Wild hedgehogs have been living in Africa forever but only in recent years have they been kept as pets. Most North American pet hedgehogs,typically called African pygmy hedgehogs,were bredfrom African species and are considered domesticated. These little animals can make terrific companions when housed and fed appropriately, and their popularity appears to be increasing. But hedgehogs are not meant for everyone. Before you consider bringing a hedgehog into your home, there are several things to be aware of.
1. Hedgehogs Are Prickly Like porcupines, the skin over hedgehogs’ backs is covered with sharp spines that protect them from predators. Thankfully, unlike our native porcupines, hedgehogs cannot shoot their quills out in defense. When caught in the mouth of a predator, however, hedgehogs will twitch and jump so that their quills poke into the skin and lips of the aggressor, making things generally unpleasant until they are released. Handling a nervous hedgehog can be tricky for an owner, and you may need to hold your friend in a small towel until he relaxes.
2.They Like to Play‘I’m Out of Here’ As a defense mechanism, hedgehogs roll their bodies into tight little balls when threatened, causing their spines to point outward so that predators are unable to see their faces or limbs. They have very strong muscles over their backs, and it is nearly impossible to unfurl a hedgehog once he’s curled up. Pet hedgehogs must be handled gently and often to get them to relax and uncurl. Otherwise, you will spend a lot of time staring at a cute but prickly little ball in your lap.
3.‘Spit Balls’Are OK When a hedgehog encounters an object with a new scent, he will lick and bite the object and then form a frothy “spit ball” in his mouth containing the new scent. He will throw his head back and spit this frothy saliva over his spines with his tongue, possibly to camouflage himself with the new scent and make himself less obvious to predators. If you see your pet hedgehog engaging in this “self-anointing” behavior, don’t worry: It’s gross but completely normal.

The following pages are a set of basic guidelines and points to think about when considering a hedgehog as a pet or to broaden your knowledge about this curious critter. This guide is based on our knowledge and experiences over a number of years researching, owning, breeding, and selling hedgehogs as pets. The information presented here is based on hedgehogs in general. There are always exceptions to guidelines in the animal world, but we have tried to provide you with lots of tips and suggestions that will get you off to a great start with your new pet. Please be advised that many books, web sites, and even veterinary articles and manuals may contain outdated or inaccurate information. Millermeade Farm’s “Critter Connection” strongly encourages you to refer to our Resource and Reference guide for more details on the topics addressed here. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about our animals.

Our best comparison of hedgehog intelligence is to that of a hamster. Hedgehogs do not typically come when called or actively seek out human interaction. Hedgehogs may learn certain behaviors through positive reinforcement or conditioning but only at a very basic level. We strongly believe that hedgehog personality is shaped and molded through owner interaction. Proper handling and consideration of the hedgehog’s needs is critical to successful socialization and bonding as well as enjoyable pet ownership for both you and your pet. It is common for people to notice a personality “change” in their hedgehog once it reaches its new home. This is generally due to the stressors of changing its environment and having a new person take care of it. You will need to be patient, and keep working with your new pet.

The typical pet hedgehog weighs between 6 ounces and 2 pounds and requires approximately the same amount of space as a guinea pig. Hedgehogs don’t bark or squawk and won’t disturb their neighbors. You might hear your hedgehog running on a squeaky wheel or rearranging its cage furniture, but for the most part, hedgehogs are very quiet pets. Most hedgehogs only require weekly cage cleaning but some hedgehogs are messier and may require spot cleaning throughout the week. A healthy hedgehog on a good diet does not have a distinct body odor like a ferret or male mouse. Hedgehogs do not have dander like cats, dogs, or other animals, so they are a better pet option for people who have allergies. Hedgehogs are NOT rodents, and they do not have a propensity to chew, gnaw on, or destroy their surroundings. Hedgies do not require routine shots, vaccinations, or veterinary testing but annual vet-checks are highly recommended. Hedgehogs are not aggressive by nature. Their spines are used as defense only when they are scared, nervous, or feel they have reason to protect themselves. People that are looking for an exotic pet are attracted to hedgehogs because of their uniqueness, but hedgehogs have the advantage that they have been captive bred for many generations. Hedgehogs are cute, curious and they can be cuddly!

Hedgehogs are prickly!! Your hedgehog will poke you. When you first begin learning to handle your hedgehog it may seem as if you are handling a critter cactus. The average hedgehog is naturally shy, nervous, and does not come when called, display outward affection, or perform tricks (even though there are some exceptions). They are nocturnal in nature and may appear to do nothing except “stay balled up all day.” Pet hedgies do best if handled every day, and they make take a long time to become accustomed to their new owners and environment. You may need to work through the grouchy quilling stage, and a grouchy hedgehog may always be grouchy. Hedgehogs do have teeth and have the potential to bite. Biting is typically not done out of aggression but as a way of communication. Proper understanding of hedgehog behavior will help decrease the risk and/or frequency of biting. Only females can safely cohabitate. Veterinary visits for a sick pet may be quite costly, and most hedgehogs will need at least one mite treatment during its lifetime. Hedgies cannot be left alone during the weekend. Hedgehogs do best in 70˚- 80˚ F temperature ranges. We have found the optimal temperature for our herd is 75˚. You must be prepared to provide additional heat sources if your house is maintained at cooler temperatures in the winter. Hedgehogs may have unpleasant eliminative or self-anointing habits. Some states, counties, and towns have exotic animal ownership restrictions. Hedgehogs are considered exotic animals and may fall under the bans.

The amount of maintenance required is determined in part to the cleanliness of the hedgehog and your perception of “work” as an owner. Hedgehogs themselves require very little from their caregivers. Fresh food and water and regular cage cleaning are the basic requirements. They don’t need to be walked and most seldom need bathed. Hedgehogs are quiet by nature, and the most noise they make is their wheeling activity and possible cage rearranging or water bottle banging. A regularly maintained cage and hedgehog that is fed a good diet typically does not smell. Most hedgehogs are neat about their elimination habits and some will regularly use a litter pan. There are a few, rare hedgehogs that will try to defy every sense of cleanliness and make a complete mess of their cage. Unfortunately, there is no way to look at a hedgehog and determine which ones will use a litter pan and which ones will smear feces about their enclosure. One must be careful not to take the hedgehog’s easy care for granted. A hedgehog that is not closely monitored can become neglected if a problem is not addressed in a timely manner. Most hedgehogs clean themselves through a process of licking, scratching, and shaking. Some hedgehogs do require bathing if they accumulate feces on their feet or quills.

In the wild African Pygmy hedgehogs are insectivores, but they are quite opportunistic and are known to feed on carrion (other dead animals), birds’ eggs, and any lizards, snakes or other small animals that should happen to catch. In the past, cat foods were the only food available for captive hedgehogs. Advances have been made in the knowledge and understanding of hedgehog nutrition. Many commercial hedgehog foods are available, but they are not all equal in nutritional value or ingredient quality. Unfortunately, some foods marketed as hedgehogs are quite inappropriate as a staple diet. Cat food is often used in place of hedgehog food, but again: Care must be taken to make sure it is nutritionally sound. More information is available in our Nutrition Overview, Food Comparison Charts, Diet Recommendations guide, Hedgehog Treats article, and Insects a La Carte guide.

1.Knowledgeable about hedgehogs – the more you know about hedgehogs the better you will understand them and be able to meet their needs
2.Patient – hedgehogs are shy by nature and will depend on your patience as they learn to trust you.
3.Thick skinned – hedgehogs are prickly and they can poke you! This is something you can learn but hedgies are certainly not for you if you are afraid of getting spiked or bit.
4.Gentle – you must be gentle with hedgehogs if they are going to trust you.
5.Observant – your hedgehog is going to depend on you 100% for their needs. You will need to recognize its needs and its subtle ways of communicating.
6.Financially responsible – hedgehogs aren’t cheap and they are most likely to require veterinary care at some point in their life as well as food and supplies throughout their life.
7.Accepting – You must be willing to accept what your hedgehog has to offer. It will most likely never follow commands or do tricks but its quirky habits and the affection it may share can make it quite charming.

Hedgehogs can make wonderful classroom pets ONLY under certain conditions. First and foremost, the primary care giver meets and understands all the requirements and guidelines for having a hedgehog as a pet. Not all hedgehogs are good candidates for classroom living and the primary care giver should be willing and excited to have a hedgehog as a pet even if it doesn’t work out in the classroom. The primary caregiver should be comfortable and skilled at handling before teaching others to properly care for and handle this unique creature. We do NOT recommend that hedgehogs stay in the classroom alone over the weekends. We do NOT recommend that hedgehogs go home with various students over the weekend or summer. This drastically increases the risks of problems and resulting deaths. Under the right conditions hedgehogs can be great tools to stimulate learning and can be an exceptional therapy animal as well.

It is illegal to own a hedgehog in some states, and in Washington D.C. and New York City, so check your city's and state's laws before purchasing one. You should also make sure you can locate a vet in your area that will treat hedgehogs. A hedgehog can make a good pet if you're committed to weekly weight checks to ensure it's not eating too much or too little, and plenty of one-on-one time. This is a pet that mostly sleeps all day and is up all night, so you'll also need to plan bonding time during odd hours.

Hedgehogs are generally low-maintenance, gentle pets. Wild hedgehogs eat insects, but you can buy hedgehog mixes at pet stores that are specially formulated for these spiny creatures and supplement their diet with insects, like crickets, as treats. They need to be handled often while they are young to adjust to humans. For living conditions, The Hedgehog Welfare Society (HWS) recommends cages no smaller than 30 by 24 inches (76 by 60 centimeters) and at least 15 inches (38 centimeters) tall to accommodate exercise wheels.