Do Hedgehogs Make Good Pets?

That's right, hedgehogs. Not the lightning-fast character from your favourite childhood videogame, but the tiny, prickly, pointy-nosed creatures that many have already fallen in love with.

Hedgehogs have been all the craze lately. There always seems to be a variety of videos popping up on Youtube and around social networks about them. The most popular species of hedgehog to have as a pet is the African Pygmy Hedgehog. It is a domesticated hedgehog that is a hybrid between the four-toed hedgehog and the North African hedgehog. These critters range from six to ten inches where the females are usually bigger than the males. Colours range from light tan to dark browns with spikes being white-tipped and their face, belly and legs white. A pointy nose, small eyes and prominent ears and whiskers round out the usual features of a hedgehog, giving it a cute appearance. Watch out for those quills all along its back though! This may not exactly be the cuddliest of pets since handling them may be akin to petting the bristles of a hairbrush.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal creatures and you may find yourself wishing for an animal that is livelier during the day. That is not to say that they only sleep throughout the waking hours, but rather that you may not sleep with the rustlings you'll hear at night. Hedgehogs typically live for four to six years on a diet of insects, nuts and fruits. This could be a deciding factor in whether or not you should get a hedgehog as it may be more expensive to maintain a healthy diet. High quality cat food is a popular low-cost food alternative that works just as well though. In addition, since hedgehogs are not native to North America and therefore less known, finding a vet who can care for them may be tricky and can result in costly visits. They also require a warm place to live in (usually 23-26 degrees Celsius or 73-78 degrees Fahrenheit) that includes an exercise wheel and a place to hide, all of which results in a happy hedgehog.

One feature that should be considered is the fact that the cage may need extra attention (bedding changed at least once a week and a thorough cage cleaning once a month) as the smell can be noticeable. Nonetheless, proper maintenance should eliminate any problems. Although in the wild they are solitary beings and every hedgehog has a different temperament, this does not guarantee that they would not make a great pet. You will notice that when distressed and threatened, they roll up in a ball so that their limbs and head are hidden and all that is visible are its spikes. It's quite a fascinating thing to see, but hedgehogs can be affectionate creatures that will bond to you once you have earned their trust and that itself is a reward.

So do hedgehogs make good pets? Well, if you have the patience to care for them, you may be the envy of your friends when they see what an exotic pet you have. Plus, it doesn't hurt that they're darn cute.