Coolpig African Pygmy Hedgehogs

I have done my best to provide you with all of the information I have found out since owning an APH. Please note that the opinions expressed below are purely my own and, as they will vary from owner to owner, should not be taken as fact.

Day One

When bringing your hoglet home it is important to make the journey as stress free as possible. Provide your hoglet with a warm, dark carrier to make the journey in and try to make your route as direct as possible. Whilst a car journey needs to be warm it is advisable not to have the heat blowing directly at the carrier as hedgehogs can quickly overheat if not provided with an area to retreat to away from the heat source.

On arriving home, quickly settle your hoglet into his or her new home and leave them to explore their new environment. However tempting it may be to cuddle your little one they will be stressed from the journey and will need some time to adapt.

Generally a hedgehog will need a couple of days to settle in before being handled, other hoglets may take a little longer.

Treats

Most hedgehogs enjoy treats such as mealworms and crickets, these come in both live and frozen forms so if you don’t feel comfortable with the live ones your hog will still appreciate the frozen form. These insects are not an essential part of a hog’s diet and therefore do not have to be fed if this doesn’t suit you. Other favourites include cooked chicken or turkey, cooked lean beef or lamb mince, fruit, vegetables and mashed potato. These can be fed with portions of roughly a teaspoon of ONE treat three times a week. If your hedgehog’s stools become loose or green it is advisable to cut back on the treats.

Housing

Below are the cages I currently use for my hogs. I have used indoor rabbit cages in the past and still use them on occassion but prefer the look and ease of access of a vivarium.

There are many different types of cage suitable for a hedgehog; popular choices are indoor rabbit cages, large storage containers and vivariums. I prefer to use vivariums as they are easily accessible and relatively simple to clean however any of the above homes are fine as long as they fit within the guidelines below:

A cage should be at least 3 foot long and a suitable width and height to house a large running wheel. Hedgehogs can travel up to 5 miles a night in the wild; therefore it is important to provide ample space for a midnight stroll.

Rabbit cages with bars should be avoided, those with plastic sides and bars only at the top are ideal; however those with bars can cause problems either with escaping hedgies (it’s surprising how thin they can make themselves!) or with climbing hogs. Those that like to climb can easily injure themselves by a fall or in getting their heads stuck in the bars, also if a hedgie were to slip whilst pulling such a stunt it could easily hang itself.

Whichever cage you choose it must be kept indoors and out of direct sunlight. Hogs enjoy a warm atmosphere and whilst a fluctuating temperature can be tolerated with ease, a hedgehog would quite probably try and hibernate during a cold winter outside which could cause death. It must also have adequate ventilation. This is particularly important with vivariums which may need more holes or vents added to accommodate.

Litter

Most hoglets can be trained to use a litter tray containing Chinchilla sand; this is placed under their wheel as the hogs generally prefer to relieve themselves whilst wheeling. Materials such as wood-shavings and cat litter may also be used in the litter tray, but if using cat litter the clumping varieties must be avoided as they can get caught on your hog and may lead to problems such as urinary tract infections. They can also cause problems if swallowed.

Bedding and Lining

There are plenty of choices when opting for bedding and cage lining materials. Cage liners include wood-shavings, fleece blankets and Vetbed. I use Vetbed covered with sheets as it is comfortable and easily cleaned either in the washing machine or by hovering, wood-shavings are initially a cheaper alternative but require slightly more maintenance and generally end up everywhere as a result of an inquisitive hedgehog.

Fleece blankets, towelling and hay can all be used as bedding for your hog. Hedgehogs love to burrow into dark corners so I find an old towel or blanket ideal for this purpose. My hedgie sleeps in a purpose built ‘hedgie-bags’ made from fleeces. These are relatively easy and inexpensive to make but care must be taken to ensure that there are no loose threads for your hog to become caught in.

Wheeling and Toys

A wheel is essential for a hedgehog as it provides them with an opportunity to get the exercise they need as well as being ideal to wear down those long claws. When choosing a wheel is it important to choose a large one with a solid frame, wire wheels are not suitable as your hedgehog’s feet can become caught when running. Ideally a hedgehog’s wheel should be 12 inches or larger, although smaller ones can be used for young hedgehogs. I have found the ‘Silent Spinner’ wheels to be the best brand as they are easy to clean, come in attractive colours and are very quiet which is ideal if you are trying to sleep in a room with an active hog.

Wheels will need to be cleaned daily as hedgehogs generally prefer to relieve themselves on the go. This can be done with warm water and either an animal safe disinfectant or white vinegar.

Handling

Hedgehogs are naturally nocturnal animals and therefore can be a bit grumpy when being woken during the day, but with a bit of persuasion (usually in the form of their favourite food or treats) most hogs will be happy to come out and explore. It is advisable to dim the lights when getting your hog out to play as they can be quite put off by the brightness and may simply decide to burrow into your clothing and go back to sleep.

When lifting a hoglet it is easiest to place both hands either side of him and scoop underneath, thus avoiding their prickles and providing a stable platform for the little one. Once you have the hedgehog out of the cage they will either be happy to be stroked or prefer to use you as a climbing frame depending on their individual personality.

Each hedgehog likes different things and whilst some will strongly dislike having their front ‘visor’ quills being stroked, others will prefer this and nudge your hand until you oblige. The best thing to do with a new hog is simply to see what comes naturally and learn from each other.

After a bond has formed between hedgehog and owner you will find that generally there is little huffing and spiking, however hedgehogs may still spike you and huff on occasion. The key thing is not to be put off by this as regular handling improves this bond and reduces fear and huffing in hogs.

Food

When choosing your hog’s food it is important to opt for a ‘Senior’ or ‘Light’ option as the adult cat foods contain too much fat for a hedgehog. Favourites with my hog are the James Wellbeloved Senior Chicken and Rice and the Pets at Home Adult Light Chicken. Any senior or light cat food can be tried by your hog, although fish must be avoided. It is advisable to choose a premium brand when selecting your food as many of the cheaper brands may lack the nutritional content needed by your hedgehog. Try and select a brand with a fat content no higher than 10%.

Fresh water should always be available and can be provided either through a bottle attached to the side of the cage or a bowl heavy enough to avoid being tipped up. Water should be changed daily, however if using a bowl with wood-shavings as a cage liner more frequent changes may be necessary due to the bowl becoming clogged up with wood-shavings.

Bath time

Generally not a hedgehog’s favourite pastime but essential for maintaining a healthy hog. As most hogs enjoy toileting on the move you will generally find that your hog ends up with very dirty feet, this can be solved with a simple foot bath which can be done as often as necessary. Feet can also be cleaned with paper towels and warm water.

A full bath is usually only necessary every couple of Months and sometimes even further apart than that. It is not recommended to bath a hedgehog more often than biweekly as it can dry out their skin.

When bathing your hog you will need a toothbrush, mild baby body wash and a towel. The body wash should be a tear free variety to avoid sore eyes and be un-fragranced. Oatmeal products are especially good for their skin and Aveeno Oatmeal baby wash is the most recommended product however this is hard to get in the UK. I tend to use either a Johnson’s baby body wash or a Simple baby body wash and have had no problems with either.

Firstly fill the sink or bowl with around half an inch of warm water or less, then add your hog and let him splash around a little. Make up another small jug of warm water with the body wash added and dip the toothbrush in, this is the easiest way to clean his feet. Next, move on to the quills gently pouring the warm soapy water over the hog a little at a time and rubbing the quills with your toothbrush until he is clean. When clean you will need to rinse his coat with some clean warm water.

After that your hog can be scooped up and put in to a towel. It is usually a good idea to make this cuddle time as the hedgehog will need to be dried off thoroughly and this is easiest done through a long cuddle in a towel. Beware that hogs generally find the water stimulates them to relieve themselves either during or following a bath, so don't wear your best clothes!

Ailments

Generally I have found hedgehogs to be healthy little creatures requiring very few trips to the vet; however it is useful to have a vet selected in case of emergencies. Most vets should be able to treat your hog as they are essentially the same as any other small animal, but it is advisable to check first.

Trips to the vet should be made in a warm, secure container. If it is very cold outside a safe heat source such as a ‘Snugglesafe microwaveable disk’ available from most large pet stores such as ‘Pets at Home’ can be placed in the carrier to provide extra comfort. This must be monitored to avoid over heating.

The only condition I have found my hedgehog to have is dry skin caused by quilling. Hedgehogs quill several times in their lives and at these points their skin can become very dry. Usually a bath in a mild baby bath (see ‘Bath time’) will help with this, but for more itchy hogs a couple of drops of vitamin E oil massaged in to their backs really helps to put moisture back into their skin.

Nails on your hog may also require a trim at times. This is rather tricky to do as most hogs don’t particularly enjoy it, therefore if you are unsure about trimming your vet will be able to show you how or simply to do it for you.

If you do decide to trim the nails yourself care needs to be taken to avoid cutting the quick. Nails can be trimmed with normal nail clippers removing only the very white bit of the nail. This is easiest to do by getting someone else to hold the animal in their hand until a leg is poking out, at this point you grab it and carefully trim. If this doesn’t work for you trimming can also be attempted at bath time as hedgehogs usually won’t curl in to a ball if it means getting their faces wet.