African Pygmy Hedgehogs and Hedgehogs. Hedgehogs as pets by Elliott Lang

Author:Elliott Lang
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: hedgehog, african pygmy hedgehog, african pygmy hedgehogs, african hedgehog, pygmy hedgehog
Publisher: Elliott Lang

At Home

When you arrive home, it is important to carefully transfer your hedgehog to his prepared cage. Never prepare the cage after you get your hedgehog home as this will only cause him stress.

Once he is home, you should place the hedgehog in his cage and leave him alone. Generally, I recommend that you do not interact with him for 12 hours at the very least. This will give the hedgehog time to become familiar with his space and will help reduce the amount of stress he feels from the transition.

When he is in isolation, avoid checking on him in the cage and simply stay away from it. In addition, do not try to pick him up while he is getting comfortable. It can be a difficult 12 hours for you but, trust me; the end result will be worth the wait.

Before you place the hedgehog into his isolation, make sure that you take the time to put fresh water into his cage. Remember, check with the breeder to find out how he has been receiving water. If it was from a bowl, use a bowl, if not, use a water bottle.

Also offer a wide variety of food to your hedgehog. It may seem like a bit much but the more variety you can offer him, the more likely he will eat during the transition. Although you will want to provide staple food, which I will go over later in this book, you should also offer snack foods that the hedgehog will be more tempted to eat.

Once the 12 hours are up, you can begin the process of bonding with your hedgehog. If you purchased the hedgehog from a reputable breeder, you should have a hedgehog that has been well socialized. This will make early handling easier since he will be more accustomed to handling.

Regardless, every hedgehog can have periods when they will huff or curl up, especially during the first few days at their new home. This is completely normal so don’t become worried. Simply take the time to carefully pick him up and sit with him.

Don’t over stimulate him during this period and make sure you only hold him close to the ground. Young hedgehogs, or hedgehogs that are in a new home, will often jump from hands and can easily be injured with falls.

For more on bonding with your hedgehog, read chapter nine: socializing your hedgehog.

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