Anxious Owner

[therapist-in-a-box]

Hello everyone! Friday afternoon, my boyfriend and I became the proud parents of our new hedgie, Thibbledorf Pwent: Hedgehog Extraordinaire. We got him from an ad on Craigslist. The owner had several other pets, including another hedgehog and said she didn't have time to look after this one anymore. He's a year old and we love him to pieces.

We've been doing a lot of research on their care and behavior and everything, but I'm a worrier and just want to be sure that he's okay...

How warm is "too warm" for a hedgie? i know they like it to be between 70 and 80 degrees, but our house, even with the A/C on, falls in the upper 70s, low 80s range. I don't want him getting too hot or too cold and trying to hibernate.

Also, he's only used his wheel twice that I know of...how often do they usually get active? Is it everyday or does it just depend on the hedgie? I'm not sure how active he was with the previous owner but she said he liked to sleep.

Here's a picture of Thibbledorf and the habitat that we built for him.

 

[Melissa]

I keep my house anywhere between 77 and 82. My boys are older so I have to keep it warmer for them.

 

[LexieHeg]

I keep my Hedgie room at 80, and she seems to do well there. Anything lower really isn't African temperatures (which is what they're used to), but they seem to do well between 74-84. I wouldn't push it too much higher than 84 as trying to cool down is impossible and if they did, they may then try to hibernate. 80 is a really good temp and not too unbearable for us humans - but that's just my experience .

He's still adjusting to his new home and new smells...which is probably why he's not using his wheel. Give him some time before you start to worry about him not using his wheel, a week or two, everything is still too new for him. Some hedgies take 6 months to adjust, so just work on getting him used to your smells and sounds.

As well, from the looks of the wheel in the picture it might be too small for him. Despite their small size, they need a fairly large wheel. Even when the wheel looks big enough for them, it might not be. If he continues to avoid the wheel, try another wheel that's a different style and larger. Mine had a wheel like yours, and she was using it but not as much as I thought she should be so we decided to get another wheel and now she runs on it all night long. It's the Super Pet Comfort Wheel in the giant size (Chinchilla Wheel) and its great. It's huge for her, but she loves it.

I hope that helps!

Also I just noticed - is that kitty litter in the box in the corner? Be very careful with that, it can get stuck in the penis sheath of your little guy and cause a pretty bad infection. Try using the recycled paper in there and a fleece liner in both bins. You will have to wash them a lot but they're so great for the hedgies and better on their feet.

 

[therapist-in-a-box]

Rachel,

I wasn't a fan of the kitty litter either, but that's what his previous owner used. I didn't want to give him a complete culture shock with an all new environment.

The wheel is actually the biggest we could find. It stands about 13" high. It seems to be fine for him.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Kalandra]

Watch that wheel. There is a nut on the inside that has been known to come loose, causing the wheel to fall off its axle while in use. The base is also tiny, so you may want to find a way to secure it better. When a hedgehog runs hard it can wobble and I think a few people have reported it falling over while in use. Trapping a hedgehog under it.

A couple of other things to watch out for... There are also tiny slits between the blue and white sections. Hedgehog nails have gotten caught in that slit before. I also don't like it because I feel it is too tall for a hedgehog, it has quite a height to it to make them climb up in. While most hedgehogs tend to do ok with this, its just an added risk for one to slip and injure a leg while climbing in.

If you are handy with tools, or know someone that is, you may want to look into making your own exercise wheel from a bucket & roller skate.

As to your original question: Upper 70s and low 80s should be fine. During the summer, I keep the hedgehogs between 75-80. I don't go any higher as my big girl gets hot and sprawls out a lot. She likes her room to be closer to 75. I'd say monitor your hedgehog, but if he is used to the temperatures and they are consistent, he should be ok.

 

[PippyDePip]

I have that same wheel and haven't had any problems with it. Of course, I keep my hedgie's nails well trimmed so they don't get too long, so maybe that helps too. I also have it set with a litter tray (and litter stuff) under it because that's where he does his business (when he's running), so you might want to do that too. The litter pan also gives it a little platform and helps hold down the wheel as well! Two birds with one stone.