While the room you keep their habitat in may feel comfortable to you, remember that hedgehogs are much smaller and lack the clothing you wear to keep yourself warm. They are quite sensitive to the cold, and can begin to enter hibernation in a room that feels just chilly to you.
We often keep our homes cooler in the winter than is healthy for our pet hedgies. Click here for a great article on suggestions om providing your hedgie some supplemental heat from: Signs of hedgehogs in danger of being too cold are decreased activity, decreased appetite, sneezing (as opposed to puffling).
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.
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.
Any hedgehog that has not reached 600 grams by late Autumn will not have the fat reserves to survive hibernation, and so must be kept indoors throughout the winter. We find around 85% of the hedgehogs we treat (particularly in the autumn winter months) suffer from lungworm, which if left untreated can be fatal.
Build a hedgehog house
When it comes to a good spot, a log pile or compost heap can provide a quick and simple solution. Alternatively, you can build a hedgehog house that will provide shelter that's even safer. There's a great guide for building one from the Wildlife Trust.
The answer is YES… as long as it's being eaten. It's difficult to tell exactly when hedgehogs will begin hibernation, so when you start to see that food is not being taken, you can stop putting so much out and perhaps just offer a few dry cat biscuits that don't go off so quickly.
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.
Hedgehogs feel best in temperatures between 75 - 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures that are too hot or too cold can make a hedgehog lethargic. Cold temperatures can cause your hedgehog to attempt to hibernate, which can be fatal in captivity.
This behaviour is critical for survival, and during hibernation extraordinary changes occur within the body of hedgehogs: breathing rates slow down, body temperature drops, and metabolic patterns adapt to the colder environment. This relatively simple coping method allows hedgehogs to just shut down.
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.
Keller says, “With appropriate care and keeping, your hedgehog will live about five years, and some even live longer than eight years.” If you have any questions about hedgehogs, contact your local veterinarian.
If a noise is loud to you, it is probably too loud for your hedgehog as well. Observe the sounds your hedgehog is making towards you as well. If he is purring, he is happy and content.
HEATSTROKE AND DEHYDRATION
If they are laying on their sides then it is very serious. Often seen in the summer months but also dehydration can be a problem in the winter months.
Hedgehogs are most comfortable between 74° and 76°F, which is 23° to 24°C. If the temperature gets too low, your hedgehog may ball up and try and go into hibernation, which could be fatal. If the temperature is too high, which is above 80°F or 27°C, your hedgehog could be headed towards heat stroke.
As you know now, there are multiple ways to keep your hedgehog warm while travelling, so you don't have to worry about him falling into hibernation. Be sure to provide your hedgehog with lots of insulation, with bedding and blankets.
Whether it's on your lap or in its enclosure, your hedgehog needs something they can hide under or in to feel safe. This can be anything from a fleece blanket to a guinea pig hut. Hedgehogs are natural burrowers and love dark confined spaces where they can feel safe.
Hedgehogs are very active animals; they seem to constantly run around when not sleeping. Being nocturnal, they are most active at night. They are skilled climbers and diggers and are good swimmers. Hedgehogs can be let out of their cage to explore in a large supervised, secure room.
Fruits: Dried fruit should be avoided, but a small amount of fresh fruit can be offered to your hedgehog as treats. Apples, bananas, berries, and melons are popular choices among hedgehogs.
It's a good idea to put out food for hedgehogs all year round. In spring, it will be a boost for those emerging from hibernation, while in late summer and autumn it will help hogs build up those all-important fat reserves to survive the winter.
Build a hedgehog home
Once you've got your box and you're ready to find a place for it in your garden, here are a few things to think about: Place the box out of direct sunlight, with the entrance facing away from prevailing winds. Put it in cover, under thick vegetation for example, or under the garden shed.
Hedgehogs usually hibernate from October/November through to March/April. Research has shown that each individual is likely to move nesting sites at least once during this period and so can sometimes be seen out and about. During mild winters hedgehogs can remain active well into November and December.
Hibernation is a state of torpor, where the core body temperature has dropped, the heart rate and breathing have slowed right down and normal activity has stopped. A hibernating hedgehog will be completely rolled up into a tight ball with no face visible.