Mercer is our latest bundle of joy. I've been begging Pauly for months and he finally caved and let me buy one. She is the sweetest thing. I'm allergic to her however and the rash is not pleasant. If I'm holding her and she flares her quills I get a rash where they touched, for like 5 hours afterward. It's easy to forgive her though because she is too cute. Don't believe me? Go to her photo gallery and see for yourself.
**FAQ**
Q. How long do they live for?
A. Hedgehogs generally like 4-6 years.
Q. What do they eat?
A. She eats special formulated hedgehog food. You could however feed them ferret food or senior cat food.
Q. What kind of cage and bedding do I need?
A. She lives in a guinea pig cage with aspen bedding. Be sure to include a hidey hole and some toys. (Mercer loves jingly cat toys but only ones that she can grip with her teeth, so now solid ones)
Q. Should I have more than one?
A. No, hedgehogs enjoy living alone.
Q. How much will this set me back?
A. A lot. Mercer cost $178 plus cages and accesories. The whole excursion was about $325. Not cheap, but well worth it.
Q. What are their common health problems?
A. *Hedgehogs get mites, a trip to the vet will rid them of those.
*They also can develop Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome.No one knows what causes it and therefore there is no cure. Paralization occurs slowly and soon you'll have to hand feed your pet or have it put down.
*Fatty Liver Disease. This is caused by obesity. You'll need to keep a trim hedgie to prevent this, don't overfeed them and make sure they get exercise.
Q. Are they easy to find in pet shops?
A. I've only ever seen them in one shop(and I've been to a whole lot). Once again, call around as you can't buy them just anywhere.
Q. What kind of maintenance do they require?
A. About medium I'd say. They need to be out at least an hour a day. This includes just having them in your lap while they sleep. They love play time (or will at least grow to love play time) so if you play with them every night at 7, they'll be waiting for you at 7.
Q. When do they sleep?
A. They are mostly nocturnal but will wake up earlier if that's when play time is.
Q. Do they make noise?
A. Only panting and hissing when they feel threatened or angry.
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