🦔 How to Set Up a Hedgehog Habitat (Warmth Matters)
Pet hedgehogs need more floor space than people expect: a large, solid-bottom cage or a big bin with at least about 4 square feet of open floor, with a solid (not wire) base that is gentle on their feet.
Heat is the part beginners miss. Hedgehogs need a steady 72 to 80°F; if they get cold they may attempt hibernation, which is dangerous and can be fatal in pet hedgehogs. Use a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat (not a heat rock), and watch the temperature with a thermometer.
Add a large solid wheel (about 11 to 12 inches) — hedgehogs run for miles and need it nightly — plus a snuggle sack, a hide, and fleece or paper bedding. See our best pets for apartments and low-maintenance pets guides.
🛒 Recommended supplies
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🧽 Cleaning & maintenance
Spot-clean every day by scooping out soiled bedding, droppings, and leftover fresh food, and rinse the water bottle or bowl. Once a week do a bigger clean: change most or all of the bedding, wipe down the hedgehog cage or tank, and scrub the hideouts, dishes, and wheel. Use warm soapy water or a pet-safe small-animal cage cleaner and dry everything before adding fresh bedding — harsh household cleaners and strong scents irritate small lungs. Litter-trained pets make this quick if you scoop the litter box each day.
Cleaning supplies for this habitat. Affiliate links — we may earn a commission. The $/$$/$$$ badges are a rough budget guide, not live prices.