Choosing a Healthy Pet Hedghog
April 8th 2009 20:37
Hedgehogs make for interesting pets, and although I have never had one, I have known a few people who have. The one thing that you want to do when picking a healthy hedgehog is to remember to research responsible and reputable breeders, so that you know that your hedgehog will have a good temperament and will be healthy.
You don't want to just pick up and buy the first hedgehog that you see available for sale. This could cause you many vet bills in the end.
When getting a young hedgehog (6 to 8 weeks of age), you want to make sure that the hedgehog is already getting used to being handled. When you pick up the hedgehog, you want to gauge its reaction. You want a hedgehog that will allow itself to be picked up and possibly rolled onto its back without rolling into a ball.
You want to look for a hedgehog that had bright and clear eyes, clear nostrils, and healthy looking skin, quills, and fur. Look for missing quills, flaky skin, discharge around the eyes or nose, or evidence of diarrhea around the bum; if the hedgehog has any of these signs, you want to keep looking for a healthy hedgehog.
The hedgehog should be of good weight- not too thin or too heavy. You can check around the legs; if there are rolls, then there is an obesity concern, which is a common problem with hedgehogs.
As for which gender to get, both males and females are typically good pets. You just want to plan on keeping just one hedgehog per cage, as they are perfectly happy to be kept solo and alone. Otherwise, if you pair them, you can potentially run into fighting and bullying.
You don't want to just pick up and buy the first hedgehog that you see available for sale. This could cause you many vet bills in the end.
When getting a young hedgehog (6 to 8 weeks of age), you want to make sure that the hedgehog is already getting used to being handled. When you pick up the hedgehog, you want to gauge its reaction. You want a hedgehog that will allow itself to be picked up and possibly rolled onto its back without rolling into a ball.
You want to look for a hedgehog that had bright and clear eyes, clear nostrils, and healthy looking skin, quills, and fur. Look for missing quills, flaky skin, discharge around the eyes or nose, or evidence of diarrhea around the bum; if the hedgehog has any of these signs, you want to keep looking for a healthy hedgehog.
The hedgehog should be of good weight- not too thin or too heavy. You can check around the legs; if there are rolls, then there is an obesity concern, which is a common problem with hedgehogs.
As for which gender to get, both males and females are typically good pets. You just want to plan on keeping just one hedgehog per cage, as they are perfectly happy to be kept solo and alone. Otherwise, if you pair them, you can potentially run into fighting and bullying.
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