Hedgehog Supplies

There are several basic hedgehog supplies needed for the basic care of those cute little pokey potatoes. There are a few obvious supplies needed such as the cage and the food and water bowls. And there are some less obvious supplies needed as well. This article is written to help you make sure you have everything ready for your new baby before it comes home.

Hedgehog Cage

The first thing on the list of hedgehog supplies needed is your hedgehog cage. There are so many different options available, but I like to keep things pretty simple. A simple cage that has a wire top and a deep plastic bottom will do. Just make sure it is big enough to include all your other hedgehog supplies that we will discuss below. My favorite cage to use is the 42×18 Rabbit Home cage by Kaytee. Side note: This is NOT an appropriate cage to actually use for a rabbit. But it is perfect for your pokey friend! It is just big enough to allow plenty of exploration, which they will do at night once it is dark, and it will allow space for toys, a running wheel, a hideaway house, and their food and water bowls.

Heat Source

The next item needed in our hedgehog supplies is a heat source. This is super important because it is necessary to keep a hedgehog environment around 75 degrees. If you don’t watch their temperature, hedgehogs can go into hibernation which will ultimately kill your hedgehog. Do not use a heat lamp with a light bulb. Instead use a ceramic heat lamp such as this Fluker’s Deluxe Clamp Lamp paired with this ceramic heat emitter. You may also want to buy a digital thermostat to watch the temperature in your cage.

Food and Water

Food and water bowls are also necessary. Hedgehogs CAN use a water bottle, but I prefer using an actual bowl. You want their bowls to be shallow enough that they can eat and drink without spilling it, but also large enough that it will not become empty too quickly. It is also important to wash them with soap and water regularly so that they do not get sick. I personally use 8 ounce ramekins such as these.

Exercise Wheel

Hedgehogs LOVE to run on an exercise wheel, especially at night. It is important for them to have one because hedgehogs actually travel miles and miles of territory in the wild. Having an exercise wheel will also allow you the ability to litter train your new baby. This is where they will use the bathroom the most. It can get pretty gross to be honest, so cleaning their wheel will become the hardest part of owning a hedgehog. They are pretty low maintenance otherwise. I suggest a large wheel… the largest you can find. I personally use a Carolina Storm wheel that I found on Etsy, but here is an acceptable one on Amazon. Just make sure it is solid plastic. Do not get one that has mesh or any kind of holes in it that their nails could get caught in because it can cause damage.

Litter Tray

If you place a litter try directly under their wheel, it will help to litter train them. Like I mentioned above, hedgehogs will use the bathroom on their wheel mostly, but they will also learn to use the tray when they don’t feel like running. I use these litter trays because they allow you to slide them under the wheel base while also offering them space to use the bathroom off the wheel. The best litter to use is pine pellets or paper litter. NEVER use cat litter because it is toxic to hedgehogs.

Cage Bedding

Hedgehogs will need their cage floor lined with some sort of bedding or blanket. I prefer to use cheap fleece blankets that I find at Walmart. The are less than $4 each and it allows me to keep their cage clean with much less effort. You can use a paper bedding like you would use for a hamster if you prefer, but no pill fleece blankets are my choice. Just make sure you fix it to where they can’t get under the fleece.

Hedgehog Toys

Hedgehogs love to explore and carry things around in their mouths. Offering them a variety of toys will keep them very happy. I have had luck with small cat toys. Just make sure you do not offer anything that could be a choking hazard. Remove any toys that may have feathers or anything that might splinter. They love small catnip filled toys. Place the toys into a box to create a dig box that they can easily crawl in and out of such as this one. Don’t be surprised if they sleep in it too.

Hideaway House

Hedgehogs need a place to hide in the dark during the daytime. The cozier you can make it for them the better. I offer my hedgehogs a place to crawl into and bury themselves under more fleece. I personally love the Kaytee Woodland Getaway, and I place a small piece of fleece inside. But another option that I found that I am about to order is this sleeping bag pouch.

Food

This is probably one of the first hedgehog supplies I should have mentioned above. Obviously food is essential, and offering them a high quality food is essential. You need to choose a high quality dry cat food that has meat listed as the first ingredient. I personally prefer Iams Kitten Food. This is their main diet. As a treat I also offer hard boiled eggs and boiled unseasoned chicken a couple of times per week. Many hedgehog owners also offer live crickets, mealworms, and frozen pinky mice that is first thawed out. Those are all items you can find at your local pet store.

Bath Time

Your hedgehog will need a foot bath about once or twice a week. Just get them out of their cage and place them in the sink with a shallow amount of warm water. Let them walk around in the warm water for a few minutes and then get a toothbrush to clean off their feet. Their feet can get pretty nasty running on their wheel. They also should get a full bath about once every two to three weeks. They love bath time. Just use the toothbrush and a mild fragrance free baby soap such as this Burt’s Bees Fragrance Free Baby Shampoo and Wash. Don’t bathe them too often though because it can dry out their skin.

These are all of the necessary hedgehog supplies you will need when you bring home your new pokey friend. Keep in mind that hedgehogs are nocturnal so they are most active at night. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get them out of their cage and bond with them during the daytime hours.

There are also many resources that you can find online when doing your hedgehog care research. You can join one or several groups on Facebook as well. Just keep in mind that everyone does what they think is best. Everyone has an opinion, and when it comes to animal care some people can be pretty moody. I have laid out all of my suggestions here, but when it comes down to it, you will get to know your hedgie and its habbits. And as always… if you ever have questions don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Be sure to also keep an eye out for our available hedgehogs. We have lovely babies being born quite often.