DISCLAIMER: Some of these guides may not apply to anyone who owns four-toed hedgehogs outside the tropical regions. This article contains disturbing pictures for educational purposes.
Exotic animals can be challenging to take care of, especially four-toed hedgehogs. As they are unusual to keep as pets, there are several treatments you can follow to ensure your hedgehogs are healthy and happy. The author and the owner of Candyz.betta, I Kadek Suastika, have made a list of mandatory care guides for your hedgehogs.
Housing and Equipment:
Owner of hedgehogs can get creative to create the ideal housing for their spiky little friend. Many owners use wire cages, modified plastic containers or aquariums. You also need bedding, like wood shaving or rice hulls. Other types of bedding are also acceptable as long as it does not harm them and you–the owner. The author recommends using scented wood shaving from CHIPSI, as she places her hedgehog’s cage in a fully exposed air-conditioned room. She also provides a cave for her hedgehog to hide and sleep.
A running wheel is also mandatory as a toy and to maintain hedgehogs’ ideal weight. You also need a small plastic or clay-based bowl to place their food and a water bottle to drink. You can use water bottles meant for hamsters. Some hedgehog owners also prefer using a small bowl as a water bowl.
Feeding:
Domesticated hedgehogs mainly eat dry cat food or kibble with high protein. Mealworms and other insects are also acceptable as their meals. Since mealworms are fresh food, buy them from a clean and hygienic market. You must sort out the mealworms before you give it to the hedgehogs.
As mealworms are not the primary food for domesticated hedgehogs, they can only eat them at least once a week. There were some cases from Suastika’s customers regarding mealworms as a food that ended up with illness and death, including the death of the author’s late hedgehog.
Domesticated hedgehogs drink mineral water. Hedgehogs are lactose-intolerant, so avoid feeding them milk or dairy-based cat food.
Grooming:
Hedgehogs also need a bath! Unlike hamsters, hedgehogs take a bath with soap. You can use cat or dog shampoos. Speaking of alternatives, you can also use baby shampoo as it is cheaper and easier to find. Baby shampoo will not harm your hedgehogs as it is safe for their eyes. You also need a soft brush for the quills. The author recommends using a baby toothbrush. Brush it gently and brush in the direction of the quills grow.
Hedgehogs do not need regular baths, but you can do it once a week. The author usually gives her hedgehog a bath when there is a poo stuck in its quills or at least once a month. As a breeder, I Kadek Suastika baths his hedgehogs once a month since he owns a lot of hedgehogs. It can be tiresome if he does it every week.
Don’t forget to trim their nails after a bath while you hold them with a towel. You can use human nail clippers since they have little paws. Some hedgehogs can trim their nails, so you do not need to do it yourself.
Health Care:
Hedgehogs need to exercise, mainly with running wheels or swimming as they are bathing. It is mandatory to maintain their ideal weight.
You can simply check if your hedgehogs are in good condition by the colour and the texture of their poo. The normal poo is dark brown or black and solid. In Suastika’s case, he found one of his hedgehog poo is yellow, and that was because he gave too many mealworms.
Unfortunately, in the author’s case, she found her late hedgehog poo was green and slimy. Green and slimy poo is a sign of internal bacterial or parasite infections. Her late hedgehog died because of it. Her late hedgehog might get bacterial or parasite infections from mealworms, as it was the meal she gave a day before the symptoms started showing.
As the author wrote in the feeding section, please buy the mealworms from a clean and hygienic market. It would at least lessen the risk of bacterial or parasite infections.
To find the right vet for hedgehogs, look for a vet clinic or hospital that serves exotic pets. Island Vet Bali is one of the vets that serves exotic pets available in Bali. One of Suastika’s customers once brought their sick hedgehog to a regular vet meant for dogs and cats. Perhaps you do need to ask the vet in advance of your consultation.
