5 top reasons why hedgehogs are good pets!

1- Hedgehogs are quiet animals that don't require large cages,
they are good pets even for people who live in apartments.

2- Hedgehogs are solitary animals, they will never require the
companionship of another animal, they also tend to bond
to their owners better when they are the only hedgehog.

3- Hedgehogs, unlike many other exotic animals, do not have offensive
scent glands and do not have a bad odor, proper bedding can help
keep normal waste odors to a minimal as well. They do not have
dander and are usually good for people who have allergies.

4- Hedgehogs are easy to care for, they require exercise, which can
be easily obtained by having a running wheel in the cage.
Rarely do hedgehogs ever get sick, and they do not
require routine vet appointments as they do not need
vaccines like other common family pets.

5- Just like any other animal- hedgehogs all have their own
personalities, no two will ever be exactly alike. They are fun
and interesting pets, and will always gain interest from people
who have never encountered one before.

 

5 top reasons why hedgehogs might not make good pets!

1- Their quills are very prickly, and can irritate sensitive skin.
Most small children (usually under 10 years of age) have a
hard time handling hedgehogs due to their prickly quills.

2- They are nocturnal, which means they are most active during the
night hours in which most people are a sleep.

3- They are exotic pets and will require a diet that might be a little
harder to accommodate compared to your common family pets.

4- Although hedgehogs are typically healthy animals, there are
times when an owner might be faced with a problem that would
require the attention of a vet, usually the vet bills are much more
expensive for a hedgehog than the common family pet.

5- Usually the only time I hear complaints that a hedgehog was not
the right pet for someone is when people bought on impulse or was
in a huge rush to buy a hedgehog, those families would run to
any pet store that was selling them. Usually those cases don't turn
out the greatest because they are not buying something that
is very friendly or tame. Not all hedgehogs are friendly, that is why
it is best to only buy from a breeder and meet the hedgehog you
intend to buy to ensure you know what your getting into.

 

Being a registered hedgehog breeder does NOT qualify a breeder to be an ethical or responsible breeder. For example- you will find both legitimate ethical breeders and irresponsible mill breeders within the AKC, UKC, or the like, including but not limited to the hedgehog community.

If you are trying to find a responsible hedgehog breeder to buy from, don't be concerned as to whether or not they are registered or affiliated with an organization,, rather be concerned about the reason why they are breeding hedgehogs and what their commitment is to the hedgehogs they breed and to the buyer's who buy them.

Prickly Creek Exotics Commitment to our hedgehogs and our buyer's is:

1. We only breed hedgehogs that we know are in excellent health, free of any hereditary illness and/or disease, we don't believe in breeding a female more than twice a year (typically we breed a female once a year), and we keep only hedgehogs that we have more lineage on than just the offspring's parentage.

2. We have been breeding for approx. 10 years- we breed because we truly want to produce the best and the healthiest hedgehogs for people who want a unique pet.

3. We are devoted to the health of our animals- we feed only an all natural food.

4. We will always be of assistance to our buyers as needed and offer any additional support (within limits) during the life of their hedgehog.

5. Make reasonable efforts to ensure that the buyers of our hedgehogs are not making  an uninformed, impulse purchase and can provide appropriate, long-term care.