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African Pygmy Hedgehog
(Atelerix albiventris, A. algirus)

Article by Colin Bradbury
Reprinted from EXOTICKEEPERSFORUM.co.uk

Bringing you new hog home

The journey home combined with a change in environment can be very stressful for any new hedgehog. He/she will have just been removed from the security of its immediate family, its brothers/sisters and its mum. It will be in new surroundings and have new tastes and smell to overcome. There are however a few things you can do to help your new hog through this time.

I will have give you some of the hogs staple food that he/she was fed here with us. Please feed this food for the first couple of days and if you wish to change onto a new food then add in slowly the new food over a period of time. Increasing the ratio of old food to new until the old food has ran out.

I will also supply you with a small amount of the hogs favourite treat. In our hogs this happens to be freeze dried meal worms. Try offering your hog a couple of these every time you handle him/her. This will help him associate your smell with good things.

For the first evening and when you get your hog home, while he/she is awake from transporting him/her it is ok to have a hold of him/her before you put him/her into its housing, but please refrain from too much handling on the first evening. Around 20 mins max. After this time settle him/her into its new home and leave alone for the rest of the day/night. You may of course observe him/her running around his enclosure that evening. Again he will probably be very jumpy as everything is new, so try and keep noise and movement to a minimum.

It may take two or three days before he is totally comfortable in his new environment. It is still important to handle him/her through this time, but 20 mins each evening is ok.. If you feel he/she is fine and enjoying his time out then feel free to keep him out for longer. All hogs are different and some will change over without any bother at all, where as some become a little shy and withdrawn through the first few days.

Quilling

Your hog will come to you at anywhere between 6 and 12 weeks old depending on how long they take to fully wean from there parents. Unfortunately at around this time is also the time that quilling happens.

Actually the hogs go through many quillings throughout there lives, and will already of been through one or two before you get him/her. However the quilling at 8 - 12 weeks is a major quilling for them where they lose all there baby quills and get there adult ones. The adult quills are much thicker than the baby quills and can be very uncomfortable for the hog involved.

Some hogs go through this with no upset at all, and some suffer really badly. We have found this is normally worse in the lighter coloured skinned hogs, mainly albino. It cannot be stressed enough that even though your hog will no doubt protest at being handled at this stage in its life, it is also the most important time for bonding. Perseverance through this time will reward you with a very calm hog that enjoys being handled when quilling is finished.

As the new quills come through they are very sharp. If you need too then wear a pair of gloves through this time but do allow the hog to run on you and sit/sleep on you. It is your smell it must learn to accept. I prefer not to use gloves, but some people find it too hard on there hands. It is far better to wear gloves and handle than not handle at all.

Also note you will notice an increase in scratching during this period. As when the new quills come through they pierce the skin and itch badly as the skin heals. This is quite normal and nothing to worry about.

To help your hog through this period, if the scratching is bad or you feel he/she is hurting too much then a oatmeal bath will relive the scratching and sooth the skin. It should also calm the hog down. However I would not recommend this more than once a week over a few weeks while quilling. Too much water will dry your hogs skin out. Washing it clear of the natural oils the skin produces, so over washing can become counter productive.

This main quilling can last from a couple of days to a couple of months. It totally dependant of the individual hog. No too hogs are the same even from the same litter.

Diet

You will have receive the sample of the food your hog is on now (see bringing your hog home for how to swap over to another brand type) you will see by the sample that the staple of hogs is standard cat kibble available is most shops and supermarkets. This has been looked at in great detail and various foods have been tested and tried inc dedicated hog food, however the results always show a good quality cat food to be the best food the meets the needs of our hogs. I leave a bowl of there staple food in the enclosure at all times, along with a bowl of water which is refreshed once or twice a day. Other food should be offered on occasion. Other foods to offer as treats include: ground chicken/turkey - cooked, fresh veg carrots ect (note not all hogs will accept veg. If yours does not then do not worry) plain scrambled egg (no milk) is another favourite, along with wet cat food (not fish), cottage cheese. You will need to experiment with your hog as to what he/she likes the most.

One important thing to keep in mind is that there has been reports out of America where these have been kept as pets for much longer than the uk. That some hogs have had very bad reactions to fish and seafood based food items inc catfood. so please refrain from using anything containing these items to be on the safe side.

Treats - nearly all hogs go mad for mealworms, however they are quite fatty and can cause fatty liver disorder, so should only be fed as a treat in either a few each night or a larger portion each week. They also enjoy any other insects you can find. All these can be fed either live or freeze dried. I prefer freeze dried as you do not have the worry of keeping the live food alive for a period of time and also the thought of the food escaping. Many people use locusts and cockroaches, however you need to make these immobile to help the hogs catch them or they will most likely escape from the cage before the hog has chance of eating them.

Housing

There are endless amounts of enclosures that can be used for hogs. Most have their pros and cons and there really is not one that is better than all the rest, so I will just go though some of the more common ones used, so you can decide for yourself which enclosure suits you best.

Zoozone 2 - This is probably the most commonly used enclosure for hogs and makes a very good house. They are plastic with a open vented roof. There is enough space to comfortably fit a wheel, water and food bowls and a house or sleeping bag. They are very easy to clean. There only drawback is they are not designed to be stacked on top of each other, so bare this in mind if you have more than one hog, as good air flow will be prevented by stacking them.

Indoor rabbit enclosures - These are also very good housing for hogs, if the larger sizes are used. They provide ample space for wheel, water, food and sleeping area. They are normally plastic based with a metal cage top, enabling them to be stacked quite easy. The main downside to these is the ability of the hogs to climb the cage top sides which could result in the hog falling from a height and causing damage to itself, however not all hogs are climbers and many will not attempt to climb the sides, and those that do and fall will generally fall and be no worse for wear. This is a consideration you should keep in mind. Many people add Perspex to the sides of these cages to stop all climbing, which seams to work very well.

Vivariums - viv make another great enclosure for hogs, normally made of wood and available in many sizes. Generally 4ft and above vivs are used by hog owners as these provide the space needed inside. They are also very easy to clean. The main downside to vivs is the air flow and ventilation. This is normally overcome by simply adding extra vents to the viv. Vents are readly available through most reptile shops and on e-bay. If you are getting a viv made then the builder can normally add extra vents for mammel use at no or little extra cost. Viv' also have the added attraction of being very attractive and can be made as a great addition to any front room, however they also tend to be a bit more expensive than the other options discussed here.

Custom made / DIY - Alot of people chose to build there own enclosures. Building your own is the most flexible way as you can chose your own dimensions and can be made in sizes not available in the other options. There are a few considerations to take into account. The inside surfaces should be waterproof to stop waist and water seeping into the surface, and if the design calls for a open top, then the sides must be high enough that a fully grown adult hog can not reach the rim. A adult hog will have little difficultly pulling its own body weight up and over the rim if its front feet can grab hold of it. The options with a DIY build are really only limited by your imagination and can often cost much less than the commercial alternatives.

Rubs - Rubbermaid type tubs can also be used as long as size of floor space and height of the side walls are taken into consideration. These can be often found quite cheep and make a good home, however they can not be stacked and are open topped so would need to be modified if you have other pet in the house like cats and dogs.

Bedding

There are several options for bedding. Again none of them are the correct or incorrect way to house your hog. They all offer some good and some bad points. You need to find what is best for you. Below are some examples of things i use / have used and my observations about the.

Sawdust - Sawdust can be used and is fairly inexpensive. It can be bought very cheep online and can be found easy in your local shop / supermarket if you run out, however I find the sawdust by its very nature cause a lot of mess no matter how careful you are it ends up all over the house and the hogs end up covered in it who also trail it around the house when they are out on an evening. Another drawback is it very dusty and this can cause the hogs to sneeze and scratch far more than with any other type of bedding.

Wood chippings - Again fairly inexpensive. Large bales can be bought on e-bay very cheep and last a long time. Much cleaner than sawdust and is far better than sawdust at soaking up any liquid. Its larger size also means its less messy and easier to hover up any bits that do escape. This I my preferred bedding of choice at the moment.

Wood based cat litter - Bit more expensive but totally dust free. Soaks up liquid very well indeed. My only concern with this is that it is very uneven for the hogs to walk on, and not as soft as the other bedding used.Note you will also need to supply another type of bedding for the hog to sleep on / in.

Newspaper - Simple and free if you let people know you want there old papers. Dust free and makes a very good base. The downside is that unlike all the above beddings a news paper bottom must be changed everyday where as the others may be spot cleaned every day and renewed on a weekly basis. With just one hog this makes little difference as it only takes a little while to change out, but for people who have more hogs it can become quite time consuming depending on how many hogs you have. Newspaper can also be shreaded to make the hogs sleeping area.

Blanket - This is only really an option if you manage to potty train your hog. If you manage this and are happy it always uses the litter tray then a blanket makes a wonderful bedding, and only requires changing every week, however if your hog sometimes does not use the litter try then a blanket will become very smelly very quickly and will need changing out every day, and will be a messy experience.

In the end you really do need to find what works best for you.

Sleeping Area

Again there are a few options here and none are better than the other. It again depends on what your preference is. The hogs are just as happy in any of them.

Igloo - Igloos are very popular. Made of plastic they are easy to clean and can be filled with your choice of bed usually small animal bedding, wood chippings or ripped up newspaper.

Wooden bridge - Available in many shops. Quite cheap in pets at home. Most use the large size to make a shelter, then there sleeping bedding is added inside. They also provide a safe wood for your hog to chew on.

Sleeping pouch - The hogs love these, and they have the added benefit of being able to pick them out of the enclosure complete with hog inside. Plus the hogs will generally go straight inside at end of play also, where you can then pop the whole thing back in the enclosure . There is just two things to be aware of with these, if using woodchippings and sawdust it will cling to the sides of the pouch and be spread about the house, so are best used with either news paper bedding or wood based catlitter bedding. The other downside it if breeding you cannot see into the pouch very well, but all in all these make a very good sleeping area when combined with a newspaper bottom and is easiest the cleanest set-up

Toys

Although you may play with your hog for extensive amounts of time, the fact is sooner or later it will be bed time for you and your hog will still be awake, and will need something to stop it becoming bored during the late hours of the night. The one item I will say is paramount for any hog is a good running wheel. This cannot be expressed enough and after a few days you will realise just why.. It will be there most used thing your hog has, as he/she uses this through most of the night, it is in your interest to obtain the quietest wheel you can find although the quite ones will not be the cheapest, it will be more than worth it in sleepless nights with cheaper and louder wheels.

There are two types that hog owners use, and both are as good as each other. On a budget the quietest wheels are either the 12" flying saucer wheels or the 12" silent spinners are around the best money can buy. For ultra quite wheels you need to look towards the specialist stealth wheel but these come in at appox twice the price of the fore mentioned wheels.

Other toys that can be out in the cage are standard cat toys. You will need to experiment on which your hog plays with or ignores.
For out of the cage, again cat toys can be used, but the hogs like nothing better than running around the floor exploring every nook and cranny. Tubes and runs can be used to great effect. If you would rather the hog did not have free roam when out, a small animal play pen makes a good addition for the hog to play in while out of there enclosure, of course they will also enjoy running around you and climbing all over you, often choosing to go to sleep on your shoulder or trying to hide in your clothing.

Temperature

Hogs are very happy living at the same temperature as us, and need no extra heating unless you house them in a particularly cold room of the house. If this is the case a simple heat mat set under there enclosure with a thermostat set to approx 70 - 75 deg will do fine. In most centrally heated houses no extra heat is required. the general rule is, if you feel cold the hog feels cold. If unsure then check the area you intend to house your hog with a thermometer during the coldest part of the night. If the temp drops below 69 deg then a heat mat should be used as a fail safe feature. Remember if the temp drops much below 69 deg then there is a chance the hog will try and hibernate. This can be fatal to this type of hog so must be avoided. Most rooms that you use will not drop below this temperature.

Cleaning your hog out

The hog should be cleaned out completely on a weekly basis. Strip the full enclosure down and clean out with a pet safe disinfectant. Wash any cloth bedding and replace any woodbased bedding. Clean out all food and water bowls.
Each day you will need to spot clean your enclosure, cleaning out any waist and topping up water and food bowls cleaning out if the hog has fowled in the bowl. If using newspaper as a base bedding then this should be replace daily or as req,d. Wheels will have to be cleaned daily as the hogs will often poop on them while running in them. This is easily cleaned off the next morning with hot water and a scouring pad.

If you need to clean your hog, then an oatmeal bath can be used but should be limited to once a month only (unless quilling - see above), fragrance free wet wipes may be used in between wiping the quills from head to tail. mild kitten shampoo can also be used but also limited to once a month as it can dry out hogs skin.

Positives of hedgehogs as pets?

• - Unique personalities.
• - Curious and can show some amazingly unexpected intelligence!
• - Relatively low smell for a small animal.
• - A nice cage set up can be made very inexpensively.
• - Travel well- easy to take along with you if you have to travel.
• - Are low risk for problems with other pets, so long as the other pets aren't in a position to directly harrass them.
• - Quiet.
• - Don't need immunizations.
• - Don't mind being without other hedgehog companions (and males typically prefer it).
• - A lot of information is readily available on their care.
• - There's a very active, supportive online hedgehog community, as well as
• an active hedgehog club and hedgehog shows!

• - Need to stay warm (above about 70).
• - There is no food that's totally nutritionally complete for them.
• - Many vets are not familiar with them, and vet visits (though not needed very often) can be expensive.
• - Youngsters may poop on you a lot.
• - Some individuals can be very cranky and most will not seek you out for attention.

Do they have scent glands or an offensive smell?
AM: Compared to other small animals that I have kept, they are very low smell. Some males and pregnant or lactating females have smellier droppings than others.
VC: While hedgehogs themselves do not have an odor or mark territory, their cages will smell if not cleaned on a regular basis.

What is their average lifespan?
AM: Roughly 3 to 6 years. Early published reports of 6 to 10 years seem to be very atypical, although there are a very small few individuals who made it to that age.
VC: The average lifespan of a hedgehog is 4-6 years.

Do they tolerate interaction?
AM: Many do, but some don't.
VC: Just like people, there will be times when a hedgehog prefers to be left alone. If a hedgehog is handled and socialized from a young age, generally they tolerate interaction well. A hedgehog may roll up into a ball and "huff" until it gets used to its person.

What is their general personality, disposition, and attitude?
AM: There are thre main personality styles- runners, cuddlers, pick me ups, and touch me nots! Runners are probably the most common personality, and pick me ups are the least.
VC: Every hedgehog is different so it is hard to make generalizations about them. All of my hedgehogs are very curious creatures. pigs.

Are they sweet and petable, or mischievious and playful?
AM: They aren't usually very playful in the sense that other animals are. Some will sit quietly while you pet them, but most prefer to use you as terrain! And some will just curl in a ball and be shy when handled.
VC: All -- at different times.

Are they hyper, or more sedate when being handled?
AM: The average hedgie wants to either explore, or else find a safe place to hide in the crook of your arm!
VC: depends really on the hedgehog, every hedgehog is different. That is why it is suggested when buying to look at all the different hoglets and try to find one that suites your ideal of what you would like in a hedgehog as a pet. Some are very laid back, some are shy, some are very adventurous.

How destructive are they in their cage?
AM: They don't chew, but there are some who like to knock everything around and rearrange their cages nightly!
VC: not destructive at all in my experience. Side note: it is important for a hedgehog to have a cage with a solid bottom floor.

Are there any problems associated with their claws?
AM: No. Some do require nail clipping periodically, but the risk is to them, not people, if they are long. If nails grow too long, they can curl under and cause difficulty with walking.
VC: Not really, although depending on the hedgehog's personality it may be difficult to trim their nails. Some owners prefer to have their vets to trim their nails.

How messy are their droppings?
AM: Ordinarily, they are firm and not all that messy. If they have loose stools, they can be really icky!
VC: If the hedgehog is healthy and on a good diet, not too messy at all. If the hedgehog displays loose stools or green stools that may be a sign of stress, illness or poor diet.

Can they be litter box trained?
AM: Some can... some refuse. It's an individual thing!
VC: Yes, some hedgehogs take easier to litter training than others though.

Can they be trained?
AM: Probably, if it's simple and has to do with food. But they're more likely to train you.

What size cage do they need?
AM: As big as you can offer. I would not keep a hedgie in something smaller than a 56 quart sterlite. They like to run, and a solid surface 10" diameter or larger wheels appreciated by nearly all hedgies!
VC: Minimum of 18 by 24 inches and at least 15 inches tall. some people prefer to use large aquaruims rather than cages, and some people also use rubbermaid totes as cages.

What is the best diet for them?
AM: There's quite a bit of fuss about that, so I'll just direct folks to the most recent research presentation on the subject (which was reported in '98, but I have yet to find anything more current): http://www.gohogwild.net/ghw98/nutrition.htm

What vaccinations/vet care do they require?
AM: They don't require any vaccinations. Probably the most common minor problems (which can become major quickly if not treated) are mites and upper respiratory problems. More serious problems are cancer and fatty liver. It's always advised to find a vet BEFORE you get your hedgehog, just in case problems arise.
VC: No vaccinations. Vet care -- recommend yearly check ups. Other than that, when display possible signs of illness.

At what age would it be best to get one?
AM: About 8 weeks is good, though babies at that age are likely to be quilling (shedding their small, thin baby quills and growing in larger, thicker adult quills), which can make them cranky. If you are intimidated by the thought of going through quilling (and indiscriminate pooping) with a baby, then an adult can make a great pet too. Just remember that what you see is often what you get with an adult. If it's friendly, it's likely to bond well with you regardless of age. And if it's cranky, it may change a lot if it's a quilling baby, but it may not if it's an adult.
VC: The earliest would be 8 weeks old. However, if the hedgehog has been handled on a somewhat regular basis, an adult hedgehog can make equally as good of a pet.

Are they difficult to breed?
AM: Yes, they can be tricky and temperamental, even under the best of conditions. It should also be noted that if you live in the US, a USDA license is required to sell them.
VC: No more difficult than other animals really. The father must be seperated from the mother before the hoglets are born though or he will kill them. There are also occassionally birthing problems, as with any other animals.

What kind of person should own these animals?
AM: Someone who is more curious about learning how to interact with an animal than having the animal fit their preconceived notions. Each hedgehog has its own individual personality, and you and hedgie will be happiest if you're patient enough to try to learn how the hedgie prefers to be interacted with. You also need to be willing to do a lot of reading, and have to be willing to fork out money for vet bills, should that become necessary. You need to be able to give the hedgie at least a little attention daily, and need to be willing to do the little extra things that will keep your hedgie happiest.
VC: Not recommended for young children due to the fact that young children may have trouble holding them (if the hedgehog gets scared and balls up the child may get stuck by the quills and this may lead to dropping the hedgehog). Also not good pets for anyone who cannot spend time with them at night, since they are nocturnal by nature.