~Anybody have a Hedgehog?~

mom_2_3

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~Just curious as to if any other kitty owners also have a Hedgehog in their family~
 

renovia

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i think the siggy is that zuri is the angel of the bunch, doesn't make any trouble
 

pushylady

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Aww poor little Zuri! It's a very cute sig.
I've never had a hedgehog as a pet. There's lots of wild ones in NZ and we sometimes fed them as kids.
 

margecat

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I once knew someone who did--they are adorable little critters. I wouldn't dare have anything like that in this house--it would be either an instant cat toy, or an instant cat lunch!


MargeCat
 

keisha

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Nope, but i've always been interested in having one. What are they like?
 

renovia

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i found a breeder in new hampshire - but i don't know....seems a lot more stressful than a cat or a dog.

i may go visit them this summer.
 
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mom_2_3

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~There are several states that do not allow people to OWN/BUY Hedgehogs. Im lucky that my state does. I bought my girl from a breeder instead of going to a petstore. They tend to have very unhappy little Hoglets at the petstores and not very socialized either.~

~Zuri is the sweetest thing. She is STILL ALIVE haha the siggy was a morbid idea that came to me for a UNIQUE siggy and Reeses was very artistic and done it for me.~

~My cats have seen Zuri and even tried to hum ummm TASTE her but they quickly found out that as SWEET as she looks, isnt sweet in taste haha. She is a very prickly little girl and they found out that an easy meal isnt always a good one. They do like to watch her. Im sure little plans are going through their head about how to make their way around the quils or somehow catch her belly side up haha where she is soft and fuzzy and not prickly.~

~They arent hard to care for. She sleeps probably 20 hours of the day give take an hour. She is still a baby and will be alittle more active later on. They do go through Quilling which is much like a human baby getting their teeth. Makes for a very grumpy little Hoglett. They eat high quality catfood. They dont smell like hamsters or ferrets. They are pretty clean animals. You can give them a bath. They rather enjoy one. They can be taught to use a litter box. Makes very little noise. Can be taken places with you and enjoy the attention. My girl is not a scaredy cat...OOPS no pun intended haha. She NEVER rolls up in a ball which Hedgies do when scared or nervous. She does HUFF and PUFF if mad but thats about it.~

~They live for quite a long time compared to other small animals(fish, hamsters etc) and are worth owning. You DO have to mess with them at least 30 minutes a day to keep them friendly and social. Other than that they dont require grooming etc. Awesome little exotic pets to have.~
 

troublesome2

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We had hedgehogs in my mothers garden they lived under the garage but they went pets
they used to eat our cat food and the cats didnt like it!
 

kiwideus

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I had to giggle when I read this thread. I have never heard of keeping hedgehogs as pets - they are wild animals here in NZ and quite often, they don't survive too well in suburbs, due to cars.


They are very cute and we always used to put bowls of food and milk.
 
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mom_2_3

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~Wow I couldnt imagine my Zuri as alittle wild thing that lives outside haha. I dout she would survive here outside. I did not know that they are still wild in some parts. So in the wild are they pest or just wild animals that stay out of the way of home owners etc? I do know they normally eat bugs etc but for domesticated Hogs they are fed a variety of things including cat food.~
 

kiwideus

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Originally Posted by mom_2_3

~Wow I couldnt imagine my Zuri as alittle wild thing that lives outside haha. I dout she would survive here outside. I did not know that they are still wild in some parts. So in the wild are they pest or just wild animals that stay out of the way of home owners etc? I do know they normally eat bugs etc but for domesticated Hogs they are fed a variety of things including cat food.~
They don't bother anyone, as they are nocturnal, I believe. Which is probably why so many die on the roads
They are rather cute, but I couldn't imagine having one as a pet.
 
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mom_2_3

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~Yes they are diurnal animals. They actually live between 3.5 to 8 years. In the wild the normal life is 18 months or so. It is Illegal to keep them in Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Georgia, California, Arizona. I love my little Zuri and cannot imagine my house without her.~
 

silentnate

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I fed hedgehogs in the wild growing up but find it hard to believe that they can be domesticated

From the sound of your post they make nice pets- I would worry about Radars reaction however
 

furryferals

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mom_2_3;1707719 said:
~Yes they are diurnal animalsquote]

Actually No!! they are not Diurnal creatures they are NOCTURNAL !!
If you care to look here you may learn something about hedgehogs

http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/


What is going on on Tcs Is there no one that knows any facts!!

ALSO giving hedgehogs milk and bread gives them diarrhea!! So please don't give that to hedgys!! for gods sake!!
 

kiwideus

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Originally Posted by furryferals

What is going on on Tcs Is there no one that knows any facts!!

ALSO giving hedgehogs milk and bread gives them diarrhea!! So please don't give that to hedgys!! for gods sake!!
Please don't get upset. I didn't know any better. There is no need for your tone.
 

furryferals

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Originally Posted by Kiwideus

Please don't get upset. I didn't know any better. There is no need for your tone.
I am sorry if my post came across as having a go at you or anybody that cares for
hedgehogs.It really wasn't meant thAt Way,I only wanted to stress the importance of not feeding bread and milk to hedgys because I have picked up so many off the roads
that have been suffering from dehydration caused by eating the wrong foods.
They are such a small animal, once they have got so bad that they are dehydrated
there really is no hope for them and IF they have babies somewhere they will never be
found.
Well meaning people think they are helping hedgehogs but they are in fact causing
their deaths..even though they don't mean to,If people want to give hedgehogs a helping hand,give them boiled eggs or cat food or collect slugs and snails to feed....
they will live happily on those...BUT PLEASE don't give bread or milk..
 
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mom_2_3

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~WOW that was alittle nasty of a reply to people who were only trying to HELP. FYI not sure about where YOU are but I have been researching Hedgehogs for some time and depending on what website/book you pick up on them it will tell you different things. Some I have read say they are nocturnal. Others Diurnal....and I QUOTE from the site I get most of my information fromhttp://www.hedgehogcentral.com/introduction.shtml "Besides having a peaceful and humorous nature, hedgehogs readily lend themselves to just about anyone's lifestyle and schedule. Being diurnal (awake parts of both day and night) just like house cats, nearly everyone can find a time of day in which to enjoy them."~

~My Zuri is awake for an hour ro so during the day, and then again for some part of the night. She is awake some both day and night. I believe that makes my girl Diurnal. As far as feeding them, that too is a big debate because of the fact they are not widely kept as pets in all areas. In the wild they would feed on Beetles Ants Termites Grasshoppers Moths Centipedes Earthworms while in captivity they mainly feed on dry cat food, some Hedgehog foods, mealworms, cooked egg and poultry. On several hedgehog boards I am on people give fruits and veggies to their little Hogs. I know breeders who give treats such as peeled grapes, banana chips, raspberrys and blueberrys. Hedgies are like people in that not all of them like the same things. My girl refuses to eat anything but her kitty food and some wax worms from time to time.~

~As far as what Hedgies CANNOT eat...No dairy products, because they can cause massive stomach upset and runny poops. Exceptions are yogurt, cottage cheese, and hard cheeses, because they have been broken down partially by enzymes in the processing. This doesn't mean that they are good in large quantities though.

No peanuts or IMO, any other nuts. These can get stuck in the roof of the mouth, and cause pain, infection, and inability to eat normally
No dried fruits (including raisins) or anything else sticky or gummy. These can get caught in the teeth, and cause pain or tooth decay.
Be VERY careful and most likely avoid avocados, chocolate, and onions. While there isn't any definate proof that they are a problem for hedgehogs, they are dangerous for some other species, and should be treated with extreme care just in case.~

~Just remember this is not a HEDGEHOG board so the people who were feeding the wild Hedgies are not experts and were only trying to help save the Pog Hogs not hurt them. No need to flame on them because they dont know Hedgehog 101. Remember none of us was born with knowledge....we AQUIRE it....~
 
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