I'm getting a hedgie next weekend. Any advice?

I am a pet owner...when I say pet I mean I've had two dogs. Any advice you might give on purchasing my first hedgie? I have done research for a while and decided I would love to have one! Anything the general info books doesn't tell you? Thanks lots!!

Okay, help me if you can. I am picking Cadee up Saturday. I have a 75 gallon tank with a stand. I have a ceramic bowl, water bottle and dish..to see which is liked best, a solid, silent wheel, IAMS cat food. The only thing I am having trouble with is the hideaway hut..Im not sure whether I should go with plastic, wood, or fleece.. Any suggestions will help. Also, what treats are liked best and are safe from experience? Thanks lots!

You will need some way to provide heat unless you live in a warm environment and do not run the ac very low. Hedgehogs prefer mid to high 70s F year round and may go in to hibernation at lower temps which is deadly. I've been told some older hedgehogs even need it up around 80. The best way is to put them in their own room and heat the whole room with a space heater that has a numbered thermostat. I place a backup thermometer across the room.

Aquariums aren't ideal in the first place and a 75 is not an ideal size if you are using an aquarium. The floor space may be good but the height has the potential for poor airflow. I would do extra cleaning to keep smells from building up and not use shavings for bedding. Even kiln dried. Breeder aquariums are a better pick since they are low and wide just like using a large storage container which a lot of people do. Custom sized cages or cages with wire sides are an even better pick and have more heating options.

Treat list can be found here http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13961

Which Iams? Iams is a rather cheap food and not on any recommended food lists I'm looking at. Does it have less than 15% fat and higher than 20% protein? Are the first ingredients named meat and not grain or byproducts? Looking at the big cat food chart http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/CatFoodChart6.html some of the iams products are over 20% fat and doing a google search Iams is not recommended in several places because of fatty liver disease. Mihog is a bit behind in other info but has a good basic diet page http://mihog.org/diet/index.phtml

Also you should feed 2-3 different brands of cat food. This prevents a problem if there is a recall on one food, ingredient change your hedgehog doesn't like, helps make sure the diet is nutritionally complete, and makes for less picky hedgehogs. We mix Fromm mature cat gold, Natural balance cat food, and Blue buffalo wilderness cat food. Wilderness is a little high in fat at 18% but NB is only 12 and Fromm is only 10. Combined since we use same weight bags we get 13%.

Thanks for you your help. I also have blue buffalo..forgot to mention. The lady I am getting her from uses iams so I am assuming I probably need to use that for a while even if it is to ween her from it..since it is what she is used to. We do live in a warm climate and the room she is staying in gets direct sunlight through windows..I have thin curtains to protect from direct light. The aquarium was recommended to me by the breeder..I may need to look into that more. Thanks for your helpful advice! These are some things I need to check into.

True, you'll want to continue on the same food for a bit so as not to stress hedgie as she transitions to your home. Glad you have the Blue Buffalo on hand to start changing her over to something more nutritious.

I'm a little worried about glass container near window with little ventilation. Definitely check out different cage options. Let us know what you decide to go with I'd recommend things like the Marchioro Tommy 120 or 102, the Ferret or Critter Nations, and C&C-style cages if you're feeling handy. Whichever you decide on, put a thermometer in there - attach it to the wall at hedgie-level and check on it multiple times per day & night before hedgie comes home. If it's varying more than a few degrees (maybe 5-ish max)... even at 3am, you'll need a way of modulating the temperature.

I definitely recommend a dish instead of a water bottle. Though my first baby started off at the breeder's with a bottle, so I offered both for awhile until I was sure she was drinking from the dish. Then I got rid of the bottle.

For the hide-away... seems like each hedgie has their preference. Satin liked to sleep under her liner. Texie much preferred a hedgiebag. Bella absolutely must have her hat. Marlee likes her hat or a blankie inside her igloo. That is to say - maybe start with something that's easy for you - like a blankie and and igloo and see what your hedgie has to say about that

Treats? Let her settle in a week or two before starting up treats - unless you know from the breeder that she likes certain things. Mealworms (not superworms... unless you cut their heads off first) are enjoyed by most hedgies. Watermelon, bananas, apples cut up into little pieces, babyfood versions of carrots, peas, squash, sweet potato, and the meats (turkey & chicken) and the blends like turkey & squash are also big hits. Hard boiled egg (has to be cooled first) is a nice treat too. Each hedgie has their preferences.

I've heard conflicting info about water bottles. Some say they've had hedgies cut their tongue or mouth on them and some say they can't get enough water out of them. While others say they have been using them forever without a problem. Maybe it's the bottle type. I don't know. Since we have fleece and no problem with bedding getting in the dishes we just use heavy crocks or these little glass dishes we got in a tupperware type set for water. They are easier to fill and clean than bottles anyway. Don't use something too light or liner divers will sometimes burrow under it spilling the water or sometimes even food. Even in breeding cages where we used shavings (switching that to probably carefresh after a bug infestation) they barely got bedding in their water. Hedgies just don't 'usually' kick up bedding like other animals. There is the occasional digger though.

Okay! I hate that about the tank..lol! I purchased it brand new and it wasn't cheap. The breeder I am buying her from recommended the tank. She has been breeding a while! But better safe than sorry. Maybe I can also adopt some fish this weekend so it won't go to waste! Haha! I purchased a fleece sleeve type hide away and the plastic one seen at the pet store. I'm thinking I can see what is preferred. I think I've also decided on carefresh. I appreciate all the help. I'm getting excited to pick her up.

After all of your prep and all of the advice you have been given, what a great response to say that maybe you will just get some fish for that tank. I'm using a C&C cage. It wasn't cheap either, but that's because I couldn't buy the supplies locally. But I love it. It's worth considering since you can expand it or change the layout any time you want.
I'm excited for you. It's so fun to watch these guys grow and take on their own personalities.

Thanks guys! I will post a picture of her as soon as I can! That way everyone can see! Thanks for your help!

Cadee! I'm in love.

awww.. She's a cute little one.
What did you end up with for her home?

Thank you! I love her so much already! I ended up keeping the aquarium, but my husbands dad drilled holes all around it. I researched that this will let more air supply in...she seems to be doing great. If I see her becoming irritated I bought a smaller guinea pig cage at a second hand shop. She has so much more room in the aquarium though!

Your father in law must be pretty handy. I have a feeling that, if I tried, I'd end up cracking the glass. Nice solution