Pet hedgehog

Orla K

I'm thinking about getting a hedgehog but I have no idea where to get one. Where do I find a breeder or can I go into a pet shop? Where do I get the cages as well? I did find lots of information on how to care for them but I just don't know where to get anything. About how much would they be as well.

I'm not fully sure about getting one, I basiclly thought of it a few hours ago but it was in the back of my mind for ages.

cowzerp

Without been funny, why?
go out and see them in the wild

AlanSparrowhawk

No. Just no.

Hedgehogs aren't pets, they're wild animals. It's illegal (to the best of my knowledge) to kidnap a hedgehog (find a hedgehog in a wood and bring it to your garden). If you have a nice garden and you have a hedgehog that visits you, well done and good luck, you're very lucky. Having said that...

You might find a breeder of "Pygmy Hedgehodgs" somewhere and they might sell you one. I recommend you get yourself a gerbil or a hamster or even a mouse.

Sigma Force

To be fair I think OP was reffering to APHs not wild hedgehogs.

Here's a link for more information http://www.freewebs.com/enchantinghogs/isahedgehogforyou.htm she might be able to tell you where to buy the housing.
Also try some UK pet forums as well to talk directly to other hedgie owners.

thetrickykid

Just discovered a feckin hedgehog stuck in a drain outside my house. Don't know what to do with the little critter.

Bluefoam

Pepper sauce, some roast spuds...

Storm_rages

now bluefoam thats just silly, as far as i know hedgehog eat slugs... why would you give him pepper sauce and roast spuds... that would really be spoiling him won't it...

MsFifers

thetrickykid wrote: »

Just discovered a feckin hedgehog stuck in a drain outside my house. Don't know what to do with the little critter.

Put on the thickest gardening gloves you can find, pick him up and let him go under a hedgerow somewhere (preferably not near a busy road!:D)

animalcrazy

Hey Orla K,
I'm sure your talking about African Phgmy Hedgehogs,
As far as I know you can just use normal cages for them like a hamster cage without tunnels. I often see them for sale on www.donedeal.ie they usually cost about 200-250 euro, they are expensive little fellas.

thetrickykid

Thanks Ms Fifers,

After much messing and prodding with sticks, I put on the gloves and managed to pull the poor divil outta the drain. He was wedged in head first and must've drown.
RIP.

Sigma Force

The cage needs to be larger than a hamster cage, heating is very important and I would avoid free add papers like the plague.

Talk to a few hedgie owners to root out experienced breeders and don't forget to have a list of questions to weed out any dodgy ones.

animalcrazy

Guineapigrescue wrote: »

Talk to a few hedgie owners to root out experienced breeders and don't forget to have a list of questions to weed out any dodgy ones.

You could always talk to the breeders on the classified ads website and go see their setup and then you would know whether they are good breeders or not. Just because they have ads there doesn't mean they are bad breeders/people. I saw a shelter advertising kittens there.

AlanSparrowhawk

thetrickykid wrote: »

Just discovered a feckin hedgehog stuck in a drain outside my house. Don't know what to do with the little critter.

he was obviously dying for a drink. what i did was throw a table cloth down and pick him up in that. the thick gardening gloves will obviously be better. hope the rescue went well!

AlanSparrowhawk

thetrickykid wrote: »

Thanks Ms Fifers,

After much messing and prodding with sticks, I put on the gloves and managed to pull the poor divil outta the drain. He was wedged in head first and must've drown.
RIP.

ah **** just saw this

Run_to_da_hills

If you get them young enough hedgehogs make wonderful pets, they are very passive and easy to keep. not exactly the "cuddliest" of pets. :eek:

AlanSparrowhawk

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

If you get them young enough hedgehogs make wonderful pets, they are very passive and easy to keep. not exactly the "cuddliest" of pets. :eek:

what experience are you basing this advice on?

meathstevie

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

If you get them young enough hedgehogs make wonderful pets, they are very passive and easy to keep. not exactly the "cuddliest" of pets. :eek:

Yeah, sure do. They're on record for playing a mean hand of texas hold'em with pet foxes as well. :mad:

Overature

ive never heard of anyone who wanted a hegdehog for a pet. good luck

dbrock

they make very good pets and im sure you guys are talking about african pygmy hedgehogs,,, i breed em and some make amazing pets and like everything they have there own attitudes so there all individual,,,

Run_to_da_hills

AlanSparrowhawk wrote: »

what experience are you basing this advice on?

We had one as a kids which use to hybernate in a tool shed and would appear regularly in the garden. My parents house was up a quiet cul de sac so there was no fear of it being squashed in traffic, The creature did not mind being picked up but we were reluctant to because of flees and other parasites.

If I see a hedgehog trying to cross a road I will pull over and move it to safety, I have asked taxi drivers on several occasions to do same.

Our man in Havana

I have just got myself a young African Pygmy Hog - a little gal & will get her a husband soon

dbrock

Bond-007 wrote: »

I have just got myself a young African Pygmy Hog - a little gal & will get her a husband soon

there amazing little things aint they,,,, i wasnt to bothered when my better half wanted em,, but she is pregnant so im looking after all the animals we got and fell in love with these guys, straight away,
bred my first 5, 6 weeks ago there stunning

Our man in Havana

What colours are your guys?? Will post up a photo of my gal when she moves into her new cage

dbrock

the three babies i have left are a salt and pepper female,, and 2 albinos 1 male 1 female,,,

the adults we have are a cinicot male,,,pinto female, 2 salt and pepers and an albino,

worded

Bond-007 wrote: »

I have just got myself a young African Pygmy Hog - a little gal & will get her a husband soon

Reminds me of that joke,
how do hedgehogs make love?
Answer - carefully.

worded

photos of diff colours:
http://hedgehogcentral.com/colorguide.shtml


looks good
http://hedgehogcentral.com/introduction.shtml

eyesofvenus

The pygmy hedgehogs for sale in petshops are from africa, not the same as the ones you'll see here in Ireland. Not cheap to buy, usually between 250-300.

They are as prickly as our ones so caution must be applied when handling one.

They eat grubs and worms but from what ive seen most pet stores have been feeding theirs wet cat food...

Interceptor

eyesofvenus wrote: »

wet cat food...

Wet or dry cat food, slices of banana, pear, grapes and chopped peanuts are all suitable food for hedgehogs.

Under no circumstances feed them bread and milk, this will kill them.

Hedgehogs make great pets - it is illegal to take them from the wild but you can buy Pygmy hedgies and hand tame them quite easily.

Have a look at any of the millions of hedgehog vids on youtube - they are better than cats...

'cptr

doctor evil

Could you feed them slugs from the garden while the Irish hedgehogs eat?

mickeymoney

This has put me off hedgehogs - the dangers of pets ,,,,,,,,
http://www.hedgehogsaspets.com/

Interceptor

doctor evil wrote: »

Could you feed them slugs from the garden while the Irish hedgehogs eat?

Hedgehogs will only eats slugs if there is nothing else and they get eventually get lungworm from eating them too often. I wouldn't recommend feeding them to a captive hedgehog when a tin of cat food in LIDL is 29c.

'cptr