Should we get a hedgehog?

June 22, 2007 12:46 PM

Looking for personal experiences of folks who've kept hedgehogs for pets...

The back story: My boyfriend used to have all sorts of exotic pets, and he's got the hankering to have them again. I talked him out of a ferret (I was worried about the rambunctiousness and our house being destroyed and/or not safe for a curious ferret). So now we're thinking of a hedgehog.

Since I've never had one, I'm curious about people's experiences, good and bad. Why did/do you love your hedgehog besides the obvious adorable factor?

Did you have any allergic reactions? I've read they don't normally cause allergies but as I'm allergic to cats and bunnies, I'm paranoid.

Did you let them roam free or keep them caged? How bad do those spines hurt if you step on them? Were there potty training issues?

posted by faunafrailty to pets & animals (20 comments total)

My ex-roommate had two hedgehogs, and my experience of them was :

- they slept all day and roamed around all night
- left little hedgehog poops everywhere
- loved to chew on wood/leather

They were pretty cute, though, and I like animals, so it was tolerable. If you have carpet and plan to let them roam, it might not work out so well - we had hardwood, so it was easy to clean.
posted by Liosliath at 12:52 PM on June 22, 2007

I had hedgehogs as a kid.

If memory serves, they're naturally potty-trained, much like cats.

They loved catfood and mealworms.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 12:57 PM on June 22, 2007

Keep in mind that they are nocturnal creatures, so depending on your schedule, they may be most active when you are sleeping. I'm a night person, so it was a perfect fit for me. I had a large aquarium for him, filled with toys, to use when I wasn't around. When I was in the room with him, I used to let him roam free.

He loved sleeping in my hand, which I thought was adorable.

My guy was a little bit older, and I'm not completely sure what his early life was like, but he was extremely shy and would curl up in a ball when anybody but me was around. They are supposed to be a bit easier to bond with when they are babies, but I loved my little Sid all the same.

From what I understand, some of them can be litterbox trained and some can't. I'm not sure what determines how successful you are, but you may want to look into that.
posted by diamondsky at 1:14 PM on June 22, 2007

My knowledge in this field is limited, and I apologize for going down this road, but I have, on two separate occasions, seen a hedgehog projectile defecate. The first time, it went almost ten feet. The second time (different hedgehog) the poop hit a girl's blouse. She was sitting like two or three feet away.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 1:22 PM on June 22, 2007 [2 favorites]

As far as allergic reactions, some people, myself included, have allergic reactions to being spiked by a hedgehog, but this can be kept to a minimum by lots of bathing. A hedgehog "wound" for me looks and feels a lot like a bad mosquito bite, and is sometimes followed by red puffy eyes, etc..., but I'm told this isn't common and has more to do with what the hedgehog eats and then licks onto his spines than with an actual hedgehog allergy.

We let ours roam around our small apartment free about half the time. He enjoys it more and we think he's cuter that way. There have been a couple of times when we couldn't find him for as much as a day, though. Those things like to burrow.

They will poop wherever they are when they need to, but it's easy to clean up. Also, as far as stepping on them, I would be far more concerned for the health of your hedgehog than for yourself. Hedgehog spines can hurt a little, but stepping on a hedgehog is almost certain to kill it.
posted by raygan at 1:25 PM on June 22, 2007

raygan: "Also, as far as stepping on them, I would be far more concerned for the health of your hedgehog than for yourself."

Sorry, I should have been clearer. I meant stepping on shed spines that might work themselves into the carpet, not the little guys themselves. That'd be horrific!

Thank you so far with the comments. This is really helpful.
posted by faunafrailty at 1:33 PM on June 22, 2007

I had one for a few years, but I gave up on Mr. Spike because his cuteness was soon outweighed by his poop and the many little cuts on my hands.

I ended up with a fantastic hypoallergenic chinchilla, who I loved and miss dearly.
posted by nursegracer at 2:45 PM on June 22, 2007

I've got a hedgehog, but once the newness wears off they're not as amusing. Sleeps all day, doesn't like to play when waken so rudely, etc.
I keep it caged in a really large cage all the time, but it stays huddled in various hats and blankets. It plays with little trinket toys, which again, is just cute.
I have wood floors, never had an issue with spikes to step on. I also have many other pets, so there's no way I'd let it roam completely free. The dogs or the cats would try to gobble it up surely. The spikes while holding aren't bad, you learn to hold it firmly and gently at the same time, and you learn that quickly.
Since they're constantly active at night, don't leave them in your bedroom. Very annoying.
My current hedgehog is not very tame, so it's far less enjoyable. Previous hedgehogs have proven slightly more lovable due to their tameness. But again, with hedgehogs you're limited in activities (compared to puppies, cats, birds). I'd be super-picky in getting a hedgehog, otherwise it's just another animal to feed with no real benefit to owner.
I'm sorry I sound so harsh, but to be blunt I personally regret getting a hedgehog.
If you do get one, please be sure to feed it appropriately. Google the foods for them, stay away from standard pet store stuff, and don't forget the mealworms.
posted by ick at 3:16 PM on June 22, 2007

Anecdotal:

My wife is a vet tech (animal nurse). She recommends against naming your hedgehog "Sonic," because that's what nearly every pet hedgehog in the world is named.

Makes things a little bit clearer at the clinic when animals have different names.
posted by SlyBevel at 3:29 PM on June 22, 2007

My best friend got one for her birthday, right before Christmas. She has wanted one for awhile - mostly due to this blog. She ended up with the crabbiest hedgehog on earth - it think it may actually hate her. It has had a bad case of mites (they go to the vet for weekly injections now) that caused my 30 year old friend to contract scabies. (My mom told me I can't play at her house anymore.)

It also projectile poops and will pretty much fill a shoe box during the ride to the vet and back. I would recommend not getting an adult purely based on this hedgehogs attitude.
posted by blackkar at 3:47 PM on June 22, 2007

Yeah... sounds like projectile poops are bad. But damned if they're not cute.
posted by miss lynnster at 4:02 PM on June 22, 2007

Inbred hedgehogs can loose their eyeballs. Use a reputable breeder.
posted by glibhamdreck at 4:08 PM on June 22, 2007

Generally hedgehogs don't deal well with (permanent) confinement. You will need to let them walk around in a larger space occasionally.. bear this in mind.
posted by wackybrit at 4:39 PM on June 22, 2007

I had a couple of them, caged (but out when I was around). No allergies, and pretty much trained them to be diurnal. They're very very stupid, though, so don't expect lots of affection.

The weirdest thing they do is self-anointing. Totally freaked me out the first time I witnessed it. Read up.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 6:35 PM on June 22, 2007

Projectile poops?? I just unchecked hedgehog from future pet nominees.
posted by CoinOp at 8:39 PM on June 22, 2007

Okay, you got me curious about the self-anointing thing. It is kinda weird.
posted by miss lynnster at 8:44 PM on June 22, 2007

I have a friend who, while in Mongolia of all places, babysat his friend's (another expat's) hedgehog while the friend was out following tribes across the desert for his dissertation or somesuch. Two weeks of HELL, he tells us. The meanest damn thing on earth. Truly hated him. Totally ornery and not in the least worth anyone's while. When the friend got back, Mark sez, "Uh, I think he hates me, but he's still alive, here, take him." The Ph.D. guy says, "Yeah, he's been a bastard since the day I got him, I was hoping you might lose him or something."

All this does not speak well of hedgehogs as pets. I should say that this is my only anecdotal evidence, but I personally would never get a hedgehog.
posted by Mrs Hilksom at 8:56 PM on June 22, 2007

It just occurred to me that there are many, many YouTube and Google videos that show pretty much what it's like to keep pets of all kinds.

They tend to lean towards the cute, but at least you can see what you're likely to end-up with.
posted by humblepigeon at 6:44 AM on June 23, 2007

My boyfriend and I have one. He pretty much roams around the apartment, and I assume he just sleeps all day. He's VERY low maintenance, which I love. He knows where his food, water, and box full of newspaper is, and he can take care of himself. We just clean up after him as needed.
I actually can't touch him very much, as he gives me terrible hives, even with his nails. I have pretty sensitive skin though.
Bottom line- not much work, but not really cuddly, especially for the allergic. I wouldn't get rid of him.
posted by zoey08 at 11:17 AM on June 23, 2007

i had a hedgehog named sir edmund for 3 years.

very easy to care for. lots of fun to watch run around in his cage. adorable.

they are surprisingly affectionate once they get used to you. unfortunately, they have to get used to you every time you pick them up. they are pretty forgetful.

also they will poop on you. they WILL.

but no big deal. i loved the little bugger till he died, apparently of cancer according to the vet.
posted by kneelconqueso at 7:40 AM on June 27, 2007