Pets for humans have always been close friends. Someone likes cats or dogs, hamsters or birds. But there are people who prefer to keep exotic animals at home, which includes the African pygmy hedgehog. This hybrid breed was created specifically so that the animal can be kept at home. It must immediately be clarified that such hedgehogs cannot be released into nature, since they will not be able to survive on their own.
Description
A gentle, small-sized creature with soft needles is an African hedgehog. Photo of funny little animals just touches. Most of them are very sociable and quickly attached to people. They don’t need to live in a pair, since they practically do not need a kind of individual near them. Moreover, putting two animals in one house is not recommended, because they can fight among themselves.
Growing up, adults have a weight of 350-500 g and a length of up to 20 cm. They differ from wild hedgehogs not only in that they can not live in nature, but also in appearance, character, behavior and needs. Another distinguishing feature is the fact that they do not curl up and have a white abdomen.
These animals were bred by European breeders in 1995 and are called "dwarf African hedgehogs." How long do these creatures live? On average, about 5 years. The life of the animal can last about 2 years, provided that all the recommendations of the breeder on their content are strictly followed.
Character
Like other animals, each African hedgehog has its own personality. Each of the animals has a special character and manner of communication. For example, some of them prefer loneliness, while others are attached to people. If nevertheless the hedgehog is not very sociable, you need to try to conquer its location. They love to be stroked and caressed.
Going to a pet store or nursery, it is worth choosing the very animal that willingly goes into your hands, since it is very problematic to tame it yourself. Usually hedgehogs are peace-loving and affectionate creatures, but among them sometimes there are quite wayward natures. They may try to escape, begin to snort or bite.
An unusual animal, an African hedgehog, the price of which varies from 4,500 to 5,000 rubles, will bring a lot of warmth, comfort and good mood to your home.
Adaptation
As a rule, a new home, smells and surroundings are a kind of stress for the animal. It is necessary to give him time to adapt in an unfamiliar environment. And for this, the hedgehog needs peace.
You should not hold it in your arms for a long time or try to stir it up on the first day. You can remove it from the cage for only a few minutes, and then let it go back. The adaptation period can last about a week.
How to choose a place for the cage
The African hedgehog is a nocturnal animal and the peak of its activity occurs precisely at this time of day. In order for him not to interfere with rest, it is worthwhile to find a place for the cage, which will be at a sufficient distance from the bedroom.
Before you bring the hedgehog into the house, you should decide in advance where his house will be. The place must be comfortable, otherwise the animal may get sick and even die.
It is strongly not recommended to place the cage on the windowsill. The direct rays of the sun are harmful, since the hedgehog can get heat stroke. In the cold season, in the presence of drafts, colds occur if the windows are not tight.
House selection
Before buying a beast, you need to take care of where he will live. A cage for rabbits, as well as a glass or plastic terrarium, can serve as a house. The size of their bottom should be at least 60 X 60 cm. The house must be closed from above, otherwise the hedgehog will run away. If you want it to be open, then the walls of the future home should have a sufficiently slippery coating, and their height should be more than 30 cm.
It is necessary that the bottom of the house was solid. It is strictly forbidden to have a floor consisting of twigs, as the small legs of the hedgehog will always cling to them. The distance between the rods should be small. Given the size of the animal in childhood, it can easily escape or get stuck between them.
House Equipment
A toilet for a hedgehog can be arranged in a box filled with sawdust. This animal is very clean. He goes to the toilet only in a specially designated place. As a filler, birch or aspen sawdust is suitable, but cedar can not be used. The essential oils present in its wood adversely affect the health of the animal. For the toilet, paper flakes, often used for cat litter, are also suitable.
It is necessary to clean the house at least once a week. The detergent used for this should not contain any aggressive components.
The African hedgehog, whose photos are presented in this article, loves various toys. Most often, objects like cats play for him. The ideal option is a clinking plastic ball.
Since the animals love to eat well and overeat quite often, and in addition they also lead an insufficiently active lifestyle, they urgently need physical activity. For this purpose, a special wheel is used in the cage, which they use for running. The devices are different, but you need to choose a product in which the surface will be solid and without crossbars. The diameter of the wheel must be at least 30 cm.
This is not to say that the African hedgehog likes to sleep. Its daylight hours can be from 12 to 14 hours, and it does not depend on the time of year. In winter, when it is very early darker, it will be necessary to turn on the lights in the house.
Temperature mode
As you know, the African dwarf hedgehog is bred specifically for keeping at home and in the wild it simply does not exist. That is why they require more attention to themselves than other species of this animal. To create the most favorable conditions for the life of the hedgehog, the temperature in the room should be comfortable: during the day it should be about + 22-25⁰ C, and at night - 2-5 degrees lower.
At lower temperatures, the animals hibernate. The way out of this situation can be the use of a special heated mat. He is put under the bottom of the house.
Walking around the apartment
As mentioned above, for hedgehogs it is necessary to equip special houses in which it is convenient for them to live. But sometimes you can let them out for a little walk around the apartment. At this time, they should not be overlooked. They run fast and can jump under some furniture and hide. Then it will be quite difficult to find.
In addition, dust always collects under the furniture, and this is very harmful to the animal’s health, as it can breathe with it. Also, the animal is not safe from any injuries. In order not to endanger him, you need to be on the alert all the time.
Walking on the street
Like all living creatures, African hedgehogs, the contents of which are completely burdensome for its owner, also need fresh air. If the street is a warm, fine day, but without the stuffiness and exhausting heat, you can take a walk with the animal.
It should be remembered that they are very nimble and can run out onto the grass and eat an earthworm or some kind of insect. This should not be allowed in any case. The fact is that after eating a worm, hedgehogs can get capillariosis. Street insects only harm. You should give your pet only those that were grown artificially. In addition, various microbes live in the grass, from which it is worth protecting your pet.
Warning
Despite the fact that African decorative hedgehogs are infinitely cute and charming creatures, it is nevertheless worth restricting the communication of young children with these animals. The fact is that animals can be frightened by screams or careless handling of them and bite the baby. In addition, their needles are also unsafe and can be injured.
Tableware
It is worth paying special attention to bowls for food and drink. Both containers should be roomy, stable and quite heavy so that the hedgehog does not turn them over. Ceramic bowls for food are perfect. Their height should not exceed 5 cm and a diameter of 8-15 cm. Nipple drinkers are very convenient , but, unfortunately, not all hedgehogs can use them.
Feeding
Do not especially think about what an African hedgehog eats. For him, premium cat food is perfect. It is natural and does not contain any flavorings or other harmful additives. It is also necessary to ensure that starch-containing ingredients, such as corn or potatoes, are not included in the feed.
Since cat food is largely multi-component, it is good if it has a meat base. It can be chicken, beef or turkey. But do not forget about fruits and vegetables.
In addition to meat and vegetable products, sometimes you need to pamper your hedgehogs with such unusual gifts as crickets, grasshoppers and zoobus.
Contraindicated Products
African hedgehogs, the content of which nevertheless requires some knowledge, is quite unpretentious. Most importantly, their nutrition should consist exclusively of natural products that do not contain any harmful additives and impurities, since the health and well-being of the pet may be impaired.
The following are products that are contraindicated for hedgehogs. First of all, the animal does not tolerate lactose. That is why all dairy products must immediately be excluded from their diet. Various dried fruits and raisins usually stick to the larynx and get stuck in the teeth of the animal. You can not give them avocados, as there are cases when hedgehogs were etched by this fruit. Pineapple is also on the forbidden foods list. It contains acid that corrodes the delicate oral cavity of the animal. For the same reason, hedgehogs should not be given onions, garlic and citrus fruits.
As for nuts and seeds, their shells can injure the animal and ruin its teeth. Also, you should not give him fast food, chips and chocolate. But cedar and tea tree oil generally need to be kept away from them, because even their smell can be dangerous for this animal.
African hedgehog, reviews of which indicate that it is quite easy and pleasant to keep them, will become a favorite not only for children, but also for the whole family.