Hedgehogs are no longer new to the domestic pet trade, but there are still several persistent misconceptions about their care and temperament. Common misconceptions surround their bodies, breeds, activities, diets, and enclosures. Both new and experienced owners alike can benefit from addressing these misconceptions. Overcoming these misconceptions so that you have a realistic, complete understanding of hedgehogs and their needs creates a stronger bond between pets and owners.
1. Hedgehog Quills Are Sharp
The most defining feature of a hedgehog is their coat of quills (also called spines) that run along their back and sides. But unlike a porcupine, these quills aren’t barbed or sharp enough to draw blood. The fact that these quills lay perpendicular (i.e., almost flat) against a hedgehog’s skin also helps with handleability. Hedgehog quills are also somewhat flexible, which means that you can even part the spines to look at their skin.
2. There’s Only One Breed of Pet Hedgehog
When people think of a pet hedgehog, they typically are picturing a four-toed hedgehog or a pygmy hedgehog. The four-toed and pygmy hedgehogs are the most common type of pet hedgehog. For a long time, these breeds were the only types of hedgehogs domestically available in the pet trade.
However, the long-eared hedgehog has recently emerged in the pet trade. This type of hedgehog is slightly larger, is more active, and has a long pet lifespan for a hedgehog. The long-eared hedgehog also eats more and is typically more responsive to their environment.
3. Hedgehogs Are Good Climbers
The most climbing that hedgehogs typically do is climbing on and off their exercise wheel. Otherwise, hedgehogs are not adept climbers. Their small claws, paws, and legs mean that they are better suited to horizontal spaces versus vertical.
The exception to this is the long-eared hedgehog, which is a comparative newcomer to the pet trade. Unlike the more common four-toed and pygmy hedgehogs, long-eared hedgehogs may climb on top of hides or other parts of the enclosure.
4. Hedgehogs Are Lazy
Although hedgehogs aren’t adept at climbing, they are active creatures and can often be found running and pacing their enclosures. This is why people recommend horizontal enclosures with at least six square feet of space and why an exercise wheel is a necessity. Hedgehogs can run three or more miles on their wheels, with long-eared hedgehogs getting as much as six miles in. So while hedgehogs can be great pets for emotional support, they aren’t a good fit for anyone looking for a couch buddy.
5. Hedgehogs Can Eat Cat Food
Many owners feed their pet hedgehogs cat food instead of an animal-specific diet. But while hedgehogs can survive on cat food, this type of food does not offer the nutrients and higher fiber content that hedgehogs need to truly thrive. Cat food is developed for cats and, on a broader basis, medium-sized carnivores. Feeding a hedgehog cat food long-term can cause dental issues like oral cancer and more serious health issues. Hedgehogs do best with food developed specifically for hedgehogs, accompanied by insects (live or dried) and calcium supplements.
6. Hedgehogs Can Drink Out of Water Bottles
Hedgehogs are often equated with rodents due to their similar size and body build. But unlike rats and mice, hedgehogs do not naturally adapt to the use of a water bottle in their enclosure. Hedgehogs naturally move in foraging motions, which means their heads stay closer to the ground. As such, hedgehogs prefer small water dishes to vertical water bottles. Some owners have also claimed that using water dishes instead of bottles increases a hedgehog’s liquid intake.
7. Hedgehogs Can Be Kept at Room Temperature
Unlike many other mammals, hedgehogs need a heat source and cannot be kept in an enclosure at room temperature. Hedgehogs do best when they are kept in an enclosure that stays between 72 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit. While owners can try to keep a specific room in the house at this temperature, it is much easier to maintain steady temperatures in a small enclosure.
Hedgehogs that are kept in temperatures below this range may go into torpor. Torpor is a hibernation-like state in which hedgehogs conserve body heat and energy by minimizing activity.
8. Hedgehogs Are Low Maintenance
Hedgehogs may not be the most high-maintenance pet, but they still have specific care needs. One of the biggest components of hedgehog maintenance is keeping them and their enclosures clean. Hedgehogs are resistant to litter training and instead defecate and urinate as they travel. While this is convenient for them in the wild, it creates a mess in their enclosures.
Often, hedgehogs feel the need to potty when they exercise. This means that exercise equipment in the enclosure, such as a wheel, needs to be cleaned daily or every other day. A workaround to litter training is to put their exercise wheel in a low-sided litter box so that any urine or feces is kept in a contained area.
Additional maintenance includes wiping down or bathing their belly and feet and trimming their nails. Because hedgehogs are low to the ground, their belly and feet are areas that often become dirty.
9. Hedgehogs Don’t Shed
Hedgehogs actually do shed their quills when they are young, similar to how humans lose their baby teeth. Hedgehogs may also shed their quills as a result of significant hormonal changes or illness. Most illnesses are related to either poor husbandry or age.
As your hedgehog gets older, it is common for tumors and cancers to appear, possibly resulting in organ failure. Quill loss may be a side effect of these health issues. If your hedgehog is no longer a youngster but is dropping quills, make a vet appointment to find the cause. Hedgehogs typically regrow their quills, unless an underlying medical condition prevents this.
10. Hedgehogs Are Hypoallergenic
Hedgehogs are not a pet typically associated with allergies, but they are not entirely hypoallergenic, either. Hedgehogs clean themselves like any other animal, which coats their quills in saliva. As a result, a small percentage of this popular can have an allergic-like reaction to this saliva, such as a rash and irritation. This means that you should handle your hedgehog with care until you are sure that you are not affected.