If you're like me, you do a lot of research before bringing a new pet home that you have never cared for before. If you don't, you're just asking for trouble. I read several books, website articles, and watched a ton of YouTube videos on hedgehogs before I got my girl. There are some things though that you just have to learn by doing, but I want to add some more information to the internet for potential hedgehog owners on things I never saw anywhere or I didn't even know would be an issue.
Here's some few hedgehog tips I am learning:
If you give your hedgehog exercise (which you have to) they will poop like it is going out of style. Zzz learned to use the litter box and has never once pooped on me. I thought I got really lucky with her, and I still kind of feel that way. I finally got her a wheel and I knew that she would poop on it, but damn- all over the wheel. Every night. Which means I have to clean it every day. I saw a video though that you can get Glad press and seal and wrap the wheel with it and then just toss the wrapping. So I'm going to try it and we'll see how it goes.
Speaking of wheels, you have to buy a special wheel. I found the cheapest was $24 on eBay from emmylou499, including shipping. Technically, you can buy the giant wheels from the pet store that are not mesh, but they tend to break easily and have ridges that make cleaning hard. The other recommended wheels tend to start at $20 or more before shipping. Apparently, you can make your own wheel too for a lot cheaper using PVC pipes, a rollerblade wheel, and some other stuff. Let's face it though, I'm not MacGuyver, so you know that would have been a disaster.
Clipping their toenails is a bitch. I cut the quick and made her bleed and felt like the worst mom ever. To combat this, as soon as I have the money I will be buying a tunnel that has emery board lining so she can file her own nails. I saw this in a YouTube video and the cheapest place to buy it is on exotic nutrition.com.
My hedgehog's cage is actually a modified sterilite container with a top. You can use small animal cages like for guinea pigs or the cages that they market for ferrets but are actually way too small for ferrets. You can use what are called C&C cages that are metal cage cubes with some type of plastic for the sides and bottom of the cage. These are cool and customizable. The problem with these for me, is that I have yet to see one with a top. This makes it harder to keep other pets out (my cat Daisy already jumps in the sterilite container when the lid is off as it is). I also don't know how people attach a heat lamp to these cages in a way that keeps most of the cage climate controlled. I like the idea of the sterilite because the other pets can't get into it. It is also super easy to clean.
What I got from the breeder was the container, a water bottle (also special style for birds so they don't chip their teeth), a plastic food dish, a corner ferret/rabbit litter pan, a large size plastic igloo hideout, a ceramic heat emitter bulb, and a clamp lamp. Now Dr. Quill Medicine Woman loves her igloo, but with a wheel in there now and her litter box, if I keep the igloo in there she barely has any room to move. One of the best things I have purchased for her is a snuggle sack. You can usually find these for much cheaper online on eBay or Etsy than what the breeder will charge you. I bought one to help the bonding process along, but they work just as well as a hideout and take up much less room. They are also great for picking up a balled up hedgehog without getting poked. I personally recommend skipping the igloo in favor of a snuggle sack and a wheel. Unless you have more space available in your cage that you can fit everything and still have plenty of room. I may even take out the litter pan or replace it with something smaller. If she's only going to poop on her wheel now, there may not be a point to it. You can purchase some hedgehog wheels with a tray or pan that goes below the wheel. Or you can get a bigger rectangular pan and sit the wheel inside it. I have a few of the rectangular pans already for my ferrets, so I could trade her corner pan for one of their square pans. I also have an old dish rack tray hanging out in my garage that I can use underneath her wheel. Think outside the pet store and try to repurpose household items when you can.
For bedding, I chose to go with fleece, so I wouldn't have to change out care fresh or other bedding every week, that stuff adds up. I managed to find fleece baby blankets at the dollar store that work just fine. If you add more than one to the cage, your hedgehog can use the second for hiding and burrowing, and again you may not even need another hideout. I'm actually going to stock up on these to use for both the hedgehog and my ferrets. The more you have the easier it makes cleaning. For a dollar, if they get destroyed (which is gonna happen eventually after being pooped on a million times) you don't feel bad about throwing them away. It is a lot cheaper than using my worn out towels.
I also recommend pricing out hedgehog supplies in stores and online before you purchase anything from the breeder. I was given a value for my clamp lamp and my bulb, then had to replace my bulb and found that my $75 value was really closer to $40. I still got a good deal for my items as a set, but I may have been inclined to buy a cheaper cage set without the heating set and purchase the other items separately had I known the true cost.
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