# APH care sheet



## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi all.

I'm picking up my first APH this weekend. I've taken a lot of time to make sure everything is perfect for the little guy. He's got a large cage (3x2ft), lots of food stored up already (Mealies, spikes dinner, iams etc) House, wheel (arrives tomorrow), bowls. You name it he has it.

I bought all of this on the recommendation of a couple of care sheets.
However, browsing through today I found a care sheet with some ... intersting material.

First off, it said that you can keep a hedgie in a 2ft (that's 2ft squared!) cage (I keep gerbils in tanks larger than that!), That they should be fed on a diet of 99% meal worms, and the occasional piece of fruit. And that a APH will NEVER drink from a water bowl, and would need a bottle.

Now, I'm pretty sure they need bigger (mine has 6ft of floor space, and I'd still like to offer him more). and he's got a far better selection for diet than that. 
The thing I'd like to know is about the whole water bottle thing.
Is it true that AHPs will only drink from water bottles, or would a water bowl be ok? I only ask this as the cage I have would be awkward to fit a water bottle to (which is why i had planned on water bowls). However, with some "modifications..." I could get a water bottle to fit.

So, is a bowl ok, or do I have to get the bolt cutters and super glue out??


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

They will drink from a bowl but it'll be messy and need to be changed twice a day or so as the substrate will end up in it.. that's the reason I use water bottles, just for ease really!


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## bronzeyis200 (Jan 25, 2008)

I'm interested in the answer for this, cos how would they drink in the wild, certainly not from a water bottle:lol2:


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Wasn't the care sheet I sent you any good?

It covered everything you just listed


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## Fill (Nov 24, 2007)

Young_Gun said:


> Wasn't the care sheet I sent you any good?
> 
> It covered everything you just listed


I was goin to direct you to this thread :whistling2:


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## Jase Boa (Oct 22, 2007)

Ours are housed in plastic cages (to prevent the APH climbing up metal bars, mesh etc and falling at causing an injury) identical to this.... 










They have a double sided trough (yellow object on the right), in which food is put into one and water into the other. No use of a water bottle, however this may change in the future. They are fed a variety of different foods. 

A bit of habitat enrichment involves a tub of soil and some mealworms. They love routing around for them. Roaches also provide good 'huntability' as they run away.

I wouldnt recommend using a wheel as APHs are known to develop spinal injuries from these.


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## Fill (Nov 24, 2007)

Jase Boa said:


> Ours are housed in plastic cages (to prevent the APH climbing up metal bars, mesh etc and falling at causing an injury) identical to this....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Try tellin my sis that :bash: she has read that they can have wheels and doesn't seem to understand that not all caresheets are good ones :whistling2:


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

We actually have the same cage for ours. I mean, exactly the same.

Thanks for the advice on the wheel (gives it to the gerbils to chew!)


Young_gun. I have sent you a PM in regards to the situation. It's all a little.... well, you'll see.


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Yup totally agree, don't supply a wheel, time free roaming or in a run is the best method of exercise.

Also, the PM is nothing to do with my caresheet for zee nosey people  :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## Fill (Nov 24, 2007)

Young_Gun said:


> Yup totally agree, don't supply a wheel, time free roaming or in a run is the best method of exercise.
> 
> Also, the PM is nothing to do with my caresheet for zee nosey people  :Na_Na_Na_Na:


And we both know who you meant by that :whistling2: and I'll get her to rethink the wheel mate, dw : victory:


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

how much free roaming would you recommend for the little un? obviously, with dogs around I can't let him out for hours and hours.


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Rain said:


> how much free roaming would you recommend for the little un? obviously, with dogs around I can't let him out for hours and hours.


My adults have a heated box left in a run outside with them for 4 hours and they are allowed to free roam, an hour a night if possible is fine.


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## Jase Boa (Oct 22, 2007)

Phil1988 said:


> And we both know who you meant by that :whistling2:


Me 3 :lol2:


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## Fill (Nov 24, 2007)

Jase Boa said:


> Me 3 :lol2:


:Na_Na_Na_Na::lol2:


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## Rain (Oct 9, 2007)

Young_Gun said:


> My adults have a heated box left in a run outside with them for 4 hours and they are allowed to free roam, an hour a night if possible is fine.


Hmmm, might have to make something for them to roam in safely and unsupervised then..... I'll have a look what I can build for them.


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Rain said:


> Hmmm, might have to make something for them to roam in safely and unsupervised then..... I'll have a look what I can build for them.


I just use a rabbit run, works a treat.


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## leggy (Jan 18, 2007)

I use a small rep pool the plastic ones work well the the hog can have a nice drink but it wont tip up: victory:


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