AboutLaurel Sedgwick Expertise Can answer care, health, & behavioral questions, as well as basic breeding questions. Can help questioner figure out if a hedgehog is the right pet for them.
Experience Have had hedgehogs since 2001 - 8 so far. I have no experience with non-weaned babies, and limited experience with breeding and with pregnant hedgehogs. I have had too much experience with WHS (Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome). I would rate myself "expert" at syringe-feeding, and as "advanced" at performing SubQs.
Organizations I am a Provisional Judge for the IHA (International Hedgehog Association), and run a rescue station for the HWS (Hedgehog Welfare Organization). I also belong to the HBA (Hedgehog Breeders' ssociation) and am USDA licensed.
Education/Credentials I read everything I can get my hands on. Have read the best of the books, Dawn's Wrobel's THE HEDGEHOG and Tig M-Burleson's THE HEDGEHOG primer. Have been a member of various online bulletin board groups since 2002. Have attended many hedgehog shows.
Question i'm curious about hedgehog and i have an intention to keep one as a pet. i've tried to do some research before having one but i can't find the information i need. i need a favor to answer these questions:
1. i used to have a hamster(he died old). i wonder if hedgehog has strong smell like hamster?
2. is it an individual animal like turtle?can i have only one hedgehog as a pet? does it need companion?
3.if i keep only one hedgehog, does it have certain behaviour when mating period comes(like male dogs)?perhaps restless or agressive or anything, and do i need to take it to vet to callm it down?
thank you for your answer
Answer Hi, Yoanita:
(1) Hedgehog waste can have a relatively strong smell at first before it dries, but otherwise not. The hedgehog itself may need occasional baths if it annoints with something nasty or gets "poop boots" from running in its wheel, but that also is a special situation. Hedgehogs are usually not smelly animals.
(2) You can have multiple hedgehogs as pets, but you will need to have a separate cage for each one. Males are very likely to fight if put together.
More than one female can sometimes room happily together, but not always.
If you put a male and female together, they will most likely breed. If this happens, the male needs to be removed to separate quarters, as he will kill or eat the offspring. I would not recommend breeding unless you have done a lot of research and are prepared for the possibility that the mom may reject or destroy the babies, or that the babies may manifest genetic diseases.
If I had a female that I did not plan to breed, I would have her spayed, as females have a lot of problems with uterine
cancer.
