Insulation is your hedgehog's friend! Similarly to putting a lid on your hedgehog's container, a blanket will stop heat from escaping. The darkness will also help your hedgehog stay calm while travelling.
Many hedgehogs will sleep under their shelter as opposed to inside it. Providing 12x12 squares of fleece also make good sleeping material. Hedgehogs will bury themselves inside the blankets. Cloth cage liners are great for hedgehogs as long as they are made with safe material.
Hedgehog heating pads are another great way to keep your hedgehog warm. You'll pretty much see owners split down the middle when it comes to pads vs lamps. The best way to use them is by placing them underneath half of the cage.
Hedgehogs are sensitive to temperature changes. The ideal range is between 75°F and 85°F. However, they will tolerate temperatures between 72°F and 90°F.
Should I try to keep them warm? Hedgehogs don't need to be warm to hibernate, in fact they drop their body temperature down to match the environmental temperature. This lets them save the energy they would have used on trying to keep warm. It also means they don't move around and eat as usual.
Signs of hedgehogs in danger of being too cold are decreased activity, decreased appetite, sneezing (as opposed to puffling). So, if she's not on her wheel and exploring at night, eating her food and turning down mealworms and other treats, check the temperature in her enclosure!
Hot water bottles work well to provide heat for many hours. Just make sure that it isn't too hot for you to hold. If it's too hot for you to hold, it's too hot for your hedgehog. If your hot water bottle doesn't already come in a cover, always wrap something around it.
Acceptable bedding materials include shredded paper, newspaper, recycled pelleted/absorbable material, and wood shavings, such as aspen or untreated pine. Avoid corncob bedding as it tends to grow mold when wet.
Hedgehogs are active during the night, so the best time to put out food is just after dusk, when they are starting to search for food. The Autumn and Winter months are the most important for them to find food to put on enough weight before hibernation, so always make sure you put out food at this time of year.
A heating setup is extremely important as it can mean life or death for your hedgie. If your hedgehog gets too cold, below 72°F, they may try to hibernate or go into shock. If they get too hot, they won't be able to self-regulate the heat and begin aestivation.
Make sure your hedgehog has a warm bed to cuddle up in, like a fleece pouch. Crawling inside the pouch will keep their body heat close and act as a natural heater. If a room is particularly cold, activate an instant hand warmer and wrap it up in fleece or a cloth so that your hedgehog can't get to it.
Keeping the Temperature Constant with a hedgehog heat pad
Hedgehogs should be kept in an environment that is between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature drops below this, the hedgehog may start to hibernate.
Fleece Flippers or Cages Liners from Guinea Pig Market give you soft, absorbent bedding which is easy to clean and maintain. Fleece is the bedding of choice for hedgehog owners!
Bedding such as towels without loose threads, fleece, paper bedding such as Carefresh™ or other shredded paper products should be used.
Hedgehogs enjoy rooting around in bedding. A two to three inch thick layer of bedding is recommended for many types of pelleted litter and shavings. Only the soiled portions of the litter need to be removed on a regular basis.
When the weather turns cold these little hogs can quickly die of hypothermia so in order to help them you will need to take action straight away. Here is a suggestion of what to do: Put the hedgehog in a high-sided box or small animal carrier.
Each day, one to two tablespoons of kibble should be offered to an adult hedgehog in addition to a teaspoon of fruits and vegetables and some insects. Larger and very active hedgehogs may need more food, but your hedgehog's weight should be monitored with the use of a baby scale.
How many times a day should you feed a pet hedgehog? A lot of pet hedgehog owners recommend once to twice a day. Some say they prefer a free feeding schedule and keep their hedgie's bowl full at all times. Bear in mind that this could lead to obesity however as hedgies are greedy eaters.
Transporting hedgie home
Hedgehogs are burrowing animals, so a fleece blanket will help make your carrier comfortable and warm. Hedgehogs feel safest in small confined spaces, so a small animal carrier or a small cat carrier is best. If your enclosure is bigger, put a larger blanket in it so your hedgehog can hide.
Only solid bottom cages are suitable for hedgehogs, any wire bottom cages could trap their legs or rip off toenails. Provide a soft bedding free of dust, such as recycled paper pellets or if you use wood shavings use only kiln dried pine or aspen. Do not use cedar shavings as they could irritate your hedgehog's lungs.
Hedgehogs sleep and hibernate in a specially made nest, if you find them 'sleeping' anywhere else it's likely that they are ill and are in need of help.
Not all hedgehogs hibernate. If a hedgehog is particularly well fed, it doesn't need to preserve energy to survive the winter. Obviously, hedgehogs are wild animals and each individual hedgehog has a different set of circumstances; some don't hibernate at all, some sleep for a couple of weeks and some sleep for months.
Whether you make your own or buy one, fill the chamber of your hedgehog home with a layer of dead, dry leaves. Hedgehogs prefer small leaves such as birch, oak, hawthorn or hazel. Then screw the roof to the box so that you can remove it in future to clean the box out.
Many hedgehogs love to play in warm water and will enjoy themselves during bath time. We prefer to give hedgehogs a bath in a sink or a bathtub. Hedgehogs are prone to relieve themselves in the warm water so we prefer to use our laundry sink.