Here's an interesting bit of trivia: The average hedgehog's heart will beat 300 times in a minute.
Keeping A Hedgehog For A Pet
As much as you are can, try to simulate the natural habitat of the hedgehog. If you wish to have happy, contented hedgehogs, that can survive well in captivity. They don't like bright light and they will try hide under their feed dishes if they don't have any where else to "take cover".
Cage Some folks have
found airline animal carriers to be ideal to raise their hedgehogs in. Others raise them
in wire cages. Whichever works best for you and your pet.
Keep your animal enclosures very tidy, removing debris, wet shavings and feces each day. Checking cages each day will help to keep you informed of any problems that may arise like any of the following: Pet losing it's
appetite
Feeding Good quality dry cat food should always be a part of the hedgehog's diet because it helps to prevent dental problems. I do not recommend live food for females, however meal worms may be fed if you wish. |
|
|||||
Water
If you have only one or two hedgehogs a water bottle will work just fine. the water bottle worked fine. Bottles and food dishes should be cleaned and filed daily.
Treats and Necessities
Occasionally I give
my hedgehog a bit of fruit, some banana, or apple.
If your hedgehog's quite shy, be sure you hold it each day and give plenty of
attention to it.
In the beginning, you might want to use some tough gloves. They'll jump and snort if they get should get scared and then roll up into a ball.
Try never to drop them because they're really fragile. You have to make sure not to neglect your hedgehog, because they can get really bored and sick if not handled a lot, especially in the beginning. They will also get jumpy and very scared. It's a bit scary for you as well at first, but after a while, you'll get more accustomed to your hedgehog. Remember too that hedgehogs will hibernate if it gets very cold, so please let them live indoors and not out in the cold garage.
Interesting Hedgehog Facts
Hedgehog's can dig, run, climb and they are even proficient swimmers.
They are capable at
running very fast and can even reach a speed of two meters a second!
There is no other mammal that can roll into a ball as well as hedgehog can, it can stay
like that for hours on end!
They are not know to
use their voices very much although they can snort or squeal if they are frightened.
They use their nose more than
their eyes because their sense of smell is very important to them when testing out their
surroundings.
Their ears are quite sensitive as well.
Hedgehogs have a lot
of fleas but they live on the hedgehog, not on humans
An adult hedgehog has about 5,000 spikes.
When a hedgehog is
hibernating, it's heart rate and breathing slow down a lot, and it's body temperature
drops. They I don't eat at all when they hibernate they just use up all the body fat which
they have stored up, so they must eat quite a bit just before they hibernate.
