interested in getting a hog ?

[reptismail]

hey ive heqardalot about them the african pygmy hedgehogs. i relli like the albinos ! an body got pics of homes and theirs. alsohow do you keep them and any temparatures need to be aquired using heat mats or bulbs?
ismail

[quilson_mc_spike]

heyah i will upload pics very soon but first usualy house tems are fine unles you have a picky hog but mostly normal temps no lights are needed because they are nocturnal and they need natural light as for patterns there are lost of differant set ups you can uses the most popular are vivs but extra vents are needed and zoozones but i have one of my hogs in a nero three wich is a realy good choice .......

hope this helps

[Tan]

OK, sorry if I seem rude here but I read all the advice on loads of forums people dish out for hogs and sometimes just don't have the time to sit down and reply but you should NEVER use a viv or a zoozone unless it is for a weaner, vivs are a no go as well, they are not designed for mammals in mind and even if vents are applied unless you remove the roof I would say stay well away from them. They need airflow and only a wire top rabbit cage with plastic bottom like the NERO is a cage I will recommend unless your quarantining but thats a dif topic all together.

One thing to keep in mind is they are primarily nocternal. Hedgehogs leave their nests when sun is setting at dusk and return mainly at sun rise and not when it is dark so they do get some light along with all it's benifits. They NEED a temp drop at night as a constant temp is not only unnatural but also will affect the life of the animal. Hedgehogs (along with other animals us being one in studies) sleep better when you adjust temps for them and this can be achieved with a mat & stat.

Any other info you require I will be happy to advise and do over the phone consults for free too.

[Tan]

Heres one of my Albino rescues. He was homed last yr and his name is Gamba. I do have a few other albinos but this will have to do you for the moment, a teaser pic

Just after his bath

[angeldog]

my own personal opinion on housing is completely different. i wouldnt keep them in a wire cage if you paid me, there not safe.
i used to keep all mine in zoozones and i still recommend those to everyone, i now keep them all in vivs, some have lots of extra ventilation and some have fromt doors made of mesh.
lots of people have differnent opinions and there just mine.

[Shell195]

I keep one of mine in a Zoozone(shes a climber) and one in a Nero 4(too lazy to climb). I want a Nero 4 for my female because I cant find a Zoozone big enough but I would have to put a plastic piece round the bottom of the wire so she couldnt hurt herself

[quilson_mc_spike]

well tan thats you personal oppinion i have a nero 3 and a zoozone and prefer a zoozone for cleanind and housing as for it can easily be hosed or under taps ect and the nero is also a good size and that but its got the better viewing and my hog always tries to see through the bars whils running on her wheel.....

so differant people have differant opinions not everybody like the same stuff

connor

[xXFooFooLaFluffXx]

i used to use zoozones but for conservation of space i use viv stacks now, again with extra vents in the back and a strp of vents running down the front they all get lots of ventilation and good air flow

[brian]

I have also used big vivs to kep them in also had loads of air vents and thay did great breeding a few times as well........

[Tan]

Well Connor that is my opinion but it is based on fact which is backed by almost two decades experience with hedgehogs so not a newby here but also never loose sight of what matters plus I would set it up a dif way if it was for asthetic reasons but it is what is best for the animals respitory system and mental health & hygeine over my own wants and my experience, studies and knowledge tell me that for all these things to factor allowing of course ambiant and all the other things that we must consider to work in harmony and not against our little friends then I opt for wire tops.

Firstly wire tops are very safe and hogs will only climb when they are lacking in something. If you have a climber then you need to re-evaluate the set up and diet and figure out whats missing, it is about trying to put your self in the animals shoes with out sounding like what many friends and people I speak to are calling me the hedgie whisperer lol but it is true. You will always get the exception to the rule as with anything.

Not one of mine climbs after the initial look around and in saying that hardly any young climb on the first introduction. I would be of the other opinion that I would not use a zoozone for anything other then a weaner even if I was paid but then I am thinking about all problems associated with reduced airflow etc...in the long term.

As Connor and Faith have both pointed out this is opinion, not just me but all of us and I reckon one thing we can agree on is do your homework, educate your self by looking into the animal in question, research by reading decent printed works and not some of the tripe I think we have all encountered and also take into accout what each person tells you and then make your own decision based on your own gained knowledge, then you will come to what you your self deems the correct way to house your animal based on your own findings and over time you may agree or disagree with one or all of us but it will be you who at the end of the day came to that choice based on your own knowledge.

Anyway I'm sure a new detailed book will be out some time in the near future