Read this before you get a hedgehog

when I was researching before I got my first hedgehog,

whenever I read an article about why you should not get a hedgehog I didn’t listen

because I was determined to have one, and would only listen to the good things people said about owning hedgehogs

therefore I won’t tell you not to get one

instead I’m going to tell you what it’s really like owning a hedgehog

I was not prepared when I brought home my first hedgehog and did not know what to expect.

by reading this article you will learn the truth about hedgehogs

so that you can better decide if a hedgehog is right for you!

let’s dive in!

do hedgehogs smell bad?

the short answer is yes, although if you spend a lot of time cleaning it will greatly reduce the odor

do hedgehogs get sick easily?

sickness is common in hedgehogs, they can hide their sickness for a long time so by the time you find out that they are sick

it is usually pretty serious.

are hedgehogs expensive?

ok let’s be real if you want to take good care of any animal it will cost money,

hedgehogs are not as expensive as horses, but you will still need to buy a decent-sized cage which can be pricey,

food, a wheel (essential), toys, and bedding

you will also want to think about vet bills in case they get sick or something happens.

hedgehog also need to be kept warm so you will need to get a heat pad or heat lamp,

this means you will also need to keep them in the house.

they need insects like mealworms every day, insects should be a large part of their diet this can be a little bit expensive.

because they are exotic animals I would not necessarily say that they are cheap pets,

you should have at least $600 for upfront costs you will be spending more or less this is just an estimate.

I guess it depends on what you call a cheap pet.

do hedgehogs require a lot of time?

they do require quite a bit of time to keep their cage clean, and if you want to tame them that will also take a lot of time.

you will also need to trim their nails and it can be a pain to get their nails trimmed if they don’t like being held,

therefore you will need to get them used to being held first and that takes a lot of time.

they also need frequent baths.

you will probably be spending at least 30 minutes each day.

do hedgehogs bond with their owners?

hedgehogs are super cute but their personalities are not always as cute (at least not the one that I had)

will they bond with their owner?

some will, but they are not going to be like a cat or dog who loves cuddling up with you on the couch

some hedgehogs will be ok with being held and might even enjoy it,

but to get them to even let you hold them without rolling up into a ball will take a lot of time and patients,

even with time some hedgehog may never fully trust you.

to get your hedgehog to like you, you’ll need to spend at least 30 minutes every day with them.

before I got my hedgehog I thought it would be easy to spend that much time with them

but since they are nocturnal (awake during the night and sleep all day) it was tough because they don’t like it if you wake them up during the day

so I had to find time at night and if you have a job you don’t want to be up all night playing with your hedgehog.

hedgehogs will bite because they are curious and when they do it really hurts

you can minimize bites and they will probably eventually stop if you spend enough time with them.

side note: because they are nocturnal if you are going to keep them in your bedroom they might keep you awake at night

because they can be quite noisy when running on their wheel getting a silent spinner will help reduce the noise.

Would I ever get a hedgehog again?

yes, I would, although I don’t have the time, space, or money right now.

What would I do differently if I got another hedgehog?

I would put more effort into their diet because preventing sickness and disease is easier and cheaper than curing it.

I would probably adopt vs getting a young hedgehog.

In conclusion:

If you really want a hedgehog then take some consideration and get one because you can rehome it if it does not work out for you,

some people make it sound as if you have to keep an animal till they die which is not true,

just keep in mind that animals take quite a bit of time and money

and if you think you will be able to take care of them then get one if it does not work out you can find a good home for them,

sometimes it can be challenging to find a good home but it’s definitely not impossible.

if you are looking for a cuddly little animal that you can pet and one that will like being with you throughout the day

and can easily be tamed a hedgehog is probably not for you

a guinea pig, hamster, or rabbit might be a better fit for you, these animals are still small but they are easier to tame and easier to care for.

 you might enjoy reading:

a simple way to grow mealworms for your animals