My new hedgie

[Emilys_Exotics]

I got two chins not too long ago, and have been posting mostly under the chin section. However, I got a new hedgie tonight. Right now he is my only one (I had two a while ago, but I could not bring them with me when I moved from WA to IA. They went to great homes, but I was sad to lose them as they were such sweeties!) I'd been looking for a hedgie for a while now, and when I saw this lil guy, I broke down. He's still quite young, (about 8wks old) but I know he'll grow quickly. I haven't yet named him, I"m not sure yet what to name him. I've read the naming threads here, but nothing has jumped out yet. If he were a she I"d probably call him "Mrs. Tiggy Winkle" after the beatrix potter book, but he's a boy, so I wouldn't do that to him. I think he's what one would call a cinnacot, but I'm not so sure on colors, and I know he might change when he quills. Anyways, I just wanted to share that I've got my new baby, and I'm so excited. I'm letting him settle in tonight, but he's already pretty calm. He unballs almost immediately, and I"m betting that he'll probably not ball much at all once he's used to me and the place. I've got stuff to make him a nice big cage, but that will have to wait until he's bigger--otherwise he'd escape! Well, thats my exciting news!

Emily

[incrovaj]

Congrats on your new addition! =)

[HedgieMate]

I'm letting him settle in tonight, but he's already pretty calm. He unballs almost immediately, Wow, what an adaptable little guy... Sounds like he has a great disposition but also you know how to handle a very young HH. Congratulations! Hope you'll find a good name for him. :)

[illinidairychic]

Congrates on the newbie and post pics!!!! :) we all love hedgie pics....I think we have addictions, LOL

[Vampira_666]

Congrats!!-- Pictures are a must!! :D

[Emilys_Exotics]

Thanks for the replies. I'll post pics as soon as I get a chance, might be a bit though. I went back and got the other one tonight. (dont' worry, I've got seperate cages). The other one was an albino, and I'm not crazy of the red eyes, but the other one was even friendlier, if you can believe it. One quick question, how old before a hedgie is full grown? I was told these guys are two weeks away from being full grown, even though they are only 6-8wks old! Um, is that true? I didn't think so. Also the hedgies I had before were considerably larger than these guys, but I was told these guys are nearly full grown cause they are pygmys. Well, my hedgies before were also pygmys (aren't all pet hedgies pygmys usually?) and they were bigger. Just wondering. I think I know more about these guys than that, at least I hope so!

Emily

[Nancy]

If they are only 6-8 weeks old they are not anywhere near being full grown. Usually they are full grown at 5-6 months although they may still fill out a bit after that.

I think you know more about them than the person selling them. :)

[Emilys_Exotics]

If they are only 6-8 weeks old they are not anywhere near being full grown. Usually they are full grown at 5-6 months although they may still fill out a bit after that.

I think you know more about them than the person selling them. :)
Oh, good. I thought I knew more about them :). I have some of those wire shelving cubes to make a cage for these guys (split down the middle so they can have their space, though they are doing fine together now--were raised together, but I like to keep generally solitary critters alone) and right now they can of course slip right out. I think my other hedgies were at least twice the size of these guys when grown up, and now I know when they get larger they will not get out of thier nice cage, just have to grow them a bit first. I actually bought royal canin cat food (my cat doesn't eat so well, LOL, but she does get Nutro complete indoor food, which I am mixing with the royal canin for the hedgies) for them, and they should do well. I do need to get a second wheel, but I wasn't exactly planning to have a second hedgie except the other one was soooo sweet, and might do better in the animal programs I do for kids, and I just couldn't leave him behind.... They've got all the basics here right now, and next month will come the treats and such (more toys, hedgebags etc.) Of course, I'll probably be getting lots of treat type things for them every month, LOL.

Emily

[HedgeMom]

If they are both males, they cannot live together. Even males raised together are quite capable of killing each other. And of course, if male and female, they definately need to be kept separated.

They are easy to sex. Males have a belly button, females don't.

[Emilys_Exotics]

They are both males, and will not be living together. They are still too young to have issues, but I am separating them already, so no worries. When they are big enough not to be able to get out of the cage I'm building them, it will be a two in one type cage--one large cage with a permanent divider so they can't ever get to each other. I hear the wheel spinning as we speak, it's all filled with poo too. Sigh. I'll be washing it today, and I"ll be getting a second one so the other hedgie can have a wheel too. My kitty is having fun watching the hedgie run.

Emily