Hedgehogs adore children, and adults can rarely hide linguage at the sight of this cute mammal. In the wild, the hedgehogs live no more than 5 years, but at home - all 10-15. And even though this animal cannot be called comfortable for the content of the house, more and more often, they began to breed specially, just not street, but decorative.
What affects life expectancy?
It is believed that animals in captivity live much less than in the wild conditions.
And often it is true, but not against the home hedgehogs for sure. Survive under the auspices of a person, the hedgehogs are definitely easier.
Causes of such a high life expectancy:
- lack of enemies (foxes, owls and badgers) and other obstacles that can cost an animal life;
- The presence of food - in nature can be issued a lack of town season or conditions that do not allow the hedgehog to find yourself food, and at home he will not die from hunger;
- If the pet is sick, the owner turn to the veterinarian, in the wild, the prickly animal can only count on himself;
- At home, Yozh is not started in the "hostilities" for the female or for the territory, and since there is no conflict, there is no of his victims;
- Finally, on the will of the hedgehog, they often find themselves under the wheels of the car, they may die due to forest fires, as well as during the overalls of crops with eradicates.
So it turns out that in the greenhouse homemade hedgehog there is little threatening, and he may result in caring for him to become a real long-liver.
How many years do you live?
That epics you can meet on the street will be lucky if he lives for 5 years. This is considered a decent lifetime of hedgehog in a natural habitat. But if the July will be your pet, he can count on 10 and even 15 years of life.
But you should not save forest enemies and bring them home by changing the lifestyle of the animal. This is not only stress for the hedgehogo, but also for a person.
A healthy animal feels perfectly in a natural environment, he is better there, no matter how cool. And your help can turn into wounds and bite in your direction - the prickly kid wants to defend themselves. Finally, Yozh, alas, a carrier of serious diseases - salmonelles, depriving and even rabies. And in wool and needles of the animal, fleas and ticks live. That's why An innocent undeuna to bring him home, in fact danger and big stupidity.
But fortunately, there are hedgehogs that provide for maintenance at home - African, steppe, Eurasian and eared . The most popular representative of domestic hedgehogs is an African dwarf. This is a really decorative animal, derived precisely for living with a person. For which breeders love African hedgehog, so it is for his small size and good immunity. He really can live for a long time, more than a decade to live with you.
How to extend the term?
Tracking the natural features of the animal is always important. Do not forget that the hedgehogs are night inhabitants and with great probability your biorhythms do not coincide.Optimal conditions of detention
Pets Be sure to be your house. Suppose the kid's nest, where it will be cozy, calm. He must perceive the house as its own territory, where there is no progress. Special cells can be found in the pet store. And it is possible to equip it for maximum hedgehog comfort: Toilet, feeders, drinking, rattles and even a treadmill. Still, the pet is needed and such "simulators" - Full load for homemade hedgehog is required.
And one more major aspect - winter sleep. In the wild for winter, the animal accumulates a certain nutritious stock that helps him survive the hibernation. Therefore, the owner's task is to feed the baby well.
To sleep in a warm room of Yozh, probably will not be able, so it is necessary to move it to the wintering there, where the temperature is not higher than +5. This is the big problem of the content of hedgehogs in the apartment.
And remember that Hedgehogs can fall from height and crash. Fenced to animal and contact with wires, and household chemicals.
Proper feeding
Since hedgehogs are predators, they need animal protein. Therefore, give the hedgehog meat, offal and fish. But also from vegetables and fruits, the pets are not worth it: they love carrots and apples, will not refuse crispy cabbage and fresh zucchini. Juices of vegetables and fruits are an excellent source of fiber and vitamins for small predators. And from the sparkle of berries, the pets will not refuse, for them it will be the best dessert.
In the wild, hedgehogs hunt insects - beetles and flies, grasshoppers and locust. It is unlikely that the owners are equipped with a church and run a delicacy for pet (although this option is possible), but to purchase insects in the pet store more realistically.
You can and need to give hedgehogs Cereals, buckwheat and rice fit most . Give hedgehogs and eggs: chicken and quail, boiled and raw. The useful acquisition will be the industrial feed, which is based on animal protein (at least 30% in the composition). Fat as part of feed should not be more than 14%.
Care
Do not release a walk of a hedgehog, who just got a job at home. If you immediately give him freedom, he will be born somewhere under the sofa, and to lure him from there will be a problem. And hedgehog sharp claws, and it can easily scratch the floor or valuable things. Let him justify in his house where he will spend most of the time.
Hedgehog should be bathed, but only an adult. The water temperature during bathing should not be higher than 34.8 degrees, and its level should not exceed 5 cm. Lower the animal in the water gradually, allowing it to get used to the procedure. Support the pet for the head, wash him the abdomen and legs. Eagle hegares can be cleaned with a toothbrush and a children's shampoo, which is later needed to rinse. Wipe the hedgehog towel, but do not dry the hairdryer (it is scared).
Do not attempt to pick a jet of the company. This is a single animal. If you need a couple of heroes, you will have to make it every cage. Do not learn the animal to go to the bedroom: from his top brain and snarking you can not fall asleep.
An animal hibernation occurs in the fall - remember the intense feeding, which precedes it. The pet will become sluggish and drowy, and as soon as you noticed it, it's time to cook a place for hibernation. In the barn, the garage, in the attic hen, it will be quite comfortable to winter. Make him Nestsdyshko from hay and sawdust, dry leaves and rags. In his novelschka, he will scatter until spring. In the warm room, Yuzh does not fall into the hibernation.
Hedgehogs with a hero - a givenness from which not to leave. If you are not ready to care for animals, according to recommendations, if you can't provide proper conditions, it is better to abandon the idea of the institution of Hedgehog.
About how to properly contain heroes at home, look next.