a little help?

[WMUhedge]

hey everybody, i am new to the hedgehog world so i apologize if i ask a few dumb questions.. im getting my first hedgehog in about a week or two (enough time for it to mature a little), and before i bring him home, i want to have a nice setup for my first hedgie... my question is what would be a nice starter cage and any other accessories for the little guy? i am in college and i dont have too much money, so all the huge cages i see are way out of my price range... if any of you could help me out it would be greatly appreciated :)

[HedgeMom]

A simple 120 qt Sterlite sells for about 12.00 at Target and makes a nice hedgehog home, but it'll need some ventilation mods.

Can I tell you how sad this post makes me? You've already got a hedgehog coming yet you haven't researched cages (or you'd know that "all those huge cages" doesn't apply to hedgehogs), you don't have any money (which means vet care is probably out of your reach) and you're just now checking to see what you need.

Are you going to be able to keep him at 74 degrees or warmer every day? Do you have permission to have him whereever you live? Will you have permission 4 years down the road? Summer break? Winter break?

Can you afford proper food? A wheel? All the little things that end up costing a fortune? Medical emergencies at 3:00 a.m. Christmas Day?

Please make sure that you're in a good financial position as well as knowledge position before you bring a hedgehog into your life. They might not live long but they have needs that must be met in order to live a good, healthy life.

[Nancy]

I agree with Hedgemom. Hedgehogs are not cheap pets to own or maintain properly.

They have specific heating requirements which involve buying a space heater, heating pad and/or other means of keeping the hedgehog warm and all of these heating devices do cost money to operate. Hedgehogs must have an alternate heat source. They is no way around it and arranging how to keep the hedgehog warm should be a first priority.

Exotic vet care often costs more than for a dog or cat and when a hedgehog shows symptoms of illness it needs to see a vet IMMEDIATELY. Hedgehogs hide illness well so by the time you realize something is wrong, they are often very sick. They can't wait days or weeks to see the vet.

The cost of a cage is actually a rather minor expense in hedgehog ownership. :)

[WMUhedge]

okay, i can get why you would be skeptical of me getting such a great creature... but i dont think you have the right to assume i havent done my proper research for getting a hedgie. i have been researching hardcore for the past weeks on proper care and going to the petstore constantly to make sure i would have the right resources. i even went to a specialized breeder of hedgehogs as opposed to seeing one at the petstore and thinking its a good idea. i live at home while going to college and this is not my first pet i have been taking care of. i do have enough money for everything, i just wanted to know if there are any cheaper ways for the same care. so, trying not to be rude about it, please dont assume i havent taken the neccesary precautions before making such a decision.

[LunaMidnight]

We got Luna and Isis' cages at Petcetera on sale for $37 and that was the cheapest part of the whole thing. Well, except for the wheels, those were $20 (before tax).

When Isis had to go to the vet for sneezes it cost us about $98 and it was just to hear, "yep, she has sneezes, here's some medicine." :p

[Vincent]

Sterilite bins seem to cost the least; one seems a bit small (to me), but you can always link two or three together with PCV pipes.
http://www.hedgies.com/sterlitecage.htm
Another cage you might want to try using is a c-cube design; you can make these ones large without a lot of effort at all. :)
http://www.guineapigcages.com/cubes.htm
If you decide to buy a cage from a pet store, keep in mind that hedgehogs need a solid floor for their cage (metal or plastic, not wire), and that if you buy a cage with ramps and shelves, it will take a LOT of modifying to make it hedgie-safe. I originally bought a ferret cage for my hedgehog, thinking that he'd enjoy all the ramps, but I had to replace it soon afterwards because the ramps were a danger to him. It was a pretty expensive mistake.
Also, if you've been getting your information from pet stores, you may have stumbled across a common food misconception. (I know you might already know this, but there's no harm in saying it just in case!) Never feed hedgehog food, so don't even waste your money buying it. Instead, look at this thread:
http://www.chins-n-quills.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93744
Most of the cat foods are very hard to find, and many people have to order it off the internet. But if you live in a city, you might be able to find a pet store that carries some brands. :) The one I've had the most success with is Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul... my hedgies all love it.
As for toys, the most important one you can buy is a wheel. They need to be 11" or 12" in diametre, with a solid running surface, which means no wire spokes. You might have a hard time finding them at pet stores, but just keep looking! Most hedgehogs love to run, and it's the best way to keep them in shape, so you should never cheap out when it comes to wheels. The three most popular kinds are comfort wheels, silent spinners, and bucket wheels.
Comfort wheel: http://www.canadianhedgehogassociation.com/store-wheel.htm
The problem with these wheels is that the lip of the bucket hangs over the wire stand, which means that if a hedgehog puts its weight too far over, the entire wheel will tip over. I fixed this problem by putting the wheel against the wire cage and using a garbage tie to secure it. :)
Silent spinner: http://www.critterstore.com/sp-61416.html
I don't have any personal experience with these, but the only thing I've picked up from members on this forum is that some break easily, and they're not actually that silent.
Bucket wheel: http://www.hedgies.com/images/skeezixwheel.jpg
This is my personal favorite. They're not sold in stores, so don't expect to find any, but you can either order them off the internet or make them yourself. They're the most expensive wheel of the three, but I just LOVE them. I have one at the moment, and two more are being shipped to me. :) They're easy to wash (the treads on comfort wheels usually make cleaning a hassle) and they're completely silent.
http://chinmania.tripod.com/chin_wheels.html There's a link to a DIY website.
Other hedgie toys can include:
*toilet paper tubes (cut a slit up one side so that hedgehogs can't get stuck in them)
*jingly cat toys (those balls with the bells inside)
*stuffed animals or beanie babies
*small sections of PCV pipe
* blankets
*igloos (not really a toy, but most hedgehogs enjoy them)
*plastic toy cars (make sure there are no pieces they can bite off and choke on)
I know everybody else has already mentioned it, but just make sure you take every bit of care you can when it comes to heat and vet bills. They're very sensitive little guys, and you should make sure you have some emergency forms of heat in case you ever need them. These can include:
*snugglesafe discs (http://www.snugglesafe.co.uk/heatpad.htm)
*hand warmers (they're pretty cheap)
*hot water bottles (although they don't stay warm very long :/ Use them only in an emergency)
I had to buy an oil radiator and a ceramic heater just to keep the hedgehog's cages warm enough this winter. I didn't consider it until after I'd bought my first one, but heat really is an important (and expensive) part of keeping hedgies.

[wyvernrider18]

One word: Ebay. I got my hedgies' wheel for $15. It's a Giant 12" comfort wheel and she loves it. And don't feel bad about people being skeptical about you getting this pet. They mean well and they only have the best interest of the hedgie in mind. But i do have to argue to them that not all college students are irresponsible and too poor to care for their pets because I too am a college freshman, 19 years old and I have a houseful. And my vet would argue that my cats are some of the healthiest he's seen at every yearly visit or when the time arises. But also, hedgehogs can be difficult to care for, so you need to make SURE you know everything and make sure it is correct info. My first hedgie was a disaster because although the pet store lady seemed knoledgable at the time, the info she gave me was bogus and I wound up with a surprise hedgie litter 30 days into owning her as well as she got very sick from a poor diet. I've learned now and am now able to take proper care of the hedgie I have now. Nobody is trying to knock you, just trying to give good advice because they care about the animal.

[HedgeMom]

okay, i can get why you would be skeptical of me getting such a great creature... but i dont think you have the right to assume i havent done my proper research for getting a hedgie. i have been researching hardcore for the past weeks on proper care and going to the petstore constantly to make sure i would have the right resources. i even went to a specialized breeder of hedgehogs as opposed to seeing one at the petstore and thinking its a good idea. i live at home while going to college and this is not my first pet i have been taking care of. i do have enough money for everything, i just wanted to know if there are any cheaper ways for the same care. so, trying not to be rude about it, please dont assume i havent taken the neccesary precautions before making such a decision.

not all college students are irresponsible and too poor to care for their pets

This is why I "assumed" that there were money issues:

i am in college and i dont have too much money, so all the huge cages i see are way out of my price range...

That pretty clearly says "I don't have much money" when a cage is out of your price range. If you can't afford a 100 dollar cage, how are you going to pay for a 500 dollar (or more) emergency vet bill?

[wyvernrider18]

Originally posted by HedgeMom: If you can't afford a 100 dollar cage, how are you going to pay for a 500 dollar (or more) emergency vet bill? I do think it's a bit different paying $100 for a cage and $500 for a vet bill. Not that you don't make a good point, though. I mean, I wouldn't pay $100 for a cage that I can get a better one much cheaper usually, but I'd gladly pay $500 if it meant saving my animals' life. But I do agree that if you can't afford the aspects of your pets' life that it needs, then you shouldn't get the pet. I'm not trying to take sides here, just trying to state valid facts for both sides because sometimes I think that helps when you're learning about something or trying to make a decision.

[southcalihedgie]

Hi all,

Just addig my 2 cents :winkgrin: . Upon first reading the post I too got the impression that the person seemed to be trying to get everything together at the last minute and was indicating that they were short on funds. But that does not mean we should all assume the person is irresposible and finacially unstable...they could just be poor post writers...which causes people to assume and react for the worst. Maybe if we ask questions instead assuming we call all give our input without offending anyone. Because lets face... resposible or not the person at home after they log off are going to do what they want despite what the read...or in spite of. If we all really want what best for all HHs we should not try to alienate hh owners...because as we all know sometimes these forums are the only life line for advice or help a hh has if the situation takes a turn for the worst.

To the original poster: For the sake of any living creature you choose to own make sure you are able to devote all of the time, money, and resources needed to provide the best possible life your your new friend. If you are WELCOME! If you cannot at this time we urgue you to wait until the time is right. But either way this comminty is here for you and your hedgie if you a choose to get one.