Happy Hedgies, Smart Supplies, Amazing Accessories!

 Congratulations! You’re a proud new parent here is some helpful advise… 

Getting Adjusted: Hedgies depend greatly on smell to identify things including people. Our Hedgies are raised around adults, kids, cats and dogs and are held on a daily basis. Most Hedgies will adjust to your unique smell with a day or two with proper handling. We suggest washing you hands with an unscented of mild scented soap before and after handling. Hedgies are nocturnal animals so the sleep during the day time hours and are active in the evenings. Their schedule can be adjusted with a little effort. Ours usually begin to wake between 3 & 6pm, and are still up early mornings when we wake up. It’s normal for Hoglets to be scared or nervous in brand new environments. You’ll find they quickly adjust! The more you play and interact with your new Hoglet, the more friendly it will be.

Food & Water: Hedgehogs eat a number of things. Just like you and I, Hedgies have favorite foods too! Part of their diet you may already have in your own kitchen! We use Purina Naturals plus Vitamins & Minerals (for it's high protein, lower fat content) as their base diet. We also add daily, some type of green (spinach, kale, mustard, collards or cabbage...NO LETTUCE) and we alternate soft fruits & cooked veggies daily. Our herd has a hankering for natural applesauce blends, mashed sweet potatoes, strawberries & bananas. A variation in their daily diet will also help to stimulate your Hedgie, it's easy to get board in a cage! Hedgies will eat about a 1/3 of their body weight a day, which means the amount of food they will need a day will change over time. We've found it best to put a little extra, just in case! Fresh water every day is a must for Hedgies! Keeping they’re water bottle clean and thoroughly rinsed will help keep your hog in good health.

Comfort: Hedgies can be housed in many types of small animal cages. We recommend Rubbermaid type bins with at least 2.5 sq ft of floor space because they’re light weight, durable and very easy to clean. Other must haves include a solid surface running wheel apx 12” in diameter, food dishes, water bottle and a hide. There are a ton of beddings on the market for small animals. There are several things to look for when buying bedding, here are some to avoid: Small particle bedding like corn cob and ground walnut present a perfect opportunity for small pieces to get lodged or stuck in your Hedgies private area. Please be sure to read the packaging and additives on your bedding. Even those labeled for pet use are harmful or even deadly to some species! We dump all of the bedding from each cage every week, then spray/wipe down the bins, wheel, toys, food bowel and water bottle with a pet friendly sanitizer, rinse, dry and refill! We recommend picking up poop daily with a paper towel when you feed your Hedgies, this helps keep your Hedgies home basically smell free!

Hedgie Hygiene: Hedgies have personal needs to stay clean and healthy. Baths and nail clipping are needed regularly.  If you decide to use a shampoo, dilute 1/4 teaspoon of baby oatmeal shampoo into 1 gallon of safely warm water. Be sure to rinse it completely clear of your Hoglets skin and quills. Lightly pat them dry and keep them in a warm place until they dry completely.

Finding a Vet: There are great resources online to find a vet, try doing a Google search for your area under Exotics Vet.

As always, if there is anything we can do to help, please email us at hedgehogranch@yahoo!