Pets have always been close friends for humans. Someone likes cats or dogs, hamsters or birds. But there are people who prefer to keep exotic animals at home, which include the African pygmy hedgehog. This hybrid breed was created specifically so that the animal could be kept at home. It should be clarified right away that such hedgehogs cannot be released into nature, since they will not be able to survive on their own.

Description

A gentle creation of a small size with soft needles is an African hedgehog. Photos of funny little animals are simply touching. Most of them are very sociable and quickly become attached to people. It is not necessary for them to live in a pair, since they practically do not need the presence of an individual of a kind nearby. 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 cannot live in nature, but also in appearance, character, behavior and needs. Another distinctive feature is the fact that they do not curl up into a ball and have a white abdomen.

These animals were bred by European breeders in 1995 and were called "pygmy African hedgehogs". How long do these creatures live? On average, about 5 years. The life span of the animal can last for about 2 years, provided that all the breeder's recommendations for their maintenance 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 become attached to people. If, nevertheless, the hedgehog is not very sociable, you need to try to win his favor. They love to be stroked and petted.

Going to a pet store or nursery, you should choose exactly the animal that willingly goes into your arms, since it is very problematic to tame it yourself. Usually hedgehogs are peaceful and affectionate creatures, but sometimes there are quite wayward natures among them. They may try to run away, start snorting or biting.

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 to an unfamiliar environment for him. And for this, the hedgehog needs rest.

It is not necessary on the very first day to hold him in your arms for a long time or try to stir him up. You can only take him out of the cage for a few minutes, and then put him back in. The adaptation period can last about a week.

How to choose a place for a cell

The African hedgehog is the peak of its activity at this time of day. In order for it not to interfere with rest, it is worth finding a place for the cage, which will be at a sufficient distance from the bedroom.

Before bringing a hedgehog into the house, you should decide in advance where his house will stand. 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, as the hedgehog can get heatstroke. In the cold season, in the presence of drafts, colds occur if the windows are not airtight.

House selection

Before buying an animal, 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 must 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 dwelling should have a rather slippery coating, and their height should be more than 30 cm.

It is necessary that the bottom of the house was solid. A floor consisting of rods is strictly prohibited, since the hedgehog's small paws will always cling to them. The distance between the bars 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. Birch or aspen sawdust is suitable as a filler, but cedar sawdust cannot be used. The essential oils present in its wood adversely affect the health of the animal. Paper flakes, often used for cat litter, are also suitable for the toilet.

The house must be cleaned at least once a week. The detergent used for this must not contain any aggressive ingredients.

The African hedgehog, whose photo is presented in this article, is very fond of various toys. Most often, he gets objects that cats play with. The ideal option is a ringing plastic ball.

Since the animals love to eat well and quite often overeat, and besides, they also lead an insufficiently active lifestyle, they are in dire need of physical activity. For this purpose, a special wheel is placed in the cage, which they use for running. Devices are different, but you need to choose a product in which the surface will be continuous and without crossbars. The wheel diameter must be at least 30 cm.

This is not to say that the African hedgehog loves to sleep. Its light day can be from 12 to 14 hours, and it does not depend on the season. In winter, when it gets dark very early, it will be necessary to turn on the backlight in the house.

Temperature regime

As you know, the African pygmy hedgehog was bred specifically for keeping at home and simply does not exist in the wild. That is why they require more attention than other species of this animal. To create the most favorable conditions for the life of a 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 one. It is placed under the bottom of the house.

Walking around the apartment

As mentioned above, for hedgehogs it is necessary to equip special houses in which they can live comfortably. But sometimes you can let them out for a little walk around the apartment. At this time, you can not lose sight of them. They run fast and can jump under some furniture and hide. Then they will be quite difficult to find.

In addition, dust always collects under the furniture, and this is very harmful to the health of the animal, as it can inhale it. Also, the animal is not insured against getting 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 maintenance of which is not at all burdensome for its owner, also need fresh air. If it is a warm, fine day outside, but without 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 under any circumstances. The fact is that after eating a worm, hedgehogs can get sick with capillariasis. 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, nevertheless, it is worth limiting the communication of small children with these animals. The fact is that the animals can be frightened by screams or careless handling of them and bite the baby. In addition, their needles are also unsafe and you can get hurt.

Dishes

It is worth paying special attention to bowls for food and drink. Both containers should be roomy, stable and heavy enough so that the hedgehog does not turn them over. Ceramic food bowls are perfect. Their height should not exceed 5 cm, and the diameter should not exceed 8-15 cm. They are very convenient, but, unfortunately, not all hedgehogs know how to use them.

Feeding

You should not especially think about what the African hedgehog eats. For him, the premium class is perfect. It is natural and does not contain any flavors or other harmful additives. It is also necessary to ensure that the feed does not include starchy ingredients, such as corn or potatoes.

Since cat food is largely multi-ingredient, 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 hedgehogs with such unusual gifts as crickets, grasshoppers and zoofobus.

Contraindicated products

African hedgehogs, the content of which still requires some knowledge, are quite unpretentious. Most importantly, their diet should consist exclusively of natural products that do not contain any harmful additives and impurities, as the health and well-being of the pet may be impaired.

The following will list products that are contraindicated for hedgehogs. First of all, the animal does not tolerate lactose well. That is why all dairy products should immediately be excluded from their diet. Various dried fruits and raisins usually stick to the larynx and get stuck in the animal's teeth. You can’t give them avocados, as there are cases when hedgehogs were poisoned by this fruit. Pineapple is also on the list of banned foods. It contains acid, which corrodes the delicate oral cavity of the animal. For the same reason, onions, garlic and citrus fruits should not be given to hedgehogs.

As for nuts and seeds, their shells can injure the animal and ruin its teeth. Also, do not give him fast food, chips and chocolate. And cedar and tea tree oil should generally be kept away from them, because even their smell can be dangerous for this animal.

The African hedgehog, reviews of which indicate that keeping them is quite easy and pleasant, will become a favorite not only for children, but for the whole family.