Can I Take Care Of An African Pygmy Hedgehog?

Are you familiar with the laws of your state regarding owning a pet African Pygmy hedgehog?

Does it suit you to have a pet with whom you will not have much interaction?

Can you provide a place for a large cage?

Can you stick to a nightly diet schedule?

Do you have an exotics veterinarian in your region?

Hedgehogs are legal in most of the United States. Unfortunately, hedgehogs are still illegal or restricted in California, Georgia, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, and New York City. New Jersey and Wisconsin require a permit or a certificate of health to own one. These restrictions were likely enacted due to the ability of some hedgehog species to carry foot and mouth disease, a highly contagious condition of cloven-hooved animals.

African Pygmy hedgehogs are active mostly at night, and they are solitary animals that do not crave human interaction or cuddling. They also prefer to be housed alone and may fight if kept with other hedgehogs. If you want a pet that you can interact with and spend time with it, this hedgehog is not for you.

Active hedgehogs need room to explore. A bare minimum of two- to three-square-foot of cage space is sufficient, though bigger would be better. Any type of cage will work but avoid wire floors and make sure the spacing for wire-sided cages is 1 inch or smaller so your pet can't squeeze through and escape. Large aquariums and even modified plastic storage bins with ventilation holes can also serve as hedgehog enclosures.

Being that hedgehogs are nocturnal animals, you will need to feed it at night when it is most active. Scheduled evening feedings are your best bet, once or twice a night. Give it food in the early evening and again in the late evening. African pygmy hedgehogs love mealworms. When using them as a food item, make sure you gut-load or feed the insects a quality diet (fruit, vegetables, and dog food) before feeding it to your hedgehog.

You can take care of an African Pygmy hedgehog as a pet!

African Pygmy hedgehogs are prone to health issues that require veterinary inspection. Obesity is a common problem in pet hedgehogs (usually resulting from too many treats). You can avoid skin problems, ear mites, and respiratory conditions if you regularly clean your pet's enclosure. Hedgehogs are susceptible to a genetic condition called wobbly hedgehog syndrome, which causes progressive paralysis. It can occur at any age and may make your hedgehog appear to have wobbly hindquarters.