The hedgehog can be considered a universal favorite. Some of our compatriots tame even ordinary heroes - it is quite possible. However, the relative fashion of the recent years on home hedgehogs is manually provoked by not domestic garden tramps, but an artificially derived by African dwarf hedgehog. But whatever hedgehog you choose, the rules of care will be approximately the same, so it is worth understanding this case.
Adaptation of hedgehog in the house
If you caught an ordinary hedgehog and decided to bring him home, you should not think that this situation is completely normal for him. Over time, he will get used, but at first, hitting an unfamiliar environment and not having to implement his instincts, Animal will experience significant stress. Deciding to start a needle pet, take care of getting a cage for him in advance. Seeing the animal, put it in the cage and just do not touch it in the first day - let the new favorite get used to the setting and make sure that nothing bad happens to him.
It is better, of course, take a young team, but if you do not buy a little animal, with age you are unlikely to guess. Trying to teach the baby to new conditions, pay attention to the fact that with the vision of these animals the trouble - in space they are oriented, rather, by smell and in memory. For this reason, experienced people recommend an unusual move so that the beast is used to the owner. Near the cell should be put your own secured T-shirt.
At first, his hedgehog will be afraid and turn into a ball with each contact, but you still keep it in your hands and speak gently and affectionately. If he tries to sniff your hand - let such an opportunity, this pet meets.
There is no accurate time of adaptation of hedgehog - it all depends on how much the sociable individual got you. Some are vividly interested in the world around and are ready to get acquainted in a minute that in the wild, of course, it would be an obvious disadvantage for the animal. Inspective animals can get used to long enough, stretching the acquaintance of days for fifteen.
In any case, communication with a pet must be devoted to at least half an hour daily - to get used to the faster and in the future no longer died from the master odor.
While the kid gets used to the new setting, try to scare it with nothing. Other pets, if any, do not have to intersect with a high. You can also scare it potentially any loud sounds, unpredictable tv noise, high tone of voice speaking people and even a dog Lai outside the window, so that all these factors are desirable to minimize, gradually catching the animal to the fact that all these are normal phenomena.
Conditions for content
The hedgehog is a moving and quite active, it will confirm anyone who at least once watched the animal in the wild. It means that Its cell must be quite a spacious, not interfering prisoner for a walk. If you decide to contain hedgehogs in the apartment, then 70x45 cm is the minimum area of its personal territory, and it is better to navigate the mini-volzer dimensions of 90x60 cm. A significant height of the cell is required, but they are still advised to focus on 40 or more centimeters.
Ordinary Forest Hedgehog is surprisingly wonderful topworn. Therefore, the owner either acquire a closed-type cage, or will observe regular shoots of its pet. Most often, for such animals, metal cells for rodents are chosen, sold in any pet store, but it is possible to construct a wooden alternative or even a plastic container with smooth slippery walls, which for the baby will become an irresistible obstacle - then the lid will not be needed.
If the selection fell on a container with lattice walls, choose it so that the lumen between the rods was minimal. Putting a needle to the body, the baby can get out of the will, but it will be even worse if it is stuck in the process.
From other fundamental requirements for the place of residence It is necessary to highlight the need for good ventilation in the cell.
In addition, the floor must be even, because any irregularities for hedgehogs, not distinguished by good vision, are fraught with injuries.
Correct care
Head care, whether it is a decorative beast or a real forest inhabitant, requires that at home the pet felt about the same way as in the wild. Procedures for the care and rules of content are simple.
- On the Will Hedgehog every night overcomes huge distances in search of food And if you select this opportunity, he will certainly type the weight that nothing is good for the animal will end. Considering that the cell in any case is not too large, it is necessary to purchase a fading wheel to a favorite, but not quite such as for rodents. Remember that any irregularities are dangerous for him, any irregularities are dangerous for him, so instead of the rods, the wheel should have a solid surface in which the paws cannot get stuck.
It is necessary to choose the wheel diameter so that the beast of the beast when running does not fade.
- Food bowl should be wide and sustainable, edges - rounded . This beast does not apply to the most accurate consumers, in the process of food intake, it will be born, therefore, the high and thin pendant will be overturned every time. Drinking is better to choose a nipple type at all, otherwise needle comrade be sure to embark on the water of sawdust.
- The cell itself is not home for hedgehog - This animal in nature is looking for the shelter more serious and wants to have it also in the apartment. Theoretically, these needs, you can use even sweater things - the old and soft road bag will be consolidated, and you can sew a special bag from the fleece.
In principle, any such thing is suitable, provided that it is good extinguishing foreign noises and does not miss light.
- Jerzy enough playing, So, they need toys, allowing them to steal themselves in their free time. The beast will always be glad that you can ride through the cage, because it often acquires the balls produced for cats, and even cardboard rods to which toilet paper is checked. As an alternative (or a good addition), a box with pieces of chopped fleece - Hedgehogs love to rumm in such a junk and resting there.
- To maintain sanitation inside the cell, the pallet is filled with sawdust, special paper granules or feline for cat toilets . It is important to clarify that the sawdust of coniferous rocks as a filler is not suitable for categorically: the fact is that, when contacting the Yoy urine, they enter with it in a chemical reaction and highlight evaporation that can extremely negatively affect the health of the pet.
In addition, it is not necessary to acquire and flavored artificial fillers: no one can predict the reaction of the animal on an unfamiliar smell.
- The ideal temperature for active home hedgehog varies within 22-26 degrees. In fact, the beast, of course, will endure a much wider range of temperatures, but in the heat he risks overheat, because he is trying to hide in cool shelter, and a substantial cooling for a former forest inheritant is fraught with a hibernation. For this reason, it is desirable to choose a place for the cell, removed from the heating devices and protected from direct sunlight.
With a sharp disconnection of heating, which is typical for the first spring heat, the pet can freeze - in such a situation, the forest "savage" will re-fall into the hibernation, but an African has to cover with a blanket so that it is not cold.
- If you want to care for a hero, let's go for a walk and outside the cell, but with great caution . The beast is very curious and does not know the rules of the behavior established by the person, because it can easily damage the furniture and even wiring, not to mention decorative plants. In addition, in a large apartment, he can easily find another "dwelling" for himself, and, having lost his sight, the owners may not find a pet in the afternoon until he starts to turn the paws and snort.
- It is impossible to walk with a hedgehog in the street, but you can equip the aviary for him right on the balcony, remembering that the straight sunshine is harmful. African decorative hedgehog cannot be left there for the winter, since he will simply freeze, but the ordinary forest animal will be able to "turn" under the condition that you provide it with a sufficient amount of hay or straw.
- Once or two months of the hedgehog is preferably bathing in relatively warm water with a temperature not exceeding 35 degrees. If you organize the process correctly, the pet will not resist. The animal must be carefully watering with water so that it does not get into the ears, nor on a tricky face.
Cleaning the needles is carried out using a soft toothbrush, hypoallergenic soft shampoos are used as auxiliary tool without any bright smell.
- Sweeping baby need to wipe dry . Experts also advise to moisten its skin with natural coconut-based oils, apricot or even olives. In addition, it is after bathing that it is most convenient to trim the hedgehog claws - under the influence of water and soap they soften, therefore the procedure causes less discomfort.
Features of feeding
All specialists are unanimous in the opinion that the hedgehog is very unpretentious in food and theoretically could have a lot of things. Another thing is that the hosts are usually interested in the health of their pet, therefore must select an adequate diet containing a large amount of proteins and fats. For this reason, domestic four-legged are often fed Boiled meat or liver, as well as budget minced sub-products.
Perhaps you heard that the hedgehog love milk is true, just to give it not in its pure form, but with the bread-operated bread. Although in fact, these animals do not wear vegetables and fruits on their needles, as often shown in the drawings, they, of course, are also eating - apples and various berries are most popular, ordinary carrots will be used. In the wild, the hedgehogs for obvious reasons are not feeding neither seafood or fish, and yet the pet will not refuse even from such a delicacy, especially since it may well be very useful for it.
However, most of the owners of these animals are not particularly experimenting, preferring to feed the pet is approximately the same, but is predictable useful food. The average daily yoke is about 300 g of fish and 200 g of minced meat, mixed with cereal. These products are divided in such a way as to be issued to the animal twice. For obvious reasons, the amount of food varies, depending on how large the instance you have.
At the same time, do not forget to include in the diet and other products described above in order to diversify vitamins and minerals entering the pet organism.
Hedgehog is not a creature that will eat before the dump, even if it does not climb into it, because it is difficult to reconcile him . Another thing is that the unseasoned food, remaining in a cage in the sawdust layer, can become an ideal medium for reproduction of various parasites, which is unlikely to be considered a good consequence. Hence, Yellow portions need to be calculated so that the four-legged was able to eat everything immediately.
Hibernation
African dwarf hedgehogs do not fall asleep for the winter, but with ordinary forest animals they will have to suffer - even if you create good conditions for activity over the year, nature will not be deceive. In nature, the beast before bedtime is trying to dial the maximum mass, it becomes more and more sluggish, which indicates the approach of cold.
Not having the opportunity to eat during sleep, the baby significantly loses weight in the winter, and therefore, with the onset of autumn you are obliged to increase the norms of feeding for your pet, without sorry for food. Given the danger of the lack of hibernation, you must contribute to the cost of feeling in the atmosphere - To this end, the Yellow Cell is often removed on the balcony . With this respect, the beast will scrub the whole winter, if you find a cool place in the apartment, the hibernation will be reduced to one and a half or two months maximum.
It should not worry about the health of the pet - for it is the norm of wintering in the conditions of the street, so rely on its ability to build a normal nest. In order to do not arise with the latter, it is a sufficient number of building materials, the same fleece losters, as well as a courageous grass, sprigs and more, are well sufficiently suitable for this role.
During sleep, the animal does not disturb - let him wake up when it considers it necessary.
About how to care for hedgehogs at home, see the next video.