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 | | From: | Brian MacNamara | | Subject: | Hedgehog FAQ [1/7] - About the Hedgehog FAQ | | Date: | Sat, 22 Jan 2005 03:49:52 +0000 (UTC) |
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 | Archive-name: hedgehog-faq/part1
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Keywords: faq pet hedgehogs
Last-modified: 21 January 2005
Version: 3.70
HEDGEHOG FAQ (part 1 of 7) -- ABOUT THE HEDGEHOG FAQ
Compiled and edited by Brian MacNamara (macnamara@hedgehoghollow.com)
Additions, corrections, and suggestions for this file are welcomed.
This document is copyright 2005 by Brian MacNamara. See section [0.6]
for authorship information and redistribution rights. In short, you
can give it away, but you can't charge for it.
The basic Hedgehog FAQ has seven parts, all of which should be available
from wherever you obtained this one. A complete table of contents for
all seven parts is given below.
Please note: While my knowledge of hedgehogs has grown (far beyond my
wildest expectations when I began the FAQ), my knowledge is still quite
limited, especially in areas of health care. I did not write, or verify,
all the information in this FAQ. I have done my best to include only
accurate and useful information, but I cannot guarantee the correctness
of what is contained in this FAQ, regardless of the source, or even that
it will not be harmful to you or your hedgehog in some way. For advice
from an expert, I recommend you consult the books listed in part 2 [2.1],
or, especially in the case of a suspected medical problem, a veterinarian
who is familiar with hedgehogs.
------------------------------
Subject: CONTENTS OF THE HEDGEHOG FAQ FILES
Part I: ABOUT THE HEDGEHOG FAQ (this file)
0. *** About this FAQ ***
<0.1> Notes on formatting
<0.2> Where to get the Hedgehog FAQ
<0.3> Goal of this FAQ
<0.4> Credits and editor's notes
<0.5> Information I would like to track down and add -- please help!
<0.6> Copyright and redistribution information
1. *** Revision history of this file ***
Part II: FINDING MORE INFORMATION
2. *** Where to get more information ***
<2.1> What books are there on pet hedgehogs?
<2.2> Is there any other information available on-line?
<2.3> International Hedgehog Registry
<2.4> Hedgehogs Welfare Society
<2.5> International Hedgehog Association
<2.6> Other hedgehog organizations
<2.7> Miscellaneous hedgehog stuff and sources
Part III: INTRO TO HEDGEHOGS AS PETS
3. *** Introduction to pet hedgehogs ***
<3.1> What are hedgehogs? Should I get one? What's good and bad
about them as pets?
<3.2> Where are pet hedgehogs illegal?
<3.3> Are hedgehogs wild animals?
<3.4> What's the average hedgehog lifespan?
<3.5> I'm allergic to cats. Will I be allergic to hedgehogs?
<3.6> Do hedgehogs smell?
<3.7> Do hedgehogs have tails?
<3.8> Hedgehog monikers -- what do I call a hedgehog?
<3.9> Her-hog or Him-hog? What is Prickles?
4. *** Getting a pet hedgehog ***
<4.1> Which types/colours are there? Male or female? What age?
<4.2> How many should I get?
<4.3> What to look for in a hedgehog / How to choose a hedgehog
<4.4> How can I find a hedgehog breeder/contact in my area?
<4.5> When Hedgie comes home
<4.6> Hedgehog handling / socializing
<4.7> How can I introduce my hedgehog to my (dog/cat/bird/fish/
rabbit/etc.) with the least trouble?
Part IV: HEDGEHOGS AS PETS
5. *** Things you'll need ***
<5.1> What will I need to take care of my new hedgehog?
<5.2> Do I need a cage? How should I set it up?
<5.3> The pet store uses wood shavings as bedding. Should I?
<5.4> Litter boxes and what kind of litter should I use?
<5.5> I'm having problems litter-training my hedgehog. What should
I be doing?
<5.6> Hedgehogs and wheels
<5.7> Making your own wheel
<5.8> Any suggestions on toys?
6. *** Basic hedgehog care and training ***
<6.1> How can I best hedgehogproof my home?
<6.2> What should I feed my hedgehog?
<6.3> Commercial hedgehog foods and nutrition
<6.4> What are good treats?
<6.5> Any suggestions on bathing, cleaning ears, and clipping nails?
<6.6> Biting and nipping
<6.7> HELP, my hedgehog is LOST! (or Hedgehog Hide-and-Seek)
Part V: HEDGEHOG CARE AND UNDERSTANDING
7. *** Things hedgehogs say and do ***
<7.1> Self-anointing. What is it? Why do hedgehogs do it?
<7.2> My hedgehog snuffles and hides a lot. Is that normal?
<7.3> Is he just asleep or hibernating?
<7.4> My hedgehog sneezes. What should I do?
<7.5> My hedgehog's gone ballistic? Is this normal?
<7.6> Basic hedgehog repertoire
8. *** Basic health care ***
<8.1> What health risks should I worry about?
<8.2> Mites (or mites, not?)
<8.3> Tattered or ragged ears
<8.4> Hedgehog first-aid kit
<8.5> Do I need to spay/neuter my pet?
<8.6> Vaccinations, etc.
9. *** Problems to watch for and related information ***
<9.1> Various hedgehog health issues
<9.2> My hedgehog's had funny-looking stools for a couple of days.
What's wrong?
<9.3> My hedgehog's not eating. What should I do?
<9.4> How did I get fleas in my home? How can I get rid of
them?
<9.5> Wobbly hedgehogs
Part VI: ADVANCED TOPICS IN HEDGEHOGGERY
10. *** Breeding, babies, and advanced issues ***
<10.1> Breeding
<10.2> General care for babies
<10.3> Hand feeding baby hedgehogs
<10.4> Colours, types, and species
Part VII: WILD HEDGEHOGS
11. *** Finding Information ***
<11.1> Intro to wild hedgehogs
<11.2> What hedgehog books are there?
<11.3> Is there information available on-line?
<11.4> Wild Hedgehog Organizations
<11.5> Miscellaneous Hedgehog stuff and sources
12. *** Care and Helping ***
<12.1> The hedgehog calendar
<12.2> Caring for visiting hedgehogs
<12.3> Feeding and caring for orphan baby hedgehogs
<12.4> Hedgehog housing
<12.5> Hedgehogizing your garden
<12.6> Wild hedgehog health
<12.7> Dangers to wild hedgehogs
<12.8> Watching out for hibernating hedgehogs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
0. *** About this FAQ ***
------------------------------
Subject: <0.1> Notes on formatting
The answers in these files are given in a ``digest format,'' which should
make it easier for you to scan through them for the information you want.
Each question begins with a line of hyphens, followed by its number and
the question itself, as given in the Table of Contents above. In many
newsreaders, including rn, trn, and strn, you can jump from one
question to the next by hitting CONTROL-G. You can also look for a
particular answer by searching for its number or for words from the
question.
There are also some formatting aspects which may appear odd at first,
such as indents and combinations of tabs and spaces. These are used to
automatically convert the FAQ into HTML format, using a utility program I
created for this. Unfortunately, it's not very adaptable to other FAQs as it
was written in some haste, but it does do a reasonable job on the Hedgehog
FAQ.
Cross-references to other questions are in square brackets; for
example, [2.2] means that more information may be found in section
2.2.
Anti-SPAM measures. Unfortuantely, email addresses within the FAQ appear to
be favorite targets for SPAMmers. As a result, I've added "REMOVE_TO_SEND"
to each email address in the text based (posted) FAQ.
For example, if an email address is hedgehog at burrow.com, it would show
as being hedgehogREMOVE_TO_SEND at burrow.com.
Also, I've changed the web based version to display correctly (visually), but
uses another anti-SPAM machanism to prevent the addresses from being searched.
------------------------------
Subject: <0.2> Where to get the Hedgehog FAQ
This FAQ is posted once a month (usually on or around the 20th) to the
rec.pets, rec.answers, and news.answers newsgroups. It is also available by
anonymous FTP from the main news.answers repository:
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet-by-group/rec.pets/
(That is, ftp to rtfm.mit.edu and cd into the directory
pub/usenet-by-group/rec.pets). The files themselves are called:
Hedgehog_FAQ_[1_7]_-_About_the_Hedgehog_FAQ
Hedgehog_FAQ_[2_7]_-_Finding_more_information
Hedgehog_FAQ_[3_7]_-_Intro_to_Hedgehogs_as_pets
Hedgehog_FAQ_[4_7]_-_Hedgehogs_as_pets
Hedgehog_FAQ_[5_7]_-_Care_and_Understanding
Hedgehog_FAQ_[6_7]_-_Advanced_Topics_in_Hedgehoggery
Hedgehog_FAQ_[7_7]_-_Wild_Hedgehogs
It's also always available from my hedgehog web page at:
http://HedgehogHollow.com/
Finally, Dr. Tetsuro Oka, DMV, has translated the one version of the FAQ into
Japanese, which can be accessed at:
http://member.nifty.ne.jp/exoticpet/
Please note that the address, above, is new (Oct, 1999), and Dr. Tetsuro Oka
informs me that he is working on an updated translation of the FAQ.
If you cannot ftp and have no WWW access, send me email
(macnamara@hedgehoghollow.com) and I'll be glad to email you a copy.
------------------------------
Subject: <0.3> Goal of this FAQ
This FAQ is intended to cover many of the basic questions about hedgehogs.
It's somewhat unusual in that it deals both with pet (African Pigmy)
hedgehogs, and with wild hedgehogs (primarily European, but also African).
Most of the FAQ is aimed primarily at pet hedgehogs, largely because that is
the information I have to draw on. I hope to continue to extend the coverage
of the FAQ to address both groups reasonably, and since there is considerable
crossover in how the information applies, much of what is said about one
group is applicable to the other, with a little common sense used in the
interpretation.
The number of books and other sources for information is finally expanding to
a reasonable quantity, however, there is still relatively little information
available on caring for and understanding hedgehogs, at least compared to
most animals. While this FAQ does not intend to be an in-depth dissertation
on hedgehogs, it is expected to provide some basic information, and to be a
source for new information as it is learned, rather than waiting for the next
book to be published.
I should also point out that I expect to keep the comments fairly light, so
as not to make the bulk of this FAQ qualify as a cure for insomnia. If you
start to find it boring, tell me -- I probably fell asleep while typing that
section, and messed up on the what I was saying.
I do have to admit to one pang of guilt. When I discovered there was so very
little information on looking after hedgehogs, I desperately wanted a FAQ to
refer to. Since there wasn't one (Sorry Nathan, I didn't even know about
your efforts then) I figured the best way to get all the information I wanted
was to write the FAQ, and hope the comments it managed to get would provide
all the missing bits and pieces. 'Nuff said, let's get on with hedgehogs.
------------------------------
Subject: <0.4> Credits and editor's notes
I can take credit for only a relatively small part of the contents of this
FAQ. Most of the useful information deserves thanks to others. I have tried
to give credit to the right person in the right place by indenting specific
comments by others and citing the authors. My real contribution has been to
cobble together the many useful pieces of information on hedgehogs that have
appeared on the Internet, and elsewhere, into a single source.
With this latest version (3.X), I think the FAQ, and myself, have finally
reached the point where we both know something about hedgehogs, at last. As
part of this rewrite, I've tried to blend in many of the comments that people
have provided, and in some cases, I may have dropped actual quotes from the
FAQ. I want to apologize to those of you whose information has now become
part of the prose, rather than a separate quotation. I've done this to try
and make the information flow better for the reader, and I can promise it has
not been done lightly.
Of all the contributors, I would like to extend a special thanks to Nathan
Tenny whose unofficial hedgehog FAQ formed the foundation for the information
below. Nathan deserves the lion's share of the inspiration on this FAQ, and
should be considered the father of the hedgehog FAQ. Thanks Nathan -- you
saved my first version from just being filled with hedgehog anecdotes,
instead of good information.
I would also like to thank Katherine Long for the encouragement to actually
pull this together, and Pamela Greene for allowing me to use the ferret FAQ
as a guide for the topics and sections below, and many other useful tidbits
of FAQ formatting.
I have a special thanks for Cathy A. Johnson-Delaney, DVM, who as one of the
first few veterinarians who has owned (or is that owned by?) hedgehogs, has
provided some medical info for the FAQ. Thanks for the help Cathy, and for
making me feel a lot better about this pile of babbling.
Thanks to Peter Captijn, who almost single handedly kick-started me into
finally adding the information on European hedgehogs that I've been meaning
to for ages (and who actually contributed most of it) -- may your garden be
overrun by prickly little visitors.
And next to David Mantle for sending me an absolutely amazing wealth of
information on European hedgehogs that will take me a while to wade through
and incorporate all the wonderful tidbits into the FAQ.
Sort of a quick separate thanks to all the hedgehog-happy readers of the
rec.pets newsgroup, and the hedgehog listservers, who have unknowingly added
volumes to this FAQ, and especially to Patty-Anne Lea for boosting my ego
above and beyond measure and letting me know for sure that this creation is
appreciated.
In a general sense, I would like to thank all the people at the N.A.H.A.,
HI, and the IHR for their help and encouragement.
I want to extend many thanks to the contributors who all deserve a round of
applause for what they have contributed: Melanie A. Abell; Ron Adrezin;
Andrew Albinger; Debbie Allen; Jeffery Allen; Debbie Andelin; Tammy Baer;
Lance Barlow; Brenda Basinger; Michael Bell; D. Bishop; Shirley Ann Blakeney;
Dick Brisky, Matt and Renee Butcher; Tom Buzzwo; Eloise Campbell; Christi
Cantrell; Travis Carter; Chingur/Lani Richey; chvall; Teresa Claudino; Wayne
W. Clendenin; Kathleen Close; Jazmyn Concolor; Bill Corner; CowFanatic;
Peyton M. Creadick; John R. Daily; Del, Marcin Dobrucki; Doug Dorer and Mary
Anne; Dave Ehrnstein; Elizabeth Galante; Robyn Gorton; Tex Green; Leslie H.;
Michael Hainsworth; Lynn Hallquist; Kim Heys; Kelly A. Hodge; John Horton;
Stefan Hossack; Steph Hyne; Penny Jackson; Laura Jefferson; Jerry; Julihana;
Marcia Kautz; Kay of Hedgehog Helpline; Anders Kemi and Siw Bjorkgren;
Kirby J. Kerr; Lisa Ladouceur; LeAnne and Adrian; Julie Leir-Van Sickle and
Glen Van Sickle; John Lester; George Lewis; Terri Lewis; Alicia Look; Peter
Mack; Melissa Maloney; John F. Masinter; Sharon Massena; Donald Martin;
Janet Martin; Mike McGary; Gerald McKiness; Antigone Means; Melissa and
Heather; Melissa-Lee; Jan Micheel; Elizabeth Jane Monroe; Julie Moor;
Tiffany Mross; Willard B. ``Skip'' Nelson, DVM; Mary Novak; John Ofner; Dr.
Tetsuro Oka, DVM; Ligia Ortega; Tim Pearson; Christine Porter; Pam Powers;
Vanessa Purvis; Dr. Nigel Reeve; Todd Reeves; Paul Ritchey; Lisa Rowe; Rick
Russell; Seabury Salmon; Jon Santarelli; Richard Saunders; Sigrun Seetrevik;
Sheri; Michael Simla; Jon Simmons; Craig Simpson; Shelley Small; Wendi Smit;
Bryan H. Smith; Alexis Sneller; Elyse Spaite; Randy Starcher; Ken
Steigenberger; Pat Storer; Chuck Stoup; Doyle Stradling; Susan & Chia; H.
Swaggert; Teresa; Tirya; Dan Tishman; Barry Turner; Steve Turpin; Anja van
der Werf; Ian Van Natter; Jesse and Kris Welsh; Tom Weston; Kyrstin Westwind;
Linda Wheatley; Janet Willacy; Johnny M. Williams; Dominique Winther; Woobie;
Dawn Wrobel, Jennifer Young-Watson; Kathy and Donald Zepp; and Znofyl; and
last but not least, my resident editors-in-quills Nettles, and Noelle, and
copy-girl Nookie, and the late, dear Velcro, Sprocket, Hocus, Pocus, Quibble,
Bramble, Skewer, Popeye, Quiver, Pepper, Mimosa, Chestnut, and Neon.
One last thank you that deserves separate note is to my wife, Betty Gunn for
happily sharing and encouraging my hedgehog addiction, presenting me with
Velcro, and for repeatedly translating this whole thing into English, from
what ends up being little more than a mish-mash of spelling mistakes and
punctuation that bears no resemblance to any language from this planet.
If there is anyone I have missed, you have my apologies, and please let me
know. I hope that the list above will continue to grow over the coming
years.
------------------------------
Subject: <0.5> Information I would like to track down and add -- please help!
This is your chance to help add things to the FAQ. Some of the specific
information I'm trying to track down is listed below, but please don't limit
yourselves to this -- I'm very open minded about taking any kind of
information I can get a hold of.
New or changing information on any hedgehog related organizations and
charities, clubs, and rescue organizations. This is a permanent request.
Further information on places where hedgehogs are not legal as pets,
or changes that make them legal where they were not.
More information on hedgehogs as pets in other parts of the world, and the
types (species) kept as pets in various places.
Any questions you think the FAQ should answer or discuss -- even if
(especially if?) you don't know the answer.
Information on books about and products for hedgehogs.
Information about hedgehog food. What brands/types are available and
where.
Additional information useful to people dealing with wild hedgehogs,
especially those in Europe.
Updated information on current veterinary literature sources for
section [8.6].
Information on hedgehog health problems and treatments.
Some of the things I hope to add over the upcoming releases are:
(I'm still trying to finish tidying up all the changes in the V3.X
rewrite of the FAQ -- as soon as I can start to look forward, again,
I'll add some meaningful plans, here).
------------------------------
Subject: <0.6> Copyright and redistribution information
This compilation, is copyright 2005 by Brian MacNamara.
It may be freely distributed by electronic, paper, or other means,
provided that it is distributed in its entirety, including this notice,
and that no fee is charged apart from the actual costs of distribution.
(For-profit service providers such as CompuServe and America Online
are granted permission to distribute the files provided that no
additional fee beyond standard connection-time charges is levied.)
Those portions of this file written by others remain the property of
their respective authors.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1. *** Revision history of this file ***
------------------------------
Subject: Revision history
The most accurate description of the version of this FAQ is the date
at the top. For really minor changes, I won't necessarily change the
version number, but I'll always change the date.
Version 3.70 - 21 January 2005
Revised sections [0.6] (update copyright), [1.] (always).
Version 3.69 - 20 December 2004
Revised sections [0.1] (notes on anti-SPAM formatting for email addresses),
Changes to all sections to modify email addresses to make them SPAM
resistant. Note for text versions you must remove the "REMOVE_TO_SEND"
from emails to allow them to work.
Version 3.68 - 27 November 2004
No changes this month.
Version 3.67 - 26 October 2004
Revised sections [0.4] (more contributions), [1.] (always), [6.3] (added
Exotic Nutrition Pet. Co. and some notes).
Version 3.66 - 25 September 2004
Revised sections [0.4] (staff changes :-( and :-) ), [1.] (always).
Version 3.65 - 25 August 2004
No changes this month due to computer problems. I just hope things work
well enough to post the FAQ.
Version 3.64 - 26 July 2004
No changes this month.
Version 3.63 - 22 June 2004
No changes this month.
Version 3.62 - 24 May 2004
Revised sections [1.] (always), [11.3] (updated CHPS web site - at last).
Version 3.61 - 20 April 2004
No changes this month.
Version 3.60 - 21 March 2004
No changes this month.
Version 3.59 - 29 February 2004
No changes this month.
Version 3.58 - 25 January 2004
Revised sections [0.6] (update copyright), [1.] (always).
Version 3.57 - 27 December 2003
Revised sections [0.4] (more contributors), [1.] (always), [3.2] (status
for Wyoming - hedgehogs are allowed).
Version 3.56 - 24 November 2003
No changes this month..
Version 3.55 - 26 October 2003
Revised sections [0.4] (staff changes :-) ), [1.] (always).
Version 3.54 - 25 September 2003
No changes this month.
Version 3.53 - 27 August 2003
No changes this month.
Version 3.52 - 26 July 2003
Revised sections [1.] (always), [6.3] (added Brown's Nutrition Plus
premium diet Hedgehog food)
Version 3.51 - 25 June 2003
Revised sections [0.4] (more contributors :-) and staff changes :-( ),
[1.] (always), [3.2] (status for Quebec has changed - hedgehogs are
allowed as pets).
Version 3.50 - 25 May 2003
No changes this month.
Version 3.49 - 25 April 2003
No changes this month.
Version 3.48 - 23 March 2003
No changes this month.
Version 3.47 - 22 February 2003
Revised sections [0.4] (contributors), [1.] (always), [2.1] (Updated links
and prices for RZU2U).
Version 3.46 - 27 January 2003
Revised sections [0.4] (staff changes :-( and :-) ), [0.6] (Where did the
year go?), [1.] (always), [6.3] (Updated address for ABC Inc).
Version 3.45 - 28 December 2002
No changes this month.
Version 3.44 - 25 November 2002
No changes this month.
Version 3.43 - 27 October 2002
No changes this month.
Version 3.42 - 29 September 2002
No changes this month due to changing ISPs, OSs, etc.
Version 3.41 - 25 August 2002
No changes this month.
Version 3.40 - 23 July 2002
Revised sections [0.4] (staff changes :-( ), [1.] (as ever), [2.5] (updated
IH`A' information including change from Club to Association throughout)
Version 3.39 - 25 June 2002
No changes this month.
Version 3.38 - 25 May 2002
Revised sections [0.4] (more contributors), [1.] (as ever), [6.2] (a
caution on dead insects/mealworms potentially causing illness).
Version 3.37 - 25 April 2002
No changes this month.
Version 3.36 - 27 March 2002
Revised sections [1.] (always), [2.4] (now the Hedgehog Welfare Society,
and Carolina Hedgehog Society).
Version 3.35 - 25 February 2002
No real changes due to the staff changes (both sad and happy).
Revised sections [0.4] (staff changes), [1.] (always), [3.2] (added
indications that hhogs might now be illegal in Pennsylvania).
Version 3.34 - 22 January 2002
Revised sections [0.6] (Happy New Year), [1.] (always).
Version 3.33 - 23 December 2001
No changes this month.
Version 3.32 - 25 November 2001
No changes this month.
Version 3.31 - 25 October 2001
Revised sections [0.4] (more contributors), [1.] (as ever), [3.2] (Pet AP
hedgies in Finland), [5.8] (hedgie stairs).
Version 3.30 - 27 September 2001
No changes this month. Duck and Snuffle...
(Cool weather is coming -- keep your hedgies warm)
Version 3.29 - 27 August 2001
No changes this month.
Version 3.28 - 24 July 2001
No changes this month due to hedgie problems. Sorry.
Version 3.27 - 20 Jun 2001
No changes this month due to moving (my world is made of boxes).
Version 3.26 - 26 May 2001
No changes this month due to moving.
Version 3.25 - 26 April 2001
Revised sections [0.4] (more contributions), [1.] (always), [2.7] (added
theferretstore.com to sources).
Version 3.24 - 25 March 2001
No changes.
Version 3.23 - 24 February 2001
Revised sections [0.4] (staff changes), [1.] (always).
Due to the `staff changes' I was not up doing much else this month --
sorry.
Version 3.22 - 29 January 2001
Revised sections [1.] (always), [2.4] (Hedgehogs International have ceased
operations), various changes throughout to remove references to section
2.4.
My apologies for not getting to the other updates that people have sent me
over the past few months. I hope to get to some of them for February.
Version 3.21 - 26 December 2000
No changes.
Version 3.20 - 26 November 2000
No changes.
Version 3.19 - 24 October 2000
Revised sections [1.] (always), [2.2] (added note on HedgehogHollow being
closed for reconstruction), [2.4] (updated info for Hedgehog
International), [9.5] (added additional info on wobbly hedgehogs).
Version 3.18 - 24 September 2000
Revised sections [1.] (always), [2.2] (more mailing list changes), [2.4]
(updated addresses for Hedgehog International).
Version 3.17 - 20 August 2000
No changes.
Version 3.16 - 24 July 2000
Revised sections [0.4] (more contributors), [1.] (always), [2.3]
(updated HHog Registry info).
Version 3.15 - 25 June 2000
No changes.
Version 3.14 - 24 May 2000
Revised sections [1.] (as ever), [2.2] (HH Mailing list has closed, but
added info on newish list, PigPogLives)
Version 3.13 - 24 April 2000
No changes.
Version 3.12 - 23 March 2000
No changes.
Version 3.11 - 26 February 2000
Revised sections [0.4] (more contributors), [1.] (as ever), [11.5] (Added
info on CJ Wildbird nest boxes and wild hh food).
Version 3.10 - 23 January 2000
Revised sections [0.6] (updated copyright), [1.] (right here), [6.3]
(fixed address for ABC).
Version 3.9 - 26 December 1999
No changes this month -- I've been busy with work and the holidays.
Sorry.
Version 3.8 - 25 November 1999
Delayed again. This time of all things the cause was due in part to
fixing earthquake induced computer problems (unfortunately, I'm not
making this one up :-})
Changed to HI throughout, and Renumbered sections 2.5-2.6 to allow room
to add IHC as [2.5].
Revised sections [0.2] (new address for Japanese translation), [0.4]
(hedgie staff changes), [1.] (still), [2.2] (adjusted AOL chat information
and removed Lance Barlow's chat which seems to be gone), [2.4] (changed
to HI), [6.3] (changes to food availability).
Version 3.7 - 27 October 1999
No changes this month due to hedgie problems. Sorry.
Version 3.6 - 25 September 1999
Whoops, missed the date! Sorry the changes and posting are late. I've
been busy with a new job.
Revised sections [0.4] (more contributers), [1.] (this message), [2.3]
(updated branch info for IHR), [2.4] (brief update name), [9.1] (added
notes on Uterine tumours).
Version 3.5 - 23 August 1999
No real changes, again, this month due to editor changing jobs. Hopefully
this will mean more time for the FAQ in the coming months.
Please note: at this time, only the HedgehogHollow.COM addresses for both
the FAQ and myself continue to work. Email sent to my previous addresses
at PCI will not be able to reach me. Also, I regret that I have been
mostly offline over the previous month or so, and I am far behind on
email. I hope that I will be able to catch up, starting soon, though
this will depend on how much time and effort my new job will absorb.
Revised sections [1.] (this message).
Version 3.4 - 24 July 1999
No real changes this month due to editor being completely overloaded
at work.
Revised sections [1.] (this message).
Version 3.3 - 20 June 1999
Changed sender to reflect coming from hedgehoghollow.com domain.
Revised sections [0.4] (more kind contributors), [1.] (always), [3.2]
(revised info on Maine and PEI).
Version 3.2 - 20 May 1999
Revised sections [0.2] (ftp access from main news repository, only),
[1.] (always).
Few changes due to editor being busy changing ISPs.
Version 3.1 - 20 Apr 1999
Revised sections [1.] (always), [2.2] (adjusted AOL chat information),
[8.2] (added caution about alcohol based flea/tick spays, including
Adams), [9.1] (stressed dangers of sunflower seeds, which like peanuts
get caught in hedgie mouths, with sometimes deadly results).
Version 3.0 - 02 Mar 1999
It's done, at last. My apologies for the delays in getting V3.0 of
the FAQ together -- it was a much bigger job than I anticipated.
This release constitutes a major rewrite and reorganization of the
FAQ. The first in over 3 years, and 45 monthly updates. The changes
are extensive enough that I've removed the revision history between
V2.0 and V3.0 as the contents were meaningless relative to the `new'
FAQ. Only the major versions are shown until updates begin, again.
Version 2.0 - 17 Apr 1995
Renumbered sections 1 and 2 reversing them to allow for split-up, and
because it made more sense to me.
Split FAQ into multiple pieces to try and avoid newsreader size limitations.
Version 1.0 - 10 Jan 1995
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--
Brian MacNamara - macnamara@HedgehogHollow.COM
Hedgehog Hollow: http://HedgehogHollow.COM/
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| | From: | Brian MacNamara | | Subject: | Hedgehog FAQ [6/7] - Advanced Topics in Hedgehoggery | | Date: | Sat, 22 Jan 2005 03:50:07 +0000 (UTC) |
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| Archive-name: hedgehog-faq/part6
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Keywords: faq pet hedgehogs
Last-modified: 21 January 2005
Version: 3.70
HEDGEHOG FAQ (part 6 of 7) -- ADVANCED TOPICS IN HEDGEHOGGERY
Compiled and edited by Brian MacNamara (macnamara@hedgehoghollow.com)
Additions, corrections, and suggestions for this file are welcomed.
This document is copyright 2005 by Brian MacNamara. See section [0.6]
for authorship information and redistribution rights. In short, you
can give it away, but you can't charge for it.
The basic Hedgehog FAQ has seven parts, all of which should be available
from wherever you obtained this one. A complete table of contents for
all seven parts is given below.
Please note: While my knowledge of hedgehogs has grown (far beyond my
wildest expectations when I began the FAQ), my knowledge is still quite
limited, especially in areas of health care. I did not write, or verify,
all the information in this FAQ. I have done my best to include only
accurate and useful information, but I cannot guarantee the correctness
of what is contained in this FAQ, regardless of the source, or even that
it will not be harmful to you or your hedgehog in some way. For advice
from an expert, I recommend you consult the books listed in part 2 [2.1],
or, especially in the case of a suspected medical problem, a veterinarian
who is familiar with hedgehogs.
------------------------------
Subject: CONTENTS OF THIS FILE
10. *** Breeding, babies, and advanced issues ***
<10.1> Breeding
<10.2> General care for babies
<10.3> Hand feeding baby hedgehogs
<10.4> Colours, types, and species
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10. *** Breeding, babies, and advanced issues ***
------------------------------
Subject: <10.1> Breeding
Breeding hedgehogs can be both the most rewarding, and the most
heart-wrenching of endeavors. Few activities can come close to matching the
wonders and pleasures of having babies, but at the same time the dangers
involved, and problems that can arise are very great.
I'm not going to try and cover all the basics of animal husbandry, here --
that's a topic better left to many books on the subject. I'm only going to
address hedgehog issues. Besides, if you don't know the basics of husbandry
and breeding, you should not be considering it -- at least not yet.
Baby hedgehogs are nothing short of addictively cute. If you think an adult
can steal your heart, beware that a mother being followed by a litter of
adorable little hoglets is many levels of magnitude cuter. The reason for
this warning is that it can be very easy to fall into the trap of breeding
just to enjoy the babies. There is an immense responsibility that goes with
breeding, and it should not be undertaken lightly -- these are living,
feeling animals, and that thought must always be at the forefront of your
mind.
If you are going to breed, make very very sure of the following, first:
(1) That you are willing to risk losing the mother, due to
complications!
(2) That you can find good, caring homes for ALL the babies. This can
certainly include you, but remember, you may need as many as 8 new
cages or enclosures to keep the results of one litter!
(3) If there are complications with the birth, or problems with the
babies, it might entail some not inconsiderable veterinary bills.
(4) If mom rejects the babies, you might have to take care of them (a
very considerable effort), or have them put to sleep.
Okay, you've considered the points, above, and you want to breed your
hedgehog(s). The following will cover various points of breeding. For
actual caring for the babies (with or without mom), please see sections
[10.2] and [10.3].
[Credit for much of what follows is largely thanks to various breeder
friends that I've met over the past few years, and some of my own,
minor experiences. I hope you will forgive me for not listing you by
name, as the points are `mostly' a blend of all your wisdom! -Ed.]
I would strongly recommend that you seek out an experienced hedgehog breeder
and spend some time talking with him/her. I don't have the experience or the
space to cover all the information that you really should know. Also, having
someone you can turn to with questions will prove more than invaluable.
First, a few guidelines for deciding who, of prickly nature, to put together
for the romantic event. To breed hedgehogs, obviously, the minimum you need
is a male and a female, but there are many other points to consider.
Breeding of ill tempered hedgehogs is not a good idea, breeding of related
hedgehogs can also be a bad idea. Choose the hedgehogs to be bred with some
care. This can be for colour, temperament, or other values, but don't be
indiscriminant.
Females should not be bred before at least 5 months of age, as they have not
finished growing and maturing themselves. Once bred, the hormonal changes
will basically stop further maturation, and the drain on their metabolisms
caused by having babies while still trying to grow themselves, can have
permanent adverse affects on their health.
Males, too, should not be bred before about 4-5 months, although the side
effects are not as problematic for them. The biggest problem is that they
just may not be up to the task, at least as well as they should be.
Also, don't breed a female for the first time, if she is beyond 1.5 years
old. If you do, there is a very good chance that the bones in her pelvic
area will have fused, such that she will not be able to have the babies. If
you are not sure how old she is, but suspect she may be beyond 1.5, don't
risk it!
There is also a point at about 3.5 years of age, when many females become
menopausal. Breeders will often note that litter sizes may taper off as this
age is approached.
Finally, after each litter, it is important to give your female a break to
recover from the effort. I would not recommend any more than 3 litters per
year. Beyond that is going to place an unnecessary drain on the female, and
affect her health (and her ability to produce and care for ongoing litters).
More than this number of litters per year really suggests that you are not
breeding hedgehogs, but trying to run a production line.
Breeding hedgehogs is not difficult, but it does come with a wide variety of
problems. Probably most notable is that mother hedgehogs will tend to eat
the babies if disturbed at all for a few days prior to, and for up to about
10 days after the birth. This can be heartbreaking and very frustrating to
would be breeders.
By our (human) standards, this sort of thing is unthinkable, and very hard to
accept. Before you think too badly of hedgehogs for this, take a look at
their natural environment. In the wild, any kind of disturbance is all but
certainly a predator that WILL eat the babies (mom can and will try to defend
them, but in a burrow, there's only so much she can hope to do). Because
finding enough food and energy to develop the babies is a very difficult
thing in the rather harsh conditions in which our little friends are native,
mother hedgehogs cannot afford to lose all of that. In the end, it's a
matter of survival to ``reabsorb'' the babies, in this way, then to lose all
of that to a passing predator. If all are lost, try again in 3 months. If
losing litters continues to happen, it might be that the female is just not
cut out to be a mom, and it would be better not to breed her.
So, for the actual amourous encounter, what is needed? Actually, not that
much. Simply put the two loverhogs together, sit back, and watch the fun.
Male hedgehogs know what to do (females do as well, but will often play hard
to get). Males will usually squeak very loudly and plaintively when they
encounter a female -- and the actual courtship antics are usually VERY
entertaining.
There are opinions both ways on whose cage (hers or his) to use, but most
breeders seem to prefer to use the male's cage, under the assumption that the
female will be more receptive, and the male will feel less out of place and
more inclined to do his `duty.' It is wise to remove as many items from the
cage as is reasonable, while they are together, such as wheels, extra dens,
and items that make good hiding places for a female who wants to defend her
honour. Even so, you can pretty much count on the entire cage being severely
`redecorated' frequently and often!
Hedgehogs DO have a `heat,' or estrus cycle, and are not entirely induced
ovulators, as had been previously thought. The cycle is typically about 9
days on, followed by 7 days off, but is not absolute.
In order to catch the cycle, many breeders will put the male and female
together for about 4-5 days, separate them for 4 days, then put them back
together for another 4-5 days. Others breeders have suggested using a single
10-day period, while others still will use only a single 3-day get together,
observing the female to see if she is responsive. Experience and trial and
error will likely be your best guides here. If you have spoken to a breeder
with experience, try the schedule that they use, or one of the schedules
mentioned here. In most cases, the pair will get along quite well, but do
watch out as sometimes fights will occur.
Once the romance has passed, it is now time to separate the pair. Now that
mating is over, the father to be, can drop out of the picture, as he plays no
further role in what follows. Keeping the male in with the female when the
babies arrive is virtually guaranteed to have them both eat the babies.
Is your female pregnant? Well, this is another place that I can only offer
theory. Personally, I have gotten it wrong (both ways) far more often than
right! As you might guess, it can be quite difficult to tell if a hedgehog
is pregnant, but there are some clues to look for. Probably one of the best
methods is to weigh her every few days, and watch for a weight gain.
Obviously, this goes part and parcel with an increase in appetite. Next, if
you are very careful, and gentle, you can palpate her abdomen, and you `may'
be able to feel the babies as she gets closer to the birthing date.
Achieving good results with this is very difficult, even for experienced
breeders, so don't be dismayed if you can't tell anything from it. Another
sign to watch out for is that her teats or nipples (which run in two rows
along the sides of her tummy, will become more enlarged, and more obvious.
As time gets closer to the birth, typically within about the last week, there
are a few more signs. One of these to look for is the odour from her urine
often becomes noticably stronger. She may also exhibit signs of `nesting'
where she may make piles of bedding material, or even block up her den
entrance. She will also likely lose appetite in the day or so prior to the
babies being born.
In spite of these signs, it's easy to be wrong in thinking she may be
pregnant when she is not, or that she is not pregnant when she is. Trust me!
This is one place I have AMPLE personal experience to speak from! Because of
this, I strongly recommend that you always assume that she IS pregnant until
WELL past her last possible due date.
Speaking of the due date, the gestation period for hedgehogs is approximately
35 days. I have heard of births happening from about 33 days through to
about 42, so the 35 is not absolute. Most will be within the 34-37 day
range, however.
This generally brings us to the end of the actual breeding topic. I will add
a few further comments, here, as they relate to the mother, and health
issues, but I would direct you to section [10.2] on general care for the
babies which really takes up where this description leaves off.
After the birth, mom's appetite will likely skyrocket. Give her all the
high-quality food she wants. This is not a time for diets, as she is trying
to produce enough milk for her hungry hoglets. She will also go through a
lot more fresh water than normal. Just be careful about disturbances as you
go into her cage to feed or water her. If mom appears overly exhausted, or
wobbly, extra vitamins or supplements, such as KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement)
may help. Also treats (not too much) of cottage cheese or sour cream may
help keep her calcium levels up, as she produces large quantities of hedgehog
milk.
The good news is that there really isn't much for you to do -- it's largely a
case of mom knows best.
Following the birth, keep an eye on the mother for possible complications.
If mom either loses the babies (not that unusual) or seems very inactive,
possibly lying out of her den, and/or not eating, it may be that she has
suffered a problem during birth, or that one or more babies are still caught
inside her. If you think this might be the case, get her to a veterinarian,
quickly -- especially if she lost her babies, and is acting like this. There
is much a vet can do to help in a situation like this, but it is imperitive
that you get her there quickly. The longer the problem exists, the greater
the likelihood that you will lose the mother in addition to the babies.
------------------------------
Subject: <10.2> General care for babies
As the due date approaches, mom will often stop eating the day before, and
will also often go into nesting mode, and may go as far as to wall up her den
against access. It is very important that you do not disturb her for a
couple of days before she is due, and for several days after the babies
arrive. Doing so will often result in the babies being eaten [10.1].
A couple of days before you expect that she is due, it is a good idea to give
her cage a thorough cleaning (without stressing her too much), as you will
not be able to, again, for several days.
The babies will `usually' arrive during the night, and may be announced by a
slight scream or squeak, although I've never heard this, myself. You will
probably be able to hear the babies squeak from the nest, after they have
been born.
Here are some guidelines on dealing with new hoglets. In general, the two
main things are to avoid disturbing them (and mom) and that mother knows
best.
As a reminder, the gestation period is approximately 35 days.
You should avoid disturbing a pregnant female or new mother for about 5 days
before and 5-10 days after the birth. During this time, be careful and quiet
during feeding and cleanup.
The babies will usually announce their presence with squeaks. When you hear
this -- it's time to go into tiptoe mode. The babies can be born over a
period of several hours, and maintaining absolute quiet during this time is
important.
Mom should have a safe, secure-feeling den to have the babies in. This will
help her feel safe and relaxed.
For the first 5-10 days, don't peek! And I mean don't peek!!! After this
time, depending on how mom reacts, you can start handling the babies. If you
do want to check on the babies, do it when mom is out eating, or better yet,
lure her out with a treat, and remove her from the cage for a romp while you
check on the babies. But do wait until the babies are at least 3-5 days old
before doing this. Take your cues from mom. If she gets hostile, vocal, or
visibly upset, by your presence, don't push it. Some mothers are very secure
and don't mind leaving the babies alone for a few minutes, while others get
frantic when separated.
Make sure that mom has as much food as she wants. She will eat a LOT more
than usual at this time. You might even want to supplement her diet with
some cottage cheese, sour cream, or the like, to help boost her calcium
input. This can be especially important for very young (e.g., accidental)
mothers, who are still growing themselves, and who may end up drawing on
their own calcium reserves, that they need for bones and teeth, to produce
enough milk.
If mom does not seem to be eating, put her food dish near the doorway to her
nest box or tube -- she may be reluctant to leave the babies.
Once the babies are born, you might want to pile up the wood shavings under
the end of the tube or nest box where the doorway is, to prevent any babies
from rolling out by mistake. Generally this is not a problem, but if you
find a baby outside the nest, you might want to consider doing this.
If you see a baby out of the nest and away from the rest (some mothers will
take their babies out of the nest, but will keep them together -- this is
normal and depends on the mother), you can put it back with the others by
using a small spoon. Remember not to touch the baby, or mom is liable to
reject it.
If mom seems to be rejecting a baby, keep trying to put it back with the
others (using the spoon method). If the practise continues, and the baby
appears not to be getting any mother's milk, you may want to consider hand
feeding the rejected baby [10.3].
Babies will begin to venture from the nest when 2-3 weeks old about the same
time they start sampling mom's food.
Babies are weaned at 4-6 weeks. They start to eat solid food around the 3rd
week. If the food you are using is quite hard, you can offer some that has
been dampened to make it softer to help get the babies started.
Babies raised in a cage with a litter box will usually learn to use the
litter box (especially if mom uses it). If mom doesn't use a litter box, you
might need to do a little coaxing (scooping up some of the droppings and
adding them to the litter box).
Remember to separate the babies by [10.2] after they are weaned so you
don't accidently start on yet another generation. Make sure you do this
before they reach 8-weeks of age! Make sure that they are eating solid food
and drinking on their own.
Above all, if you lose any or all the babies, or if Mom happens to eat any or
all, don't let it bother you too much. This sort of thing, especially the
latter, is very hard for people to deal with but it is perfectly natural for
hedgehogs.
Some of the reasons why mother hedgehogs might kill, eat, or reject their
babies are as follows:
They were disturbed. In the wild, almost any kind of disturbance means a
predator is there and it will almost certainly eat the babies. Rather than
lose the very hard won nutrients that she put into producing the babies,
mother hedgehogs will `reabsorb' them herself in the hopes of being able to
use it for another litter later on. This seems very harsh, but it's only a
reflection of the environment that they developed in.
Mom thinks something's wrong. If mom thinks one or more babies are not right
(deformed or if they otherwise have problems that she can detect), she may
kill or `reabsorb' them with the understanding that they wouldn't have
survived long anyway.
Mom's not secure. If mom feels conditions are not right for bringing up
babies (not enough food, or not the right nutrients/vitamins/etc.) she may
feel that they are not likely to survive, or that she won't be able to
provide for all of them.
Mom's too young or immature. If mom is too young, or often with her first
litter, she may just not know what to do, or can't deal with the babies.
This doesn't necessarily mean she will be a bad mother -- I've heard of many
who after losing a first litter, or even a second, went on to be excellent
moms with later litters. If a female eats more than two of her litters, it's
probably not a good idea to keep trying.
Again, if worst comes to worst, and you lose some or all the babies, don't
let it get you down. Just concentrate on what you do have.
As the babies grow, various events will begin to take place. This is a very
rough timeline on baby African pigmy hedgehog growth:
Early on the `birth' quills will be replaced by the first set of baby quills.
The eyes will open by around the week 3.
At about week 3-4 the babies will begin to start tasting solid food. You can
help things out here by offering dry food which has been dampened to make it
softer, or by using some canned food. Generally, though, most babies will
manage very well in very short order -- it IS food after all, and these are
starving baby hedgeHOGs!
By about week 6, the babies should be well on their way to being weaned.
Some will hold out until week 7, but by then they should all be on solid
food. No doubt much to mom's relief!
Finally, by the time the babies reach week 8, they need to be separated from
mom -- at least you need to separate any males, or you risk both mom, and any
female babies becoming pregnant -- neither of which are in any condition to
handle it at this stage!
------------------------------
Subject: <10.3> Hand feeding baby hedgehogs
One of the most difficult times for hedgehog owners comes if a new mother
hedgehog rejects some or all of her babies, or otherwise can't manage to
provide for all of them. Unfortunately, it is fairly common for hedgehogs to
eat their babies [10.1], and/or reject them, especially if it is a first
litter, or if the mother was disturbed (mother hedgehogs need considerable
peace and quiet). Many hedgehog owners are bothered quite badly by these
actions on the part of the hedgehog, as they are extremely foreign concepts
to humans, but they are (sadly) perfectly natural and normal amongst
hedgehogs.
Before deciding to hand feed, try returning rejected babies to the nest
(using a spoon to avoid getting your scent on them), or if possible by
fostering with another mother who is nursing (rub the babies in bedding from
that mother's cage to have them smell familiar). Many breeders will
purposely breed two females at the same time for this purpose, though I
caution that fostering does not always work.
All that having been said, what do you do if you decide you need to hand feed
baby hedgehogs? The first thing is to convince yourself that sleep is an
undesirable luxury, as you will be feeding the babies every 2-3 hours (yes,
that means night and day) for about 3+ weeks. If you're still up to trying,
what do you feed them, and how?
I'll address the easy part first -- how. For this, among the best items are
plastic syringes (without needles), eye-droppers, or plastic pipettes (the
type with the suction bulb at the end). The idea is to be able to provide a
minute but reasonably available stream of 'milk' to the baby in a controlled
manner.
Next is the question of what to feed them. Generally, the rule about
avoiding or limiting cows' milk for adult hedgehogs also applies to babies,
and maybe even more so. That having been said, I have heard of one little
tyke who wouldn't drink anything else, and at last word was doing just fine.
Robyn Gorton, who was studying hedgehogs in New Zealand, passed along the
following information on caring for babies. Although her work is with
European hedgehogs, the information is quite applicable to African pigmy
hedgehogs as well.
I find that caring for the young is simple enough as long as you have a
good milk to feed them. I have discovered that sheeps' milk is the
closest in composition to hhog milk and acts as an excellent substitute
when mixed with raw egg. It may for the first few days cause swelling of
the anus, but as soon as they start teething (3 weeks) you can add mashed
banana for fibre and their problems clear up. It's a very high protein
diet but one must watch for a vitamin B deficiency which can be caused
by too much raw egg. I had my two hoglets suckling on a syringe for the
first week and 1/2 until their teeth erupted (this takes three days for a
full set to emerge!!) then simply start using a saucer and they will
naturally feed from it themselves.
I've also heard of using goats' milk, similar to what Robyn suggested above,
though I trust her research as far sheeps' milk being closer to hedgehog
milk. I do need to caution, however, about the use of raw eggs, as they can
cause problems of their own [6.2] -- this, however, may be one situation
where bending those rules is worthwhile.
What do you do if you don't have a friendly goat or sheep, or can't easily
find sheeps' or goats' milk? Many pet stores and pet supply stores carry KMR
(Kitten Milk Replacement). It's usually in powdered form, which makes it
handy for the small quantities you will need. I've seen quite a few articles
from breeders who have used this with great success, some go on to recommend
that most hedgehog breeders should keep a container of KMR around, just in
case.
I've also heard of Esbilac (human baby formula) being used successfully, to
offer yet another option. Anja van der Werf pointed out to me that when you
are trying to use human formula, make sure it is soy-based rather than based
on cows' milk.
One thing to watch out for in feeding baby hedgehogs, is that after each
feeding you must stimulate them to defecate and urinate, otherwise their
bladder and bowel will swell up and can even burst. To do this, simply
stroke along their tummy towards the anus, which simulates a mother licking
and grooming her babies. You can also do this with a warm damp tissue or
cloth. The idea isn't to squeeze anything out, just to stimulate the baby to
do it's business.
Remember that hand raising baby hedgehogs is very difficult, and if you try
and meet with tragedy, remember that you gave them much more of a chance than
they would have had without you. Whatever happens, don't give up and decide
that hedgehogs are bad, or that it's not worth having hoglets -- it's just
hedgehog nature, and next time may well be nothing short of magical.
------------------------------
Subject: <10.4> Colours, types, and species
As was noted back in [3.1], the hedgehogs kept as pets throughout much of the
world are a hybrid of Algerian and White-Bellied hedgehogs. Most of the
colours, and variations that we see can be traced to these two species, and
many are the result of the interbreeding of the various original species.
Of course, Long-eared hedgehogs are also kept as pets in various places, but
I regret that I don't have enough knowledge to offer any useful comments on
them. The same applies to those other species which are occasionally kept as
pets. As a result, most of this section will focus on the
Algerian/White-Bellied hybrid type.
At last check there were roughly 100 colour variations known, and others
which were hypothisized. So far, this is all without mutations being a
factor. Here are some examples of hedgehog colours.
White-Bellied Hedgehog Colours
Dominant Colours:
Salt & Pepper
Dark Grey
Grey
Chocolate
Brown
Cinnamon
Dark Cinnicot
Black-Eyed Cinnicot
Ruby-Eyed Cinnicot
Champagne
Apricot
Snowflake Colours:
Silver - the recessive of Salt & Pepper
Silver Charcoal - the recessive of Dark Grey or Double rec. of Grey
Charcoal - the recessive of Grey
Chocolate Chip - the recessive of Chocolate
Brown Snowflake - the recessive of Brown or double rec. Choc. Chip
(Cinnamon) Snowflake - the recessive of Cinnamon
Silver-Cinnamon Snowflake - the double recessive of Cinnamon
Dark Cinnacot Snowflake - the recessive of Dark Cinnacot or the
double recessive of Black-Eyed Cinnacot
Black-Eyed Cinnacot Snowflake - the recessive of Black-Eyed Cinnacot
Ruby-Eyed Cinnacot Snowflake - the recessive of Ruby-Eyed Cinnacot
Champagne Snowflake - the recessive of Champagne or double recessive
of Ruby-Eyed Cinnacot
Apricot Snowflake - the recessive of Apricot
Pale Apricot Snowflake - the double recessive of Apricot
White Colours:
The White category comprises those animals that possess almost 100%
solid white spines.
The few banded spines that these hedgehogs have are localized to the
forehead area, with a few possible across the remainder of the
back. These few banded spines on the back, however, should count no
more than 10. Any more than this and it is categorized as a Snowflake.
White is a dilute (prime) of the recessive snowflake. Although not all
are listed here, there is a total of 15 White possibilities in the
White-Bellied colour spectrum.
Platinum - the dilute of Salt & Pepper
Silver Charcoal White - the dilute of Dark Grey
Charcoal White - the dilute of Grey
Chocolate White - the dilute of Chocolate
Brown White - the dilute of Brown
White - the dilute of Cinnamon
Albino - Albinos are unique due to the total lack of pigmentation.
Algerian Colours:
Black Algerian
Dark Grey Algerian
Grey Algerian
Chocolate Algerian
Brown Algerian
Cinnamon Algerian
Champagne Algerian
Just a reminder that this is not a comprehensive list of colours, but is
intended more as a guide. Also, when breeding for colours, it is imperative
that you make sure you do not lose sight of temperament, and basics of good
husbandry in pursuit of a colour goal -- doing so is not gaining anyone, or
any hedgehog anything.
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--
Brian MacNamara - macnamara@HedgehogHollow.COM
Hedgehog Hollow: http://HedgehogHollow.COM/
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| | From: | Brian MacNamara | | Subject: | Hedgehog FAQ [4/7] - Hedgehogs as pets | | Date: | Sat, 22 Jan 2005 03:50:01 +0000 (UTC) |
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| Archive-name: hedgehog-faq/part4
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Keywords: faq pet hedgehogs
Last-modified: 21 January 2005
Version: 3.70
HEDGEHOG FAQ (part 4 of 7) -- HEDGEHOGS AS PETS
Compiled and edited by Brian MacNamara (macnamara@hedgehoghollow.com)
Additions, corrections, and suggestions for this file are welcomed.
This document is copyright 2005 by Brian MacNamara. See section [0.6]
for authorship information and redistribution rights. In short, you
can give it away, but you can't charge for it.
The basic Hedgehog FAQ has seven parts, all of which should be available
from wherever you obtained this one. A complete table of contents for
all seven parts is given in part I.
Please note: While my knowledge of hedgehogs has grown (far beyond my
wildest expectations when I began the FAQ), my knowledge is still quite
limited, especially in areas of health care. I did not write, or verify,
all the information in this FAQ. I have done my best to include only
accurate and useful information, but I cannot guarantee the correctness
of what is contained in this FAQ, regardless of the source, or even that
it will not be harmful to you or your hedgehog in some way. For advice
from an expert, I recommend you consult the books listed in part 2 [2.1],
or, especially in the case of a suspected medical problem, a veterinarian
who is familiar with hedgehogs.
------------------------------
Subject: CONTENTS OF THIS FILE
5. *** Things you'll need ***
<5.1> What will I need to take care of my new hedgehog?
<5.2> Do I need a cage? How should I set it up?
<5.3> The pet store uses wood shavings as bedding. Should I?
<5.4> Litter boxes and what kind of litter should I use?
<5.5> I'm having problems litter-training my hedgehog. What should
I be doing?
<5.6> Hedgehogs and wheels
<5.7> Making your own wheel
<5.8> Any suggestions on toys?
6. *** Basic hedgehog care and training ***
<6.1> How can I best hedgehogproof my home?
<6.2> What should I feed my hedgehog?
<6.3> Commercial hedgehog foods and nutrition
<6.4> What are good treats?
<6.5> Any suggestions on bathing, cleaning ears, and clipping nails?
<6.6> Biting and nipping
<6.7> HELP, my hedgehog is LOST! (or Hedgehog Hide-and-Seek)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5. *** Things you'll need ***
------------------------------
Subject: <5.1> What will I need to take care of my new hedgehog?
A brief list of things needed right away is covered in section [4.5], and is
meant as a getting started list. This section, and the ones that follow, are
meant to provide information in greater detail.
There are only a few things that are essential to keep a pet hedgehog.
Basically a warm place to live (either a large cage/pen/aquarium, or a room
-- if you want to let your hedgehog run free), a food dish (preferably one
that is not easy to tip over), a water bottle, such as for Guinea pigs,
(water dishes can tend to become soiled and baby hedgehogs can easily drown
in them, but adults often like them), and last but not least, something big
enough for your hedgehog to hide in as a den. Of course food, water and
other treats are a given!
It is also a good idea to have a shallow litter box or pan (although not all
hedgehogs seem inclined to use them), and some type of bedding (aspen
shavings, clean straw, etc., but NOT cedar [5.3]).
An exercise wheel [5.6] and [5.7] (big enough for a hedgehog) is also
strongly recommended -- especially for hedgehogs that don't have the run of
the house. Hedgehogs tend to be surprisingly energetic, and need the chance
to use up some of this energy. In addition, it appears more and more that
hedgehogs who have and use wheels live much longer and generally seem not to
come down with some of the more common serious ailments, such as Fatty Liver
Disease. Because of this, I am quickly reaching the opinion that a proper
wheel is more of a necessity than a luxury. Given how easy (and even fun) it
is to make a wheel, there really is no excuse for not having one.
------------------------------
Subject: <5.2> Do I need a cage? How should I set it up?
This is largely a matter of choice, yours and theirs. Some hedgehog owners
wouldn't dream of caging their prickly little friends, while some breeders
use large cat carriers to keep their hoards in (one hedgehog, one carrier).
I personally use large wire cages that were intended for medium to large dogs
as homes for my hedgehogs. These cages measure about 2' wide x 3' deep x
2.5' high (frankly I wouldn't put a dog bigger than a Chihuahua in something
this size, but the labels claim they were designed for collies and similar
sized dogs!).
I should point out that organizations, such as VEZ [2.6], recommend ``one
square meter (approximately 1 sq. yard) of floorspace for [each] hedgehog.''
This is a good rule of thumb, since hedgies are not as small as hamsters or
gerbils, and do need space to roam in. The alternative is to give them a
good play time, each night, to roam about a larger area under supervision.
You should be careful to make sure the grating in the cage you use leaves
narrow enough holes that your hedgehog can't get out, or even get his head
wedged in between the wires. Chicken wire is probably not a very safe
choice. Hedgehogs will often attempt to escape with an astounding amount of
vigor and can be quite single minded about doing so. Younger hedgehogs can
easily get out of cages with openings between the wires as small as 1/2''
(1.5 cm) -- trust me on this, Sprocket earned the middle name Houdini for
just this achievement, while Pocus would gleefully climb to the top of the
cage looking for even the smallest niche to squeeze through.
Probably the most cost effective cage system I'm aware of is to use the large
clear plastic bins (with lids) that look like giant Tupperware containers,
and are available inexpensively from most hardware and department stores
these days. Drill plenty of holes in the top (small enough that a hedgehog
won't fit through, but large enough to provide lots of air), or even along
the sides, towards the top, and you have a very easy to clean cage, that is
also easy to get at to get your hedgie out.
The best part of the plastic bin idea is that, if you find ones that are not
big enough, just use two, or three, or create a whole complex of them. Using
inexpensive plastic plumbing pipes and fittings, you can create a hedgehog
palace in a short time. Just beware to make sure tunnels slope at an angle
that hedgehogs can manage comfortably.
Skewer lives in one such plastic bin that was far too low to give clearance
for his wheel. Since leaving the top off was a guaranteed escape in the
making, we solved the problem by cutting out a section of the lid, and
putting another small, but deep, plastic bin over it, glued to the larger
lid. This dome roof covers his wheel nicely, and ensures he only wanders
(escapes from the cage) when it's intended (i.e., gets out for playtime).
Bedding, such as aspen shavings [5.3], is recommended in any cage, and most
importantly, some sort of place to hide is needed. Alternately, you can use
astroturf, or something like non-clumping cat litter [5.4] (make sure it's
not dusty), or even epoxy coated aquarium stones (some sort of soft bed area
is recommended, though). Do watch out for the pieces of litter or bedding
getting caught in sensitive places as mentioned in sections [5.4] and [9.1].
The most frequently recommended den is a section of 4'' (or 6'' for larger
hedgehogs) diameter PVC (plastic) plumbing pipe. You can get this at almost
any hardware or plumbing store for a couple of dollars.
For a home, or den, I have used a variety of items. For Velcro I used two
wicker bread baskets (about 4'' x 6'' and 2-3'' deep) tied securely together
with a door cut towards one end (about 3'' x 3''). Velcro preferred this
over either the PVC pipe home, or a hollow log, however, Popeye, who
inherited Velcro's cage and den won't have anything to do with it, preferring
to sleep under a hedgebag (a cloth bag with no seams). Pocus, however,
preferred the PVC pipe or especially a hollow log, and wouldn't have anything
to do with the basket (except as a toy -- Pocus tossed it like a seal with a
ball). Hedgehogs *can* be fickle! For Quibble, Quiver and Pepper, who live
together, we use a stackable plastic bin, turned upside down, which provides
(almost) enough space for three plump hedgebutts to snuggle together at
naptime.
A word of caution about using old socks or cloth with a loose weave to it:
Don't use anything fabric for them to hide in. I did have an old sock...
Koosh liked to climb inside it, but the vet told me of an instance where
a hedgehog got his leg caught in a thread, tried to get out, only made it
worse, and the thread ended up slicing through her flesh to the bone. He
said he was able to save the leg, though.
-- Kathleen Close
If you're going to use an aquarium, I would not recommend anything less that
a 20 gallon size, and preferably larger, as a basic home for a hedgehog --
they are much too active for anything less, and small enclosures will quickly
lead to an overweight and unhealthy hedgehog.
Cages at the large end of being suitable for Guinea pigs or rabbits are
likely fine. Keep in mind that hedgehogs like to explore, and they are great
escape artists. They can climb anything they can get their claws hooked
into, and by rolling into a ball and leaning forward, they can manage to get
down quite safely from virtually any height that didn't need a long ladder to
get them up to.
Tammy Baer sent in the following, interesting twist on the pet carrier home.
I think this has some real merit for people who currently use a carrier, and
want to give their little friends a better quantity of space to live in.
Each hedgie has a large dog kennel as a cage, but not in the traditional
way. I took the cage apart and placed the top upside down and face to
face with the bottom. That way the top half of the entrance meets the
bottom and they have twice the room to roam. I use two clamps on either
side to keep the halves together, and they overlap just enough that
there's no gap for little feet between halves. They still have their
exercise room at night, but if I ever have to leave them for a couple of
days I know they're just fine. One of the great advantage to using the
kennels is cleaning is a snap as bedding and even messes just wipe out.
The sides are smooth and not easy to climb keeping adventurous hedgies
inside. This only works if you have nothing for them to climb that is
close to the edge. I found Zoe was fond of making what seemed like
impossible jumps to get out. The cage is also very open and low enough
to give excellent ventilation for good breathing.
-- Tammy Baer
The point about not having climbable items in this kind of cage (in fact, any
open topped cage, needs some stressing. Hedgehogs are very adept at
escaping, and they are quite able to pile things against the side of a cage
to get out. I've seen it done, and I've heard more stories on this than I
care to admit. ;-)
If you are not certain the place you are trying to keep your hedgehog in is
warm enough to keep him from going into hibernation [7.3], you might want to
consider placing a heating pad (on its LOWEST setting) under the part of the
pen where your hedgehog sleeps. Make sure your hedgehog is not going to come
directly into contact with the heating pad, and that he has the ability to
get to an area away from it, should it be too warm for him.
If your hedgehog gets too cool, you risk a number of problems, including
pneumonia. Pneumonia can be especially bad, since you may not know he has it
and even if it clears up, the effects of scarring on the lungs can result in
death sometime later, when things otherwise appear perfectly fine.
Other suggestions from Katherine Long are to use heating elements intended
for lizards, or those for keeping germinating seeds warm.
Ambergris much prefers to sleep under a thick towel rather than in
her pipe. Actually the towel is draped over a half hollow log and
the pipe on top of the pad that is on top of the lizard warmer pad.
She crawls between the towel and the pad cover, in preference to
anywhere else.
-- Katherine Long
I have also received suggestions of caution from Kirby J. Kerr, about using
heat rocks as designed for lizards as they are quite prone to overheating,
and generally erratic behavior. In other words, do be careful when using
these products.
Another idea for keeping hedgies warm is:
There are ceramic reptile heaters that are similar to light bulbs
(but give off no light). They screw into a regular light socket
and can be positioned to radiate heat into the cage. They run
about $25 mail-order, $40 retail, and come in various wattages. If
you want to add a thermostat, it gets pricier.
-- Christine Porter
NOTE: When using these ``heat bulbs'' you must only use them in a ceramic
light socket. My thanks to Ron Adrezin for this caution, and the following:
The company that makes the heat bulbs also sells ceramic sockets with a
clip at the bottom so that it may be attached to the cage. I also use
baggie ties on the clip to make absolutely sure that it cannot fall over
and start a fire.
-- Ron Adrezin
Here are some other ideas that show just how imaginative people can be when
it comes to dealing with hedgehogs. This next idea was actually something
created for keeping a too-small European hedgehog warm enough to avoid
hibernation, until he could pack on enough weight to survive the ordeal, but
it would work equally well for pets.
[I created a] warmer - it was a biscuit tin inside which were 2 x 15
watt pygmy bulbs, in series. (In series to reduce the heat output and
lengthen the life). It was just detectably warm to the touch after an
hour on the kitchen table.
Another way, this time using less electrical engineering, would be to
use one of those electric germination trays that you get in garden
shops, they are typically about 10 watts (i.e. close to what I get
with my 2 bulbs in series) and of course they are built to be
waterproof and are readily available. If you worry about water-logging
from rain or urine, it would do just as well upside-down, heat (or
rather, hot air) rises.
-- Michael Bell
If your room temperature doesn't get too cool, you may be able to make do
with an idea like this:
My daughter has come up with a neat idea to keep our heggies pretty warm.
She has made them sleeping bags out of fleece and lined it with thin
thermal material.
-- Mary Novak
Just beware that there aren't any loose threads (or hairs) that can get
caught around busy hedgie legs.
Feel free to be inventive when it comes to keeping your hedgehog warm during
the cooler months of the year. As long as there is a warm area where your
hedgehog's den is, and you haven't created a fire hazard or some other
impending disaster, you can pretty much use your imagination when it comes to
impromptu heaters.
It's imperative that your pet hedgehogs stay warm during the winter.
Hedgehogs will go into hibernation [7.3] if not kept warm, and if they don't
receive enough hours of light, and this can have disasterous consequences.
------------------------------
Subject: <5.3> The pet store uses wood shavings as bedding. Should I?
In most cases the answer is maybe. In addition to wood shavings generally
making for a more comfortable place to root and burrow around in, many
hedgehogs are not overly particular as to where they defecate. Using
shavings makes cleaning up after them quite a bit easier.
I have heard of a few cases where hedgehogs were allergic to wood shaving
bedding, but these have been relatively uncommon cases. In all the cases
I've heard of, the hedgehog has experienced what appears to be a bloody nose
most nights while roaming about its enclosure. The solution was to use a
more natural bedding (closer to their natural habitat -- for example, real
dirt and grass). Another possibility might be to increase the humidity, but
the best solution is to switch from using wood shavings.
I have also seen numerous warnings against using cedar shavings, especially
for baby or young hedgehogs where the strong aroma can actually overpower and
even kill them. Do not use cedar!
The ``Safe Beddings FAQ'' now exists and is posted to the rec.pets Usenet
Newsgroup on a monthly basis. It is also available via the WWW at:
http://www.aracnet.com/~seagull/faq/beddingfaq.shtml
My thanks to Rick Russell for the original pointer to it, and to Christine
Porter for the pointer to the new address.
I have to admit that, in 1994, when I acquired Velcro at 8 months of age, he
came in a pet carrier complete with a bedding of cedar shavings and was none
the worse for wear from it (though he also lived in a very well ventilated
cage). Since then I have used pine shavings, aspen shavings, Yesterdays News
(recycled paper cat litter), and astroturf.
It now appears that pine, also being an aromatic softwood, `can' cause many
of the same effects as cedar. While generally not as strong as cedar, it is
better to opt for aspen or other non-aromatic woods. Personally, I believe
that pine, as long as it isn't that strongly odoured (isn't very resinous) is
an okay choice for bedding in open cages (as opposed to tanks). Strong
smelling pine shavings, however, are not a good choice for a bedding
material.
The rule of thumb for any bedding material is, if it has a noticeable scent,
it probably isn't terribly safe.
I have recently been in touch with Gerald McKiness, who had lost five of his
hedgehogs to the use of pine shavings -- the cause being borne out by the
necropsies that were performed. After switching away from using pine, he has
had no further losses. Here are some of the details about the symptoms:
Our first casualty was a hamster. A pet of about 3 yrs. of age. He died
after about 3 weeks to a month of respiratory distress and digestive
failure. My hedgehogs began dying about a year later. The symptoms
always started with a loss of appetite, then loss of mobility in the
hindquarters. They would have a wheeze to the breathing. The
excretions would be a bright green. In about three weeks, despite
everything, bottle feeding, antibiotic injections, veterinary care,
they died.
The necropsies would all show respiratory distress, fluid in the lungs,
liver distress, and NO PATHOGENS.
-- Gerald McKiness
While aspen shavings do not have what some people consider the pleasant cedar
or pine scent, nor some of the insect (mite) repelling qualities of cedar,
everything I have seen strongly urges against the use of cedar and also pine
bedding for hedgehogs (and other small animals).
Aspen is, unfortunately, more expensive than either cedar or pine, but the
safety factor is paramount. If you are unable to find aspen, and are using
pine, make sure you do so in a well ventilated cage or pen, not one that is
enclosed with limited airflow, as this will help limit the dangers. For
cedar, the answer is simply to avoid using it.
Mike McGary has the following words of wisdom on a further advantage of using
aspen shavings:
One of the benefits of aspen shavings is that they are digestible.
This can prevent problems resulting from eating the bedding (our
babies have all eaten some bedding).
Another side effect of wood is that shavings of most kinds involve quite a
bit of dust which can have unpleasant side effects on small lungs. Aspen,
which appears to be shredded rather than chipped, seems to be less dusty and
much better than pine or cedar.
For those of you who want an alternative to wood shavings of any kind,
especially for those who might have allergies themselves to the bedding,
Kathleen Close passed along the following idea, courtesy of her veterinarian:
Use terrarium lining or astroturf. It's much cheaper in the long run.
He suggested buying two lengths, washing them about every 3 days, and
while one is drying, put the second one in.
After trying out the astroturf idea (make sure it's the newer, soft, almost
carpet-like astroturf, not the older tinsel-like plastic grass), I wound up
wondering about the edges where it seemed to unravel a bit. Terri Lewis
provided the following great solution:
Use a soldering gun or iron [to melt the edges]. That should stop it
from unraveling unless your [hedgehog] is really chewing on it and not
just pulling at it.
-- Terri Lewis
I've also found that careful use of a candle along the edges works well, but
I do stress being careful!
I can now attest to astroturf working quite well, and I've found that my
hedgehogs appear to be more active on it than with wood shavings, though that
may have just been their anticipation of spring being in the air, at the
time.
Janet Jones sent along some information on a new product that also shows some
promise:
COMPANY:
Adsorbent Corporation
1051 Hilton Avenue
Bellingham, WA 98225
U.S.A.
This information was taken directly from their packaging:
CareFRESH Pet Bedding - The safest, healthiest bedding for your pet.
For hamsters, gerbils, mice, rabbits, birds, reptiles, guinea pigs,
cats, dogs, ferrets, skunks and other pets.
CareFRESH is a patented pet bedding made from reclaimed wood pulp waste.
This short fiber virgin pulp can't be made into paper so would normally
be sent to a landfill or burned. CareFRESH helps save scarce resources.
CareFRESH contains no added inks, dyes or chemical contaminants. It's
better bedding, naturally.
I use this bedding for all my small animals, i.e., hamster, rat and
hedgehogs. They have been on this bedding for about a month and seem to
like it quite well. The female hedgehog I just recently got loves to
burrow underneath it, as do the rat and hamster. I previously used corn
cobs as I have allergies and wood chips of any kind make me ill. The dust
in pine is terrible. The corn cobs are pretty good, but they still are a
little dusty and kind of rough. The only downside I found about CareFRESH
bedding is that it is kind of expensive and hard to find. But it does
seem to last quite a while, so maybe in the long run it really is not as
expensive as it seems.
Note: Some problems have been reported with some young hedgehogs eating and
subsequently choking on CareFRESH bedding. I suspect this same problem can
occur with virtually any pelletized bedding material, and the best suggestion
is to keep it away from the dinner area and to be careful with baby and
adolescent hedgehogs.
Yesterday's News cat litter, made of pelletized recycled newspapers, also
works quite well. They produce a variety for `ferrets' which has a smaller
pellet size than the cat litter variety, but I've found no complaints from
the quilled crowd over the larger, cat litter sized pieces. Note: they also
make a `lemon' scented variety, which is probably not a good choice, both
from the aromatic point of view, and the fact that hedgehogs are usually not
overly fond of citrus.
Another suggestion is to just use non-clumping cat litter. This may have two
potential dangers: dust and especially for male hedgehogs, getting caught in
the penile sheath -- the same as if you used it in a litter box [5.4], [9.1]
(there can also be problems for females, though these are not as frequent).
Corncob litter is not recommended as bedding for hedgehogs, for a number of
reasons. The danger of it getting caught in delicate places still exists,
though not as likely as, say, clumping cat litters. There have also been
many cases of mites that pointed back to the use of corncob bedding as the
source. Corncob also tends to become mouldy when it gets damp, as well as
just rotting and causing odour.
Shredded office paper can also be used as bedding, although make sure it
doesn't contain any metal (such as staples or paperclips) or odd chemical
impregnated or carbon paper. It can, however, be quite dusty.
Although most bedding for pets is treated to prevent mites, bedding is still
one of the major sources of these little pests [8.2]. I have heard from a
couple of people who have reported that their vets told them that corn cob
bedding can be especially prone to mite infestations. I do have to temper
that thought with the idea that if a particular brand or batch in the area
that these people lived was bad, it could have been the source for numerous
problems over quite a period of time. Still, if you have mite problems, it
is probably worthwhile to switch to at least a different brand of bedding, if
not a different type -- at least for a while.
Looking still further afield, you can use the brightly coloured aquarium
gravel (the type that is epoxy coated). This is not absorbent like the other
bedding options, nor as warm, but it does provide a pretty safe, and
non-allergic alternative. Cleaning and disinfecting can, however be awkward,
making this better for particular areas rather than as a general bedding.
------------------------------
Subject: <5.4> What kind of litter should I use?
When it comes to the litter box, the primary concern is that you do NOT use a
clumping type litter. Clumping litter can stick to your hedgehog when s/he
uses the litter box, forming almost a layer of cement, which can quickly
prevent urination.
Almost any brand of non-clumping cat litter is relatively safe. A clay based
litter may be preferable, as most hedgehogs like to dig in it, as they would
in soft soil or sand. Here again, you should ask the expert (your hedgehog)
for his/her preference.
It is possible, however, for even non-clumping litter to become caked on, so
you should check your hedgehog frequently.
I have seen clay litter clump on one of our hedgehogs. I let her
walk around in the tub full of shallow water until it is softened
enough to remove gently.
-- Mike McGary
Male hedgehogs can also get pieces of almost any kind of litter and bedding
(especially clay and corncob) caught in their penile sheath. You should
check hedgehogs of both es daily (or nightly, as the case may be) to
ensure that there aren't any such problems.
As with bedding, there is a need that the litter you use not be too dusty.
Hedgehogs also like to dig and root in sand, and will often end up using
their litter boxes for this, instead of for the intended purpose. If yours
does this, you might want to try offering a sandbox [5.8] as a play area.
------------------------------
Subject: <5.5> I'm having problems litter-training my hedgehog. What should
I be doing?
I wish I knew the answer to this one! Velcro and Popeye insisted that one's
so called master is there for the express purpose of feeding tasty tidbits
then cleaning up the results wherever they decide to leave them. As for the
litter box, well that's just a playpen for digging in, isn't it? On the
other hand, Sprocket and Hocus as well as Pocus seemed to just naturally seek
out and use a litter box, and so do some of my current `ladies,' so there was
no training involved. Now if I could get them to teach Popeye some manners!
That having been said, the recommended approach (which did not receive the
Velcro stamp of approval, I might add) is to put all the droppings you find,
into the litter box, daily. The idea is that the hedgehog will come to
associate the litter box with where the droppings are supposed to go. Some
hedgehogs apparently take to this quite readily.
In all seriousness, I suspect that hedgehogs which are taught from birth to
use a litter box, will generally do so quite happily, while those that have
not been taught, or didn't receive adequate training while quite young may
not be keen on using the litter box, but persistence may pay off eventually.
For what it is worth, cleaning up hedgehog droppings is not exactly a
difficult or messy task. In a pen with pine or aspen shavings it is simply a
matter of quickly sifting though the shavings with a cat litter scoop to
clean up the droppings. Fortunately, there is virtually no odour, and the
droppings are big enough to clean up easily.
In addition to everything above, here are some interesting, and very
promising tips on litterbox training:
I had the same problem [not using the litter box -- ed.] with my
hedgehog Quincy. To resolve the problem, and he still misses the
mark at times, I built a cardboard enclosure with a small entrance
opening to fit over the litter pan in the corner of his cage - He has
one of the small animal corner litter pans. Unable, to resist a small
opening, Quincy soon began doing his business in there. I put him in
there every time he finished eating, and it didn't take long before he
got the idea. Before, I added the cardboard cupboard, he would only use
the litter pan as a ``sandbox,'' and could often be spotted sitting in
the pan, eating the corn cob pellets. Thankfully, he doesn't do that
anymore either.
-- Michelle Baker
Given the appeal of small openings to hedgehogs, it's a wonder why nobody
thought of using that for any number of hedgie herding or training actions.
My thanks to Michelle for this -- I'll definitely give it a try with my
ill-behaved bunch.
Hot on the heels of the idea above, came the following suggestion from
Melissa-Lee:
Neither of my hedgehogs were litter trained when they came home, but I
figured out how to train them. My male was easier to train because I
just put some of her [the female's] waste in his litter pan and of
course he had to cover up someone else's smell, and he never stopped
using it. The female just naturally took to the litter box when I but
it in the corner where she went and she took to it.
This is another fine example of "why didn't I think of that!" I suspect this
would generally work best with males, who tend to be somewhat more
territorial than females, but the idea of using a different hedgie's
droppings to coerce one into knowing where to go has a lot of merit.
As with all things hedgehog, patience is the key. These ideas aren't likely
to result in instant results, so be patient, and keep at it.
Don't expect perfect results, however, hedgehogs are just not going to be
that fastidious about things. There are going to be exceptions, no matter
what.
Some factors that will, however, make `mistakes' worse, are things like
wheels. Remember that hedgehogs feel an almost irresistible need to go while
on the go. As a result, you can often count on wheels becoming an alternate
litterbox (not to mention a poop slingshot of sorts). Some hedgies will also
get into the habit of stopping briefly, to hang their backsides over the edge
of the wheel to `go' making it a bit easier to clean up afterwards.
In the end, there is no magic bullet to getting a hedgehog to use its litter
box. Try the ideas above, and if it doesn't work out, it's not that bad --
trust me, I know!
------------------------------
Subject: <5.6> Hedgehogs and wheels
Most hedgehogs dearly love to run, and a hedgehog wheel provide the
opportunity for plenty of important exercise. Although there are problems
associated with using improper wheels, the positive effects of having and
using a wheel are virtually enough to make one a necessity (unless your
hedgie has free run of an entire room).
One of the most tragic maladies found in hedgehogs these days is Fatty Liver
Disease, though for all the cases I have heard of, none have occurred in
hedgehogs that have and use wheels. This includes cases where siblings have
each had the same diet, but one has not used a wheel, and the other has.
Exercise is very critical to our little friends, and for almost all of them,
the only option available to get them enough exercise is to give them a
wheel.
Here are a few thoughts on hedgehogs and wheels from Nathan Tenny:
They adore exercise wheels, and will run upwards of five miles a
night (at a top speed of 12 mph!); their feet get stuck in the
regular wire wheels, though, and screen is hard to clean (they
seem to like defecating while on the move, which makes sense, I
guess).
All is not wonderful with hedgehog wheels -- there are a few serious problems
that need to be considered.
(1) It is necessary that the wheel have a solid surface.
A hedgehog wheel should not just have a set of wires running across it
as on most wheels for hamsters, gerbils, etc. Without a solid surface,
your hedgehog will get his legs caught in the wheel, and/or develop
sores, or worse problems. There are a number of ways to adapt wire
wheels, so that they have smooth surfaces, from liners to duct tape,
just use your imagination. Having a solid wheel leads us to the next
problem.
(2) Hedgehogs tend to leave their droppings all over their wheels:
There's still one pending problem with the hedgehog wheels I've seen:
Hedgehogs tend to defecate on the run (reasonable enough), and the
wheel eventually gets pretty icky. If you don't clean it, so does
the hedgehog. Unfortunately, hedgehog feces stick to wood fairly
effectively (that's quite the understatement -- I'm thinking of
marketing it as a new extra strong glue -- ed.). A heavy coat of
enamel paint makes them easier to clean off, but I'd sure like to
find a surface that they'll just wipe away from. Teflon wheels?
Here's my fiancee's suggestion: If you live near a glass supply
store, you'll find that they sell sheets of a sort of sticky
vinyl---intended as masking for people who sandblast glass.
Anyway, we have one wheel that has strips of this stuff along it,
for traction, and she says that the strips are noticeably easier
to clean than the plain wheel. Just a thought.
-- Nathan Tenny
Velcro's wheel was lined with some cheap vinyl placemats (the smooth,
shiny, padded kind) that were cut into strips and stuck together with
anti-slip strips (sort of like self adhesive sandpaper to put on stairs
and things to keep people from sliding away). The anti-slip strips were
there as a vain attempt to help Velcro keep his nails worn down a little.
It wasn't too slippery, and definitely passed the Velcro approval test
(by that, I mean it needed a thorough cleaning most mornings)!
(3) Pad any spokes you have on your wheel.
Hedgehogs have a tendency to suddenly look around to the sides and
behind while they are running -- to see how far they've gone. This
almost always results in getting hit in the face with a spoke from the
wheel. Unfortunately I know of at least one hedgehog who has lost an
eye because of this (the hedgehog is fine -- it was properly treated by
a vet). The only sensible solution I can see is to pad the spokes so
that they don't cause injuries when they hit, or if you are really
inventive, maybe design a spokeless wheel, maybe suspended on a roller
from the top of the cage?
I received a reminder recently, from Teresa, that to help cure a squeaky
wheel, you can use petroleum jelly, and not have to worry about any harmful
consequences from it being licked at by a curious hedgehog. I know from
experience what happens to your nerves when a wheel (or two, or three, or...)
is squeaking, when you're trying to get to sleep. ;-} I've also found that
both Linatone and vegetable oil will work, but they do tend to become sticky
over time, while petroleum jelly usually will not, and tends to last longer.
For those of you who do not feel up to tackling the job of constructing your
own (see section [5.7], if you are up to it), there are a number of sources of
ready made wheels for hedgehogs and suitable for them. Unfortunately, few
pet stores carry wheels that can be used for hedgehogs, even with adaptation,
so it is usually necessary to revert to mail-order, or to building your own.
Probably the most common wheels are the RoundAbout wheels by Balanced
Innovations. Balanced Innovations is now owned by Ain't No Creek Ranch
[2.7], so they are probably one of the best sources for these wheels.
Ain't No Creek Ranch
2553 W Offner Road
Beecher, IL
USA 60401-3347
email: SunSpikeREMOVE_TO_SEND@aol.com
www: http://www.aintnocreek.com/
Phone: (708) 946-9750
Fax: (708) 534-3277
RoundAbout wheels are also available from Brisky Pet Products:
Brisky Pet Products
South Main Street
P.O. Box 186
Franklinville, NY 14737
USA
www: http://www.brisky.com/
email: AccuFeedREMOVE_TO_SEND@Brisky.Com
phone: 1-800-462-2464 (toll free, US only)
or: (716) 557-2464
fax: (716) 557-2336
Other sources for hedgehog safe wheels are places such as Transoniq Wodent
Wheels (my thanks here to John Masinter for the info). These wheels are
enclosed with round openings. The larger wheels are big enough for hedgies,
but you may need to enlarge the openings for many hedgies -- especially if
the reason for the wheel is to trim down a plump hedgehog. You can contact
them through email at wodent-webersREMOVE_TO_SEND@transoniq.com or via:
Transoniq
1402 SW Upland Drive
Portland, OR 97221
USA
503-227-6848
toll-free hotline: 1-800-548-8925. This line is automated, so be
ready with your charge number, name and address, and order items.
www: http://www.teleport.com/%7Etrnsoniq/wodent.html
Haba Exotics also make an innovative, and very safe wheel, which avoids both
the problems of spokes and non-solid running surface.
Haba Exotic Animals and Enclosures
17650 1st Ave. South
Suite 525
Seattle, WA 98148
USA
phone: (206) 244-0285
fax: (206) 248-7205
www: http://www.habaexotic.com/
------------------------------
Subject: <5.7> Making your own wheel
There are a wealth of ways to make your own wheel(s) for hedgehogs. This can
be a fun, and easy project, and can save you considerable costs -- especially
if you're on a budget or have a number of hedgies to equip. This section
contains a number of ideas on how to go about it. The keys are to make sure
you get something big enough, and with a safe, solid surface to run on -- and
something that won't keep you and half the neighbourhood up all night. ;-)
Here are some rough pointers on making your own hedgehog wheel from Nathan
Tenny:
We've begun making wooden wheels out of Popsicle sticks and cross-stitch
circles (the 12'' size; 10'' is just slightly too small). The axle is a
thin dowel, and the spokes are just lengths of plywood (1'' x 0.5'', I
think). Depending on where it's being set up, such a wheel can be
mounted in a bunch of different ways -- hung from the top of the tank
[or cage], for instance.
Chuck Stoup passed along the following variation on building a wheel that
looks great:
Over the weekend I made a hedgehog wheel as described in the hedgehog
FAQ. I made several improvements that I thought I'd share with everyone.
On the FAQ the treadmill was made with Popsicle sticks. I picked up some
of the plastic grid in the sewing store that is used for yarn rugs and
the like. I cut several strips the width of the treadmill and used a
string to tie them together so its length was just longer than the
circumference of the embroidery hoops. I used 2 9'' hoops. Then I
wrapped the plastic mesh around the inner hoops and secured it with the
outer hoop and tightened. Then I cut some sand paper lengthwise just
wide enough to fit in the treadmill of the wheel. I used a hot glue gun
to hold the paper down. Brillo seems to really like it.
I used sand paper for two reasons. The first was the [editor] of the
FAQ mentioned about this great adhesive quality of hedgehog dung and how
they seem to defecate on the run. I figured sand paper would make an
excellent surface that I can remove and discard when it gets too dirty.
The plastic wont mind getting wet either. The other reason I used sand
paper was I figured if Brillo used it she would wear down her nails and
I would not have to trim her.
If you are going to use sandpaper, you should make sure you are using a very
fine grade (probably 400 or higher grit), and you should also watch out for
foot problems. Some hedgehogs can run their feet raw, or even to the point
of bleeding (yes, they are that insistent on running, that even bleeding feet
won't give them pause to stop). If this happens, remove the sandpaper.
When I asked Chuck about using this information he also sent along the some
more good ideas:
As you know, I used that plastic mesh for the running surface, but I
didn't have spokes that I thought were any good. At one point I decided
that the same plastic mesh would make a good set of spokes. I cut two
pieces shaped like a cross and tied the tips of the cross to the mesh on
the wheel. To mount the axle I bought some eye-lets for clothing and
swaged them in the center of the mesh as a hub and used a coat hanger as
an axle. Runs very smoothly with no noise.
I'm not sure about using the 9'' hoops (ours are 14'', and that seems just
right), but that depends entirely on the size of your hedgehog, and the
amount of space you have available. The whole idea certainly sounds easier
than the Popsicle stick method.
From Tirya come more ideas on do-it-yourself hedgehog wheels:
We bought a Ferret wheel at the local pet shop - they're like hamster
wheels, only about 10'' in diameter instead of 6'' (some say ferret
wheel, some call them rat wheels). We also got some plastic canvas
from a craft shop - the kind used to make needlepoint and
cross-stitching stuff. It's flexible plastic with a gridwork of holes
and comes in a variety of colors (we used black so it wouldn't show
dirt). We cut wheel-wide strips of the plastic canvas and sewed them
inside the wheel, so the hhog would run on it instead of on the wire
cross-spokes. Our wheel ended up being 33 canvas squares across, and
it took 2 1/3 strips to go all the way around the inside.
We also took some plastic aquarium tubing (the clear plastic stuff used
to get air to ornaments and such), slit it open on one side, slipped it
over the cross supports of the wheel (where the stand goes in), and
hot-glued it in place to make a little bit of a buffer in case Brillo
turned her head and got hit by the metal cross supports while she was
running.
One point of caution is that hedgies can get their toenails caught in the
plastic canvas holes (I have found this out the hard way, along with others
passing on similar experiences). Many hedgies will do just fine on it,
though.
Kathy and Donald Zepp have also allowed me to add their variation on the
do-it-yourself hedgehog wheel:
We have made wheels for our herd of 60 Hhogs by weaving plastic gutter
screen through the metal bars of commercial wheels. This stuff (designed
to keep leaves out of gutters) is cheap, easy to work with, easy to clean,
readily available, and seems to provide perfectly adequate footing. We
simply scissor-cut it to length, weave it in & out, and then fasten the
ends together with a little hot glue. Quick, cheap, & easy.
Yet another variation on the d-i-y wheel comes from Ken Steigenberger:
About the running wheels. What I do, from the advice of a friend, is
cut a length of old jean material and weave it through every third or
fourth spoke. Josie seems to have no problem with this. I also have
three or four extra strips. changing them every two days. Then all I
have to do is wash them on laundry day.
Finally, Randy Starcher has set up the following web page which shows how to
construct a wheel (and the end result in happy use).
http://www2.nerg.com/nerghogs/wheel.htm
For those of you unable to visit the site, the basic premise is the bottom of
a plastic bucket, mounted on its side. This makes for a very safe wheel, and
one that is easy to clean. The mounting can be done to a cage frame, or to a
simple stand. The hardest part is to make sure the bucket can rotate freely
enough, without wobbling too badly, or coming apart. Innovation is almost a
necessity when trying to look after hedgehogs.
------------------------------
Subject: <5.8> Any suggestions on toys?
Hedgehogs like to explore, and in spite of appearing to have almost nothing
in the leg department, their legs are actually quite long (as you may be
amazed to see during scratching and/or the contortions that accompany
self-anointing [7.1]). Whether because of their long legs (or maybe that's
why they are so long...), hedgehogs like to explore and run. Probably the
best toy for most hedgehogs is a proper hedgehog wheel [5.6] and [5.7], which
most hedgehogs will run on.
Aside from wheels, another toy that is recommended by numerous people is a
toilet paper tube (preferably, without the toilet paper still attached).
Many hedgehogs will pick this up and carry it or push it around for ages.
Beware though, certain hedgehogs, who will go nameless (but whose initials
were Velcro) managed to get an overly busy nose stuck in these and after
completely destroying the cage, had to be helped free in the morning.
You might want to make a cut through from end to end, and possibly even bevel
the corners of the cut a bit to make sure your clumsy little friend doesn't
get stuck and/or hurt himself.
Another favorite `toy' for hedgehogs is a sandbox or grass plots. Here are
some more detailed descriptions from Mary Anne, courtesy of a keeper of
nocturnal animals at a nearby zoo:
[One idea] was to dig up clumps of sod with tall grass growing and place
them in the area for the hogs to root in. She said live mealworms would
burrow in the clumps and the hedgies would root for them. These sod
clumps should be fairly dry like the wild hedgie environment. [There is
some chance that this might allow parasites to be brought into the house,
a fact that even Mary Anne considered. The chances of this are fairly
low, but they do exist. -- ed.] We have not tried this yet but we DID
try her other suggestion -- to provide a sandy area for the hogs to roll
around in (like bird dust baths). It is natural mite-control and our
hogs LOVE it. We bought 12'' plastic flowerpot saucers and a 50 lb bag
of playsand (this has the silica washed out -- silica can cause lung
problems). An inch or two of sand in a saucer provides a good bath. Our
hedgehogs twist, turn and boogie in the sand -- it's fun to watch. From
what I've read, some hedgehogs do this sort of thing in kitty litter
[you better believe they do - ed.] -- the added advantage of sand is that
it's more like their natural environment and helps keep them clean while
discouraging mites. Hope this info helps you and your hedgies enjoy each
other even more.
One idea that I've rather shamelessly lifted from Dawn Wrobel is the idea of
a playpen. In her case she uses plastic kids' wading pools, with some
shavings in the bottom, and a bunch of toys scattered around in the pool.
This makes a great place to explore and to let various hedgehogs meet on
neutral ground. Her idea has actually evolved into a fun sort of contest at
many hedgehog shows and gatherings, these days, where the hedgie who
`explores' the most toys and objects, wins. In any case, even inflatable
pools work very well for this -- just beware not to use the wading pools with
the built in escape ramps (also known as slides).
Shelley Small passed along the following suggestion for a different kind of
hedgehog ``pool'' that her hedgehog loves to play in:
[His pool is] what I call his Rubbermaid box with the Styrofoam
popcorn in it since he sure does love to ``swim'' in it!!)
If you offer your hedgie a foam-pool, just make sure the container is low
enough that he can manage to get back out again, after a grand old burrowing
session. You should also make sure that you supervise the activity, both in
case your little friend gets into trouble, and in case he escapes (now would
a hedgehog do that?!?!) One other thought -- make sure the foam chips don't
give off a strong odour, or they may have much the same dangerous side
effects as cedar bedding [5.3]. It might also be a good idea to watch out
that your hedgie doesn't eat any of the foam, as it could cause intestinal
blockages.
As far as other toys go, hedgehogs do like to climb, even on something as low
as a hollow log turned upside down. Be careful that your hedgehog isn't
likely to fall and hurt itself. I would also expect that wire frame climbing
levels, as are in some cages available for small animals would be better off
being covered with something to make a solid surface (to keep busy little
hedgehog legs from slipping through and getting caught, and to limit just
where the little demons decide to do their climbing).
From Finland, Marcin Dobrucki has the following idea for toys, that is
especially good for those who can/do let their hedgies run free:
More toy stuff: the other hedgie owners are are familiar with have
implemented a system of boxes along their stairs, and some cardboard
pipes between them. The pipes are such as used for rolling up maps, or
drawing paper and stuff. The hedgies seem to love ``sliding down'' the
pipe, then climbing back up, and going down again. Some stick-on
sandpaper at the bottom of the pipe assures a breaking point.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
6. *** Basic hedgehog care and training ***
------------------------------
Subject: <6.1> How can I best hedgehogproof my home?
Simple, make sure there's nothing to climb onto, off of, into, or out of,
nothing that can fall, and finally no kryptonite. A little too much to ask,
you say? Oh well, let's try for a more realistic approach based on what
hedgehogs will try to do if allowed to run free.
Seriously, ``hedgehogproofing'' is a lot like ``childproofing,'' and the most
that you can ever really hope to achieve is to ``hedgehog-resist'' your home.
Hence, the stress on supervising your prickly kids, below.
A free roaming hedgehog will climb anything it can get its claws hooked into.
African pigmy hedgehogs in particular (as opposed to Egyptian hedgehogs) are
notorious climbers, and escape artists. They are also not afraid of jumping
off household cliffs (we call these precipices counters and tables) by simply
rolling into a ball and leaning forward, using the quills as springs for
landing. That pretty much means your hedgehog needs run of the floor, and if
you have stairs, you will either have to block them or keep him on the lowest
floor.
Next, hedgehogs will get under just about anything they can. This includes
any piece of furniture that has any more than about a 1'' gap between it and
the floor. The problem here isn't so much the hedgehog getting under there,
but that there may be dust or other things accumulated there that are not
good for your hedgehog.
The best guide is probably to get down to the hedgehog's level and try to
imagine any place your frisky little friend might even consider trying to get
into, and what it would be like.
Beyond keeping these activities in mind, make sure your hedgehog has a warm
place that's easily accessible for a den, as well as access to water and
food. Hedgehogs will usually prefer to leave their droppings on wood
shavings or a similar bedding, if, that is, you are as successful (or rather
unsuccessful) as I have been in the litter box training department (at least
as I was with Velcro).
Although Ambergris has sawdust that she uses 1/2 the time, she also
has chosen 2 other spots in her room for droppings. I put paper
towels there. So far that is working great and she is not tracking
saw dust everywhere.
-- Katherine Long
------------------------------
Subject: <6.2> What should I feed my hedgehog?
Anything he wants, preferably MEALWORMS!!!
-- Velcro
Sigh, that's what happens when I ask for advice from a hedgehog.
There are finally a number of good quality, properly developed ``hedgehog
foods'' starting to appear on the market. While I have outlined these in the
following section [6.3], I can see things soon reaching the point where using
one of these foods will no longer be the `best' thing to do, but the `only'
appropriate course of action. Unfortunately, they are not yet well
established or widely available, enough, for me to take that position.
Without the benefit of a properly formulated hedgehog food, the next best
option is probably ``insectivore food.'' Unless you can get some direct from
a local zoo, this is largely a do it yourself job. One caveat I would place
on this is to either cook it, or use cooked meat -- never never NEVER use raw
meat or egg for hedgehogs. One commercial source of this `type' of food is
PawPrint [6.3].
Unfortunately, true hedgehog food is not available everywhere, and some of
the `hedgehog' foods available appear to not always be the best option. So
the next best widely available thing, is to feed your hedgehogs high quality
cat, dog, or ferret food, such as Hill's Science Diet, or Pro Plan (don't use
IAMS with hedgehogs that don't have and use wheels -- see below, though even
then it can possibly be associated with problems). Both dry and canned food
should be provided, as this most closely matches what their natural diet
would be like, and wherever possible, it is best to use diet or light types
of food -- hedgehogs do not need the concentrated protein of
regular/maintenance type foods.
Many breeders I have talked to use cat food with very good results, although
most have now changed (or are changing) to hedgehog foods, so while it may
not be the most optimal diet for hedgehogs, now that other options are coming
available, many happy, healthy, long-lived hedgehogs have thrived on cat and
dog food since the dawn of pet hedgehogs. That said, there are some problems
associated with it (see section [9.5] on wobbly hedgehogs). It seems likely
that some sort of vitamin supplement is needed, though exactly what vitamins
or trace elements are lacking is not really known, at this time.
Up to this point, it has generally been felt that using a diet composed
mainly of dry foods is best to help avoid tooth problems such as tartar
buildup, and even abscesses. Research into other animals has recently begun
to point out that problems such as tartar appear to be more related to the pH
(acidity) of the food being used, rather than how hard and crunchy it is. My
thanks to Leslie H. for reminding me that this almost certainly applies to
hedgehogs as well as other animals. As she also pointed out, the ``issue of
hedgie teeth wearing down'' (which can happen in some cases), is likely as
much or more of a concern as tartar, and is much harder to deal with, when it
happens.
Dietary needs for hedgehogs are finally starting to be addressed. One such
recent study demonstrated that hedgehogs need more fibre in their diet than
we have been tending to give them. Unfortunately, while the study pointed
out that more is needed, the question of how much and how best to provide the
extra fibre is still up in the air.
In general, it is likely wise to offer your hedgehogs some fruit and/or
veggies which are high in fibre, as a supplement to the basic diet you are
currently using. I can only suggest that you try a variety and see what, if
any, your little friends will decide qualifies as a food item. As with any
such experimentation, moderation is a good idea -- at least until more is
known. The good news is that we are learning, and hopefully hedgehog
nutrition will start to move out of the dark ages.
Over the past several years, information has come to light about possible
problems with feeding IAMS brand cat and kitten food to hedgehogs.
Apparently, long term feeding of IAMS cat or kitten food can result in
severe, and often terminal liver problems in hedgehogs. The exception to
this rule appears to be hedgehogs that have and use wheels -- almost no
reports of problems have appeared in hedgehogs like this that are getting
plenty of exercise (just a nightly run on a bed is not enough). I have had
two reports where the |
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