(Part 3) Top products from r/Hedgehog

Another male? Aspen is ok though carefresh or better yet (and certainly cheaper in the long run) fleece. You can just go to a Joann's or walmart or any hobby/sewing store and buy some fleece. Toss it in the wash as needed with an extra set in reserve. Cat food is what you should transition him to, high quality. I do blue buffalo cat food personally. It will last you a VERY long time. Hedgehog food is never as good for them as it should be. I will provide some amazon links for things you should probably get, the main one that you should but not quite have to if you have a room in the proper temp range is 72-80 degrees. Please come over to Hedgehogs Anonymous on Facebook request to join, then once you are in simply go to the files and take a look at them. I am a college student myself so I do my best to keep costs low though obviously start up costs will be high but after that its really quite cheap mostly (aside from possible vet visits).

Modular shelving can be the cage and gives him plenty of open room to roam and play around. This is the shelving I personally use and can vouch for. I have a 3x3 grid so 9 sq ft. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LGZOR6A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is the food I get for my Sophie. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KU55KD2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Heating set up, again this is only if you need it and can keep the temp in the right range naturally. I dont know where you live so I do not know what your winters are like but if you get temps in the 50s or lower I do recommend it. Another preventative measure is to put the cage a foot or so off the ground, will actually keep your temps a few degrees higher than on the ground.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DHO6S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Ceramic Heat Emitter - Use this and NOT a heat light or something for reptiles, they need to have a period of darkness to be naturally awake 12/12 light on/off schedule All that the CHE does is emit heat, no light.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002CZ0J3E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Thermostat with a temp probe. Plug the CHE lamp into this and it automatically turns the CHE on and off to keep the temp in the right range.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003H200QC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The lamp part to plug the CHE bulb into.

Hide - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00068K132/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mint Stick (it seems all hedgies love these things lol)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O8Q5JTO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

food dishes
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040B9NOY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These are all the bare essentials aside from a wheel. I and most other people will recommend the Volcano View Hedgehogs bucket wheel or Carolina Storm bucket wheel.

I was just trying to be a thorough as possible without really leaving out anything. Again please join us over at Hedgehogs Anonymous on facebook. Everyone in the group absolutely loves helping everyone with a hedge. Any question that you may have can and will be answered fairly quickly. Most if not all members would recommend getting from a USDA certified breeder just so you know the full medical history of your baby and his parents. Its also generally cheaper as the cost from a breeder is generally around $200 though that depends on the coloring. I am by no means saying do not get him from your pet store you played with him at. I dont like pet stores having hedgehogs just because they are a more sensitive exotic animal that doesnt do well in a retail setting when you have to take care of hundreds of animals at once with high overhead. But if he is behaves well with you now then absolutely get him from there. He looks on the smaller side so hes pretty young.

Again please join us over at Hedgehogs Anonymous. Cant wait to see you and your baby on there. You could potentially take him home today with a cheap bin, simple fleece bolts and food and water dishs from what you have in your house and thatll last until the rest of your supplies are acquired.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/382631271838164/

Not to be a jerk, but on the subreddit information bar there is the 'care' section with Basic Care, Example Cages, Diet Basics, and Commercial Food Discussion that should get you started.

You'll want to read through What to expect from your hedgehog and ask your breeder what they use/recommend and where they get it from. If you're going through a pet store you'll likely get little to no information worth having.

For a basic run-down I'd recommend:

• Non-Pill Fleece
  
  
• A safe cage or Plastic Tote of pretty decent size (discard the lid).
  
  
• A food and water dish Some prefer water bottles, DO NOT GET A SPRING-LOADED BALL STYLE WATER BOTTLE! If you're not sure if it's spring loaded, tilt it back. If the ball rolls down the tube you're good to go.
  
  
• A solid wheel
  
  
• Heat management with Thermostat
  
  
• and an Igloo or other hidey-hole home.
  
  Please note that these are bare minimums and are the easiest to find, but not necessarily the best options. You might find your hedgie is an explorer and needs a bit more room, or you want to litter train your hedgie and you'll need some litter and a corner pan (please read up as hedgies have their own requirements for litter). You might find your hedgie is a runner and needs a Carolina Storm Wheel. Maybe your hedgie is a digger and fleece isn't going to work out (diggers tend to wreck their cages and flip food bowls if you're using fleece liners). You'll need treats, food, and make sure you have a vet that works with hedgehogs within an acceptable driving distance.
  
  For my hedgie's room in the winter I use something like this. So I can make sure the room stays at 72 at all times.
  
  Best of luck to you and your new hedgie. Once you get everything set up they're pretty low-maintenance, but if you don't start out right you'll risk your pet's health in the long run.

I've been told that heating pads aren't good because they don't heat the air well enough and a failure could burn your hedgie, so I stick with a lamp.

1. A thermostat is essential to keep the temperature regulated. I use this one. Look for one where the watts rating matches or exceeds your bulb's watts. Having the degrees printed on the dial is nice, but not really necessary. Place the probe at the furthest point away from the lamp. Edit: And it should have an automatic shut-off for failures!
   
   
2. You need at least one thermometer of course. I recommend one attached to the thermostat probe and one at the opposite end or maybe a bit closer to the center. That way you know if heat is being distributed evenly.
   
   
3. Next is your lamp. You'll want at least an 8" reflector dome, bigger distributes heat better. If you have a really long cage you might want two lamps. It's SUPER important that you get one with a ceramic or porcelain socket, NOT plastic. The one I linked is the one I use. The reviews are abysmal, but it's worked well with relatively light use for the last 6 months. The clamp is unusable though. For a while I had it laying flat on a metal grid on top of the cage. Now it's hanging from the cage wall with wire. The important thing is that it's secure and isn't touching anything that could melt or burn.
   
   
4. Last is your bulb, either a 100W or 150W ceramic heat emitter (CHE). Make sure you get one that doesn't give off light.
   
   And that's it!

I'm not sure what the non-UK equivalents of these products are, but here we have...

A "snuggle safe" for keeping them warm on journeys https://www.amazon.co.uk/SnuggleSafe-Microwave-Wireless-Heatpad-Fleece/dp/B0014LJKUA

And "pet nap" heat pads as an alternative to CHEs https://www.amazon.co.uk/SAFE-Petnap-Electric-heat-33cm/dp/B00265EVZW/

Those combined with AC in the car & heating in the house should keep your hog happy

Victure 1080P FHD Pet Camera with WiFi IP Camera Indoor Wireless Security Camera Motion Detection Night Vision Home Surveillance Baby Elder Monitor with 2 Way Audio iOS/Android https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P9ZSNVS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gzEUDb1S3WBTH

It's a $35 camera with 360° view, movable from within the app. The app is a little weird because it was most likely made in a foreign country, but after a little playing around you learn how to use it. The camera has great quality even in the dark too. Additionally, the cloud storage is super cheap, running only $13 a year for 10 second clips to be recorded every time there's motion and stored for 7 days. Will reply to this post with a picture from the camera

Edit: can't reply with a picture :(

Odin won't tip his water bowl, or even lean on it, but he'll sometimes tip his food bowl. We tried getting these, but the place we ordered from on Amazon couldn't get that we didn't need the big ones, but the small ones, so we gave up and ended up going with these that we got from PetSmart. They're pretty stable and hold enough food and water for Odin.

You could drill a hole on the box to install the wheel?! Mine attaches with a bolt, I had to custom make the wheel because the ones I found weren’t big enough. There are also wheels that do not need to be attached to anything, Like the flying saucer exercise wheel. My girl loves running on a wheel! :-)

https://www.amazon.com/Ware-Manufacturing-Flying-Saucer-Exercise/dp/B001AT9R2W?ref_=fspcr_pl_dp_10_2975523011

Here's the one I ordered: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LRFO4Y/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I think I just searched wire cube shelves and luckily Amazon was smart enough to know what I was going for! :-)

This is what I use for Diggy. He has a tiny food dish, so I just fill that up. He also has a giant wheel he loves to run in and also a play pin of sorts. He likes climbing out of things, too, which means you have to keep a very close eye on him, but it also means he gets plenty of exercise. Have you tried putting our hedgie in a (small) box that they would be able to climb out of? Maybe start with shallow sides and then gradually build up the height as their strength grows/their weight drops.

A little olive oil in the rinse water when you give her a bath will help. I also love this stuff for treating and preventing dry skin: http://www.amazon.com/Virbac-2508-Humilac-Spray-8-Ounce/dp/B002EFXA24

ah found it http://www.amazon.com/IRIS-Small-Animal-Carrier-Blue/dp/B000VZSSDU/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1405005846&sr=8-13&keywords=hamster+carrier

I got it for $16.49 but it isn't carried in most pet stores. It's kind of small- I bought it for my much smaller syrian hamster. But it's a decent size and does great for the baby hedgehog in short trips

I've had this issue with Bean for over a year! His spot though is towards the bottom of his quills though, like towards his butt. At one point his was on Revolution for six months, didn't make a single difference. Now I give him oatmeal baths every 2 weeks, and put a drop or two of olive oil in his food. The oatmeal bath also helps with the dry skin he gets in the winter, and I use it from time to time.
Edit: Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment, 8 Count, net wt. 1.5oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UEAARO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_eqBIwbT7SVZ69

It's important that you get him a wheel that has NO holes or bars! His little feet might get caught and he could easily break his feet/legs. You need to get him a wheel like this: http://www.carolinastormhedgehogs.com/the-carolina-storm-wheel.html or a flying saucer wheel like this: http://www.amazon.com/Ware-Flying-Saucer-Exercise-12-Inch/dp/B001AT62G6

It's a few sets of C&C grids. They're marketed as shelves, but as you can see you can arrange them in any way you like! Linky link

The computer itself and the sensor can be ziptied to the frame of the wheel. The sensor, on a bike, picks up revolutions of a magnet attached to a spoke. Small powerful magnets can be purchased at craft stores, and attached to the skate wheel (on bucket wheels, at least) using HandiTak.

Here's one:

http://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-SW654-6PK-20-Function-Computer/dp/B000DZD3FQ

well since human nails are basically flat animal nails are generally circular..
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Touch-Cat-Claw-Clipper/dp/B00106TAEU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410279039&sr=8-1&keywords=cat+clippers

Purina One Sensitive Skin & Stomach Formula Adult Dry Cat Food - 16 Lb. Bag https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WFLZ0C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WucaCbBYJC2VR

What appeared on Amazon

So I would advise getting a different bottle. One that doesn't move. He's going to crack a tooth on that one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DIYBM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/LCG-4-Lixit-Chew-Guard-Bottle/dp/B0006B691M/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=lixit+bottle+guard&qid=1573488485&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002DHOE0/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478758278&sr=8-2&keywords=dome+heat+lamp

This with a 100-150w ceramic heat emitter bulb