What to use a cage?

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MyNameIs86

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Feb 7, 2010
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I'm getting my first hedgie (perhaps) on friday. (gotta convince my dad to letting me have one.)
I am looking forward to being a hedgie owner.
I am buying my 1 and a half male from a private owner in S. NJ and it comes witha 40 gallon tank, heat lamp, wheel, hamster ball for him to play in, water and food balls, hut and food. :) ($200.00 in totall).

but some people say tanks are not good for cages why? he wants the hedgie to go in his tank because that is what the hedige (not sure the name) has been living in.

Also what is the best thing to use as a ground cover? I used wood chips for hamsters and it seems that it is popular with hedgies.
How often do you have to clean the cage? Once a week at least or more?
 
Steril bin as Cage

I have a 105Quart/99liter steril bi in the basement. will that be big enough?
if you use a steril bin as a cage, how big is yours?
 
26 by 16 steril bin?

hey i have a sterile bin roughly 26 by 16 size. is that good or do i go bigger?
 
When we got weeble we had a sterlite bin that was 30in. by 18in.. after we got the wheel, igloo, litter box, food and water dish there wasn't much left for space. we have up graded to a flat bottom cage that is 2ft. by 4ft. which is a bit bigger but still seems kind of small and a bit more $$$. doing it again i would have gone with a couple sterlite bins connected with pvc pipe or a c&c cage. look at your budget and start from there. the more room the better. hope this helped out
 
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Sterile Cages Questions more.

What are the best items for hedgehogs in sterile cages?
what type of wheel?
hut?
grass?
food bowl?
toys?
 
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Typically a 96qt or larger tub will work. A warning for you though. Watch the bottom of the tubs. Many plastic tubs have a convex floor, leaving a little moat around the outside edge. This can be problematic with getting a wheel to sit flat.

I've used a couple of different brands. You want something that is clear, flat bottomed and gives enough floor space. You can use smaller tubs if you connect them together. I have a couple of condo setups, including one that is a set of 4 tubs connected via pvc pipes & ferret tubes. You can see 2 of them connected at: http://www.mihog.org/cages/index.phtml

BTW, please try to keep similar questions in one thread. You have several regarding sterilite tubs. It makes it much easier to answer your questions as well as to keep track of who has already answered some of them.
 
I find that aquariums/tanks make perfectly acceptable homes for hedgies, as long as they are properly ventilated. I use 15g tanks in the winter so I can more closely monitor the heat, and so they can be in my house-house instead of the rescue house. In the summer, I use 40-70 g aquariums for my hedgies, and rescues. If you trust not putting a lid on the aquarium, this will usually allow for proper air flow, if you feel safer with a lid, make sure it is mainly mesh. I feel safer using aquariums because any time i've used another type of cage, my hedgie has found a way to scale the wall, and i don't want him falling off.
Aquariums also tend to hold in the smell more, and should be cleaned a bit more often.

As far as ground cover, a LOT of people use fleece liners. They are easy to clean, and you don't have to buy new ones every time you clean the cage. I always have tons of extra liners laying around, but I find they only need to be cleaned 2-3 times a week, my hedgies poop/pee on their wheels most of the time.
You can use shavings too, and most hedgies like to burrow into them. Another option is shredded newspaper, this is often great fun for a hedgie, but it can be difficult to locate them when it comes time for "free runs".
 
The right aquarium could possibly be an ok home for a hedgehog. But you need to consider a few things before deciding to use it with your hedgehog.

You will need to ensure you get one that has a large amount of floor space. While some places recommend a minimum of 2 sq ft of uninterrupted floor space. This means that by the time you add a wheel, sleeping area, bowls, etc you need a lot more room. The smallest cage I have is 4 sq ft (came with a rescue and is used as a quarantine cage). Add a wheel and everything else, and there really isn't that much uninterrupted floor space.

Ventilation can be a huge issue with aquariums, plus they can be quite heavy and bulky making, cleaning difficult. There is a lot of concern that those who use aquariums that are big enough for hedgehogs will not clean them as often as they should due to how bulky and how heavy these aquariums are.

There are a lot of cage choices out there, if you want something like an aquarium why not buy a 96qt sterilite tub. Tub cages have many benefits. They are cheap, light weight, easily cleaned, and easily expanded. Plus you can drill holes in the side to help add ventilation.

Other options, C&C cages, ferret nations, Marchioro & super pet cages.
 
Aquariums are generally frowned upon as being suitable for a cage unless the tank is in the 90 gallon range.

There is very poor ventilation in the bottom of tanks and not only do smells build up but condensation does too.

Plastic bottom wire topped cages are a far healthier and more flexible option. Yes, some hedgehogs will climb the bars but weaving a bit of stiff cardboard or plastic in and out of the lower bars for a few weeks will solve that problem.

A wire topped cage also offers the most options for cage heating.
 
I wouldn't use an aquarium. The ventilation positively sucks and, as Julie pointed out, truly keeping them clean can be a huge pain. If you have one big enough for your hedgie to live comfortably, then you aren't going to be able to hoist it up and drag it to the bathroom for regular cleanings.

I used a sterilelite bite or a Marchioro cage for my hedgies. The sterilite bin had holes drilled through all four sides to allow extra air flow, and it was super easy to pick up and carry into the bathroom to clean.

BTW, I wouldn't recommend an aquarium for pretty much any animal. Even with mice and gerbils, there are cages with small enough wire spacing that they can be safely housed and it allows them proper air flow.
 
I find that aquariums/tanks make perfectly acceptable homes for hedgies, as long as they are properly ventilated. I use 15g tanks in the winter so I can more closely monitor the heat, and so they can be in my house-house instead of the rescue house. In the summer, I use 40-70 g aquariums for my hedgies, and rescues.

Kawaii, I notice you mention you are a rescue. I don't recognize you at all. What is your rescues name?
 
i am going to be using a 105 qt / 99 l sterlite cage.
my only problem is now do i keep the lid on with holes in the lid or not?
 
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