How can I get a pet hedgehog?

A relaxed hedgehog will lay down their spines. Once the spines are laying flat (not poking up in various directions like they are when your hedgehog is rolled into a ball) you can try petting them in the direction the spines lay. Avoid trying to pet your hedgehog’s face initially as they don’t typically like it.

Can you buy a hedgehog at PetSmart?

Unfortunately, PetSmart does not sell hedgehogs in-store or online as of 2022, however, PetSmart does sell a range of products for hedgehog owners. Customers can visit local breeders and animal shelters to buy hedgehogs but should make sure their state does not restrict hedgehog ownership.

How much does a hedgehog cost?

The average cost to buy a hedgehog can run between $100 to $300. The cost will depend on the age of the hedgehog, how friendly they are, and their coloring. The cheapest hedgehogs will be either salt and pepper or cinnamon and “pinto” hedgies will be in the mid-price range.

Can you buy hedgehogs in the US?

It’s currently illegal to own a hedgehog in California; Georgia; Hawaii; New York City; Omaha, Nebraska; and Washington, D.C. Other states and cities may have specific restrictions or require a permit to keep one.

Do hedgehogs cuddle with you?

It depends on the personality of the individual hedgehog and how much handling the hedgehog has had in the past. Some hedgehogs do seem to like to snuggle up to their human companions, while others might be shyer or simply prefer exploring and moving about over sitting still and cuddling.

Are hedgehogs good pets for kids?

Hedgehogs. These spiny mammals may not make cuddly pets, but they’re cute, friendly, and relatively long-lived, with a lifespan of five to seven years. And if hedgehogs are handled while still young, they will grow to be social with your child.

Do hedgehogs bite?

Hedgehogs can bite you, but very rarely will that happen. This usually happens when they are young and think your fingers are going to feed them (if they have been fed via a syringe as they had no mother).

Do hedgehogs stink?

There are many factors one must consider when buying a new pet and one of those is the smell of the animal. Luckily, hedgehogs are pretty odor-free. If you remove any environmental factors that might cause them to smell, you shouldn’t smell your hedgehog at all.

Does it hurt to pet a hedgehog?

The quills become more spread out and sharper to the touch. While the quills most likely won’t break our skin, they are still sometimes painful to touch. Your best bet at keeping them from hurting you is to establish a comfortable and trusting relationship with the hedgehog.

Do hedgehogs like kisses?

Hedgehogs are just so cute that if you get a chance to hold one, it might be hard to resist giving it a kiss. But please practice restraint, a new alert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns. As Amy B.

Do hedgehogs poop a lot?

Hedgehogs poop a lot. They poop all the time. Young hedgies are quite fond of pooping while doing their chores like while roaming around or playing on their wheel. But, as they grow older, they tend to hold much better and can be trained to litter in the right areas.

Are hedgehogs loud at night?

In short, hedgehogs are fairly loud at night. If a hedgehog is in a cage, you’ll most likely hear rattling as the hedgehog moves around. You might also hear rustling noises if there are any type of shavings in the cage. Also, no matter how quiet exercise wheels can be, you’ll still hear some noise from them.

Are hedgehogs good beginner pets?

Hedgehogs are not recommended for households with children under 5 years of age or adults over 65. They can carry Salmonella bacteria in their droppings. Even if they seem healthy, the bacteria can infect their bodies, habitat, toys, and anything they come in contact with.

Can u potty train a hedgehog?

Placing them inside their litter tray when they give signs of having to go. Routinely putting them in their litter box before and after handling them. Lining the entire cage with one type of litter then slowly replacing the litter with fleece until you only have one corner for their litter.

Do hedgehogs pee?

Hedgehogs usually poop and pee a few minutes after they wake up. Hedgehogs, like all animals, do not have control and will pee and poop anywhere they feel like. … To avoid getting peed on, I normally wait for a few minutes before holding my hedgehog after it wakes up.

Do hedgehogs eat their babies?

Both male and female hedgehogs eat their babies occasionally. [1] Females can eat babies due to several reasons including stress, the presence of a male, external threats, et cetera. Males eat babies only when they are around as they don’t know that these are their offspring.

Can you use puppy pads for hedgehogs?

How can I litter train my hedgehog? You can use small wood chips or dust free shavings, care fresh bedding or another substrate or you can use fleece liners with puppy training pads as we do.

Do hedgehogs need baths?

Most hedgehogs will need a bath even less than once per month. Hedgehogs become most dirty by stepping in their droppings, so to avoid extra baths, make sure to clean their cage regularly, around once a week or less if required.

Can a hedgehog live with a guinea pig?

hedgehogs are solitary animals and don’t even get housed together unless its a mom and daughter or sisters, having a guinea pig in with a hedgehog would be the worst thing ever! do not house them together ever! they won’t get a long and you’re hedgehog may end up hurting the guinea pig.

Where should you site a hedgehog house?

HELPFUL HINTS. When you have made a hedgehog house, place it in a quiet, shady, sheltered, dry spot in your garden (for example against a wall, fence, hedge or garden shed) with cover and hope that you will have a visit from a hedgehog seeking a home.

Do hedgehogs like sand?

Some hedgehogs love to dig and fling in sand to look for hidden treats. After all, this is a completely natural thing for your hedgehog to do in the wild. Reptile sand is a popular substrate as it is used for animals that frequently ingest their bedding while eating.

What family is a hedgehog in?

Hedgehogs comprise a subfamily (Erinaceinae) of family Erinaceidae, which also includes the moonrat and the gymnures (subfamily Galericinae) of Southeast Asia and the Philippines. The name hedgehog can more broadly be applied to all species in this family. Hedgehogs are closely related to gymnures.