When you get home

The journey home and change of environment can be stressful to any new pet,
and it may take two to three weeks for your hedgehog to adjust. Leave them
alone the first night to explore their new home, then you will need to be patient
but if you keep handling him/her every night after this for at least 30 minutes, you
will reap the awards when your hedgehog starts to trust you and be comfortable
around you. It is best to do this during evening hours nearer to the time they
would naturally wake up. Some will walk from hand to hand, whilst others will
just want to sit on your knee for a cuddle. Try putting an old t-shirt you have worn
in their enclosure, this will get them used to your scent.
The breeder should have supplied you with a couple of weeks supply of change
over food. If you are changing the food from what the breeder has fed, you need
to do this gradually over a couple of weeks by introducing more and more of the
new food until that is all he/she is eating.
You might notice he/she has runny or green poos this can be down to the stress
of the move and new surroundings or if you have gradually started to change
their food it could be down to this. It should only last a few days any longer than
this a trip to the vets may be required.
A hedgehog Setup
In the wild, a hedgehog will cover many miles each night. Keeping this in mind, a
hedgehog requires as much room as possible. Without room, a hedgehog will
show signs of depression, such as excessive sleeping, refusal to eat, repetitious
behaviour, and self-mutilation. Due to their small size obesity is a very dangerous
problem and hedgehogs require a fair amount of exercise to avoid liver problems
due to excess weight. Pet cages with a floor area measuring 5 square feet (0.46
m2) are more are suitable for pet hedgehogs.
Cages with wired floors or bars should not be used as they are dangerous for
hedgehogs, they can easily slip and get a limb caught in the wire. They also love to
climb and can fall injuring a leg, foot, back or neck etc. Multi-level cages can allow
a hedgehog more room to explore without taking up extra floor space, but when
using multiple levels, keep in mind that a hedgehog has poor eyesight, can climb
easily, but has difficulty descending and often does not seem to understand
heights, so it is highly recommended that ramps and levels be completely
enclosed to prevent a fall. There are various set ups available that are suitable for
your hedgehog. One of the most commonly used is the Zoozone 2, which is solid
plastic, prevents your hedgehog from climbing and injuring itself. The Zoozone 2 is
the smallest recommended enclosure at approx. 100cm x 50cm.
Vivariums are another good choice, they are great for retaining heat and smells
but they will need to be slightly adapted to add more ventilation, or you can
purchase a custom made hedgehog vivarium especially for hedgehogs that have
plenty of ventilation. You should provide your hedgehog with the biggest possible
enclosure you can.
There are a variety of different houses available for your hedgehog; the most
common of these are wooden or fabric houses. The wooden houses can have

removable lids, you can also get half logs, pigloos, (which are solid plastic, made
for guinea pigs, but there have been reports of these becoming damp inside in
hotter weather), or hedgehog snuggle sacks/pouches.
Your hedgehog will need a water bowl and food bowl; ceramic bowls are best as
they are harder to knock over. Never use a water bottle as these can damage
their teeth and there have been reports of tongues getting caught in the ball
bearing. It is also a very unnatural drinking position for the hedgehog and can hurt
their necks.
Some people have been able to litter train their hedgehogs, this is normally done
by placing a kitten litter tray under their wheel. Quite a lot of breeders hog lets
will be almost if not completely litter trained on collection.
All hedgehogs love toys and running wheels, when purchasing a wheel you should
get a solid one without cross bars, which are at least 12 in diameter, there are a
number of different brands on the market. The bucket type wheel is very popular.
Please note they should not be given a wheel until they are 12 weeks old when
their bones are fully developed. Hedgehogs also love small balls, empty
toilet/kitchen rolls (slit down the middle to prevent heads getting stuck,) large
tubes, paper bags and cuddly toys.
You should clean the food bowl, empty the litter tray, spot clean and change the
water daily. The cage will need to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with a
non-smell disinfectant at least once a week.
You will also need to keep your hedgehog warm, usually around 22-24 degrees. If
the temperature drops below that, you will need to give them extra heat by
providing a heat pad inside their cage with a thermostat or a heat lamp known as
a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) with thermostat.
Substrate
The most common substrates for hedgehogs are liners, these come in a variety of
styles from cotton and fleece to double fleece or even padded. Another option
would be Finacard or eco pet bed which is a recycled cardboard product.
Hay is a very big risk, and therefore should never be used. Theres a high chance
of it tangling around your hedgehogs tiny legs and cutting off the blood flow.
Sawdust can cause irritations to the eyes and lungs, causing coughing and
sneezing. Newspaper is good as a base but using just newspaper is a no-go as
once wet the dye runs off and onto your hedgehogs skin which can cause
irritations/allergic reactions.
Fleece Liners are easy to clean (stick them in the washer) and look nice too, its
something lovely and snuggly for your hedgehog to walk on. Check all fleece
blankets and liners for loose threads and remove them as these have been known
to get tangles around hedgehogs feet stopping blood flow to toes or legs.

What to use in the litter tray
Finacard or kitchen roll are the best choices but make sure that whatever you

decide to use it is dust free to help prevent respiratory issues.
Food
As insectivores, hedgehogs need a diet that is high in protein and low in fat. They
also require chitin, which comes from the exoskeleton of insects; fibre in the diet
may substitute for the chitin component.
Your hedgehog should be fed a staple diet of dry cat food. This should have a fat
content no higher than 10% and have at least 30% protein. The first ingredient
should be chicken or poultry not a cereal. There are various brands on the market
that are suitable. Most breeders are now using a mixture of different brands to
add some variety and so not to be stuck if they stop making one brand or fish is
added to the ingredients.
Pet hedgehogs may eat cooked lean chicken, turkey and mince beef (in
moderation due to fat content). Hedgehogs will often eat small amounts of
vegetables and can be given small amounts of fruit as treats.
Hedgehogs are lactose-intolerant and will have stomach problems after
consuming most dairy products. Sugar intake should be restricted to fruits, and
treats with added sugar avoided.
Being an insectivore it is important you offer some form of insect preferably fresh
from a pet food supplier on a regular basis. Canned, dried or freeze-dried are fine
but can contain a higher fat content and you cannot gut load them, which come in
handy if you have a hog that wont eat its veg. Mealworms, cockroaches, Morio
worms, locusts and crickets are appropriate and wax worms as a limited treat as
they are high in fat. Some insects are more fattening than others and should be
offered only occasionally once or twice a week.
Please find below information on foods that are suitable and safe to feed your
hedgehog.
Meats
Cooked Minced Beef
Cooked Turkey
Cooked Chicken
Other Food
Scrambled Egg ( NO Butter , NO Milk )
Hard Boiled Egg

Cooked Vegetables
Carrots Pumpkin
Potatoes Peas
Sweet corn Sweet Potatoes
Swede Broccoli
Cauliflower



Fruits
Strawberry Blueberries
Banana Mango
Melon Apple
Pear
Live Foods
Meal worms
Mario Worms
Wax Worms
Locusts
Crickets
Roaches
Fruit Beetle Grubs

Foods to Avoid
Grapes Bones
Raisins Caffine
Chocolate Garlic
Fish Avocado
Onions Alcohol
Citrus Fruits Seeds
Dried Fruit Nuts
Dairy Mushrooms
Getting your hedgehogs diet right is critical. Its advised that you use a mix of at
least 3 brands of dry cat foods, all chicken or poultry flavour as hedgehogs have a
digestion issue with fish products. Below is a list of different brands of cat foods
that are suitable and their composition
Foods to avoid would be foods such as Spikes hedgehog food and other
hedgehog foods as these were made for wild European hedgehogs, which have
very different diet requirements than African Pygmy Hedgehogs. I know its
tempting to use a premade food than mix your own but it is safer and with a poor
diet health can and will be affected.





Cat food Protein % Fat Content %

Royal Canin Feline Slimness no2 42% 12%
Royal Canin Light no40 40% 10%
Purina Pro Plan house cat 36% 14%
Purina Pro Plan Light 38% 9%
Hills Science Plan Light 33.9% 9.3%
Hills Mature Adult Sterilised 34.5% 10.3%
Hills Young Adult Sterilised 34.5% 11.7%
Iams Light Chicken 28% 11.2%
James Welbeloved senior light 29% 12%
James Welbeloved Light Turkey 34% 10.5%
Purina One Light 37% 9.5%
Purely Adult 28% 15%
Arden Grange Light 30% 11%
Advanced Nutrition Light 32% 9%
Purina One Natural Balance 34% 14%
Hedgehogs can easily become obese. If your pet hedgehog appears to be gaining
too much weight, it is important that you cut back on high fat foods and treats
and increase exercise. Hedgehogs vary in size so there is no "goal weight" for a
hedgehog, but if they can no longer roll completely into a ball it is a pretty clear
sign of obesity. Many people believe that there is a relation between a high-fat
diet and fatty-liver disease in hedgehogs.
Due to their mouth shape hedgehogs should not be fed any nuts. Nut butters are
acceptable, but are very high in fat so they should probably be avoided.
Hedgehogs should never be fed avocados, onions, grapes or raisins, chocolate,
any raw meat or egg yolks, or any canned or processed food.
Socialising
Hedgehogs are usually quite shy creatures and need to be handled regularly to
form a bond with you. You will need to be patient and this is best done in the
evening to begin with. You could hold your hedgehog on your knee whilst
watching TV or reading. Hand feeding mealworms as a treat is a good way to help
your hedgehog trust you. Most hedgehogs at some point will roll into a ball, huff
and pop when disturbed, but this is quite normal and there is no need to worry.
The more you handle them the better they will get.
Hedgehogs love to explore and once they are used to their surroundings will
happily roam around the room, although you should make sure everything is
hedgehog proof, or you could purchase a play pen for them to explore. You
should never leave your hedgehog alone out of its enclosure unsupervised or
around other pets.
Bath Time

Bathing your hedgehog when needed is a great way to bond (mostly because your
hedgehog will be completely un-balled and trying to escape). You should not bath
them more than once a month as this can make their skin dry. Fill the bath or sink
with warm water (ensure it's not too hot or too cold), fill it enough so that your
hog feet can still touch the bottom with its head out of the water, so about 1-2
inches of water. Add Aveeno oil to the bath water just a small drop or put some
porridge oats into an old stocking and run this under the tap as the sink is filling.
Gently pour water over your hedgehog (avoiding the face/head/eyes). You can
use a soft bristle tooth brush on the quills and feet remove any stubborn dirt but
ensure the tooth brush is soft bristles. The bathroom should be warm during the
time youre bathing your hog to prevent them getting a chill. Once out of the bath
wrap your hedgehog in a warm towel and sit them on your knee or on a
Snugglesafe pad until dry. Do not put them back into their enclosure until they are
completely dry.
Registration
Your new hedgehog will be registered with the UK African pygmy hedgehog
registry. If you haven't given your hog let a name on collection please can you
contact the registry with your registration number so they can add a name to the
registry and keep it up to date. You can do this at ukaphregistry@hotmail.co.uk
The UKAPHR was established in order to preserve and improve the quality of the
species, and to keep track of the progress of breeding efforts. In the long term it
seeks to improve the knowledge of inherited traits and work towards eliminating
traits that have a negative impact on hedgehog longevity and health, whilst
increasing characteristics that enhance the species. The UKAPHR hopes to track
the demographics and distribution of pet hedgehogs and to connect hedgehog
owners and breeders with one another, to the benefit of the wider hedgehog
community.

Health Issues
Hibernation
To try to prevent hibernation you should keep your hedgehog's room/Vivarium
between 22c-24c. When out on long car trips, on colder days or trips to the vet
it's advised to take a microwaveable heat pad (Snugglesafe) with you to help keep
your hedgehog warm.
Signs of hibernation/Hibernation attempt:
A cool belly
Wobbliness
Unable to stand
Lack of eating & activity
Possibly unable to un-ball


Should your hedgehog attempt hibernation you need to warm them up straight
away, this should be done gradually and not instantly. You can either heat up a
water bottle or Snugglesafe and place them on it or you can place the hedgehog
under your clothes on your bare skin. DO NOT PLACE THEM IN HOT
WATER/WARM WATER. DO NOT GET THEM WET. As tempting as it is, once the
water on the body cools it will cool them further. If after 1 hour of being warmed
up your hedgehog hasn't shown any signs of improvement it's best to get your
hedgehog off to the vet who can provide a stable heat source and do their best to
bring your hedgehog out of hibernation.
After a hibernation attempt your hedgehog is more likely to try it again, its
immune system is also lower, it's best to ensure your hedgehog has consistent
heat during sleep and play time. You can ensure your hedgehog has a constant air
temperature by using a CHE and thermostat.
Quilling
Quilling is a natural occurrence in a hedgehogs life. It is the shedding of a set of
quills and growing a new set. This is a gradual process. New quills will replace the
old quills within a short time. This typically happens at various times during the 1
st

year but the worst of the quilling is usually completed during the first 14 weeks of
life.

Hedgehogs can become extremely irritable during this time. Their appetite may
also reduce so do not be overly alarmed. Quilling has been compared to a baby
teething so you can imagine what it is like. Fortunately it is over fairly quickly.
Some hedgehogs quill fairly quickly and it may only last 4-5 days others take
longer lasting 2-3 weeks. Handling them during this time can make them
extremely uncomfortable and breeders suggest understanding and gentleness.
This does not mean don't handle them. Some may continue in this grumpy
attitude if left totally alone during this time. They will resume to their normal
nature soon enough, so be understanding. You can add a bit of Flaxseed oil to the
dry cat food to help soothe the process and an oatmeal bath may also be
beneficial, however watch for over bathing as that can dry the skin out further. A
couple of drops of vitamin e oil directly on their backs can help with dry skin. On
occasions hedgehogs will go through another quilling at around 1 year of age. This
is seldom as harsh and many times goes totally unnoticed.

Obesity
Hedgehogs are prone to obesity and fatty liver disease. Having a fatter than
normal hedgehog is quite common, normally it can be a mixture of lack of
exercise and poor diet that contribute to weight gain. Look out for excessive skin
around the neck to see if your hedgehog is a bit porky. If your hedgehog is active
and can still ball tightly without any problems then their weight is fine. Hedgehogs

that struggle or are unable to ball tightly are overweight and will need to be
placed on a strict low fat diet.

Ring Worm
Although not common it can crop up, it is a fungal infection and can be passed
from hedgehogs to humans. The signs are quite obvious in humans leaving red
itchy ring like areas on the skin. If you suspect your hedgehog may have ringworm
your vet will be able to do a skin scrape or use an ultra violet light to diagnose it
and then provide treatment. You should see a doctor should you develop any red
ring like area's on your skin.

Lumps
Hedgehogs are prone to cancer and tumours, any suspicious lumps should be
seen to straight away. A biopsy should determine if its cancerous or not.

Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome
Sadly this is a horrible genetic illness that affects African Pygmy Hedgehogs and
why the Registry is so important. It has been compared to MS or arthritis in
humans. It is progressive and as time goes by your hedgehog will get worse. The
back legs are often the first to be affected, paralysis then spreads to the rest of
the body, resulting in your hedgehog toppling over onto its side and being unable
to stand. There are no known cures. Sadly the end result is usually having the
hedgehog put to sleep. Wobbly hedgehog syndrome can be diagnosed by
autopsy, if you decide to go ahead with that, the choice is yours.

Mites
Mites cause dry, flaky skin and itching. Patchy quill loss (with the skin tag missing)
is usually a sign your hedgehog has mites. Some mites can be seen quite easily,
they are tiny white dots that if you watch close enough move around. You can
take your hedgehog, place him above a dark sheet and rub him softly with your
hand. Inspect the dark sheet for any white moving dots. There are also burrowing
mites that you cannot see but they can cause sores on the skin typically behind
the ears. You can buy mite treatment online (xeno 50 mini drops) or at pets at
home (Anti-Parasite Spot On for Rabbits and Guinea Pigs by Beaphar) only a drop
or two is needed. (Not a full pipette). For burrowing mites you may need a
stronger treatment via your vet.

Anointing
Hedgehogs occasionally perform a ritual called anointing. When the animal
encounters a new scent, it will lick and bite the source, then form a scented froth
in its mouth and paste it on its spines with its tongue. The specific purpose of this
ritual is unknown, but some experts believe anointing camouflages the hedgehog

with the new scent of the area and provides a possible poison or source of
infection to predators poked by their spines. I have seen a many a hedgehog
contort their bodies until they fall over, some become so entranced that they
become unaware of their surroundings at the time.