Housing
A single hedgehog needs a solid-bottom enclosure of at least 4 square feet of floor space — bigger is always better. Wire floors and ramps cause foot injuries, so keep everything flat and solid.
Use a dust-free bedding such as fleece liners or kiln-dried aspen. Avoid cedar and pine shavings; the oils irritate hedgehog airways.
Hedgehogs are solitary. Housing two together usually ends in stress, injury or unplanned litters.
Temperature and light
Keep the enclosure between 73-78°F (23-26°C), steady, day and night. Below about 70°F a hedgehog may attempt hibernation, which is life-threatening for African pygmy hedgehogs.
Use a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat, not a heat rock or an uncontrolled bulb. Give 12-14 hours of consistent daytime light so their cycle stays regular.
A hedgehog found cold, flat and unresponsive is a same-day emergency: warm gently against your body and call an exotics vet.
Diet
Hedgehogs are insectivores. They need high-protein, low-fat food: aim for roughly 30-35% protein and under 15% fat.
A quality dry base (a high-protein cat food or purpose-made hedgehog kibble) plus rotating live or freeze-dried insects — crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms in moderation — covers most needs.
Fresh water in a shallow bowl, not a bottle. Skip milk, nuts, seeds, raisins, avocado and anything sticky or sugary.
Wheel and enrichment
A solid-surface wheel of at least 12 inches is non-negotiable — a healthy hedgehog runs several miles a night. No wire, no crossbars.
Add tunnels, dig boxes, snuggle sacks and forage toys. Rotate them so the space stays interesting.
Handling and grooming
Handle daily, even if only for 20-30 minutes in the evening. Hedgehogs bond by scent, so a worn t-shirt in the cage helps.
Bathe only when needed, with shallow warm water and a soft toothbrush on the quills. File nails regularly.
Self-anointing — foaming at the mouth and smearing saliva over their quills — looks alarming and is completely normal.
When to call a vet
Weight loss over 10% between weigh-ins, wobbling or dragging legs, not eating for 24 hours, green or bloody droppings, laboured breathing, lumps, or any sudden change in behaviour.
Find an exotics vet before you need one. Many small-animal clinics do not see hedgehogs.
Track it instead of guessing
The free weight tracker flags a drop of more than 10% between weigh-ins, which is often the first sign something is wrong.
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