They also grow to be several pounds. Also, they are small and should not roam around houses, greeting guests … One of the reasons the aforementioned three species of hedgehog are often the ideal species to keep as a pet is their size. You can keep hedgehogs as pets, but it's important to learn about these nocturnal, solitary creatures before adopting one. Where Do Hedgehogs Live? Or, you can keep it warm with a small animal heat pad where his or her Hidy house is. Hedgehogs are crazy pet animals. A pet hedgehog can also be kept in a suitable cage that is placed in a room at the right temperature range. So before having a hedgehog, you must know about “hedgehog as pets.” Hedgehogs Diet As they eat a lot of things in the wild. Wild hedgehogs are native to Africa, Asia, Europe, and New Zealand. Another popular pet that is legal in many states is the hedgehog. They are very stressed by captivity and many or even most wild animals waste away and die in captivity. That is reason enough. In the wild, hedgehogs forage for food during the time when they are awake, eating a selection of slugs, snails and insects. Nevertheless, the quills can still penetrate skin and hedgehogs can transmit diseases such as ringworm and salmonella to humans. If you opt to litter train your hedgehog, you'll need to make sure there's enough room for the litter pan, which should be at least 2"D x 6" x 9". Alternatively, place a heat lamp over the cage. Wild hedgehogs can grow to be up to a foot or more in size as adults – which is still smaller than many cats and dogs, but can be a bit difficult to handle. What you need to know about Hedgehogs as pets First of all, there is a dire need to understand that hedgehogs are not suited to homes the way other pets such as bunnies or dogs and cats are. Not only is it illegal to remove an animal from the wild and keep it, wild animals often carry parasites or other illnesses, plus keeping a wild animal captive is cruel. They should be allowed to be wild solely for that reason. Just because a a wild animal is caged or restrained does not make it a pet. It is never okay to take ANY animal from the wild and keep it as a pet. While they can make terrific pets in the right circumstances, they are not right for everyone. You can use clay litter, which is readily accepted by hedgehogs, but can cause dust, or you can consider a pelleted, cat litter to cut down dust, although hedgehogs don't accept it as well. They are shy, love to run at night, and also are nocturnal. The wild Eurasian hedgehogs of the UK, in particular, have been in steep decline dor several decades now. It might be difficult … Hedgehogs are nocturnal and so eat at night, and the best time to feed them is just before you go to bed. They live for about four to six years and eat mostly dry food. Before you rush out and get a hedgehog, learn as much about them as possible to make sure these interesting creatures are right for you. 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