more of a health concern for myself. Dont own a Hedge yet but I have a question

[4LC4PON3]

I really want to get a HedgeHog but I have a concern about Health and bedding. I am Allergic to Pine and yes Pine Shavings. The pine/Pine shavings cause neck swelling to my neck and it gets hard to swallow. How I find this out is because the wife bought Pine cat liter and it effected me and put me in the hospital. They concluded that I was allergic to pine and or pine shavings.

My question is I really want to get a HedgeHog but I am unsure of what types of bedding I can buy that will NOT effect me in that manner.

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

Fleece! If you check out some of the threads going on hedgie cages, there are lots of cages that do not sure shavings at all

 

[Sugargliderlove]

I use fleece and carefresh bedding for my 2 hedgie cages.

 

[smhufflepuff]

Shavings cause problems for hedgies too... so you're in good company.

Most people, myself included, use fleece. You can go simple - a single layer cut to size. Or complex with two layers sewn together or two layers plus an added absorbent middle layer.

 

[Sugargliderlove]

I have fleece blankets that I fold to fit their cage.

 

[4LC4PON3]

awesome thanks everyone. much appreciated and I will check out some setups using Fleece so I dont have to go the Shavings route. Im going to start doing alot more research tonight on setups and whats needed

 

[akane]

You need to get as close to or over 4 sq ft as possible,1' or higher sides or close set wire that they can't get their heads through, 2 sets of fleece so one can be used while the other is in the wash, 2 hedgie bags or igloo with covers(again so you can wash one set and use one set) and stuffed with fleece squares, food and water bowls, a wheel preferably with a pan (check out http://www.carolinastormhedgehogs.com/storm-bucket-wheel.html ), and a heating source. There are lots of heating options but the best 2 are either to heat the room if it's small with a space heater (also useful if you decide to get more hedgehogs) or a ceramic heat emitter with a thermostat and thermometer. All found in the reptile section. That's how you cage a hedgehog.

You can throw in some toys like paper tubes slit up the side so they don't get stuck while you aren't around, cat jingle balls, etc.. but really they don't play with toys so much as bulldoze their way around the cage. Some do like tubing (sticking their heads in the toilet paper rolls) but none of mine find it interesting. It's just another thing to poop on. Loki did enjoy ripping up the straw part on a bird toy I hung in his cage but he made a big mess and it didn't last long. The wheel is really the most important for entertainment and exercise.

 

[charlie]

Yup, liners are the way to go. Watch out of you have diggers though, you may find that making a liner out of corduroy, all edges tucked in and sewed up (with a fleece middle to absorb any liquid) is worth the extra effort. It is a little more durable and it removes any risk of swallowing the piling from the fleece (as this activity results in strange coloured vomit that tends to worry everyone)....What can I say, I've had a few diggers who then liked to suck on their toes before I could give them a quick foot bath.