Hedgehogs

[serissime]

Does anyone else keep hedgehogs? My younger sister has two and I love them. Curious about how many other people have them as pets. We found out recently that one of our across-the-country relatives have one too. And the other day I saw that a member on another fish forum just got one.....

Anyways, an old picture of Calli, the older one. I want to take new ones soon :)

[DarrylR]

I always wanted one but can't find them.

[serissime]

My sister bought them from a breeder in northern Virginia (I believe. I know it was in VA anyways because my mom wouldn't have gone out of state). You won't find them in a pet store (and should really seek out a breeder ANYWAYS). I don't know if that lady is still breeding but I would definitely check her out. I can ask my sister for the name later when she gets off work. As I understand it, she's very well respected.

They are definitely my favorite small animal pet. Clean, cute, nice, fairly easy to take care of. More personable than most small animals I have met, if properly handled. Plus it's so cute when they push their foreheads down over their face hahaha

[crimsonmoon]

Tori (Aquagem) has a hedge hog! his name is simon, he's adorable. And so is yours :D
i don't have one though :/

[justahannah]

They are super cute! There's one shop around here that sells them, but between my cats and ferrets I think it's chances of survival would be slim (I swear the ferrets can pick locks) and other than my fish, my pets are rescue/shelter animals . Although, I've never seen a rescue shelter for hedgehogs, so maybe they're rare enough abandonment isn't a problem. I love the idea of going through a reputable, responsible breeder instead of just picking one out at a shop from employees that may or may not know anything about 'em, though.

[petluvr]

So cute :) Where you at in Va?

[serissime]

Ferrets are not very good with hedgehogs.

I am in the hampton roads area. So it was a little bit of a drive.

[petluvr]

I would say it was a more than a little bit of a drive must have taken 5 hours or so, he/she is so cute though I am sure it was well worth it:)

[AquaGem]

I have one named Simon, as Logan (crimsonmoon) said :D I love him sooo much. He really likes to run on his wheel and get exercise. Hahaha it's so funny when he finds a person who's scent he likes and tries to steal it! Here's a pic of him...

http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo91/maroonedgrl/simon200041.jpg

[serissime]

I'm not sure it was that far north, PetLuvr. Maybe not "real" northern VA. Just further north than me.

AquaGem, he's adorable! Yeah, my sister's hedgehogs run side by side on the wheel. It's so cute. Do you mean he self annoints with people's scents? that's so funny!

[AquaGem]

LOL yes!!! He'll foam up and spread it on his back :D It's sooo funny. Odd little compliment though. Are yours litter trained? Are they both salt and pepper? I bought mine as one but I think he lightened up to a snowflake :D

[serissime]

I'm not sure what they are. I was looking last night on a website trying to tell but I dunno. They both have racing stripes though.

My sister gave up on litter box training because they just go wherever they want. I think I would have tried a little harder but she really doesn't have time to babysit them completely.

Ours just self annoint with weird stuff they find on the ground. Yay.

[7620le]

awww i want 1 so bad..
i dont see them often in cali... o_O

[AquaGem]

Hmmm looks like a standard salt and pepper to me. Check out this site? It's a breeder but has good color info :D http://hedgehogsbyvickie.com/hedgehogcolors.htm

Yeah I know what you mean. Next time I hope to get one from a breeder that trains before hand LOL. I have a hard enough time giving the little stinker a bath *rolls eyes*. I think he revels in the dirtiness.

Oh fun! Hahaha

[serissime]

They are kind of a specialty pet. Someone in this thread has seen them in a petstore, but I have never heard of anything but a breeder. We had to find her using the internet. They are really awesome pets though. You should definitely try to find a breeder in California.

[serissime]

The one in my avatar is not ours. The picture in the first post might have been before she quilled but I'm not sure. I feel like they are both salt and peppers though.

My sister gives them oatmeal baths all the time so they are used to baths. The smaller one probably protests but she protests to anything but being free to run like the wind.

[MIKE D]

I have one but hes very grumpy and doesent like to be touched. his name is qwilleran but we call him qwill for short.

[AquaGem]

awww i want 1 so bad..
i dont see them often in cali... o_O

I think it is illegal to have hedgehogs in Cali... http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/illegal.shtml

[serissime]

Good point, AquaGem. I forgot that they aren't legal everywhere.

Mike, he probably needs to be handled more. How old is he? Calli was very shy for a few months and spiked us all the time, but with a lot of gentle handling, she has really come out of her shell and is no longer grumpy or lazy. We also let her explore the house (supervised) and she has become a lot more curious.

[MIKE D]

We think he's around a year. When we take him out he quills up and makes a hissing noise in short bursts.

[Virtuoso2K12]

no hedehogs in Cali. :(

[Death Pony]

Ferrets are not very good with hedgehogs.

I am in the hampton roads area. So it was a little bit of a drive.

I go to school down there, CNU! Animal Jungle in VA Beach usually carries them. I got to play with one last summer and I almost took him home. They're the coolest little mammals ever! Although it's not that fun why they try to wedge themselves between your arm and body, then back out.

[FastFly67]

OMG i want one :(

[rsanz]

I mean...that is just about the cutest freaking thing that I have ever seen.

If I ever got a hedgehog, his name would definitely be Sonic. :)

[serissime]

you are so right, death pony. How did I forget animal jungle.... wow.

[Death Pony]

you are so right, death pony. How did I forget animal jungle.... wow.

I have no idea. Even my friends who aren't into fish, reptiles, birds, and other odd animals walked in and said "wow!" Everything is usually really healthy in there too.

[Vicious_Fish]

Never had one but always wanted one.

[clb2196]

My sisters and I had 2 hedgehogs, Bilbo and Frodo. :lol: They were awfully cute little things. I love their little noses.

[kyryah]

I had my Sweetie for 9 years, and she was three when I got her. Everything I have ever read says that she was almost impossibly old for a hedgie, lol.

She was a salt and pepper, and soooo sweet, hence the name. She really liked my (now) ex-husband's cologne and would smear it on herself. I tried to tell her that liking his cologne would get her into trouble, but she would not listen to the voice of experience on the subject :D

I got her from a local pet shop, back when there WAS a petshop. It has been gone for 11 years. I bought her for $30, she had been dropped off by someone that said she was not tame and they did not want her anymore. I LOVED her, she was so fun to play with, except when she crawled up on my shoulder and under my waist length hair, which she did often.

Kristina

[serissime]

she sounds like she was a really good friend. You were lucky to have her :)

[rsanz]

When the fiance and I move into our new house on the 30th, we want to get a pet. We're not ready for a dog yet, we're going to wait until we get married for that.

We're considering a Hedgehog or a Chinchilla. Both are a bit more hands-on than, say, a hampster, but not as full-out as a dog. We're both allergic to cats and are interested in trying an exotic.

Opinions?

[serissime]

I'm sure there are exceptions, but I have never met a chinchilla I liked. I think hedgehogs are more personable, and as far as I know, you are MUCH less likely to be allergic to a hedgehog because they have much less fur.

I wouldn't say they require much more care than hamsters. They benefit from time to run around the house and lots of handling, and require a larger cage, but are not that complicated. There is more learning to do with either hedgehogs or chinchillas just because they are rarer than most other small animal pets. hedgehogcentral is a good website, and I have written some lengthy care tips on another fish forum I frequent.

Make sure whichever you choose is legal in your state. I'm happy to answer any hedgehog questions I can.

[rsanz]

Yeah, that stands true with what most articles say about chins, serissime.

We're leaning toward the hedgy. We like that they can be bathed in water as opposed to the mess associated with chin dust baths. Ever had any problems with your hedgies poking or jabbing you?

We also hadn't realized how expensive they are (initial cost). What was the name of your breeder in Virginia? We're in Rockville, MD, and if your breeder was in northern VA it would be a viable option. What does the breeder generally charge for an African pygmy?

Thanks. :)

[serissime]

They spike us sometimes but it's not really painful. You can get used to it pretty quickly. My hands are small so it's a little hard to wrap my hands around the top to pick her up when she puts her quills up, but again, I have pretty small hands. Wouldn't be a problem for someone bigger than me (petite 5' girl). You can scoop them up from under their stomach too. Sometimes one of them nips because she is a little neurotic, but it doesn't really hurt. Teeth are too little. But yes they can be bathed in the sink. My sister uses a little bit of oatmeal sometimes. I think it gave them relief from itchiness when they were quilling, but I'm not sure.

I am almost positive this is the lady we got them from. http://www.riddlesbunnybarn.com/hedgehogs.htm She is not breeding right now, but will have babies spring 2010.

http://www.dreamflowermeadows.com/africanpygmyhedgehogs.htm this lady looks like the best, is in NC, but you might have to get on her waiting list. They are more expensive than the lady we got ours from, but this lady is breeding. she is USDA licensed

here's the page I found these breeders on. I don't know how far you are willing to drive but there are more options here http://hedgehogcentral.com/breederusa.shtml

OH! look I found a breeder in MD :) http://www.terrapinhedgehogs.com/ looks good, bit expensive but she's a USDA licensed breeder. and that pinto is ADORABLE oh my gosh... you need to make a deposit soon if you want one from this litter! She has ready made setups for you to pick up when you get your baby

the initial cost is high, but they aren't very expensive to keep