Emilys_Exotics
06-08-2006, 11:32 PM
Howdy all. I posted a while back about my two new hedgies, and then didn't have regular net access due to computer issues and isp issues. I'm back now and thought I'd give y'all an update on them.
Let's see, I've had them about 2-3wks now, so they are about 9-11wks old now. THey have grown bunches. They are each in their own 20gallon long aquarium (30"X12") for now, but will move into larger quarters when they are bigger. They are drinking well from the water bottles, and definitely use their wheels! With a stable home and good diet, their poo has firmed up nicely and they are not leaving the wheels as messy as they were before. I didn't worry about their poos the first few days, as I knew they'd been under a ton of stress, but had they not sorted out soon, I'd have taken them to a vet. I am guessing they will be outgrowing the wheels that fit in their cage shortly, which also means they will be that much closer to being big enough to not escape the bigger cages I have planned for them. I had thought about moving them to a 50 breeder style aquarium (36"X18") for thier new home, which would be like the sterlite box type homes, just more expensive, but my two 50breeders are in use at the moment. One is housing my three rats, and one is housing a baby kitten. So, I'll just have to wait for the hedgies to grow a bit, and get them into a different set up.
I am currently using carefresh ultra as the bedding (I splurged on one big bag), and though I very much like it, it is pricey, and liners are so much easier. I need to get some liners and some litterboxes for these guys. They do seem to have a potty spot picked out in the cage (makes spot cleaning easy, and man does their pee smell), so I'm hoping they'll take to a litter box fairly well.
I am feeding them a mix of royal canin light cat food (#37), Nutro complete care indoor cat formula and blue buffalo spa (excellent cat food, all natural ingredients real meats and vegies and stuff) light formula. The next mix will likely include some royal canin #27 indoor cat food as well. My adult cat got into the bag of royal canin (before I made up the mix in a tub) and really chowed down. She had plenty of her nutro in her dish, but clearly loved the royal canin so I am likely going to switch her to that, or maybe just switch her to the hedgie mix. why not? IT's all premium cat foods, so it should be fine.
My hedgies also get meal worms and crickets from time to time (I always have the mealies on hand for the lizards, and I bring crickets home from the store about every other day--once I leave the pet store, I'll have to get a cricket cage (probably an empty 10gal aquarium), and go through the trouble of feeding and watering the crickets, ah well it's for the critters.
My albino hedgie is a sweetie. He has never really balled on me at all. he's always ready to come out and be cuddled. THe other one (maybe a cinnacot, maybe not, I'll have to re-look at the colors and see) isn't as friendly. He will unball eventually, and be o.k. with some handling, but isn't as keen on the beginning of it as the other. In my last two hedgies, the albino was also the sweeter, but she was a girl too. So, do people here find albinos are generally sweeter, or is it just a coincidence with me?
I've bathed their feets but not given them a full bath. When I had hedgies before I remember reading that they shouldnt' be bathed all that often, but that albinos showed dirt more and might need more baths than darker ones (I had an albino and a snowflake). I remember that the albino probably got bathed weekly or every other week, the snowflake much less. I'll probably give them a full bath soon though.
So, other than moving them to larger quarters when they are big enough not to escape, is there anything else I should be doing for them? Am I basically doing things well? Do I have a good mix of foods? They do get fresh food and water nightly, and have slowed down on the eating a bit. Probably cause it's hotter now than it was when I got them. I know they won't be as voracious when they are full grown either. They had one major growth spurt since I got them, and I expect a couple more before they are adult sized. I also spot clean the cage daily, and wash the wheels as needed. (daily when I first got them, not so often now that their poo is solid).
I will fish out my camera this weekend, and get some pics posted of them. They are cuties!
Emily
Let's see, I've had them about 2-3wks now, so they are about 9-11wks old now. THey have grown bunches. They are each in their own 20gallon long aquarium (30"X12") for now, but will move into larger quarters when they are bigger. They are drinking well from the water bottles, and definitely use their wheels! With a stable home and good diet, their poo has firmed up nicely and they are not leaving the wheels as messy as they were before. I didn't worry about their poos the first few days, as I knew they'd been under a ton of stress, but had they not sorted out soon, I'd have taken them to a vet. I am guessing they will be outgrowing the wheels that fit in their cage shortly, which also means they will be that much closer to being big enough to not escape the bigger cages I have planned for them. I had thought about moving them to a 50 breeder style aquarium (36"X18") for thier new home, which would be like the sterlite box type homes, just more expensive, but my two 50breeders are in use at the moment. One is housing my three rats, and one is housing a baby kitten. So, I'll just have to wait for the hedgies to grow a bit, and get them into a different set up.
I am currently using carefresh ultra as the bedding (I splurged on one big bag), and though I very much like it, it is pricey, and liners are so much easier. I need to get some liners and some litterboxes for these guys. They do seem to have a potty spot picked out in the cage (makes spot cleaning easy, and man does their pee smell), so I'm hoping they'll take to a litter box fairly well.
I am feeding them a mix of royal canin light cat food (#37), Nutro complete care indoor cat formula and blue buffalo spa (excellent cat food, all natural ingredients real meats and vegies and stuff) light formula. The next mix will likely include some royal canin #27 indoor cat food as well. My adult cat got into the bag of royal canin (before I made up the mix in a tub) and really chowed down. She had plenty of her nutro in her dish, but clearly loved the royal canin so I am likely going to switch her to that, or maybe just switch her to the hedgie mix. why not? IT's all premium cat foods, so it should be fine.
My hedgies also get meal worms and crickets from time to time (I always have the mealies on hand for the lizards, and I bring crickets home from the store about every other day--once I leave the pet store, I'll have to get a cricket cage (probably an empty 10gal aquarium), and go through the trouble of feeding and watering the crickets, ah well it's for the critters.
My albino hedgie is a sweetie. He has never really balled on me at all. he's always ready to come out and be cuddled. THe other one (maybe a cinnacot, maybe not, I'll have to re-look at the colors and see) isn't as friendly. He will unball eventually, and be o.k. with some handling, but isn't as keen on the beginning of it as the other. In my last two hedgies, the albino was also the sweeter, but she was a girl too. So, do people here find albinos are generally sweeter, or is it just a coincidence with me?
I've bathed their feets but not given them a full bath. When I had hedgies before I remember reading that they shouldnt' be bathed all that often, but that albinos showed dirt more and might need more baths than darker ones (I had an albino and a snowflake). I remember that the albino probably got bathed weekly or every other week, the snowflake much less. I'll probably give them a full bath soon though.
So, other than moving them to larger quarters when they are big enough not to escape, is there anything else I should be doing for them? Am I basically doing things well? Do I have a good mix of foods? They do get fresh food and water nightly, and have slowed down on the eating a bit. Probably cause it's hotter now than it was when I got them. I know they won't be as voracious when they are full grown either. They had one major growth spurt since I got them, and I expect a couple more before they are adult sized. I also spot clean the cage daily, and wash the wheels as needed. (daily when I first got them, not so often now that their poo is solid).
I will fish out my camera this weekend, and get some pics posted of them. They are cuties!
Emily