Start with legality
Before anything else, check that the animal you want is legal where you live. Hedgehogs, for example, are legal in most US states but banned in California, Georgia, Hawaii, Washington DC and within New York City, and they need a permit in Illinois and Maine. Skunks, fennec foxes and raccoons are restricted or banned in many states. Check your own city and county rules too — local bans exist inside otherwise legal states.
Green flags
- Answers health questions directly, including about WHS in hedgehog lines or genetic issues in their species
- Shows you the parents and the space the animals are raised in, even on video
- Provides written lineage or pedigree with names and breeders of origin
- Keeps babies with mum until properly weaned, and knows the right age for the species
- Holds a USDA licence where the species and sales volume require one, and will say so
- Asks you questions — heating, cage or tank size, diet, vet access — before agreeing to a sale
- Has a written health guarantee and a take-back policy
- Talks openly about cost, including the exotics vet bills you should budget for
- Is clear about permits and legality in your state rather than telling you not to worry
Red flags
- Claims hedgehog lines are "100% WHS free" — there is no test in a living hedgehog
- Won't share lineage, or only names the parents
- Many species, many litters or clutches, always something available right now
- Babies offered before they are weaned or old enough to leave the parents
- Pressure tactics: deposits to "hold" an animal you haven't seen, or same-day decisions
- No contract, no health guarantee, cash-only and vague about location
- Ships in unsafe conditions or with no live-arrival plan
- Can't say whether stock is captive-bred or wild-caught
- Gets defensive when you ask about temperature, water quality, diet or lineage
Questions worth asking
- How old will the animal be at go-home, and is it fully weaned or independent?
- Is it captive-bred, and can you show me the parents?
- What are you feeding, and can I have a starter supply to transition?
- Are you USDA licensed, and do I need a permit in my state?
- Can I contact someone who bought from you last year?
- What happens if I can no longer keep the animal?
- What does the written health guarantee actually cover, and for how long?
Hedgehog-specific checks
- Has Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome ever shown up in this line? What happened to those animals?
- Can I see a written pedigree that names breeders of origin, not just the parents?
- Is the breeder USDA licensed? Selling hedgehogs across state lines generally requires it.
- Will the baby be at least 6 weeks old and fully weaned at go-home?
After you bring them home
Weigh weekly for the first few months and log it. A steady baseline makes an unhealthy drop obvious early. Record the pedigree while the paperwork is still in front of you — it is much harder to reconstruct a year later.