Hedgehogs as Pets

Most hedgehog owners will say that they bought their hedgies simply because they were adorable and also far too intriguing to resist. Despite the fact that they are increasingly more obtainable in pet shops, they are nonetheless still an uncommon pet. Also, they are highly unusual, having a fur covered face and underside and sharp quills on their backs. Living alongside a hedgehog is a chance to be in contact with a creature which has endured without the need of evolutionary changes for millions of years. They are fascinating to watch, nonaggressive, quite easy to look after, have no body odour of any relevance and produce hardly any noise. Compared with bigger exotic pets, a hedgehog can easily live a healthy life in a small apartment. However they need a patient, kind and calm owner.

Hedgehogs are principally pets for grown ups, teenagers or older kids with good animal skills. Hardly any people are allergic to hedgehogs, therefore they are a very good option for people that love animals but might suffer allergic reactions to pets like cats and dogs. Whilst they enjoy a regular play time, pet hedgehogs are able to adjust to owners that have irregular lifestyles. A prospective hedgehog owner has to be prepared to commit to looking after their pet for at least six years.

Because of their physical structure, hedgehogs aren’t appropriate pets for young children. Small children often have problems holding a lively hedgehog. Should the youngster squeeze the hedgehog in an effort to hold on to it, the hedgehog will probably extend its quills to defend itself and stick the child, or it may well also resort to a bite. When this occurs, children will probably drop the hedgehog, which can lead to injury to the animal and the development of anxiety when being handled.

Traits to take into account

Hedgehogs have particular character traits that must be understood prior to deciding to choose this pet to be a member of your household. The pet hedgehogs found in the United States are the descendants of hedgehogs brought in from Africa, including E. algirus and A. albiventris. Once in a while, an Egyptian long-eared hedgehog will make an appearance as a pet. Even though these hedgehogs have already been domestically bred for a number of generations, they haven’t yet been domesticated for enough time to shed their typical life-style.