Do you want to know how to properly care for and maintain your hedgehog pet?
My first hedgehog pet taught me how to properly maintain and care for a pet. As entertaining as having a hedgehog is, providing it with the greatest care and upkeep helps you to bond with your pet, and I’d like to provide a few tips on how to do so. I’d encourage you to read my post Are Hedgehogs Good Pets for Beginners, which discusses the best ways to care for your pet and Types of Hedgehogs that tell you various domesticated hedgehogs you can have as pets
Here we go,
Does Hedgehog Pet Need Care And Maintenance
Hedgehogs are fast becoming exotic pets today and they have different colors and species. In whatever varieties they come in, they need care and maintenance. When you initially bring your hedgehog home it may demonstrate a different, grouchier disposition than it had before you took it home. Give it some time to adjust to its new surroundings because its world has just been turned upside down. Speak softly and be gentle with him. It will be less irritable as he acclimates to his new home and learns that you are the source of delicious treats. Handle your hedgehog often so he is tame and used to playing with you. Hedgehogs are quiet and make perfect pets for people who are prepared to be gentle, patient, and watchful.
Is A Hedgehog Pet High Maintenance?
Hedgehog pets are not high maintenance, rather a hedgehog is a low-maintenance pet and this can be seen in the following ways:
- The hedgehog will not destroy furniture and clothes or get your clothes stained with hair.
- It does not need you to buy very plenty food.
- It requires significantly less financial outlay.
- The small size of this animal will allow you to get even in a small apartment.
- It hardly bites.
- It can take a bath at least once every two to three months.
Bathing your pet will help get rid of fleas and ticks that can injure your pet’s skin. The following can be used to bathe your pet to maintain its care. In caring for the hedgehog, good hygiene should be maintained
What is needed for the bath includes:
- Detergent
- A neutral shampoo should be used for your pet
- The spikes of your hedgehog should be run under running water and treated with a toothbrush
- In bathing your pet, do avoid water entering its ears
- A clean towel should be used to dry your pet
- Few oil drops can be applied to your pet
How To Be Observant Of Hedgehog Pet Habit
In maintaining good care for your hedgehog, it is important to be observant to know your pet’s behavior. The pet generally loves to live in the forest because by nature it is a wild animal, so it is only right to ensure its environment is close to how a forest will look. It loves taking refuge in a cool and calm place and always attracts itself to wood piles, dense hedges, grass clippings, and spaces that give protection. Do ensure you make this available to your pet to feel at home always
‘Balling’ is quite a powerful and unique power of this pet which involves it drawing its limbs back to its body and rolling itself into a spiky little ball that it uses to keep predators away. This you should understand as its owner to know when it feels threatened and tries as much as possible to keep it safe
As you know, hedgehogs are more active at night and are nocturnal animals. It is good to ensure it has freedom and if it should be in a cage, the cage should be spacious. It is good to pay attention to your pet and avoid often use of movers and brush cutters so your pet will not be injured
Hedgehog Pet Grooming
Maintaining care for your pet can be done in the following ways:
- Cabin cleaning should be cleaned together with other accessories like toys disinfected to avoid bacteria and infection.
- The feeder and drinkers should also be clean to avoid fungi that can bring harm to your pet.
- Any soiled area should be removed and this should be done often.
- Trimming of nails should be done with special nail clips that cats or humans use. It should be done carefully but if you cannot do it yourself, kindly take your pet to a Vet
- Avoid exposing your pet during winter
- If you have other animals as pets, ensure your pet is not in any contact with them, this is to avoid any form of transmission of fleas or ticks but if in any way you have a suspicion, a flea powder should be used to avoid any spread.
- When giving daily food, do not overfeed your pet so as not to get obese, and also while giving it vegetables or fruits; do not give in excess to avoid diarrhea or any other health challenge.
Do Hedgehogs Pets Like To Be Held
Hedgehogs can be quite shy and initially, you may face some challenges in the form of the pet’s fear of new hands and environment. It may curl often and lose spikes that prick. This will not last long and a few days after its arrival, it will get conversant with its new home. Hedgehogs are quite sensitive and do not like any aggressiveness toward others but regular contact with a person that has a good attitude towards it allows them to trust easily if you notice your pet has trust issues, you have to be patient with it, and with time, it will get used to your smell and touch and you will win its trust. Trust is completely achieved when you take the pet into your hand daily and communicate with it for at least half an hour
Ways That You Can Help Care For Your Hedgehog Pet
Ways you can help care for your hedgehog pet include the following:
- Building hedgehog highways by cutting holes in your fence or digging tunnels under walls
- Build a shelter for your pet with the best materials that can make your pet comfortable which includes dry branches and leaves and also a compost pile if you will not be able to build this shelter, you can as well buy hedgehog houses in a pet store
- Take caution in installing lights for your pets by not making fire on leaves and branches as these are materials your pet can use for nest
- Gardens should be kept wild to help hedgehogs create homes for prey like insects which can be a good source of food for your pet
- Feeding stations can be bought for your pet as well as a starter kit that includes the food your pet needs
Conclusion
Hedgehog pets are like any other exotic pet like snakes, lizards, etc. It is no longer strange to have hedgehogs as pets; however, giving and maintaining care will make your pet feel at home. Understanding the personality of your pet is of great importance I will like you to read my article on How Long Do Hedgehog Pet Live which will give you the best ways your pet can have a long life and What Do Hedgehogs Pets Eat And Drink which will give you the best option of food and drinks that your pet can take to have a healthy life