Saturday is coming quick

[maryrnsn]

ok Saturday is coming very fast I need a check list of what I need
I have or will have tomorrow morning after work
chicken soup for the cat lovers soul lite
thinking I will pick up royal canin 37 on the way to get her (not available in my town but is on the way)
a tote/cage setup for her for time being I found one at petsmart I want to buy in the next couple weeks it's a four story ferret cage with plastic bottoms (it's like $160 will need to modify only the ramps thinking clear plastic dryer vent they sell it as ferret tube)
have made hedgie bags cage liners
bedding litter pan, crock dishes large wheel (12")
debating crickets or meal worms which one?
Have aveeno
have vitamin e oil
a carrier with blankie and hedgie bag to transport her home
worried about the drive it is at least a 2 1/2 hour ride home
if we were to walk around the mall would it be safe in her carrier with a disposable heat pack in a closed car (it's only supposed to be in the mid 60's)
or would I be safe to put her in a purse type pouch carrier and carry her with me???? :dunno:
yup last minute nerves I have a list but keep going over it thinking I am forgetting something

[LoriL]

ok Saturday is coming very fast I need a check list of what I need
I have or will have tomorrow morning after work
chicken soup for the cat lovers soul lite
thinking I will pick up royal canin 37 on the way to get her (not available in my town but is on the way)
a tote/cage setup for her for time being I found one at petsmart I want to buy in the next couple weeks it's a four story ferret cage with plastic bottoms (it's like $160 will need to modify only the ramps thinking clear plastic dryer vent they sell it as ferret tube)
have made hedgie bags cage liners
bedding litter pan, crock dishes large wheel (12")
debating crickets or meal worms which one?
Have aveeno
have vitamin e oil
a carrier with blankie and hedgie bag to transport her home
worried about the drive it is at least a 2 1/2 hour ride home
if we were to walk around the mall would it be safe in her carrier with a disposable heat pack in a closed car (it's only supposed to be in the mid 60's)
or would I be safe to put her in a purse type pouch carrier and carry her with me???? :dunno:
yup last minute nerves I have a list but keep going over it thinking I am forgetting something

Congratulations on getting your new hedgehog!

I'm not sure about the ferret cage. Maybe someone else can help with that.

Chickens Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul Lite is a very good food, and many people feed their hedgies Royal Canin 37. A mix of 2-3 foods is ideal. When I got Lucy, at first I kept her on the food from the breeder's for the first week-just so she didn't have to adjust to a food change in addition to everything else too. Then I slowly changed her food. Just something to think about.

12" wheel is good. Just make sure it's not mesh, that it is solid. Otherwise her feet could get caught.

Lucy prefers mealworms. If you get mealworms, make sure they aren't the "superworms". I've also tried crickets, she'll eat them, but she REALLY likes those mealworms! :)

I wouldn't worry about the ride home. I think if you have a hedgiebag for her to hide in inside the carrier, she'll be okay. Just in case she gets carsick though, maybe you should bring some wet paper towels to clean up any messes. Wet them and put them in a ziploc bag. Bring some extra hedgiebags. Make sure her carrier isn't sitting in the sun on the way back either. Otherwise, she'll get too warm.

I would worry about her sitting in the car for too long while you are in the mall. Even though the air temperature is mid-60's, it can get pretty warm in a vehicle, especially if the sun is shining. I don't know if you'll want to carry her around with you either. If she's a baby, she'll be pooping/peeing quite a bit. And she'll be pretty nervous about you and everything else.

I also use Aveeno oatmeal and Aveeno baby shampoo.

I have Vitamin E oil-don't know what I'd do without that!

I drove Lucy 5 hours back home, so I think she'll be just fine! Just remember though, she's going to be nervous and scared.

Have fun with your new addition!

[shetland]

Qh wow-you must be so excited! When your new baby settles in I will be looking forward to lots of pictures. I would not leave her in a car though-way too unpredictable. Ask some of the hedgie experts on here like Nancy and Hedgmom about that cage and all those levels concerning safety issues-you have to be 100% sure that she can't fall. Saturday will be here before you know it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And you sound like you are on your way to being a great hedgie mom with all your concern and preparation.

[Vincent]

I think I have the same cage you're talking about. A 4-story 'Fun-nel' home, yeah?
I found that my hedgie didn't like the additional levels; he rarely went onto them, and could've fallen off of them easily as well. I wound up taking them out entirely.
:) Congrats on your new hedgie!

[maryrnsn]

nope its the Super Pet® Deluxe Multi Floor Ferret from petsmart $159.99 free shipping
I was just thinking for maybe as addicting as hedgies seem to be i would have expansion room just simply by covering a hole in the floor, each floor is 20X32 its almost like 5 feet tall

[Nancy]

To be honest, I'd take that cage back and get something more suitable for a hedgehog. I have the half height version of that cage for our ferrets and it would be an absolute pain for a hedgehog. Not one of the doors is large enough to get the wheel in and out so that means every day you will be dismantling the cage to take out the wheel to clean it.

The doors are fine for getting an animal out that will actually come to the door but for a hedgehog that you have to reach in to get it is not easy, especially at the top level.

The ramps are not at all hedgehog safe and will have to be totally modified. First off they are too steep an angle so you will have to lower the level which means the doors won't correspond to the levels.

Not all hedgehogs will even use a second level. I have second level in 7 of my cages and we have numerous hedgehogs that would not use the second level.

Converting that cage to accomodate other hedgehogs would not work either as the wheels won't go through the doors up top.

Hedgehogs need floorspace more than height and they also need a cage with a large door that the wheel can easily go in and out of. There are far more suitable cages available for less money.

She'll be fine with the car ride but I'd recommend you do the mall before you pick her up. Leaving her in the vehicle is not a good idea at all unless someone stays in the car with her. Carrying her through the mall will just add more stess.
Does the carrier buckle into the car? She is much safer buckled in than sitting on a lap.

New babies are so exciting. :)

[nicole1719]

I don't really have much to add except I'm excited to see pics!

[Vincent]

I agree with Nancy; my cage is very much like your own, and it's just a TOTAL pain in the butt to take off the top every day so I can get out the running wheel. You'd be much better off getting another cage. :)

[Tsukiko]

We have that type of ferret cage for our ferrets and it is a total pain in the butt to clean!!! The doors are barely big enough for their litter boxes, and I know a wheel would be difficult to get in/out. Getting out a grumpy hedgie that isn't used to you at all would be all but impossible with that cage too. One of the two of you would likely get injured. Nancy's definatley right about getting a different cage. Modifying it would take a lot of time and the hedgie still probably wouldn't have enough floor space. Try a plastic bin if you're worried about adding more hedgies later. They can stack ;) Congratulations on the little one, and enjoy it. They don't stay little very long.

[pixiestix]

Congratulations on your new hedgie!! I hope he/she is precious!

I don't want to beat a dead horse with the cage thing so I'll just say you might want to go with meal worms for a treat. I bought crickets thinking Pixie might like them more, and she eats them just fine. But they are gross. And I don't get grossed out easily. I don't know what it is about them but I prefer giving mealworms. :) Just my opinion...

Also, you might check with Nancy but I was told to hold off on treats for at least a week or two so they can adjust to your house without having to adjust to new food too....