I don't have a hedgie but I do have questions

I didn't know where else to put this. I figured I'd get the best advice here. I'm sorry for the ridiculously long post... *takes a deep breath*

Um. Hi. I don't own a hedgehog yet, but with any luck I'll be getting one over the summer and I want to know everything I can before making that decision. I've been doing a lot of research over the last couple months, but I just wanted to ask a couple questions for the sake of opinion. Bear with me if my questions sound really sketchy or something, if I get one, it has to be a secret to the RAs here. Anyway, here are my questions:

Would a hedgehog make a good college dorm pet? Specifically in a dorm where the only pet you're allowed to have is a fish? I really want a pet, but I wanted something more interactive than a fish, something that can, say, run around on my bed with me. I thought a hedgehog would be perfect because they're so cute and pokey and seem like they make fantastic pets, but I'm worried about somebody coming into my room [specifically someone of authority] and being able to tell there's an animal in there, even if they can't see it. One of my housemates has a chinchilla in her room and you can totally tell as soon as you walk in the room because it smells like the bedding she uses. However, if I get a hedgehog, I was planning on using liners. I hate to put it like this, but do hedgehogs smell or anything?

Speaking of liners, where is the best place to get them? Or should I just ask my mom to make some? I don't know how willing she'd be to do that, though.

If I get one, I don't have anything that I can actually put the cage on, since I can't risk anybody seeing the cage through a window in the dorms. I'm gonna have to put it under my bed [which will be 30" high thanks to risers], but I don't want to put it directly on the floor since it's linoleum and I don't want the poor hedgie to be cold, since you know, it's fatal. If I fold up a thick blanket and put it under the cage [in addition to having a heat lamp on which will definitely be there regardless], what are the chances that the cage might still get cold from the bottom? Temperature is the one thing I'm most worried about.

How do hedgehogs deal with noise? I'm probably going to be living in a room by myself, but it will be a room in a townhouse with up to five other people. I don't know who those people are yet, and I don't know how loud they are. Either way, I don't plan on having anybody in my room and yelling right near the hedgie. Do they do okay if it's indirect noise, say in the next room or down/upstairs?


Any answers are 100% appreciated. Thank you in advance! And again, I'm sorry for the long post. If you read the whole thing, I owe you a muffin or something.

Oh, and one more question. I know it varies greatly, but about what can I expect to pay for a hedgehog from a breeder? I guess what I'm asking here is how much did your hedgehog cost?

Ok Im going to be real right now..

I WAS an RA and I got my first hedgehog because I thought I could keep him and people wouldnt know. Eventually people will know. Then that one time you upset someone.. thats the first thing they are going to do is tell on you. Even *I* couldnt hide him. And I was the RA.. Knowing when people were coming by and how to get around the rules and such.. nope.. roommates tell..

Another thing is that you have to worry abotu the others turning down the air too low and risk your hedgehog going into hibernation. I had this happen as well and since I was the RA I was able to get them to put a block on the air where it didnt go down below 73*. They didnt like it much.. One of the reasons they told..

So if you are getting a hedgehog FOR college I would say forget it.. just cuz I have been there done that and it doesnt work out well..


For your other questions.. Just to answer them since you asked...

Hedgehogs dont normally have an odor themselves. But Their poop and pee do stink. Depending on how tidy your hog is you might have to change your cage as often as everyday/everyother day or once a week to keep odor down. I have one that is super tidy.. Can probably go a week because he only pees and poos in the wheel and then it falls in the box under it.. So the liners stay clean. But then I have another that stinks his cage up in a day or two because he goes where he pleases..

As for where you can get liners.. you can either make them yourself or order them.. Nancy has some great ones!

Honestly my cages have been on the floor. I have THICK blankets folded up before we get to their liners its about 8 layers thick.. And I dont have a problem.. I also live in Florida and my whole house is set to upper 70s.. IF the air is on at all.. Althoguht I wouldnt recommend this in your situation.. I live on my own in my own home.. You will not be able to completely control the temperature.

For noise.. It all depends on the hedgehog. I have a hedgehog that does GREAT with noise and lights and will get out when he pleases no matter what is going on around him. I have another that I cant have the tv on or sniffle or whatever too loudly or he snaps into a ball and huffs until the noise is gone. If you end up with a hedgehog like this.. the college lifestyle would not be fair to him..

I have never gotten a hedgehog from a breeder but I have bought ONE hedgehog from a pet store.. He cost me $170 alone..

I hope I got all your questions..

Do I get a muffin? I perfer a cookie but if the muffin is chocolate anything Ill take it!

Truthfully, I would not suggest sneaking a hedgehog into your college dorm. People will find out. Word will get out....people will want to see it and eventually, someone of authority will find out. And you'll probably get in big trouble and then have to get rid of the hedgie.

I would really suggest that you wait until you can get a hedgehog with out breaking the rules.

One thing though, hedgehogs can be kept in tanks(although they need to be rather large). Maybe you would ask your school if you'd be able to get one if it lives in a tank just like a fish? But, just keep in mind that while tanks will work, the are not ideal. They can be harder to get good ventilation in, harder to clean and tend to retain more smells.

Just my honest opinion and thoughts.....

I agree with what Mellissa said. Sadly, I am almost 100% sure the school will not make an exception, they have that rule for a good reason. College dorms are not a good place for pets. You have no control, a roomate can always come in and let other people in- drunk college kids do stupid things, I remember someone fed our fish pot seeds and stems! It really is not fair to the hedgehog.

I would have to agree that a college environment probably isn't best for a hedgehog. You risk so much as others have said, and if someone of authority did hear about it and asked you to get rid of it, well then that's not fair to either you or the poor hedgie.

As far as getting a hedgehog from a breeder...it cost me around $160 whereas one I have my eye on at a pet store now is priced at $199.

Breeders here mostly sell them for $200-$250, pet stores about $200. But like most animals, even if you pay a little more at a breeder, in the long run you save more money (and heartbreak) than you can imagine.

And just think- in about 2 years you will probably move into a house or apartment and then you can get a hedgehog. That is when I got my first chinchillas- after my 2 years in the dorms, I finally moved into a house, and got one chin. Then I wanted more- so I got two more, which held me over for awhile. Then, around law school, and after marrying a man who loves them as much as I do.... I somehow got up to 100 :bliss: So try to be patient, I know more than anyone how hard it is, (I waited since I was 3) but it is the right thing to do.

That's what I was hoping not to hear.
I do fully understand the risks of having any pet in a dorm. I've been weighing my options for a long time, as well as helping my housemates keep their pets a secret from the RAs. I'm not trying to be the rebel child who goes against your advice, but I do feel like I can do it. I'm not saying I definitely will, but I think I'm capable should I decide to. Does that make sense? I hope I don't sound irrational and ridiculous.

My RA last year specifically told me that the only pet that's allowed is one that lives underwater. I used to joke about getting a small shark. I'm thinking a hedgehog in a tank would not get an exception. There is a girl on-campus here that has a hedgehog. I've asked her a couple questions before, but I don't really know her so I'd feel weird just going up and talking to her. I think I'm gonna ask her if I can maybe go to her townhouse and see it and see how she manages.

As far as my living situation next year, whoever I end up living with, I'm gonna be meeting up with all of them within the next day or so. While there, maybe I'll talk to them and see how they react. I don't want to do it unless they're all willing to keep it a secret.

Like I said, I haven't made any decisions yet, I'm just trying to weigh my options and see what the best way to do things is. Thanks to everyone for your answers so far, I really appreciate them!

sugarbob46 said:

That's what I was hoping not to hear.
I do fully understand the risks of having any pet in a dorm. I've been weighing my options for a long time, as well as helping my housemates keep their pets a secret from the RAs. I'm not trying to be the rebel child who goes against your advice, but I do feel like I can do it. I'm not saying I definitely will, but I think I'm capable should I decide to. Does that make sense? I hope I don't sound irrational and ridiculous.

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I WAS the RA and I still couldnt get around to hiding him. Roommates will get upset at SOME POINT and it will come out to another friend or an RA.. I too asked my roommates first if it would be ok to bring him and that is the one thing they said.. that they would NEVER tell anyone about him and throw that in my face.. Not only did they do that but they broke into my room and took pictures while I was away. I didnt leave because I dot kicked out or whatever. I left because I was betrayed. A secret like this can also ruin a "good" friendship between people. Simply because one gets spiteful and cant get over something.

Remember.. a wise man learns from others mistakes a foolish man learns from his own.

Also, Just wanted to add.. college kids are MEAN. I had a resident who I allowed to have a hamster her roommates had a party while she was out of town and they found the hamster fed it some kind of nasties that were unidentifiable in the bowl and then let him out in the woods we had behind our building. Its very sad what people can do. Those same roommates also took a smirnoff Ice and put fish in it thinking they could "get drunk." You dont want to risk foolish kids hurting your hedgehog by any means.

Well, that's upsetting. D:
Perhaps I should just wait. I hate not having a pet, though. But I wouldn't want to get a hedgie and then give it a bad life.
I don't know. Thanks for your info. I guess I've got some thinking to do.

sugarbob46 said:

Well, that's upsetting. D:
Perhaps I should just wait. I hate not having a pet, though. But I wouldn't want to get a hedgie and then give it a bad life.
I don't know. Thanks for your info. I guess I've got some thinking to do.

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Don't worry, I waited 21 years before I had a pet, that means beeing on my own in my appartment. Goo things come for tose who wait.

Yep! Just remember that good things are worth waiting for. I have to agree with everyone else...sorry =/