Keeping a hedgehog as a pet is becoming increasingly popular. In the Netherlands, only one species may be kept as a pet: the African white-bellied cone. As the name suggests, these hedgehogs live in Africa, they are mainly Savannah inhabitants. They are nocturnal animals, so they go out at night to look for food. They do this on their own, because they are solitary animals and therefore only look for a mate to reproduce. The mother takes care of the children alone. When they search for food at night, they run a lot and eventually find a new place to sleep during the day. How do you take care of these active animals and what do you need for that?
Housing for the hedgehog
African white-bellied cones are solitary animals and therefore naturally live alone. If you still want to keep two hedgehogs in one cage, it is best to have two females. With two males there is a good chance that they will fight and with a male and a female there is of course a good chance that they will have young. Furthermore, the temperature, the loft and the layout are important.
Temperature
The most important thing about housing is the temperature; it must not fall below 15 degrees Celsius and not above 30 degrees Celsius. Below 15 degrees Celsius the hedgehog can go into hibernation, which is not recommended in captivity. Above 30 degrees Celsius the hedgehog can overheat. In both cases the hedgehog can die, so a good temperature is very important. The best temperature is around 25 degrees Celsius during the day and around 20 degrees Celsius at night. It is advisable to have a thermometer in the loft to be able to check this properly.
The cage
The hedgehog should be kept in a cage with smooth walls, so that the hedgehog cannot climb and hurt itself. There must be sufficient ventilation in the loft, but of course you should not lose too much heat. A timetable is therefore the best option. It is important that the hedgehog should never be in a draft, they cannot stand that. A hedgehog’s hutch must be quite large, because they are such active creatures. You can assume a minimum of 100 cm by 50 cm. The loft must be heated with a heat lamp and it must therefore also be possible in the loft. In addition to temperature, light is also very important. The hedgehog should cycle approximately 12 to 14 hours light and 10 to 12 hours dark. This can also be arranged with lamps and possibly by darkening and lightening the space where the hedgehog’s cage is located.
Terrarium
The best option, which meets all requirements, is a terrarium. A terrarium has even more advantages. The entire terrarium is made of glass, so you can see the hedgehog well. There are also sliding doors at the front of the terrarium, which makes cleaning very easy. If you do go for a different loft, make sure that all requirements are met.
Design
It is good to change the layout of the loft every now and then. This way, the hedgehog can keep on exploring and become bored less quickly. When setting up, a good ground cover and the right objects must be chosen.
Ground cover
First of all: the ground cover. It should not be dusty, have a strong smell or clump together and should absorb well. Fine beech chips are best, but these are often on the expensive side. You can also use sawdust, hay, straw, or cat litter. A number of things must be taken into account here. Sawdust is often dusty and therefore less suitable. If sawdust is used, it is better to use hardwood sawdust than softwood sawdust. With hay and straw it can happen that the hedgehog gets stuck, so make sure that this cannot happen by pulling the hay or straw well apart and going for the thinner variety, so that the hedgehog can pull away if necessary. is. Cat gravel sometimes has a tendency to clump together, try to get clumped parts out of the cage as soon as possible.
Objects
In addition to a good floor covering, there are a number of objects that should not be missing from the interior. The hedgehog always needs a hiding place, preferably several. A hiding place should be large enough for the hedgehog to move, but not too large, because then the hedgehog will not feel safe. The hedgehog also needs a wheel that he can run in, because in nature they also travel a lot of distance. The wheel must be big enough, otherwise the hedgehog could hurt his back. The wheel must therefore have a diameter of at least 30 cm. To ensure that the hedgehog does not hurt its back, you can also opt for a saucer-shaped wheel, which takes up more space. The hedgehog of course also needs a drinking and eating bowl. These should be low so that the hedgehog can easily reach them. They also need to be sturdy, so that the hedgehog does not knock them over easily. You can also use a drinking bottle instead of a drinking bowl, but not all hedgehogs understand how to drink from it. It is also optional to put toys in the loft, such as a ping pong ball or a cut toilet roll.
Nutrition
There is no food that is specially formulated for the African white-bellied cone. The hedgehog food in the shops is actually for the European hedgehog and it contains a lot of grains and fats, sometimes even sugar. You can use this food, but it is better to give it in combination with cat food. In addition to the standard food, you can also give mealworms, crickets, grasshoppers and fruit. If you give insects, they must be specially bred insects from the store. Self-caught insects may contain insecticides or parasites. As an extra, a piece of hard-boiled egg, unseasoned, cooked meat, dead nest mice or moist dog / cat food can also be given. Do not give any dairy products, as hedgehogs are lactose intolerant and will get diarrhea. Peanuts can also be dangerous: they can contain fungi that release toxins that can affect the liver.
Care of the hedgehog
A hedgehog needs a lot of care. It is of course important for the well-being of the hedgehog that he is well cared for. If this is not done, the hedgehog can get sick. Therefore, pay attention to cleaning the hutch, washing the hedgehog and things that (perhaps) require you to see the vet.
To clean
Hedgehogs naturally need fresh food and water every day. In addition, feces and wet spots must be removed from the loft every day, otherwise the loft will quickly start to smell. While running in the wheel, the hedgehog often lets everything run, so that the wheel quickly becomes dirty and also has to be cleaned (almost) every day. The loft must be completely cleaned at least once every two weeks.
Wash
In addition to the cage, the hedgehog must also be cleaned itself. The hedgehog runs through its own faeces and dirt easily gets stuck between the spines. The hedgehog can be given a bath by filling a basin with a small layer of lukewarm water. The hedgehog must be able to stand in it easily, without getting his head under water. It is advisable to put a towel or washcloth on the bottom. The hedgehog cannot slip and immediately wipes his own feet. However, care must be taken that no threads of the towel or washcloth are loose, because she can get stuck to them with his paw. Shampoo for kittens can be used to wash the hedgehog. Avoid getting shampoo in the eyes and clean the spines completely with a brush or toothbrush. After the bath, the hedgehog must be completely dry before returning to the pen, otherwise he could get sick.
Veterinarian
Hedgehogs must be wormed. They are fed live worms and can therefore ingest eggs. A vet can deworm the hedgehog. If you do it yourself, it is best to use a product for kittens. It is best to have the nails of the hedgehog cut by a vet, as hedgehogs do not like this, which makes it very difficult. If it does work yourself, you can of course do it yourself. It is wise to weigh the hedgehog regularly, for example weekly. This way you will quickly notice when the hedgehog falls or gains weight. If a hedgehog loses weight, it could mean he is sick and you should go to the vet. If a hedgehog gains weight, he can become overweight. Overweight hedgehogs can die prematurely. If your hedgehog is (or becomes) overweight, give it a lighter diet and give it more exercise.
Attention
If you want your hedgehog to be tame, you will have to give it a lot of attention. Pick it up every day so that it can get used to you and your scent. Let him play and give him a treat, such as worms. This way he will associate your scent with nice things. It is also wise to pick it up at the same time every day, so that a rhythm is created. You can put a worn t-shirt in his cage, so he gets used to your scent when he is in his cage. Of course, a tame hedgehog can also startle and expand its spines or form a ball, this will sting. This makes a hedgehog less suitable as a pet for children.