One of the important decision you will have for your hedgehog is choosing a home. One of the keys in determining the quality of life and longevity of hedgehogs is their home.
A Hedgehogs Home is His Castle
It is reported that in the wilds the hedgehogs travels around 4-7 miles per night so it is best to provide the largest space possible for your new pet. Hedgehogs tend to be healthier and happier if they have plenty of room because they can exercise and explore. Hedgehog needs plenty of room in order for them to move and play. 24 x 24 or 4 square feet is the minimum recommended size of hedgehog home by most hedgehog enthusiasts.
Some recommends smaller homes over the years but they are not ideal because it could not accommodate the recommended accessories for your hedgehogs.
It is also recommended that their home will be well ventilated, easily cleaned and will be able to accommodate additional heat source if necessary. Some homes for hedgehogs have an open top but hedgehog that are adventurous may try to escape and we all believe that it is easier and safer to prevent an escape than to locate a missing hedgehog.
Hedgehog Homes in The Wild
Since hedgehogs sleep during daylight hours, they are accustomed to hiding when it’s time for them to sleep.
In the wild, they’ll rest under leaves, shrubs, or rocks - pretty much in any crevice they can find. This means they won’t be especially picky about what you give them as a hiding area.
Hedgehogs enter their burrows headfirst, so you need to make sure the area inside is big enough for the animal to comfortably turn around.
The entrance should be wide enough for the hedgehog to enter but narrow enough to limit the light that comes in.
Wire Cages
A deep pan and wire hedgehog cages with solid bottom are often used as hedgehog homes. Wire cages are well ventilated and good for hedgehogs since it is easy and safe to heat with a ceramic heat emitter. One of the advantage of these kind of hedgehog home is that there is more floor space than in an aquarium, birdcage and other modified cages. And also, wire cages are strong enough to house a hedgehog and will be able to protect them from other pets and childrens.
Pans
It is preferred to use pans that are 6 inches deep or deeper. Deep pans can prevent the hedgehog from climbing. It is also generally preferred to use plastic pans rather than the metal ones. Both of them are lightweight but plastic does not rust and will maintain its integrity over time.
One thing also is that when metal pans will rust it is harder to clean and disinfect than the plastic ones and metal will also conduct heat differently and you will have a problem when trying to provide heat source for your hedgehog.
Pans with wire flooring are NOT good for hedgehogs since their tiny feet will get caught in the wire and the hedgehog will be having a difficulty to walk.
Glass Aquariums
Large glass aquariums can also be a good hedgehog home. It is recommended that the aquarium will be a 20-gallon long size but larger size will be much better.
You will need a large aquarium since your hedgehog needs a lot of floor space to play and explore. Although the glass aquarium is heavy but they are easy to clean.
Another thing to consider is to use a screen top or wire top as a top cover because for better ventilation. Also the screen and wire top are durable and it is nearly escape-proof and pet proof.
Large Zoozone
This makes a very good home for the hedgehogs and is one of the most commonly used enclosure. They are easy to clean and are plastic with open vented roof and also easy to clean.
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Hedgehog Bedding
Before buying a hedgehog you must consider what kind of bedding to be used.
There are loads of choices on advertisers nowadays that is why you must choose carefully when it comes to bedding.
When bedding for your hedgehog the first thing to consider is if it has the safest bedding. It doesn’t mean it is the right or the safest bedding because it is on the market.