African Pygmy Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs especially African Pygmy Hedgehogs are cute exotic pets that more and more people are now keeping as pets. The most common species of the domesticated hedgehog is the African Pygmy Hedgehog. The African Pygmy Hedgehog is smaller than its cousin the European Hedgehog.

Keeping Hedgehogs as pets became popular in the 1980s and as a result of the African Pygmy Hedgehogs being kept as pets new colors have emerged like Albino and Pinto colored Hedgehogs.

Your African Pygmy Hedgehog will want to be kept warm, usually above 72 degrees. You can feed your African Pygmy Hedgehogs on high protein , low fat cat food. You can give them treats like meal worms , unseasoned cooked meat , fruits and vegetables.

Be sure to check with the state laws where you live to see if you can legally keep an African Pygmy Hedgehog as a pet in your state before you purchase one. Just because you see them being sold at your local flea market does not mean they are legal in your state. Do your own independent research and be 100 percent sure of any local or state laws in your area.

You do not want a wire bottom cage for your African Pygmy Hedgehog. You want the cage floor to be solid. You want the cage floor for one African Pygmy Hedgehog to be at least 5 square feet. And while multi level cages for your Hedgehog may seem nice your African Pygmy Hedgehogs have poor eyesight and while they are great climbers they can not always get back down easily.

Your African Pygmy Hedgehog will enjoy running on a wheel but it must be a solid wheel not a wire one. A fleece blanket with no frayed edges will make a great bed for your hedgehog but there can not be any loose or frayed edges as your Hedgehog will get its self caught up in strings and frayed edges and could injure its self. Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant and you should not give milk or dairy products to your hedgehogs.Sugar treats should be limited to fruit treats only and never give anything to your hedgehog with added sugar.

If your hedgehog starts becoming to fat then you should cut back on its fat intake. Never give your hedgehog avocados , grapes , nuts , raisins , chocolate or any canned or processed foods. Also never give them egg yolks or raw meat. But make sure that your hedgehog gets plenty of fresh water and again I would use bottled water never city water with chlorine in it. And be sure that your hedgehogs water stays clean at all times.

Know that hedgehogs are allergic to wood oils especially pine oil. Also avoid letting your hedgehog have contact with cedar bedding or cedar shavings. Hedgehogs can react to stress with vomiting and green feces's. Avoid putting your hedgehog into stressful situations or conditions.

You really should take any new hedgehog you purchase to the vet to be checked as soon as possible after you purchase it. You will want a vet who is a small animal vet and familiar with hedgehogs. And your hedgehog should go to the vet at least once a year to be checked up on.

Your hedgehog will need to be kept out of drafts but they do need to be in a area where they will get plenty of fresh air. In warm to hot weather it is okay to open a window in the daytime in the area where they are at. And your hedgehog will need a hide box where it can go for some peace and quite. Kiln dried hay will work excellent in the hedgehogs hide box as they do like to cover themselves up while they sleep.

Do Your Research:  Before you commit to buying any pet including a African Pygmy Hedgehog , please do your own independent research. Do everything possible to learn everything about hedgehogs  you possibly can before you ever purchase one.

The text on this Hub Page was produced by Thomas Byers for this Hub Page and is not to be copied or used on other sites. Today's date is  Monday , December 28 , 2009.