friday

[javi]

so i am on vacation right now and was hoping to get a hedgie while up in the city i am visiting. i was speaking to a rescue but i do not belive they got any rescues in since they have not gotten back to me since friday. i then spoke to breeder and she has some young ones. well i was looking through the craigslist of the city i will be in and found a hedgie ad. apparantly the owners are moving out of state to a smaller house and cannot take them. they are a 2 year old male pair with a cage (will be building a big c&c cage soon). one is a chestnut and the other is a pinto. they are handable but one is a little sweeter than the owner. i spoke to the owner and i really want them. would prefer some older rescues over young ones. so i am going to get them friday before we head back. very excited.

 

[LucksAngel28]

Congrats! Although, I would suggest separating the males into separate cages, since males often fight and injure one another when they live in the same cage. Good luck with your new "babies" and post pics when you can!

 

[javi]

well i wanted just a single one so i would not have to deal with aggression. but the owner has had them together since she got them as youngsters. she said they get along great with no fights. we shall see how that goes when they get home. i have no issue adding another cage.

 

[shetland]

They cannot live together; males are not like females. It is like asking for an injury (potentially fatal) to happen.

 

[javi]

yeah that is what i was told. but the owner said they have never fought. i will have the cage in my room though and will be able to hear any fights since i am a pretty light sleeper and often hear my hamsters running on their wheels. once i see or hear a fight i will be adding a second cage. maybe these are the exception to the rule. i guess we shall see. i have no issues getting a second cage. esp since i was going to order a large c&c style cage in a couple of weeks anyways.

 

[FiaSpice]

It's not because it never happend that it wont, why take any risk. It can take seconds for them to get injured, way quicker than the time to get up and check on thme.

 

[smhufflepuff]

Ditto to what Karine said.

Also, even though they don't appear to fight, one may be dominating the other in a way that looks peaceful to their original owner, but is actually rather stressful to one or both hedgehogs.

 

[Pangolin]

Congrats on the "new" critters. I am all for caution and keeping everyone safe, however, I would also say that if they have lived together, and they don't seem to be fighting, let them stay together at least at playtime out of the cages until you are sure they are getting along (inwhich case try housing them together as described below).

Although many owners here have had bad experiences with males fighting, there have been quite a few posts about people who have successfully kept males together.
I understand everyone's concern over keeping males together, however, splitting them up at the same time they are moving to a new home after a long car ride might stress them out even more. (How would you like to take a car ride and then be given to one family and your sibling to another?) If they really have been living together, then at least make sure you have a cage that is both large enough for both of them and has two of everything so they are not as likely to fight over the bed/wheel/food. Keep a very careful eye on them and see how it goes. Maybe these guys are the exception to the rule, in which case, lucky you!

 

[javi]

well i am picking them up friday early evening then we have a four hour drive home. i am going to have a custom c&c cage made that provides a lot of room and will be able to be divided in half if needed and will still give alot of room. i am going to start the diet transition next week once they settle a bit.

 

[kitty-kat-kazoo]

I mean if two hedgies have been in a cage together all their life without problem, don't yout think seperating them now would cause a little stress? Maybe they prefer to be a team

 

[shetland]

If it is their instinct to be aggressive and cause injury or worse, I personally would not risk it.