• October 27, 2021

The responsibilities of keeping hedgehogs as pets

If you are familiar with what hedgehogs look like, you will agree that their unique cuteness alone may make you want to have one. Keeping hedgehogs as pets can be a great experience. They are wonderful and very entertaining creatures. Adopting them is best when they are 6 to 8 weeks old and have already been weaned. When choosing, look for people with bright, clear eyes, a well-rounded body that shows great energy and alertness.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal creatures, which means that they are awake most of the time at night. They spend the day sleeping. If handled correctly and when their spikes are not raised, they are very cuddly and friendly. The quills are a defense mechanism that goes up when they feel threatened. But they are known to have a good temperament. Most house hedgehogs live in cages or aquariums, but with supervision, you can occasionally set them free and run around the house after they have been trained to litter. Hedgehog litter training is surprisingly easy.

If you plan to adopt one, you need to be prepared for the responsibilities that come with caring for it. It may be good to note that if you are allergic to cats, the hedgehog may not be for you. Typical care for a small pet takes time and effort. You will have to clean the pet’s cage, feed it, and spend time bonding with it. You will need to provide their necessities regularly, such as food, a cage, a litter box, and more. It is basically the same as keeping hedgehogs as pets. They like human affection. They are also wonderful swimmers. Give them a shallow pool and they will enjoy swimming in it. They go crazy for hiding their heads, a playtime they enjoy so much. You can give them toilet paper tubes for this. The exercise wheel is something they like too, so put one in a cage for your pet to enjoy.

To help them not get bored with the food you feed them, treat your hedgehogs to their favorite bananas every now and then, like twice a week. It can also serve critters as they are generally insectivores. They feed on snails and worms and insects found in gardens. However, don’t leave them loose in your garden if you use insecticides on your plants. Insecticides for plants can seriously damage them. It is best to be careful buying pet store food made specifically for hedgehogs. These cute balls of fun are prone to parasites. Milk and other forms of dairy products should never be part of their diet because they cannot tolerate them.

For those who want to keep hedgehogs as pets, they should know that to help the animal enjoy playtime, additional space must be provided in the cage. Place partitions inside to make room for sleeping time or nesting needs and some areas for activity time. If you plan to have more than one hedgehog, be sure to provide separate rooms. They like their own space as they are very territorial in nature. An extra limb in their marked area could result in fights that could harm them. You should get one as young as possible and then slowly introduce him to the new partner without stress.

Being calm animals, these creatures make ideal pets for people who live in apartments. Since they are small, all you have to provide is a roomy enough cage as they move around a lot. They make a snorting sound when they breathe and occasionally grunt or screech when scared or upset. Other than that, they are calm and peaceful. If you are the laid-back type and like the company of a pet, then adopting a hedgehog or two as pets may be ideal for you.

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