How to care for a hedgehog

The hedgehog is a very small mammal with a barbed body and living in Africa, Asia and Europe. This type of animal is nocturnal and feeds mostly on insects. If you have a hedgehog as a pet it is important that you know that they are easy to maintain and care for but if you want to treat your small and exotic pet as it deserves, you must inform yourself properly. Therefore, in this article of .com we tell you how to care for a hedgehog .

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The hedgehog is an exotic animal that, although it is solitary, can coexist perfectly with other types of pets but will need space for itself because adapting to closed spaces will not be easy. It is advisable that you socialize your pet since it is a baby to adapt to the environment and the presence of other animals. It is an animal with a great character but very shy.

An important aspect to care for your hedgehog is that they require a temperature between 25 and 27 degrees, so in winter you must have individual heating because if they could not start to winter and it is not recommended. They also need low light environments.

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Your exotic pet will need a cage with nooks to hide. The cage should have at least 1.5 meters, with absorbent material for greater hygiene; You will also have to put some shelter of at least 15 x 25 cm to fit and snuggle well. That corner can be made of wood or plastic and you can do it to suit you so that you sleep to your liking.

Above all: do not put in the cage any type of fabric that can get tangled with the barbs. Instead of fabric, you could put paper that will break and use, and in the background, put some dirt or dry chip to dig at pleasure.

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Hedgehogs are very neat animals, often they do their needs far from the resting place. In the cage they will do it in a corner of it, so it is advisable to put a tray of sand for cats as if it were a latrine and you will see how it will get used to your needs in that space and it will be easier to clean your cabin. Regarding hygiene, bathing is not usually necessary but it is essential to clean and disinfect all its environment.

In the cage you should also put a bottle sprue, so they will not dirty or wet anything. When it is night you must let it travel a wide space of safe house, so that it is exercised and, inside your house, it places a wheel of about 30 centimeters so that it rolls when it wants.

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Regarding food you can feed him cat food, which makes the base of his meal easy. The first months you can feed high-end puppies until you have about 4 or 5 months and start eating normal feed or, if not, look for food for exotic pets in a specialized site, remember that it must be low in fat.

You should feed him especially in the afternoon and control the doses well because they tend to get fat so you must also provide fruits, vegetables and insects. Once you are adults, if you notice that you are bored with food, you can mix different types of food of the same brand with different flavors to stimulate your appetite.

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Try to catch your hedgehog since he is small, always for a while and then release it to investigate the environment; Remember that the more you take it, the more you will get used to human contact. Hedgehogs are animals that are guided by the smell, so never take it with gloves because they do not puncture too much and the touch is similar to that of a bush so do not worry about holding it with your hands.

Regarding vaccination plans, there is no specific one for them, it is advisable to deworm them preventively every 6 months. But, for more detailed information, consult your trusted veterinarian to tell you what preventive treatments the animal should follow.