Hedgehogs are small animals with spines all over their
body. They belong to the Erinaceinae’s subfamily. Hedgehogs have
habitations in New Zealand, Asia, Europe and Africa. There are
sixteen known species of hedgehog, out of which Algerian or
African pygmy hedgehog, Indian long eared hedgehog, four toed or
white bellied hedgehog and Egyptian long eared hedgehog are kept
as domestic pets .They are also known as furze pig, hedge pig,
and urchin.
Since they have been domesticated from the past few years,
somewhere in the 1980s, they still have their wild instincts
such as predator fear. This fear also makes them to fear humans.
Therefore, it is highly recommended to buy a hedgehog which has
been bred in captivity and has been bred by an experienced
breeder. Because of the domestication, hedgehogs have been
developing new colors which have resulted in pinto and albino
hedgehogs.
They are nocturnal animals. In the wild they do not hibernate in
the winter, but in captivity, they hibernate if the body
temperature lowers drastically. This is an extremely dangerous
situation. Their bodies are extremely sensitive to temperature
changes. The temperature of the surroundings should be more than
seventy-two degree Fahrenheit.
By Nature, hedgehogs are insectivorous and feed on insects
majorly. They are also opportunistic feeders and can become
obese easily. Their body is designed to extract chitin which is
within the insect’s exoskeleton. Chitin can also be substituted
by fiber. In captivity, they can be fed with cat food which is
low in fat and high in proteins. The fat content should be less
than twelve percent, protein content must be more than thirty
percent and fiber should be more than ten percent. The owners
are advised to read the nutritional facts to give food rich in
proteins and not carbohydrates. Cat food made out of meat and
its byproducts are also recommended. Chicken food also can be
given.
Their diet can also be supplemented by vegetables, fruits,
unseasoned cooked meat, mealworms, crickets, and wax worms.
Commercially food is also prepared specifically for hedgehogs
which have insect components in them. Chitin sprinklers are also
available which can be sprinkled on food. Baby food can be given
as treats. Sugar shouldn’t be added in any of the meals. They
can also be given insects directly, but care should be taken
that these insects shouldn’t be sprayed with insecticides.
Hedgehogs can put on weight easily and this is the case fat
should be cut down and exercise activity should be increased.
Exercise is also important to keep them away from liver
problems.
They can be kept in cages. Hedgehogs travel very long distances
everyday, so they should be provided with ample room for this
purpose. A room or an isolated corner is a must; otherwise the
pet will develop eating and sleeping disorders. The cage should
be approximately five feet in both length and breadth.
Multilevel cages give them extra space to walk. But care should
be taken because hedgehogs have poor eyesight. They can climb
easily, but they can fall while descending. Wheel, specifically
bucket type wheels, should also be included so as to encourage
them to exercise. Tubes such as toilet paper cylinders can also
be kept inside the cage for them to play. Their bed should be
made out of vellux blanket material. They can also be mingled
with other pets such as dogs and cats.
In most of the countries, it is illegal to have a hedgehog as a
pet unless a license has been taken to own them. The permit can
be difficult to obtain, sometimes. Hedgehog lovers can
communicate with the animal control agencies to keep them as
pets. There are no laws in Europe against domesticating or
breeding hedgehog. In some countries, it is strictly against the
law to keep hedgehogs as pets. And in some countries, a specific
species of hedgehog are allowed to be kept as pets. People are
not prone to develop allergies directly from hedgehog, but they
can develop allergies from their bedding and food.