Hedgehog

Grooming

The focus of hedgehog care is not washing but bedding and skin. Loose cotton wool, fabric scraps or any long-fibre material should not be used as bedding: toes and limbs are easily caught in the fibres, and a tight wrap impairs circulation and in severe cases causes tissue necrosis; shavings such as pine and cedar contain volatile oils that are not ideal to inhale long term; scented or dyed bedding is also unsuitable. Generally usable options include recycled paper bedding, aspen shavings, alfalfa pellets and hay, with at least part of the area laid about 8 to 10 cm deep to allow digging. The cleaning rhythm is daily removal of droppings, weekly spot changes, and periodic full cage changes with disinfection, using a pet-safe product and rinsing and drying thoroughly before the hedgehog goes back in. Check the skin regularly for flaky skin at the base of the spines and for intense scratching; spine loss increases during the juvenile quilling period and is normal, but heavy spine loss in adulthood points to mites. When changing bedding, also check the limbs and toes for fibres wrapped around them or for redness and swelling.

Exercise

Hedgehogs are nocturnal, and their activity is released mainly at night, so cage space and layout have to match. For housing, a large plastic tub or a single-level cage with a plastic base and wire sides both work; veterinary sources suggest a floor area of about 0.6 x 0.9 metres, and it must be well ventilated. Glass tanks are unsuitable because moisture gets trapped, causing skin and respiratory problems. Wire spacing must be tight enough, since gaps that are too wide trap limbs; the lid must be secure yet ventilated, because hedgehogs can climb and will escape through small gaps. Bedding should be about 8 to 10 cm deep over at least part of the area to allow digging: the depth exists for digging, and too thin a layer prevents the behaviour entirely. If you use a wheel, mind the noise: hedgehogs are nocturnal, a wheel turning in the middle of the night can be loud, and placement should consider family members and neighbours. The cage should also avoid air-conditioning and warm-air vents so that airflow does not blow directly onto the hedgehog. Activity is concentrated at night, so clean bedding and water should be ready before dusk; the cage position should also be out of walkways.

Training

Hedgehog training is really socialisation. Raised spines, rolling into a ball, huffing or clicking, and sudden jumps are all defensive responses that usually mean stress rather than something aimed at you, so do not give up on handling just because it rolls up. Do not reach in from above to grab it, because an approach from above feels to a hedgehog like a predator dropping out of the sky; the right way is to scoop it up slowly from underneath with a flat palm, keeping every movement slow throughout. On pacing, start from a young age, at dusk or at night during its natural active hours, for short sessions, in a quiet environment with soft light; about 15 to 30 minutes each time is enough, and longer sessions only add stress. Some individuals take several months to relax, so adjust the pace to its reactions and do not force handling. Two other behaviours are normal and need no worry: self-anointing, where it salivates and spreads the saliva over its spines, and increased spine loss during the juvenile quilling period. During socialisation, do not force it onto its back for checks or pry a rolled-up ball open; wait for it to relax on its own.

Diet

Hedgehogs are insectivorous omnivores. The academic literature notes that for captive diets on a dry-matter basis, roughly 30% to 50% protein and about 10% to 20% fat is a suitable range, so the staple should be a hedgehog or insectivore-specific food, plus insects and a small amount of fruit and vegetables. On portions, veterinary husbandry sources mention about 3 to 4 teaspoons (roughly 15 to 20 ml) of staple food per day, adjusted to weight and activity; in addition, about 1 to 2 teaspoons of wet food daily, such as canned food, cooked meat or cooked egg, or gut-loaded insects such as crickets and Dubia roaches; and about 1 teaspoon of fruit and vegetables, such as beans, pumpkin, dark leafy greens or apple. Three lines to remember clearly: raw meat and raw egg must not be fed, because of the salmonella risk; dairy causes diarrhoea; and if you cannot get the specialist food, a high-quality weight-control cat formula can substitute, but discuss it with your vet for the long term. Hedgehogs are cautious about new food, so change diets by mixing gradually. The food bowl should be washed daily, and leftovers of wet food and vegetables removed the same day.

Living environment

Temperature is the most easily underestimated part of hedgehog care, and also the most dangerous. Veterinary husbandry sources suggest keeping the environment at about 22 to 32 degrees C, with 24 to 29 degrees C the ideal range; other sources note that below about 18 degrees C the risk of entering torpor rises markedly. During torpor, body temperature and metabolic rate fall, the immune system is suppressed, and in severe cases organ function is affected, so you cannot wait until the hedgehog stops moving to act. Heating can be provided with an under-cage heat mat or a ceramic heat lamp, but leave space for heat to dissipate to avoid local overheating, and always verify with a thermometer rather than judging hot and cold by feel. For power cuts, keep an insulated box and hand warmers ready, but a hand warmer must never be placed directly against the hedgehog's body. On damp, Hong Kong's average humidity is high and bedding quickly becomes damp; damp paper bedding and hay grow mould easily and directly affect the skin and respiratory tract, so food should be sealed with a desiccant, bedding changed as soon as it is wet, and the cage kept away from bathrooms and kitchens. Veterinary sources also favour relatively low humidity, so the idea that wetter is better is a misunderstanding.