: Lindsey Drury Hedgehogs: They're Balls of Fun…Literally When considering adopting a new friend, many may immediately think of the common cat and dog. If rodents become an interest, then hamsters, guinea pigs, and mice are often the next animals that come to mind. Keep in mind though, there are many other exotic creatures that, although less common, can make just as wonderful a member of your family. Today, let's consider the hedgehog. Do hedgehogs make good pets? It is not overly common to know people who own hedgehogs, so it may be difficult to gauge whether they would be a good fit for your lifestyle and preferences. One important aspect to remember about hedgehogs is that they are nocturnal. If you're not the type to be home in the evenings, or if you often go to bed early, then perhaps a hedgehog is not the best choice for your life as they will always be asleep when you are awake. Hedgehogs are very solitary, and like to live alone. Although friendly and inquisitive, hedgehogs are very quiet. For some, this is a wonderful quality in a pet! For others, they may want more of an outgoing personality in their rodent like that of a ferret or hamster. Finally, hedgehogs scare easily. When this happens, they curl up into a ball and extend their quills. Small children may easily scare a hedgehog if they get too excited, which could result in injury for both the child and the pet. It is important that children are old enough to understand to be gentle with the new hedgehog. This little guy is hiding out! Written by: Lindsey Drury What should I feed my hedgehog? Hedgehogs, as well as most rodents, should be feed differently than what you may be used to with your cat or dog. Instead of one kind of food that they get every day, hedgehogs should enjoy a variety of foods. A diet high in protein is ideal for a hedgehog, but like all animals, over-feeding can cause weight gain, so portion control is important. Some of the different foods you should feed your hedgehog include dry food as well as wet food (primarily made of meat) as the main diet, and small amounts of fruits, veggies, and treats. Make sure you try different fruits and vegetables to find out your pets' favourites! If you feel up to it, feel free to give your pet a mealworm or a cricket as an occasional treat. Fun fact: Hedgehogs, like dogs, will eat almost anything! This means you can share little bits of your own food as treats on occasion, just not too many! How should I set up my hedgehog's habitat? Foods to avoid: Chocolate, grapes, and dairy products. When deciding what to purchase for your pet's cage and accessories, do not just buy what is cheapest! Remember, this will be your pet's home for most of its life. A large wire cage is best, but make sure the bottom is solid and covered in a soft bedding (there are many options to choose from for this). Next, you'll need two food bowls-- one for the wet food, and one for the dry. You'll also need a typical water bottle such as the kind often seen on the sides of hamster cages. If your hedgehog doesn't like to use the bottle then a heavy bowl also works fine! In order to ensure your pet's happiness and comfort, you'll want to purchase them some sort of hiding space for when they're scared or anxious, as well as toys for them to play with. Hedgehogs enjoy playing with balls and should have a large exercise wheel, especially if they're Little Autumn Fletcher shows off her tummy! spending most of their time in the cage. That said, it's advised that the hedgehog is let outside of the cage to explore and run around, so a playpen can be purchased in order to keep them safe while doing so. Finally, hedgehogs can be trained to use litter boxes! If this is something you're interested in, then purchasing a small litter box and some hedgehog friendly litter (not cat litter), is recommended to be placed in the corner of the space. Written by: Lindsey Drury Sources Hedgehogs. (n.d.). Retrieve from: http://hedgehogcare.org/ Content Contributor: Dr. Sandy Drury