Hedgehogs are cute, adorable creatures that are fun to have as pets. These insect-eating mammals live an average of 4 to 7 years. Many households love having pet hedgehogs as they are not only easy to maintain, but they are also fun to keep around.
If you want to adopt a hedgehog as a pet, you might wonder how much it would cost to purchase one. You might also be curious about the cost of maintenance and other things. We will discuss the cost of getting a hedgehog, maintenance, and more below. Let’s get right to the cost of purchasing one.
The cost of a hedgehog largely depends on several factors, such as the age of the hedgehog, color, location, and a lot more. Typically, hedgehog costs between $100 and $300, with the factors mentioned determining the range at which you buy it.
Color or breed is the most common criterion to estimate a hedgehog’s cost. The rarer the color, the more expensive it will be to get such a breed. Here is a breakdown of the cost of hedgehogs based on their cost.
Salt and pepper (standard color): $150 to $200
Cinnamon (a lighter version of the standard color): $150 to $200
There are different things your pet hedgehog can eat. Here is a list of foods you can feed your pet hedgehog.
1. Worms
There are different types of worms you can feed your hedgehog. These worms include mealworms and waxworms. They are rich in protein and provide the necessary mental stimulation to keep your pet healthy.
Do not always serve your hedgehog worms, as they are extremely protein-rich and can cause obesity. From time to time, serve them worms as a treat to keep them healthy and active.
2. Insects
This is another thing you can feed your hedgehog. Hedgehogs love insects, as they are quite tasty and rich in nutrients. You can feed your hedgehog different insects, such as beetles, caterpillars, millipedes, and much more.
You can put this insect in your pet cage or keep them on the floor. Keep your pet active by allowing it to fetch and eat them. This will not only add nutrients to the body but also serve as a means of exercise.
3. Fruits
Fruits are essential for the overall health of your hedgehog as they provide the necessary vitamins to boost your pet’s immune system. When you serve your pet fruits, you reduce the chances of them falling ill with common sicknesses such as colds or infections.
You can serve your pets different fruits, such as bananas, apples, berries, melons, etc. Remember to give them in moderate quantities to avoid indigestion when serving them. You should also ensure you avoid feeding them dried fruits as they harm their bodies more than benefit them.
4. Meat
Cooked meat is another thing you can feed your hedgehog. However, the meat must contain high protein and low fats. A perfect example of such meat is canned meat for dogs and cats.
You can cook this meat and serve it to your hedgehogs. The smell of meat will attract your hedgehog as it will consume everything. This food is excellent for your pet if you notice it isn’t eating properly.
5. Egg
As weird as this sounds, occasionally serving your hedgehog an egg will do more good than harm to the body. Although boiled eggs are high in fat and protein, you can serve your pet this meal occasionally. This will help improve the body’s fat level while providing it with other necessary nutrients.
While the 5 listed above are ideal meals for your hedgehog, you must be wary of feeding them food like lettuce or celery. These foods are low in nutritional value. You must also avoid serving them food like avocados as they are quite toxic to pets. Lastly, do not serve them raw meat, milk, or nuts, as they can cause serious damage to the health of your pet.
How Long Do Hedgehogs Live?
The length of time a hedgehog lives largely depends on several factors, such as maintenance level, breed, and many other things. Hedgehogs typically live for 4 to 7 years. There have been cases where hedgehogs lived for much longer, but such hedgehogs were subjected to a high level of maintenance and healthy nutrition.
What Is the Cost of Caring for a Hedgehog?
Although hedgehogs cost less than $300 to get, the cost of caring for or maintaining a hedgehog is significantly more. Here is a breakdown of the cost of caring for a hedgehog below.
1. Supplies: $200 to $700
Once you get a hedgehog, you must spend much more on supplies. These supplies may include a cage, food, bedding, exercise equipment, an initial vet visit, etc.
All these things are critical if you are getting a pet hedgehog for the first time. However, if you previously owned a pet hedgehog, you will already have the bulk of the supplies. You shouldn’t have to spend more than $200 to buy the remaining supplies. These supplies are necessary to keep your hedgehog in proper health.
2. Healthcare: $200 to $600 annually
Healthcare is another aspect where you must spend money to care for your hedgehog. There are various medical checkups you must take your hedgehog to. These check-ups usually range between $150 and $200 annually. Dental care and parasite treatment range between $50 and $200.
Lastly, regarding health care, accidents can lead to medical emergencies. When these happen, you might have to spend as much as $200 annually to treat and restore your pet to full health.
3. Environmental maintenance: $150 to $250
The amount of money you spend annually on environmental maintenance largely depends on several factors, such as the type of bedding you use, the cost of bedding, and the type of cage, among other things.
Typically, you will spend around $150 on bedding and $60 on cleaning wipes annually. You will also spend not more than $40 on heating pads and $60 on heating lamps.
How to Care for a Hedgehog
You can adopt different methods to take proper care of your hedgehog. Here is a list of options.
1. Give It a Proper Diet
When it comes to the general health of a hedgehog, a proper diet is one of the most critical things. This is because it will be practically impossible for your hedgehog to stay healthy if it isn’t getting the necessary nutrients.
You must give your hedgehog food rich in vitamins, protein, and carbohydrates. Avoid giving your hedgehog fatty foods or avocados.
2. Housing and Cleaning
You must provide your hedgehog with a house that is wide enough for it to move around. A rabbit house is good enough if there is space for its bedding and toys. Also, ensure the floor is as smooth and plain as possible.
Once you have gotten the necessary housing for your hedgehog, you must take your time to ensure the house is properly cleaned. Lack of proper cleaning can result in the growth of bacteria which will cause an infection in your pet. Clean wipes and bedding as soon as possible.
3. Grooming and Handling
Apart from cleaning the house, it would help if you took the time to clean or bathe your pet hedgehog occasionally. This is very helpful as it reduces the chances of parasites living on your hedgehog. Use soap that kills parasites such as ticks when bathing your pet.
You must also handle your hedgehog with care. If you have the proper training, you can teach your hedgehog to socialize with others. It all depends on how you handle the pet from the moment you bring it into your home.
Conclusion
Different things affect the cost of a hedgehog. These things, which include the breed, the age, and much more, determine how much you pay for the pet. In general, these pets cost between $150 and $400.
When buying a hedgehog, you must do several maintenance practices to keep it healthy. We have discussed all of these practices as well as the cost of maintenance in this article. Simple read-through to get all the information you need.
