ABBY W.
Well-known member
I am usually on the chin side, as I am a hobby breeder. But I am looking into getting a hedgehog, maybe as soon as a couple of weeks from now. In my research, I have come up with a few questions.
1) What is the proper amount and balance of food to give a hedgie? I know they eat a high quality cat food (can someone point me in the direction of a good brand?) and also a bunch of other foods from the grocery store, like eggs, cottage cheese, fruit, etc., and I know they can have mealworms. But I haven't been able to figure out the proper proportions. How much of their diet should consist of non-cat food items? Are those other things treats, or a vital part of their nutrition?
2) I build all of my own chin cages, and so was planning on designing and building a hedgie cage as well. My tentative plan is a cage about 2' x 3' by
12" high. Does that sound adequate? I didn't want to make it too high, as I read they can climb up, fall and hurt themselves. I also have to decide on a wheel and measure its height, so that might change somewhat, depending on the wheel size.
3) I read they are prone to respiratory problems. I was planning on keeping my hedgie in the same room as my chins, which can get fairly dusty sometimes, because of the bath dust. Is that likely to be a problem? I can control the temperature for the hedgie with a heat emitter on the cage, so that won't be an issue, but I am concerned about the dust being a problem.
Thanks for your help guys!
1) What is the proper amount and balance of food to give a hedgie? I know they eat a high quality cat food (can someone point me in the direction of a good brand?) and also a bunch of other foods from the grocery store, like eggs, cottage cheese, fruit, etc., and I know they can have mealworms. But I haven't been able to figure out the proper proportions. How much of their diet should consist of non-cat food items? Are those other things treats, or a vital part of their nutrition?
2) I build all of my own chin cages, and so was planning on designing and building a hedgie cage as well. My tentative plan is a cage about 2' x 3' by
12" high. Does that sound adequate? I didn't want to make it too high, as I read they can climb up, fall and hurt themselves. I also have to decide on a wheel and measure its height, so that might change somewhat, depending on the wheel size.
3) I read they are prone to respiratory problems. I was planning on keeping my hedgie in the same room as my chins, which can get fairly dusty sometimes, because of the bath dust. Is that likely to be a problem? I can control the temperature for the hedgie with a heat emitter on the cage, so that won't be an issue, but I am concerned about the dust being a problem.
Thanks for your help guys!