Concerning Locating a Hedgie!

[CaptainWhitaker]

Hello there! My name is Matt.

I recently discovered the Chins and Quills forum, as I was searching for Hedgehog breeders in my area.

I'm an 18 year old male in my second year of college. I live in West Tennessee, and I noticed that several of you are very knowledgeable about Hedgehogs.

For weeks now, I've researched Hedgehogs, as I am VERY interested in owning one.

However, I've found that they're not very easy to come by.

I was just wondering if anyone could provide some information about breeders and reasonable priced hedgehogs. I'd like to start out with one as a learning experience, and if it goes well, maybe move to a second.

I bought some books about Hedgehog care online and have read several different sites about Hedgie care, but my biggest obstacle is locating a Hedgie for a reasonable price!

If anyone could help me, I would appreciate it very much! Forgive me if I'm asking silly questions, but this seemed to be the place to come to, and I would REALLY like to have a Hedgehog!

Thanks! ^_^

[hemi_mygirl]

Create a thread in the hedgehog classifieds. Breeders from West Tennessee might see it and respond to it.

[lil22]

I'm glad you've done/are doing your research! Good luck with finding a baby! Avoit pet shops please. I have a couple babies soon to be available, but MA is a bit far from you ;)

[kaiteedyd]

check www.hedgehogcentral.com
for a breeder list

[Ododad]

Where in West Tennessee are you?

[CaptainWhitaker]

Tigrett, actually.

It's very close to Jackson, and not TOO terribly far from Memphis, if you're familiar with it.

I went to a local pet store today just to check about buying one from there (although I'm not keen on the idea of pet store Hedgehogs), and the manager said that the store wasn't USDA licensed, and she said most pet stores aren't. She DID say that they had Hedgehogs in the past, as well as a few other more uncommon animals, such as a Degu that they have now, but since that particular store isn't USDA licensed, she said she wouldn't have any more Hedgies.

That suits me just fine though. From what I hear about most pet stores, they're not really all that sensitive to the individual needs of Hedgehogs, and I'd like to get one from someone who knows the personal needs of a Hedgie and has their best interests in mine. That's one reason I signed up here. :D

[hemi_mygirl]

Tigrett, actually.

It's very close to Jackson, and not TOO terribly far from Memphis, if you're familiar with it.

I went to a local pet store today just to check about buying one from there (although I'm not keen on the idea of pet store Hedgehogs), and the manager said that the store wasn't USDA licensed, and she said most pet stores aren't. She DID say that they had Hedgehogs in the past, as well as a few other more uncommon animals, such as a Degu that they have now, but since that particular store isn't USDA licensed, she said she wouldn't have any more Hedgies.

That suits me just fine though. From what I hear about most pet stores, they're not really all that sensitive to the individual needs of Hedgehogs, and I'd like to get one from someone who knows the personal needs of a Hedgie and has their best interests in mine. That's one reason I signed up here. :D

On the whole, you're right about pet store hedgies. A lot of stores don't take care of their exotics the way they should, and most have some sort of behavioral or physical problem.

But then, sometimes the petstore will have a real good hedgie. I got my girl from a petstore and really lucked out. She has an excellent temperament, and is such a sweet little girl (maybe I'm biased...but still.)

[Nancy]

I have both petstore and ones from numerous breeders. My very nicest, gentlest ones are from the petstore. I think it all depends on the petstore and if it is a chain store, the individual store. :)

[hemi_mygirl]

I have both petstore and ones from numerous breeders. My very nicest, gentlest ones are from the petstore. I think it all depends on the petstore and if it is a chain store, the individual store. :)

It's almost funny how that works, eh, Nancy? People give petstore hedgies a bad name (which some petstores deserve), but yet, the nicest ones come from a petstore.

[CaptainWhitaker]

That IS ironic, actually.

Still, it's very good to know that all pet stores don't follow suit so far as not taking care of their exotic animals properly goes. I know the staff of the local pet store here, and they're all very responsible and knowledgeable about the animals there.

If by chance the store WERE to get a Hedgehog here, I would still be on the fence about getting it from there, even if it was so close. After all, the staff is mostly used to dogs, cats, fish, birds, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc., and they've only had the one Hedgehog a long time ago. They probably don't know how to tend to their needs properly.

Then again, I don't have any hands-on experience with Hedgehogs. I only know what I've read and heard from those who own them. I just want my first Hedgie to be a fun, loving, learning experience.