• Hedgehogs should be kept at ~20 degrees in a large box (~150 litres) with a shelter (cardboard box with an entrance/plastic house).

• Hedgehogs smell strongly and need absolute peace and quiet – a separate room would be ideal.

• Hedgehogs are nocturnal and any contact with humans causes them stress!

• Newspaper as bedding is easy to replace daily and costs nothing.

• The newspaper scraps serve as nesting material and can be easily produced with a paper shredder (no micro stripes - long stripes , P2 security level)

• Always offer water – only give food after the hedgehog has ‘warmed up’ and only in small amounts due to refeeding syndrome.

Hedgehogs walk long distances for their food and are often completely emaciated – their circulation collapses if they are given too much energy too quickly.

IMPORTANT: Hedgehogs are SOLITARIES – they must be kept individually per box.

The only exceptions are babies and adolescent littermates weighing up to lower than ~250g!

Hedgehogs do not care about cleanliness! Daily cleaning of the boxes is a MUST!

Food and water bowls and their contents must be replaced depending on the level of contamination.

Faeces in the box and shelter must be removed.

In the event of infestation with coccidia, giardia or cryptosporidia, for example, the box must be replaced and disinfected with a suitable disinfectant and left to air for 24 hours.