When it comes to exotic pets, few are as fascinating as the gentle hedgehog. These creatures come with adorable little faces, not to mention a back riddled with spines a.k.a. quills – a feature that sets them apart from a vast majority of creatures in the animal kingdom. Small wonder they’re so highly sought-after among fur parents!
Just because an animal is cute and unique doesn’t mean it should be kept as a pet, however. So the question is: do hedgehogs make good pets?
The quick answer is yes, hedgehogs make good but slightly challenging pets. Keep reading to find out why!
7 Reasons Why Hedgehogs Make Good Pets
Why exactly is it a good idea to own a pet hedgehog? Let’s find out!
1. They’re low maintenance
Hedgehogs are far easier to care for than pets such as dogs and cats.
Being smaller animals, they don’t eat a lot, allowing you to save on feeding costs. You don’t need to walk them, play games with them, or groom them every day. And as solitary creatures, they don’t require multiple daily bonding sessions with you or the company of additional pets. They don’t need to be taken to pet-friendly locations to meet other hedgehogs or people, either.
All you need to do is to regularly provide your pet with food and water so that it obtains the nutrients it requires to stay happy and in good health. An exercise wheel can also help keep it in great shape!
2. They’re calm
Hedgies are generally calm, quiet critters that don’t make a lot of noise or behave in ways that can disturb your peace at home.
A pet hedgehog is also unlikely to behave aggressively toward you or your other pets. Though these creatures do have places they consider home, they aren’t territorial and thus won’t start fights over territory or possessions. As they’re not pack animals, they also don’t bully other critters in an attempt to establish a dominance hierarchy.
3. They’re adventurous
When a hedgehog is awake, it’ll show a keen interest in its surroundings. Expect it to run around your home, climb furniture, play hide and seek with you, and explore every nook and cranny of your house. If you have a pool, it may even go for a dip!
In short, the hedgehog’s adventurous nature makes it a lot of fun to observe and play with.
4. They don’t stink
If you don’t bathe dogs regularly, they’ll start to smell funky. Kitty litter can produce an unbearable odor if not cleaned on time. Let’s not forget how smelly these animals’ droppings and pee are. This is why you need to groom such pets and clean up after them regularly, if not every day.
Thankfully, lacking scent glands, hedgehogs don’t stink. If your pet smells awful, it could be due to an illness, so take it to the vet as soon as you can. Failing to clean its dirty habitat could also make it stink, so don’t neglect your cleaning duties!
5. They’re hypoallergenic
When we say a person is allergic to a dog or cat, they’re actually allergic to the protein in the pet’s dead skin cells a.k.a. dander, which collects in their fur or hair. When these proteins enter your eyes, nose, airways, or mouth, they can trigger allergic symptoms.
Thankfully, hedgehogs are less likely to cause allergic reactions than dogs and cats, making them safer pets to have for people who are prone to allergies. Hedgies also don’t have a habit of seeking physical affection from humans, further reducing the possibility of making you ill.
6. They bond with their keepers
Hedgehogs are shy, nervous creatures that tend to curl up into a ball whenever they feel threatened. As your pet gets to know you and learns to trust you, however, it’ll become more comfortable with you. Over time, it’ll respond positively to your voice, scent, and appearance.
Make sure you socialize your hedgie gradually to give it ample time to warm up to you. Always be gentle and loving whenever interacting with it so that it stops seeing you as a threat but as a friend. Once your pet is certain you’re nothing but the bringer of good times, it’ll welcome your presence and start looking forward to interacting with you.
7. They don’t need frequent vet appointments
While it’s important to bring your hedgehog to the vet for regular medical checkups, these animals don’t require such checkups as often as dogs and cats do. This is because hedgehogs are healthy creatures that are usually fine with seeing a vet just once a year.
However, you should remember that it’s important to bring your spiny pet to an animal clinic or hospital anytime it shows signs of illness or behaves unusually.
9 Challenges of Keeping a Pet Hedgehog
While a hedgehog can make a great pet, there are a few things you should keep in mind before getting one to ensure its happiness as well as yours.
1. They’re not exactly cuddly
Think twice about hugging a hedgehog. These animals may look adorable, but they’re covered in prickly spines. Sure, these spines don’t come with barbs or poisonous tips, but they’re hard and sharp enough to cause discomfort. They become even pointier when a hedgehog rolls into a ball – a behavior the animal engages in whenever it’s sleeping or feeling apprehensive.
In addition, many hedgehogs don’t enjoy snuggling with humans, which brings us to…
2. They’re solitary
Hedgehogs prefer being alone, interacting with others of their kind only when it’s mating season. Therefore, if you get yourself an adult hedgehog, there’s a good chance it won’t enjoy your company too much.
If you want a friendly hedgehog, raise one while it’s still a hoglet, and make sure to give it proper care and lots of affection.
All’s not lost if you obtain a mature pet, however; just make sure to take it slow when befriending it. Spend a couple of minutes every day to interact with your pet, and increase this bonding time bit by bit to allow your hedgehog an opportunity to grow accustomed to your touch. Over time, it will become more affectionate with you. Nevertheless, always leave your pet alone the moment it shows signs of exhaustion or aggravation.
Remember, just because hedgehogs are solitary doesn’t mean you should neglect them. You should still spend time with them – just not as much time as you’d spend with a dog or cat.
3. They may bite
Hedgehogs aren’t the bitiest animals, but they may bite if they feel threatened by you – and these critters are fairly easy to scare. For this reason, make sure you never make any movements that can startle your pet, and always be gentle when handling it.
Hoglets may also bite your fingers if they mistake them for food.
4. They’re nocturnal
Hedgehogs are most active during the night. If you handle your pet often when the sun is still out, you could end up disturbing its natural sleep cycle and make it cranky.
Because you can’t spend too much time with your pet in the daytime, you may have some trouble bonding with it. You therefore have two choices: either you become a night owl who’s awake throughout the night, or you spend as much time as you can with your pet just before you go to sleep.
5. They’re active
Hedgehogs are active critters that enjoy running, digging, climbing, and swimming. For this reason, make sure your pet’s enclosure is large enough so that it can engage in activities that will allow it to release pent-up energy and enjoy the physical and mental stimulation it requires to stay happy and healthy.
Also, because hedgies are nocturnal, your pet will likely be engaging in all these activities at night. If its enclosure is close to where you sleep, the noises its makes during said activities could become a bit of a bother. Therefore, consider keeping this enclosure far from your bedroom.
6. They may be disease carriers
Like many animals, hedgehogs may carry serious diseases that they can they transmit to humans and other pets.
A hedgehog may be infected with Mycobacteria or salmonella bacteria. In fact, in 2019, a pet hedgehog carrying salmonella caused an outbreak of salmonella.
This is another reason to avoid cuddling with your pet hedgehog. Kissing or snuggling with one can transfer the salmonella bacteria to your mouth and face, resulting in infection.
You should also thoroughly wash your hands after handling or feeding your pet or cleaning its enclosure. Its habitat and toys should be cleaned outside, not in your bathroom or kitchen. Avoid letting your pet freely roam in areas where you prepare or store food.
7. They don’t always get along with other pets
Hedgehogs won’t attack your other pets and can coexist peacefully with animals such as cats and dogs. Being solitary creatures, however, hedgies generally prefer having as few interactions as possible with other creatures.
If you have an overly playful dog or curious cat who won’t leave your hedgehog alone, your spiny friend could end up distressed. Therefore, you should always monitor any encounters between your hedgehog and your other pets, and make sure to limit such encounters. The moment your hedgie shows signs it’s upset, take it back to its habitat.
8. They make noises
Just because hedgehogs are silent creatures doesn’t mean they don’t make any noises. Hedgies are known for various vocalizations, including squeals, grunts, and snorts. These are all normal hedgehog sounds, so don’t be alarmed when your pet gets a little talky.
A hedgehog is likely to produce the aforementioned vocalizations when it’s exploring its environment. When it’s happy, it may purr or whistle. When upset or nervous, it may hiss, click, or puff. It’ll only scream when it’s in pain.
9. They’re prone to obesity
Hedgehogs enjoy eating, so if you don’t give your pet plenty of opportunities to exercise, it can put on unnecessary weight and grow obese.
Obesity can cause many problems in hedgehogs. For example, it can lead to brittle bones, calcium deficiency, or chronic conditions that can negatively impact their quality of life and shorten their lifespan. An overweight hedgehog will also have trouble rolling up.
Make sure to give your pet a proper diet. Providing it with an exercise wheel and opportunities to explore the world outside its enclosure can also be of great benefit.
The Legality of Owning Pet Hedgehogs
Is it legal to own a pet hedgehog? It depends on where you live.
In the U.S., hedgehog ownership is legal in all states except California, Georgia, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. Five boroughs in New York City also prohibit the keeping of hedgehog pets. However, these regions could allow you to own a hedgehog if you have a special wildlife permit – the acquisition of which will cost you time, money, and effort.
Of the 17 hedgehog species, the Atelerix albiventris a.k.a. African pygmy hedgehog is the pet trade’s most commonly available species to be sold as a pet. You can purchase these creatures from reputable breeders.
Fun and Quick Hedgehog Facts
It’s time to expand our knowledge of hedgehogs!
- Hedgehogs have around 5,000 quills. In contrast, porcupines (another mammalian species with plenty of quills) have around 30,000.
- Hedgehog spines are about an inch long.
- When a hedgehog feels threatened, it rolls into a tight ball, hiding its softer body parts and causing its spines to go erect. This protects said body parts from harm and deters predators from attacking.
- As insectivores, hedgehogs feed primarily on insects. However, they may also consume other invertebrates, small snakes, frogs, or mice.
- Depending on its species, a hedgehog can range in size from 4 to 12 inches.
- The hedgehog tail is typically 2 inches long or shorter.
- Hedgehogs breed only once a year. The gestation period is short; from conception to birth, it lasts only 35 days. A hedgehog litter typically has between 4 and 6 babies, though it’s also possible to have as many as 10 babies. The male takes no part in the rearing of offspring.
Conclusion
Yes, hedgehogs make good pets. They’re calm, adventurous, odorless, and easy to care for. They don’t need to be brought to the vet often and are unlikely to trigger allergic reactions in humans. And as long as you’re patient and treat your pet right, you can be sure it can become the warm and affectionate animal companion you want it to be.
Of course, there are several factors to consider before acquiring a hedgehog. Are you okay with keeping a largely nocturnal pet? Do you want one that you can hug or kiss? How about one that quickly bonds with you? Make sure you know about the challenges you’ll face before getting a hedgie, as this can determine whether or not you can be happy with it and it can be happy with you.