Does someone here own a hedgehog?

ASmallWonder

I feel like someone does.  DH and I are joking about getting one but I'm starting to get the sense we'd actually both actually like to do it for real and wanted to hear about owning one, especially with kids.

RondackHiker

We had Miss Knarla for six months. We loved her. She was great and DS still randomly cries about her (she died in September).

A few things:

• They're higher maintenance than many caged pets. 
• They need to be kept at the correct temperature. That means they need a thermostat and heat lamps with CHEs and a thermometer, and you need to have a plan for power outages. Being too cold (below 72-74) can be deadly.
• They need a good sized caged (four square feet).
• They need light control (dark and light, and light from the window isn't enough for all hedgies and they can try to hibernate). A cheap timer from the hardware store can help with this.
• They're messy. I soaked and cleaned Knarla's wheel twice a day and cleaned her litterbox twice a day. Not all hedgies can be litter box trained. I kept her on fleece bedding, because the loose bedding kicked all over was even messier. Also little pricks would cause allergic reactions on DS and I (we had issues with the bedding and her quills would slightly break the skin).
• Feeding can be trickier. Commercial hedgie foods are CRAP. We did a blend of high quality cat foods and insects.
• They aren't always easy for little children. As I said, DS adored her. She liked to sit in his trucks and he'd push her around. He also LOVED watching her hunt crickets. But he didn't want to hold her because when I passed her to him she'd ball for a moment and it'd hurt a bit. It's not THAT painful--like grabbing the end of a stiff brush. But it does hurt a bit and occassionally you can get a good quill. Not all kids are okay with being slow and gentle enough to earn the trust of their pet, and not all kids are okay with knowing they'll get quilled a bit even after their pet trusts them.
• They do carry salmonella. So do all small pets, but do wash your hands after handling.
• Like all pets, there's a range of personalities. Some are cuddlers, some are shy, some are explorers. Handling more often can help but some never warm up. They really need daily handling.

All that said? We loved having her. If it wasn't for my last fact, I'd get another in a heartbeat. We've had three chances to get one.

Hedgies are considered exotics and finding a vet can be hard. I had one set up who took hedgehogs.

Unfortunately the vet at that practice who took hedgehogs was out the day Knarla started seizing and screaming. They gave me another number. I ended up calling FIFTEEN vet clinics while holding her between seizures and comforting her as she screamed in pain. Fifteen times I told the person answering the phone I needed someone to euthanize her. The vet who finally said yes was almost forty minutes away.

It was bad. Until I'm somewhere that has a dedicated exotics practice with multiple vets and an after hours plan? I'll never own another exotic. Because I will never be unable to help my poor baby again. 

RondackHiker

TheEmpireNeedsYou said:

I'm sorry Rondack. My first guy ended up with what was probably whs (we didn't biopsy to confirm) and it was heart breaking.

Another thing to remember is they are 3-5year pets. They have a lot of personality for little guys. If I wasn't on mobile I'd write a book of a post.

They have a ton more personality than most caged pets. Knarla was a constant source of amusement and a bit of a drama queen.

ASmallWonder

Oh @RondackHiker  I'm so sorry.  You're definitely who I was thinking of from the board and I now remember that she passed away but apparently I never saw the post with the details.  That's so heartbreaking  They sound adorably amazing but something that would be better for us to wait a few years on so the boys could enjoy him or her.  One thing I didn't realize was the size cage they'd need.  We have the space thanks to a weird layout in our house but with a newly mobile kiddo, it's really better to wait I think.  DH called me a killer of dreams (LOL) because he was really excited about it but I think deep down he agrees.  We do have a vet practice close to us that deals with exotics but it's a great point and I'd research it a lot more before we decided to get one.

ASmallWonder

@TheEmpireNeedsYou I appreciate the book!  That's a lot of really good info and I LOL'd about your guy getting off the wheel to poop.  DH is hyper sensitive to filthy animals so before we move forward (whenever that is) I need to make sure he's 100% on board with regular maintenance because I'm not taking that on alone lol

acesup

@RondackHiker‌ I remember your hedgie- I'm so sorry for your loss and that you had that awful experience when she passed