Pet Hedgehog: Their Pros and Cons

The most important thing is the reasons that lead us to want to have a pet hedgehog, we cannot do it for a momentary impulse. Since it will be the little one who will end up suffering the consequences. Before acquiring any pet, find out well about the care it requires. Think about if you can afford it and if you will have time for them. After all, their life will depend on how you take care of them. For all this, it is advisable to know the pros and cons of a hedgehog. To see if it really is your ideal pet.

Pros for a Pet Hedgehog:

• Pet hedgehogs are silent animals, very curious, and active.
• The hedgehog is an animal that does not give off any strong odor. As long as you keep it rolling and clean latrine you will not have any odor problem
• The hedgehog does not have flaking so it does not cause allergies
• As long as it has its basic needs covered (food, drink, temperature, physical condition, and cleanliness) it will be an easy pet to handle and can reach 8 years of life.
• The hedgehog has a great sense of hygiene. It is easy to teach them to relieve themselves in a fixed place. Make sure to clean it because if it is considered too dirty, it will look for another place.
• Hedgehogs are lonely animals. It will not miss other hedgehogs, and in case you have 2, you will have to have several enclosures.
• The pet hedgehog is a nocturnal animal. For people busy during the day, it is a good pet since you can enjoy it at night.
• It is not an animal that has problems with other larger animals. It will ignore them, but you will have to be careful with smaller animals as it could eat them.

Cons for a Pet Hedgehog:

• The pet hedgehog needs a constant temperature that does not drop below 25º and does not rise above 30º. So you will have to have a heating system. It is very important otherwise your hedgehog could get sick and even die.
• Hedgehogs are not very common animals, they require a veterinarian specialized in exotic animals. These types of veterinarians are usually more expensive. And it is your responsibility to offer your hedgehog all the care it needs.
• Hedgehogs are quite small in size. However, they need a space of a minimum size of between 60 and 80 cm long and 30 and 40 cm wide.
• Although the hedgehog is not very normal, it can bite. They are defensive animals. If it bites you it can be mainly due to the smell of your hands. If it smells like food or insects it can take a bite. That is why it is important to wash your hands well before holding it. If your pet hedgehog bites you, don’t get scared, it’s not painful. If you get scared, they will notice and use it every time they want you to leave them alone. Blow in their face until they let go.
• Hedgehogs are characterized by the enormous amount of spikes that they will not hesitate to use if they are scared or do not want you to pick them up. It is important that you spend a lot of time with them. And also that you start picking them up from the 2nd day that they are with you. Let them rest the first day to get to know their new home. As soon as they get used to you, they will get rid of the balling action as soon as they are in your hands.
• Pet hedgehogs are animals that have a very personal character. They are animals that will not come when you call them and that will not look for you to scratch their tummy. Probably the greatest achievement you can aspire to is for them not to be a ball when you pick it up. And that will depend on how shy your pet hedgehog is.

Conclusion:

After reading the pros and cons, you can decide if the hedgehog is your ideal pet. If you cannot provide it with the attention and care it needs, the best thing for the little one will be that you wait to have it and enjoy it better terms. If, on the other hand, you can afford it, I recommend that you read our other pet hedgehog articles to help you with your hedgehog owner journey.