As I am sure I will tell you, I spend a lot of time holding both our adults and all their  babies once the time is right. We have a specific time frame from their birth in our home to  their adoption into yours that we spend bonding with and socializing them. Once  they join your family, it takes time, patience, and consistency to form a bond with them.  The more positive experiences they have with you, the more they begin to bond with you.  There are many ways to help build trust and connectedness:  

1. Wash your hands! Always do this first as you may have the scent of something on your  hand that they find appealing and that can lead to licking and possibly nipping or biting. If you start to notice them licking a certain area too long, it is advisable to move them away as it may result in them nipping that area because of a scent. Also try to wash your hands with the same smelling soap each time. And for sanitary  reasons you should always wash your hands after handling a hedgehog. You can also keep unscented baby wipes handy to wipe them off with before and after handling them.

2. Put a shirt of yours in the enclosure so they have your scent in their habitat as they  need to get used to it. And it’s also a very cuddly, safe way for them to get used to your  scent in a positive way as they may be sleeping in or near it.  

3. Here’s a reason to ditch gloves if you’re doing so to pick them up: they have to get  used to your scent to feel comfortable with you. The gloves can be used temporarily in the  beginning if it’s the only way you feel comfortable even picking them up but they have to go bye-bye eventually for bonding to commence. When you're reaching in to get them,  you're placing your hand flat under their chest and belly. From this position they will be  able to smell you so they will unfurl and it will be easier to retrieve them. Remember they are prey animals so they can get nervous when being grabbed from above, and rightfully so!

4. When holding them, vary between using a pouch, snuggle sack, or bonding bag as well  as setting them directly on your chest where they can feel your warmth and heartbeat (we  start doing this with all our babies by 10 to 14 days of age). In the beginning you can also  use soft small bath towels or kitchen towels to hold them on you as they may go potty.  Often. They generally stop doing this on you as they age. 

5. Take them out often even if for 15-minute increments throughout the day because then  they get increasingly used to their enclosure being touched, opened, then being picked up,  etc. It is okay to do this during the day some as well even if they just want to snuggle. We take  our babies and adults out numerous times day and night, even if just for pictures. Many of you will see firsthand when we meet up how comfortable they are out during the daytime. Granted they may be in a better,  more playful mood at night. However, by doing this our hedgehogs have been happy to  come out during the day for play time, bath time and then cuddle time. The more positive  experiences you build together, the more trust they build with you. 

6. Let your hedgehog free roam on you. This tip works well for babies and adults. All hedgehogs want to feel safe and secure with you but also want to explore. They are curious little creatures so when bonding, keeping them solely in a bonding bag all the time will not give them the ability to explore. For an older or anxious hedgehog who is balled up, just place them on your chest and give them the opportunity to unfurl when they are ready. You want to do this in an area where they can feel safe to climb around and on you. Letting them explore at their pace is highly recommended.

7. Hedgehogs love to play. A happy, healthy hedgehog is a joy to watch and have. Simple things such as ensuring they always have a clean wheel, numerous and often new toys to play with as well as outside cage play in a playpen or other safe area, will make sure your hedgehog is constantly stimulated. We have seen the difference firsthand of hedgehogs that were not socialized or offered further enrichment. Think of your hedgehog as a toddler needing to have new and fun interactive items. 

8. Talk to them constantly while you are doing all these things; hedgehogs have poor  eyesight, so their other senses are enhanced and the touching, smelling, and hearing  become ever more important. Get up and move often with them to get them used to  being with you whether just sitting or doing stuff. I always gently but loosely cup my hand  around or under them while I am moving, and they very quickly get used to this motion. I  even conditioned them to know when I am going to sneeze or cough by placing both of  my hands over them on my chest. They do not jump because they know what is coming  and are not scared by the noise! 

9. They have an incredible sense of smell so if ever there is a time they are fascinated with,  or annoyed by, certain scents they will let you know. Hedgehogs will engage in a behavior  known as anointing where they lick new scents and tastes and work up a froth that they  then put on their body. For that reason, I often call it frothing. It is common for some  hedgehogs to anoint every new person’s skin and food they come in contact with, and just  as common for them to never anoint an owner at all so do not worry if your hedgehog  does not anoint you. And do not worry when you see them contorting in weird positions to apply the froth on their body.  Or when you see their long tongues!

10. Baths can be a great bonding experience. All of my permanent prickle and almost all of  their wee one's love baths (I've literally only ever had one baby hedgehog that actually  hated baths). And they enjoy getting dried off, the after bath chatty time telling you all  about their bathing experience and of course cuddle time. I give baths to some of them more than  others for this reason. If you have that stereotypical, quintessential grumpy hedgehog, I  don’t call you Prickly Pet Parents for nothing, giving little foot baths in between regular  baths may be a nice way to calm them and bond. We do not fully bathe our hedgehogs more  than once every six weeks as it can dry out their skin but foot baths are great for bonding and cleaning off poop boots. You can also give your hedgehog oatmeal baths more often if you feel their skin is beginning to look dry. 

11. A change of scenery never hurts. Sometimes if one is a little grumpy or less happy, I'll  walk outside for a few minutes with them. Just the change of scenery, the fresh air and  different noises can instantly change their mood! As well as ours so it never hurts to take a break and a stroll. 

I know these are just a few things, but they might help with some beginning bonding  techniques. And do not be afraid to push through it when they are puffing up, you will learn what their comfort level is and then when you need to go ahead and put them back.  You want to be able to encourage them to get past some of the huffing, balling up, maybe  clicking if they do that and realize 'Hey, I'm fine with this human.' Like I said, time,  patience, and consistency. You'll be fine! 

download printable version here

CERAMIC HEATING ELEMENT:  

This is another area in which you will observe that many breeders and owners  recommend/utilize the same equipment for individual hedgehog habitats. 

• A  ceramic heating element, also known as a CHE, is the overall safest, healthiest  method for heating your hedgehog’s enclosure. 

• A CHE affords the hedgehog the ability to remain under the warmest part of the lamp and move out from under it when they get too warm.

• Our recommendation is that your hedgehog’s enclosure remains between 75°F and 80°F. 

• Space heaters can be utilized for ambient room temperature but may not be providing your hedgehog with the most warmth needed inside of its actual enclosure.

• Other methods such as  heating pads or heat rocks are not generally recommended as they can be unsafe, possibly melting part of an enclosure or burning your hedgehog. You want to provide them an opportunity to get away from the heated area so the CHE being on only one side of the habitat is best.

• In order to operate your CHE system correctly you’ll need the following three items: 

Fluker's Repta-Clamp Lamp - make sure to get the 8.5 or 10 inch model that is a CERAMIC based one. Any other kind will literally melt! 

Simple Deluxe 150W Heat Bulb, Thermostat Controller and Thermostat - this comes with two 150 Watt bulbs and a digital thermometer

It is imperative you have the appropriate dome Clamp Lamp to hold these bulbs. Please read the description carefully otherwise the mechanism can melt. You have to have the ceramic base type dome lamp listed above that operates with the 150W bulbs. These links will bring you to the exact items you need, anything else is not sufficient. 

• Even in Florida there  does need to be a heating element on at all times so hedgehogs do not go  into hibernation attempts. These can be very detrimental and even fatal to  hedgehogs. 

• Signs of a hibernation attempt include your hedgehog being cold to the touch, just laying on their side, not eating or drinking and being wobbly. (Wobbliness due to a hibernation attempt is not Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome which takes time to develop whereas a hibernation attempt can occur overnight.)

• In the event of a hibernation attempt you want to immediately warm your hedgehog by placing them directly on your skin. You can also use Hot Hands Hand Warmers in case of an emergency as they help your hedgehog warm up slowly. You can also use warm towels directly from the dryer.  

• For more information about Hibernation Attempts and tips for Warming Your Hedgehog, visit our friend Gail’s blog at Hibernation and Estivation - 

• Millermeade Farm's Critter Connection.

You will find many articles that we have collaborated on with Gail at her website Millermeade Farm's Critter Connection - .Specializing in Quality Hedgehogs. Gail has been breeding hedgehogs for many years and we gladly seek her advice if our families have any questions that we are not experienced in! 

download a printable copy here

Bath time can become one of the best bonding techniques for you and your hedgehog. When done right, bath time can be relaxing for your hedgehog, you can get a nail clipping in, they may end up going potty and after all the excitement they will probably take a nap on you! We recommend full baths only once every six weeks but foot baths can be given as needed. Hedgehogs can get ‘poopy boots’ from running on their wheels so it’s very important to check their feet and keep them clean.

BATH TIME ESSENTIALS: 

Either of these Aveeno bath washes are fine for your hedgehog. If you notice that your hedgehog’s skin is consistently drier you can also opt to give them straight oatmeal baths once a week. Rather than using the below washes, you would place some oats in a sock, stocking, or washcloth. Hold it under the running warm water and then squeeze while the water turns milky. Your hedgehog is then ready to spend some time in the water and does not need to be rinsed off. 

Aveeno Baby Calming Comfort Bath and Wash with Relaxing Lavender and Vanilla Scents and Natural Oat Extract

Aveeno Creamy Soothing Hydration Creamy Wash with Natural Oatmeal for Dry and Sensitive Skin

During or after bath time is generally the best time to trim your hedgehog’s nails. Some hedgehog’s nails need to be trimmed every two weeks. Others wear their nails down on their wheels. It’s essential that their nails are trimmed properly as an ingrown toenail can lead to major consequences that could lead to a vet visit especially if they are unclean toenails as well. 

Kaytee Pro-Nail Trimmer

You’ll see I also have Chlorhexidine wipes listed. This is a very good item to have on hand in case your  baby ever gets any kind of scratches or open sites due to quilling. It helps keep any open area  completely clean, sterile and helps the skin heal. You can also opt to buy the Chlorhexidine solution but just have to dilute it before any application or a bath. 

Pet MD Chlorhexidine Wipes with Ketoconazole and Aloe for Cats and Dogs, 50 Count  

Hibiclens Chlorhexidine Solution

I also have Salmon Oil listed. This is a great item for  hedgehogs as they can easily get dry skin. You can choose to use Salmon Oil on a regular basis as some owners and breeders opt to do to prevent dry skin. In this case it would be best to put a couple drops in their food once or twice a week. If your hedgehog is experiencing a current dry skin issue, you can use this a couple of times a week by putting a couple  of drops in their food. This as well as their oatmeal baths should help repair their dry skin. If their dry skin issue is persisting please contact us or your emergency vet immediately to further investigate possible other causes that might need immediate attention. Also remember, we also give our hedgehogs baths only once every 4 to 6 weeks to keep their skin from drying out.

Zesty Paws Pure Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil for Dogs & Cats

Here are some articles on Dry Skin:

Causes of Dry Skin

Dry Skin Treatments

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*One of the best things you can do is Google different Hedgehog Cage Options/Ideas to see other setups and get an idea of what you may want and how to customize the different options. Vivariums are also becoming popular and are approved depending on the accessory items but glass fish tank aquariums are not due to lack of ventilation and proper ability to heat. There are so many wonderful choices out there now that you have the ability to customize an amazing setup for your hedgehog and yourselves. Obviously our first concern is that your baby has a proper setup but then we also want you to have one that is functional for your household, in a proper room where it’s not disturbing anyone sleeping at night, not bothering any of your other animals and also aesthetic to your needs. Many of our families have the Critter Nation Cage so they can use the top shelf for the heating element, the Sterilite bins so they do not have to plexiglass anything and can see their hedgehogs and the C & C setups so they can let their hedgehogs have more room to roam!

The sides of wire cages will have to have chloroplast or plexiglass placed on them so hedgehogs cannot climb or get stuck in the bars. Hedgehogs can easily climb up, but will fall down and may get injured. They have fairly poor eyesight as well. 

MidWest Homes for Pets 158 Wabbitat Deluxe Rabbit Home, Rabbit Cage, 39.5 L x 23.75 W x 19.75 H Inch

Midwest Guinea Habitat Cage 47” x 24” x 14”

Midwest Deluxe Single Unit Critter Nation Cage - ramp must be removed, second level can be used for your heating element

110 Quart Sterilite Bin - this is the BARE minimum size required

200 Quart Sterilite Bin is a more ideal size

C&C cages have become quite popular. You have to have at least 28” by 28” or larger to be sufficient space for your hedgehog.

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My personal preference for bedding is the soft paper bedding and Aspen shavings mixed together. I love it for multiple reasons. One, it’s  soft! The hedgehogs get to lay on a nice cozy bedding under their igloos if they choose to lay outside of their snuggle sacks. Another is that they love to root around in the  fresh bedding, this is a natural instinct for them. It is also very easy to clean. I’m able to spot clean little messes  daily and thoroughly change the bedding once a week. Many owners use fleece. Some breeders and  owners also use just Aspen shavings but you cannot use cedar as it is toxic to them.  Below is the bedding I prefer. I also spray it with a mite preventative or you can freeze it before use if you are concerned it may carry mites. It is well known that there is the possibility every hedgehog will get mites once in their lifetime. It is an easily treatable condition by a visit to the vet but can also easily be prevented by taking precautions with their bedding. We also use a preventative spray called No Mites On Me Spray on all of our hedgehogs bedding from the time they are two week old babies on and we’ve never had a case of mites yet, fingers crossed!

Kaytee Clean & Cozy White Small Animal Bedding  

https://a.co/4GfNcqw

   Kaytee Aspen Small Animal Bedding 

   https://a.co/d/gQYBJnW

 FOOD AND WATER BOWLS: 

We prefer ceramic bowls for food and water bottles for their water source. Many water bottles are  very safe to use and are much more sanitary than water bowls. A smaller size bottle is best because it  will remind you to refill it with fresh water daily just as you give them fresh food daily. Some of them are quite messy with their water bowls by tipping them or throwing objects in them within minutes of you replacing the fresh water. Every baby has had access to water by both sources.

Kaytee Stoneware Hamster Bowl, 3-Inch (2 Pack)  https://a.co/09E2UQi

    Hedgehog Quencher https://sonorandeserthedgehogs.com/supplies

Download a printable copy here

1. FOOD  

DAILY FOOD SPECIFICS:  

As you may see in some hedgehog groups, owners as well as breeders feed their  hedgehogs a variety of dietary choices. You will see some have cat kibble and some have  hedgehog specific food as the main source of diet for their hedgehogs. Many owners and breeders use cat kibble as 50% of their hedgehog’s diet. The reason for this is high quality cat foods that are high in protein around 28%-35%, low in fat with no more than 15%, contain fiber around 5%, and are made with poultry as the primary ingredient, best mimic some of the nutrients they would receive in their natural diet. Most hedgehog’s intake one to two tablespoons a day of dry cat food. As your hedgehog enters its senior years, it may  become necessary to soften the food for better consumption. There are some hard, dry cat foods listed below all of which we mix into the kibble fed to our hedgehogs everyday. Some owners opt to mix two or three high quality dry cat kibbles together to maximize the nutrients to their hedgehogs.  We understand you may opt to mix two so we will provide you with enough food to make the transition slowly over weeks. 

 KIBBLE FOOD:  

    INCEPTION DRY CAT FOOD CHICKEN RECIPE

    INSTINCT ULTIMATE PROTEIN

    PURINA ONE TENDER SELECTS BLEND CHICKEN

Remember that you want to look for kibble with an average of a protein/fat/fiber ratio of around 32/12/5. If you select one of your own, look for these ratios, protein poultry based and overall good ingredients and no fillers.

SNACKS: Superworms, black soldier fly larvae, crickets and dubia roaches are nutritious bugs for your hedgehogs. But mealworms and waxworms are strictly snacks and should not be given on a daily basis due to their lack of nutritional value and fat content, respectively.  Due to this we mainly provide black soldier fly larvae and crickets to our hedgehogs. 

GRUBBLY SOLDIER FLY LARVAE

FLUKER'S FREEZE DRIED CRICKETS

Unseasoned cooked chicken, turkey, lamb, and scrambled eggs can be given to your hedgehog numerous times a week by alternating on different days with the bugs on the other days. 

The only fruits we give our hedgehogs are apples, bananas, and strawberries, with ALL skin and seeds removed and can only be given once a week in a teaspoon amount due to sugar content and digestion. Hedgehogs  are prone to obesity! Watermelon can be given as well but it can also act as a diuretic so please be careful with dispensing it! Per our exotic vets, it IS okay for them to have these fruits. This is a controversial topic in hedgehog groups but we have verified with both long term hedgehog breeders and two exotic vets that this amount of fruit treats and these particular ones are permissible in the amount specified.. 

Please see the attached article Hedgehog Insects which provides information on how to gut load the live feeder insects for better nutritional value for your hedgehog. This is where many people opt to feed fruit/vegetables to the insects to gut load them rather than directly to their hedgehogs. Hedgehogs do not have a cecum and cannot digest some items, that’s why it’s important to remove the seeds and skins. This article also details which insects are the best nutritionally, again we recommend and use the Black Soldier Fly Larvae. We cannot get Dubia roaches in Florida, they are afraid they will become an invasive species! So we recommend the BSFL and crickets. 

If you can handle it, they can eat a pinkie mouse twice a month. It has to be an already deceased and thawed mouse. 

Some people like handing the worms, crickets, etc. directly to their  hedgehog but this is not recommended due to the smell being associated with your hand.  We recommend using reptile feeding tongs. 

   What Do Hedgehogs Eat? The Complete Food And Diet List (hedgehogworld.com) 

What Do Hedgehogs Eat? (thesprucepets.com)

7 Essential Foods You Need to Feed a Hedgehog – African Pygmy Hedgehogs

Essential List of What Hedgehogs Can Safely Eat? – African Pygmy Hedgehogs

    AUTHOR: Coley Emde, Prickly Pet Parents  Home 

Download a printable copy here

Hedgehogs need a way to burn off energy and to stay healthy. They need a safe, clean wheel to run on DAILY. Due to the fact that they would run many miles in the wild, this is a natural instinct for them to want to run. The wheel can also help keep their nails at a little more of a natural length and assist in the much dreaded nail trimming sessions.  

Types of wheels I use and recommend!

• Bucket Wheels

  • They are safe with solid smooth surfaces and easy entry and exit.

  • Bucket Wheels are silent; you only hear the sound of the hedgehog's feet running. 

  • They are easy to clean.

  • Are sold on Etsy through a few makers, we use Sonoran Desert Hedgie’s.

• Kaytee Comfort Wheel - GIANT

  • They are safe with solid surfaces and easy entry and exit.

  • They can be loud.

  • They are a little more difficult to clean because they have ridges on the running surface.

  • Can be found on Amazon and Petsmart has a version. Must be the giant 12 inch size.

Unsafe Wheels

• Wheels with mesh or wires are not safe.

  • They can catch toenails and paw pads and cause serious injuries.

• Kaytee Silent Runner

  • The wheel is built with 2 pieces put together. They are not designed for the weight of hedgehogs and have separated and caught paw pads and toe nails causing serious injuries resulting in vet visits.

• Exotic Nutrition Silent Runner

  • The design of the wheel makes it difficult for the hedgehog to enter and exit. It also does not drain as easily due to the front plate which could result in urine burns on the paws.

• Saucer Wheel

  • It is not designed for the size of a hedgehog. They have been known to 

tumble off while running. It causes them to run in an unnatural position for long periods of time. The saucer also flings poop and urine as the hedgehog runs.

• Wheels made of wood

  • Wood wheels absorb the urine and are not able to be cleaned properly. This can result in urine burns and the need to replace the wheel frequently.

Teaching Your Hedgehog how to use a wheel.

• Your baby hedgehog will most likely not know how to use their wheel, but most will figure out how to use one on their own.

• It is not  recommended for hedgehogs to use wheels before the age of at least eight to possibly 10  weeks  and at least 200 grams in weight.

• The following link is from Millermeade Farm’s Critter Connection: First Time Using Wheel - Millermeade Farm. Gail Smith provides tips to help your hedgehog how to use the wheel if they are not figuring it out on their own.

• The following article by Heavenly Hedgies gives more descriptive details about specific wheels: Heavenly Hedgies Best Hedgehog Wheel.

Cleaning:

• Some wheels are going to be much easier to clean based on their design alone. 

• The Bucket Wheels are extremely easy to clean because of their smooth, flat consistent design. 

• Some hedgehogs are much messier than others on their wheels, but you will need to clean the wheel regularly.

• Bucket Wheels often have a tray option. Placing a litter tray beneath your hedgehog’s wheel will cut down on waste being scattered in their habitat. Sonoran Desert Hedgehogs offer their Bucket Wheel with a tray. 

  • In the tray you want to use a different litter then what the rest of their habitat is. Hedgehogs will potty while running and the tray under the wheel will catch it. They will also seek out where they have previously used the restroom to return to relieve themselves. You can help them by moving their waste to the litter tray so they are consistently finding that to be the place to go.

• Some people use wheel covers

  • They need to be changed daily if used or they can cause urine burns.

  •  Never use Glad Press’n Seal to keep the wheel clean. It is known to come loose and get stuck on the hog. One hedgehog got it completely wrapped around them.

  • We take our wheels outside and spray them all down with a hose to get them wet and spray off any loose messes.

  • We then spray them with a diluted mix of Simple Green, which is safe for animals. Some people also use Dawn Powerwash, or a mixture of vinegar and water or bleach and water.

  • Whichever solution you select, simply let them soak for about 30 minutes and spray them off. You can use a cloth to clean any stubborn messes.

  • We also then wipe them down with unscented baby wipes first thing in the morning to cut down on the need for deep cleanings.

  • You want to clean your wheels as much as possible as your hedgehog’s feet can get very dirty and “poop boots” are not healthy! Daily foot baths are a must in between baths!

download a printable copy here

Here I have listed different hideouts, igloos and pouches that I use with my babies and prickle. Every hedgehog is different and some prefer to sleep in pouches/sacks placed inside an igloo, some want a more open area to crawl into and some will ransack their cage every night. Whatever the reason, I’m sure one or more of the links below will have something right for you. I have attached the direct sites for hides, igloos and of course pouches from Pistachio’s Place, where I have acquired quality handmade, safe and  comfortable snuggle sacks. 

Pistachio’s Place https://www.facebook.com/groups/pistachiosplace Your baby will be coming home                                                                                                                                                                              with a pouch from Pistachio’s Place! We have been using, and losing, these pouches for years now as our babies won’t leave our home without them.

Kaytee Igloo LARGE Animal Pet Habitat Igloo  https://a.co/7vdhbdt

   Kaytee Super Sleeper Cuddle-E-Cup Bed for Pet Guinea Pigs, Rats, Chinchillas and Other Small                    Animals https://a.co/00S9tnz  

download a printable copy here