HOW DO I KEEP MY HEDGEHOG WARM IF THE POWER GOES OUT?

When winter is upon us, it is time to think about how to keep our hedgies warm, especially in the event
of a power outage. There are a number a things we can do to keep the warmth in and the chill out during cold weather:

Generators: Think about investing in a generator. These are priceless to have around, even if you
only have to use it occasionally. Last winter when we lost power I was able to run the microwave
(which we heated the snuggle discs in), a space heater, the tv, and my electric skillet to cook in.
It sure made that power outage much more tolerable!

IF YOU HAVE A GENERATOR:

Snuggle Safe Discs: These discs are about the size of a Frisbee and you pop them into a microwave
for the specified amount of time, then wrap in a towel or disc holder and slide them under your
hedgies bed. If they are kept well insulated, they will provide heat for 10 - 12 hours. You can purchase these
discs at many pet stores or through Foster And Smith online;
Foster and Smith's Online Catalog



Heating Pads: I would just ask that you use caution with any type of electrical warmers as there
is a possibility (however small it might be) that they could short out or cause a fire.

Space Heaters: Again, use with caution. Make sure they are sitting on top of a non-flammable
surface. I have ours sitting up on bricks to keep it away from carpeting and I do not leave them on when I am
away from the house. Make sure your other animals cannot knock them over.

Bulb Heaters: You can find various types of bulb heaters in the reptile sections of pet stores
that come in various wattage's. My personal favorites are the ceramic heat bulbs. They emit no light and last a
very, very long time. Alternatively you can purchase the reptile “night lights”. They emit a small amount
of blue or red lite, but it is very minimal.
You will need one of those metal domed bulb holders with a clamp so you can connect it to your hedgies cage.
Make sure they will handle the wattage of the bulb.
I would not recommend these if your using any type of open cage such as a sterilite or aquarium as they can get
very hot and could severely burn or electrocute your pet should they accidentally fall over or get
knocked into the cage.

HOW DO I KEEP MY HEDGEHOG WARM IF THE POWER GOES OUT?

Wrap Up Those Cages! To help keep heat in, wrap your hedgies cage with a blanket, sleeping bag
or other heavy material.

Extra Blankets: Offer your hedgies some extra blankets to curl up in inside their cages.

Disposable Heating Devices: Hardware stores and places like GI Joes carry various types of
inexpensive disposable heating devices. Again, use common sense using these, and protect your hedgies from
being able to get to them or from getting burned by them.

Hot Water Bottle: If all else fails, dig out your hot water bottle, wrap it in a blanket and offer
it to your pet! Even if you lose power, the water in your hot water tank stays hot for quite some
time so it can be refilled at least once or twice. If you don’t have one of those, fill up a empty pop
bottle or something similar to that with hot water for your hedgie to snuggle up to.

Good Old Body Heat! Last, but not least, if all else fails, wrap your hedgie in a nice warm
blanket and place him/her under your shirt. Your body warmth will keep your hedgie nice and toasty warm :)

MALE OR FEMALE?

I haven't really found any differences in personalities between males and females, having had wonderful
hedgehogs of both sexes. It is, however, nice to know exactly what you do have as a pet (it isn't always easy to
get a look!). The following pictures are meant to help aid you in determining the differences
between the sexes:


The male is on the left, the female is on the right. A male hedgehog's penis is located where you might
expect a belly button to be, whereas the females vagina is located directly above the anus.

*Photo compliments of: Deborah Kirksey.

COLOR VARIATIONS:

There are so many different color variations in hedgehogs now. Most breeders will up the prices for
some of the fancier colors.

LONGEVITY:

Some books on hedgehogs I have read, state that their lifespan is typically 7 to 10 years in captivity.
I have had hedgehogs for years, and know many people with hedgehogs as pets as well as breeders with years and
years of experience. The general consensus is that the "typical" or "average" lifespan seems to be more around
3 to 5 years. There are always exceptions however. My Spicket is over 7 years old, and I know of numerous
others whose hedgies have lived to that age and beyond, but those seem to be the exception, rather
then the rule. Of course there are many factors that can influence this: genetics, diet, and general
husbandry to name but 3 of them. Just yet another reason to do the best we can with our little
prickly friends!

ANNOINTING:

Hedgehog's have this funny little habit of anointing themselves when they come upon a scent or taste that we
assume they particularly like. If you ever see your hedgie turning around and licking itself, leaving a
large foamy patch on their spines from their tongues, do not panic! This is a strange, but very normal
behavior.


One of my very young hedgehogs beginning to anoint himself. This was brought
on by the hand lotion I was wearing at the time.


Another example of anointing behavior. (photo compliments of Deborah Kirksey)

QUILLING:

"Quilling" is equivalent to human babies teething, except your hedgehog will not be losing teeth...he will lose
quills. The first time occurs at about the age of 3 months, and then again a few months later. During
this time your hedgehog will shed his baby quills and grow in the adult ones. You will know this is
happening two ways:

1. You will find numerous quills laying around your hedgehog's cage and all
over your house.
BEWARE: It is a well known theory among
seasoned hedgehog owners that these little guys take great pleasure is sharpening those shedding quills so that
their extra sharp when we step on them with our bare feet!

2. Your hedgehog will begin to act cranky and very sensitive to your touch.

Do not despair, this is a natural process they all go through and it won't last forever.
***Do not confuse this short period of quill loss and replacement with other
true disorders that can cause the loss of quills such as: mites, an insufficient diet, hormonal issues
etc... These problems need to be addressed by your Vet.
***On a serious note though, quilling can be uncomfortable for your little
one, and often a nice warm bath with an oatmeal based soap can help soothe their irritated skin. You can find
these soaps at any Health Food Store.


A really good closeup of healthy quills.

HIBERNATION:

In the wild, hedgehogs will typically fatten up in the warmer months to get ready to survive their winter
hibernation. In captivity it is a whole other ball game. While your hedgehog might get cool enough to think it
needs to go into a partial-hibernation mode, it won't be a true hibernation, and the animal will simply
dwindle away and die. So what does it mean if one day you find your hedgehog feeling cold, lethargic,
and curled into a ball, and when you try to wake him up you get little or no response? This
"could" mean your hedgehog has gotten too cold and is attempting to hibernate. You then need to gradually warm
your hedgie back up asap! One way would be to slip him under your shirt, allowing your body heat to do
its work. Another way would be too wrap him up in a heated blanket or towel. Once your hedgie has warmed
up and is once again awake AND alert, make sure to keep him warm. If for some reason your hedgehog
does not come around, get him to a Vet as soon as possible, keeping him warm in the interim as this
could be a sign of illness. **Placing a cold hedgehog on or under a heating device and thinking
it will do the trick all on its own, does not always work, for your hedgehog might go off into a cold
corner and continue to try and hibernate. It is important that you monitor the situation.
**Unless you get an abundance of natural bright light during the day in
the room your hedgehog is kept, keep a light on in there throughout daylight hours. This will help
simulate natural conditions, and ward off the tendency to hibernate as well.

SHOULD I HOLD MY HEDGIE
WHEN I AM SICK?

I don't think anyone really knows if our hedgies can catch the common cold or flu from us, but, I still believe
care should be taken when you are ill, around hedgies and all other animals. If you are extremely
ill, you probably won't feel like having your hedgie out anyway, but if you have a cold or
something of that nature, just use common sense. Wash your hands thoroughly prior to handling them, keep them
away from your face, and do not sneeze or cough in their direction. Like I said, use common
sense....and err on the side of caution. I have heard some unsubstantiated "rumors" that hedgies can acquire
herpes, so if you are unfortunate to carry any form of that, be extremely careful not to pass that virus on with
your hands or by kissing your little one.

IN CASE YOUR HEDGEHOG CHOKES:

This advice was passed on to me via Jan Ernst, who read it off one of the hedgehog
e-mail lists she belongs
to. Hopefully, you will never have to deal with
this situation, but I have known folks who have
lost their hedgehogs due to them
choking on their food so I felt this was important enough
to pass on.

Hold hedgie with his head on the palm of your hand, and the rest of his
body trailing up the underside of your forearm. Hold him at the 4:00
o'clock position. Shake him towards the floor a time or two. Now place
your other hand on top of him and firmly squeeze (compress) him with
your hand pressing down and your arm pressing up (like working a
bellows) twice. Listen. If needed, shake and compress again."


NEXT

BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS