Frequently Asked Questions
Hedgehog Basics
Purchasing A Hedgehog
It's actually quite simple! No application process or questionnaires. Simply pick your baby, add them to cart and checkout. During checkout you can choose to either pickup in store or have your baby delivered.
When you pickup in store or have your baby delivered, we will spend time with you to go over proper care and answer and questions you have.
It is our belief that the primary caregiver (and parent/legal guardian if for a child) plan to care for their child’s hedgehog should the child lose interest or be unable to care for him/her.
It is unrealistic to assume that your child will be responsible for all care and veterinary bills should you hedgehog need any medical help throughout its lifetime.
We don’t advocate giving a live animal as a surprise gift and recommend that you discuss purchasing a hedgehog with your child before placing a deposit.
Hedgehogs are legal in most states. Below are the states where ownership restrictions are in place.
California
Hedgehogs are illegal in the entire state of California. California has a law that deems all animals not specifically listed as legal under State law as being illegal by default. Until such time as California’s Department of Fish and Game is willing to consider hedgehogs for legal status, they will continue to be considered contraband pets and may be confiscated and either moved out of state or destroyed.
Georgia
For some time the State of Georgia was unclear on their attitude toward hedgehogs. Unfortunately, recent clarification has deemed them illegal. It seems they are concerned that escaped pet animals may set up a resident wild population. Oddly enough, licensed breeders are allowed, but any hedgehogs sold as pets must be shipped out of state.
Hawaii
Due to the risk of hedgehogs being capable of surviving in the wilds of these Pacific islands, hedgehogs are illegal throughout the state and are confiscated whenever they are found.
Pennsylvania
A very unfortunate political battle has developed within the State of Pennsylvania making hedgehogs illegal to the point where threats have been made against even the transport of hedgehogs through the state on the way to another state. All of this is the result of an initial (and unusual) law established in the 1990’s.
Under that law, hedgehogs within the state were legal, but it was illegal to import fresh bloodlines into the state. A few breeders violated that law resulting in the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) declaring all out war on all hedgehogs within the state. Breeder’s homes have been raided and their hedgehogs confiscated with all of the zeal of a major drug bust.
Suffice it to say, owning a hedgehog in Pennsylvania under the draconian rule of PGC is extremely dangerous for both owner and hedgehog.
The Five Burroughs of New York City
Hedgehog ownership is illegal in the five boroughs on New York City. Those caught with animals could face legal action and repossession of their animals.
Pickup & Delivery
Pickup can be made at our home in Greenville, South Carolina.
Since we do not allow visitation without a deposit in place, the address is given in the order confirmation email.
Pickup is by appointment only!
We're available for pickups (Tuesday through Friday from 9AM - 7PM) and (Saturday and Sunday from 10AM - 4PM.)
Yes! We offer $99 in-home delivery to South Carolina & North Carolina residents.
We also do a once a month delivery route that covers the following states:
- Connecticut
- Deleware
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Please contact us if you're interested in having your hedgehog delivered.
You're given up-to 14 days from the date of deposit or ready date whichever's latest to pickup or have your hedgehog delivered.
Health
Hedgehogs are relatively healthy animals and require minimal vet care. As a rule of thumb, we recommend yearly vet checkups. Hedgehogs do not receive vaccinations. Males do not spray and females do not go into heat meaning no neutering necessary.
While not super common, if your hedgehog were to come down with an upper respiratory infection or fungal infection they would require antibiotics to clean the infection. If using a wood-based bedding there is a risk of mites.
If your hedgehog were to come down with mites, you would have to bring him/her to the vet for treatment. If you ever suspect your hedgehog to be sick, please contact us and we'll do our best to point you in the right direction.
Yes! Our hedgehogs are covered by an unmatched 18 month genetic health guarantee and lifetime Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome guarantee.
Exchanges & Returns Policy
Yes! Hedgehogs are eligible for a 50% refund with the first 7 days of ownership. Deposits paid on animals are excluded from the refund amount issued.
Unused supplies are eligible for refund. Supplies purchased as part of a kit must be returned as an entire kit in unused condition with all packaging. Delivery fees are non-refundable under any circumstances.Yes! Hedgehogs are eligible for exchange within the first 14 days of ownership.
Breeding Policy
Our hedgehogs are sold with companion registration and are meant to be pets only.
Breeding of our hedgehogs is a direct violation of the pet agreement and will result in the cancellation of any remaining health guarantees.
Breeding rights and pedigrees are available for USDA licensed breeders that have maintained an active class A or B license for a minimum two years or more.
We will only work with breeders that have not had any serious infractions issued by the USDA including but not limited to (animal abuse, animal care, record keeping & more).
Care Tips
Housing
Wire Cages
Hedgehogs do best in a 4 square foot or larger (guinea pig style) wire cage with solid plastic bottom pan. It's important not to use any multi-level cages as hedgehogs have little to no depth perception. The cage should have 1 inch or smaller bar spacing to prevent them from escaping.
Plastic Containers
While plastic storage containers can be used, they need to be heavily modified to become a safe habitat. Storage containers restrict airflow which can be harmful to the respiratory system.
Aquariums
Under no circumstances should aquariums be used to house hedgehogs. While nice to look at, they provide little to no airflow and can trap heat and moisture providing the perfect breeding grounds for bacteria.
When choosing a bedding, there's many to choose from each having their own pros and cons. Below are some of the most common types used.
Paper Bedding
Usually made of recycled paper product, paper based bedding can be an excellent choice when it comes to keeping your hedgehog healthy and comfortable. Being a recycled paper product, the bedding is processed and therefore less likely to harbor mites. It's super absorbent keeping the cage nice and dry.
You're also given choices with color and scented/unscented. Paper based bedding products usually have excellent odor protection as well. We personally use and recommend paper based bedding.
Wood Bedding
Kiln-dried pine and aspen are the only wood based bedding products safe for hedgehog use. You should avoid cedar and natural pine bedding as both can be harmful to your hedgehog's respiratory system.
Kiln-dried pine can be a great option since the drying process with often times kill off any mites in the wood.
Aspen can work, but since it's a natural bedding there is always a risk of mites. Aspen does not control odor as well as pine.
Fleece
In our opinion, fleece is one of the worst bedding choices for hedgehogs. Hedgehogs like to burrow in their bedding and fleece doesn't allow for burrowing. It's also non-absorbent and does nothing for odor control. With heat and moisture it can create the perfect conditions for bacterial growth.
Yes! Hedgehogs require a 12 inch or larger flat solid-bottomed wheel. Wire wheels should never be used as hedgehogs can get their feet caught injuring them.
Yes! You should use a reptile-style dome lamp with a ceramic socket and ceramic heating element to keep your hedgehog warm enough.
Heating Pads
We never recommend the use of a heating pad to provide supplemental heat. Heating pads can be dangerous since they do nothing to heat the air inside the cage and are ineffective at penetratating the bottom of the cage.
Diet & Health
The African pygmy hedgehog should be fed a high quality cat kibble as the main part of their diet. While there are hedgehog branded foods available, most are just refined guinea pig formula and hold little to no nutritional value for hedgehogs.
In addition to cat kibble, hedgehogs can eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Insects are optional and should only be offered in moderation since they are relatively high in protein and fat.
We send our babies home on (Fromm - Adult Gold cat food). It has a high fat content and lots of healthy ingredients which promote healthy growth during the first 6 months of age.
Once the babies reach 6 months of age, we recommend gradually weaning over to one of our recommended foods.
We recommend free-feeding. While babies eat roughly 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons of food per day, they go through growth spurts which require more food.
We recommend feeding 1/4 of a cup of food per day and refilling as needed. In our experience, it's more important to focus on the nutrition making sure you're within the range that's appropriate for your hedgehog. Adults will eat up to 1/4 of a cup of food per day.
Yes! Hedgehogs can enjoy a variety of treats ranging from unseasoned cooked meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, babies foods of all kinds and insects (freeze dried or living).
Hedgehogs have the same toxicities as most animals. Things to stay away from are avocado, chocolate, citrus, coconut, grapes and raisins, nuts, pits, seeds, onions, garlic, chives, rhubarb, raw/undercooked meat, salty foods, xylitol and yeast dough.
Hedgehogs have relatively poor eyesight and make up for that with their incredible sense of smell. If you're holding something tasty, it's very easy for them to mistake your finger as a treat. For this reason, hand feeding is not recommended.
No. Males do not spray and females do not go into heat. Unless medically necessary and recommended by a licensed vet, you should under no circumstances have your hedgehog neutered. They are very sensitive to anesthesia and should not be put under unless necessary.
No. The body temperature of a hedgehog is too low to carry rabies so no vaccinations are necessary.
Handling
Handling your hedgehog helps you bond and maintain a desirable temperament. While it's true that hedgehogs are solitary in nature, they can and do benefit from human companionship.
Generally speaking, the more you handle your hedgehog the friendlier he/she will be.
You should handle your hedgehog at least 30 minutes to an hour a day. The more you handle your hedgehog the more friendly he/she will be. If you stop handling your hedgehog for a few days, he/she will regress and require more handling.
Bathing
Hedgehogs are relatively clean animals producing no body odor. They are not self grooming and therefore require water baths every so often.
The general rule of thumb is that you should bathe no more than 2-3 times per month. The reason for this is that hedgehogs are desert mammals and prone to dry skin. Over bathing can worsen the problem.
Usually about 1-2 inches of water is sufficient for bathing. You'll want to make sure not to run the faucet when your hedgehog is in the bath tub or sink. The reason for this is that aspiration of water can cause upper respiratory infections.
Hedgehogs are best washed with moisturizing pet shampoo or baby wash. Make sure to never use human soap or dish soap as they will strip your hedgehog of natural oils and/or cause dry skin.
Hedgehogs do require regular nail trimming. They have a visible quick making it relatively easy to do. You'll want to trim your hedgehogs nails about once per month.
Pro Tip: If you find that your hedgehog moves too much during nail trimming, place him/her on top of their wire cage. Their legs will fall through making it very easy to grab their legs and effectively trim their nails.
If over-bathed, your hedgehog could suffer from dry skin. This is easily remedied with a bit of liquid coconut oil and/or olive oil.
Make sure to never use any scented lotions or creams as many contain chemicals toxic to hedgehogs.
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