Hedgehog Cages
How to Choose the Best Hedgehog Cages
Although there is debate about what the best hedgehog cages might be, there are some things that should always be taken into consideration when looking at housing for your hedgehog. These include how easy it is to clean them, the size, ventilation, and safety. It is also important that you find housing that fits not only your wallet, but also meets the requirements that hedgehogs entail.
In the wild, hedgehogs tend to get around when it comes to space. For that reason, they also need a lot of room in their hedgehog cages as well. The bare minimum requirements for a cage should be 2 square feet of floor space. In fact, they really need something a little larger than that. Even with a cage, you should still be allowing your hedgehog to run around outside for exercise, too.
In order to keep down humidity levels and to prevent ammonia forming from urine, a good ventilation system is needed. This will also come in handy when it comes to odor, too. The best ventilation systems are offered by wire cages where the air can freely escape and circulate.
Keep in mind that you will be cleaning your hedgehog’s cage frequently. Therefore, you need to be able to access it fairly well. A large bulky cage that is hard to maneuver will make cleaning difficult. Some cages come with bottoms that can be slid out, making cleaning really easy. This is ideal.
Of course, safety is also important. Although wire cages are good for ventilation, you should stay away from cages that have actual wire floors. Wire floors might trap the hedgehog’s feet when they are walking on them and cause injury. The cages should not have any opening large enough for the hedgehog to get his head stuck in, either, or any sharp edges that might injure him.
Some owners choose to use aquariums for hedgehog cages. Although they can work, they need to have wire or mesh tops on them. A big disadvantage to using an aquarium is not only do they not always provide adequate ventilation, but they can also be hard to clean. Debris can get stuck to the glass, making the cage appear dirty and aquariums are often heavy.
Plastic containers are another choice. Ventilation can still be a problem, however. You can drill holes in the side to help ventilation, but you would need to drill quite a few to encourage air circulation. You can also attach mesh wire to the top in order to provide a top that is safe and ventilated. Leaving the container open is not encouraged since the hedgehog can climb out.
Some people prefer to use heat sources with their cages while others do not. As long as the room is fairly mild then a heat source is probably not needed. However, in the cold winter months when the temperature drops then using a space heater in the room with the cage might be necessary.
If you do want to provide an additional heat source then a Snuggle Safe Heat pad, which can be popped in the microwave and then inserted under the hedgehog’s bedding, is one way to heat the cage. Another is to use simple hand warmers. They can only be used once, for the most part, but they can work in a pinch.
For water sources, bottles don’t take up as much space and are usually easier to keep clean than water bowls. On the other hand, hedgehogs can break them with their teeth and sometimes they can spring a leak and cause the whole cage to get wet. Bowls work better as far as letting your hedgehog drink the way it does in nature, but bowls can also get dirty from the debris and other items in the cage.
No matter what hedgehog cage you choose, you should still make a point to let your pet run around and get exercise. Some people have small caged in areas that they use for this purpose. Others actually use small wading pools. It’s really up to your personal preference and your budget.