Are Hedgehogs Good Pets for Kids?
It is November 25, exactly one month away from Christmas! Tis the season for the notorious phone calls of wishful parents searching for a hedgehog as a Christmas gift for their child. I am not one to refuse to sell hedgehogs as gifts for a few reasons; one reason being I would rather people adopt from us where we offer a health guarantee, raise our babies in our home and spoil them, and are willing to answer questions at anytime. Another reason being if I don't have healthy babies available, I know people are going to look to Craigslist or go to a petstore and buy a hedgehog for half the price that oftentimes are inbred and have health problems. In life you get what you pay for, and hedgehogs are no exception. I am sure there are several backyard breeders out there willing to make a quick $50 and meet you in a parking lot and never hear from you again. With us, I would LOVE to hear from you! I love seeing pictures of our babies in their new homes. I love answering questions and if I can't answer a particular question I know of several vets that are more than happy to help. Hedgehogs are a 4-6 year commitment, and I raise them because I love them and the joy they have brought to my life.
Back to the aforementioned question….do hedgehogs make good pets for kids? In my eyes, yes and no. Yes in the fact that they teach responsibility and commitment and with patience and time develop a bond with their owner. However, if your child is very young, busy with sports and school, or will soon be moving away to college, are you as the parent/guardian prepared to help raise the hedgehog?
Several people have asked me if a hedgehog is an appropriate pet for a 2 year old. No, they are not, but no pet is ideal for a 2 year old to raise independently. If you're on the fence about adopting a hedgehog, please ask yourself: Can I feed/water my hedgehog ever day? Can I devote 20 minutes a day to play with my hedgehog? Can I provide a warm (over 70 degrees) home for my hedgehog? Can I provide vet care when necessary? Am I patient enough to wait for my hedgehog to bond with me (which sometimes can take weeks)?
Vetstreet offers 10 things to know before bringing your hedgehogs home, and there are several key points discussed in the article, including how temperature influences their behavior. If your hedgehog is consistently cold, they can attempt hibernation or become extremely irritable and mad simply because they're trying to let you know they are too cold! If you can't provide a heat lamp or a space heater for your hedgehog, they may not be the pet for you.
In my opinion I do think hedgehogs make wonderful pets. For younger kids they can make excellent pets with some guidance and understanding the importance of proper handwashing to prevent salmonella. My 3 children would agree that they are something different, fun, and entertaining. Most hedgehogs will develop a close bond and love for the person that handles them the most, and may be a little apprehensive towards people they don't know. From the time that our hedgehogs are around 2 weeks old until they leave here, they have been handled, played with, used to cats and kids, and are well taken care of. We ask that if you adopt one of our babies you love it as much as we did (or more)!
Back to the aforementioned question….do hedgehogs make good pets for kids? In my eyes, yes and no. Yes in the fact that they teach responsibility and commitment and with patience and time develop a bond with their owner. However, if your child is very young, busy with sports and school, or will soon be moving away to college, are you as the parent/guardian prepared to help raise the hedgehog?
Several people have asked me if a hedgehog is an appropriate pet for a 2 year old. No, they are not, but no pet is ideal for a 2 year old to raise independently. If you're on the fence about adopting a hedgehog, please ask yourself: Can I feed/water my hedgehog ever day? Can I devote 20 minutes a day to play with my hedgehog? Can I provide a warm (over 70 degrees) home for my hedgehog? Can I provide vet care when necessary? Am I patient enough to wait for my hedgehog to bond with me (which sometimes can take weeks)?
Vetstreet offers 10 things to know before bringing your hedgehogs home, and there are several key points discussed in the article, including how temperature influences their behavior. If your hedgehog is consistently cold, they can attempt hibernation or become extremely irritable and mad simply because they're trying to let you know they are too cold! If you can't provide a heat lamp or a space heater for your hedgehog, they may not be the pet for you.
In my opinion I do think hedgehogs make wonderful pets. For younger kids they can make excellent pets with some guidance and understanding the importance of proper handwashing to prevent salmonella. My 3 children would agree that they are something different, fun, and entertaining. Most hedgehogs will develop a close bond and love for the person that handles them the most, and may be a little apprehensive towards people they don't know. From the time that our hedgehogs are around 2 weeks old until they leave here, they have been handled, played with, used to cats and kids, and are well taken care of. We ask that if you adopt one of our babies you love it as much as we did (or more)!
