How Do I Choose a Hedgehog ?
People have emailed me several times about wanting to know where they should get a hedgehog. But before there are some important things to consider when buying them.
Where do I get one ?
Basically, there are two places that you can buy hedgehogs from and they are a pet store or a breeder. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
At a petstore you won't be able to know what the parents were like, the age of the hedgie, or what the conditions were like before haveing being shipped to the store. The advantage is that if there isn't a breeder near you a petstore in your area might have a hedgie or two.
Advantages of buying from a breeder is that you'll have a chance of knowing the parents of the hedgie. Plus you can have variety of colors and temperments to choose from. You will be able to find out about what kind of habitat, food, and handling your hedgie is used to, and so on. Still, not all hedgehog breeders maintain the same quality of animals or of care for the animals, so you can't assume that a hedgehog from a breeder will be any better than one from a pet store, even if the breeder can give you more information than the pet store. You also can't assume that just because a breeder advertises in a major magazine or says that they take good care of their animals, that they are automatically more reputable. There are some great large scale breeders out there, but there are also folks who keep one pair of pets that they breed occasionally who have awesome hedgies, too!Does age matter ?
Not really. Hedgies young and old can adapt to new and different people. With an older hedgehog, you'll know what the color is and have a better idea of what the temperament is going to be like. But, remember that hedgehogs typically live 3 to 6 years, so an older hedgehog may not be with you as long. With a younger hedgehog, you'll get to see the growing up and the developmental milestones, which is kind of cool and exciting! Younger hedgies tend to be more prone to pooping on people, and the babies may go through a "terrible twos" phase when their adult quills start coming in, which can be a bit disconcerting! Both older and younger hedgies can make great pets, it's up to you to decide which would be better for you.
What about health ?
Health is the biggest thing to consider. You always want a healthy hedgie. Things to look for : eyes open, clean quills and fur, are there scabs or other injuries, healthy skin, alertness, weight, and feet are things to look for when buying a hedgie.
