# Bedding for African Pygmy Hedgehogs



## Bailey_Dragon (Apr 6, 2008)

I was just wondering what you all use for you APH's to snuggle up in. I know that some people use fleecy pouches and some use shredded paper. What do you all use? :2thumb:


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## animal addict (Jun 1, 2008)

fleecy pouch


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## Bailey_Dragon (Apr 6, 2008)

Thanks Hun.

That's what I want to use. I'm picking up all her bits today before geting her tomorrow. I'm so excited :lol2:


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## Emmaj (Dec 3, 2007)

i used tea towels and sawdust for mines bedding and news paper at the toilet end of the cage


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## animal addict (Jun 1, 2008)

Bailey_Dragon said:


> Thanks Hun.
> 
> That's what I want to use. I'm picking up all her bits today before geting her tomorrow. I'm so excited :lol2:


oooohhh wicked - details details??!!! lol - how old what colour etc? Bet you cant wait!!


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## Bailey_Dragon (Apr 6, 2008)

She's 7 weeks old and chocolate...here she is :flrt::flrt:


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## animal addict (Jun 1, 2008)

soooooo cute :flrt::flrt:


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## Bailey_Dragon (Apr 6, 2008)

Thank you, can't wait to see her in the flesh now!!


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## hoglet (Jun 11, 2008)

Bailey_Dragon said:


> I was just wondering what you all use for you APH's to snuggle up in. I know that some people use fleecy pouches and some use shredded paper. What do you all use? :2thumb:


I use shavings as base of the cage, and put shredded paper into their igloos to nest in. I also put a woolly hat in during the winter and they will find there way in and curl up. Did try the hog fleeces but had a bit of a near miss the threads of the fleece caught around one of my girls feet, luckly enough my daughter spotted it and we spent ages clipping round it to free her. Your hoglet looks lovley. I'm glad you manage to find someone near you.


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## Bailey_Dragon (Apr 6, 2008)

thanks for the replies :2thumb:

I have been out and got all her bits today. I have got a small litter tray and have read that some people use cat litter, some use chinchilla sand and others use kitchen roll, what do you all think is best. Also, do I put her wheel in the tray as well?


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## animal addict (Jun 1, 2008)

yes wheel in the litter tray - up to you with whats in it personal, preference - mine has kitchen roll as its easy to change as it needs changing daily - the sand will need to be sieved daily otherwise they wil roll in their wee and poo also - dont know about the cat litter stuff though sorry as in how good or bad it is


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## Twiisted (Mar 15, 2008)

Bailey_Dragon said:


> Thanks Hun.
> 
> That's what I want to use. I'm picking up all her bits today before geting her tomorrow. I'm so excited :lol2:



Im so jealous!! I have to wait another 3 weeks!!!!! :bash:


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

I use wood based cat litter on part of the floor where they go to the bathroom and they are pretty good about going there, it absorbs a lot of moisture/smell and is easy to clean out, the rest of the cage I simply give them a large towel each, which also gets underneath their dens, which they snuggle up in. Sometimes gets a bit smelly and is obviously super easy to pop in the washing machine then


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## serz (May 8, 2006)

i use fleecy blankets for the base of the cage as i found sawdust way too messy and i use a cat litter try with cat litter in it which thankfully he uses lol. He sleeps is a fleecy pouch in a plastic igloo 

Yours is gorge


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## Bailey_Dragon (Apr 6, 2008)

Thanks for all your replies guys, I really appreciate it. I'm probably going to drive you all mad in the next few weeks, asking questions all the time. I'll apologise in advance :lol2:


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## Heavenlyhogs (May 15, 2008)

I use veterinary bedding & pet fleeces for the cage bottoms and keep the litter tray under the wheels and use kitchen roll in the trays.
I use hedgie sleep bags for them to sleep in...and pillow cases which are used on washing day which are pretty cheap when you shop around i always use dark colours also.Desperately need to stock up on a few bits though.


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## animal addict (Jun 1, 2008)

oooh am intrigued - why only dark colours?? Is that better for them in some way? or is it just it provides darker coverage hence more natural to sleep in?? sorry if its a stupid question but I want to buy my hoggie some new bits and bobs and all his stuff that he came with is mostly light or bright coloured so am wondering if theres a reason I need to change this if I do buy new things for him


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## Heavenlyhogs (May 15, 2008)

IMO dark colours would be better for them to sleep in....Some may not agree but i think it may allow for a more comfortable sleep.


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## Twiisted (Mar 15, 2008)

Im looking into buying bedding right now...

Im stuck thou.. Do i get Aspen Shavings like the hedgie central says or can i use anything else on the bottom?


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## Tan (May 7, 2008)

It will always come down to people opinions at the end of the day. I have used the same system for many many yrs and it works just fine (both for Erinaceous, Atelerix & Hemiechinus which are the breeds I have experience with) I use wood shavings for the main part of the cage but with news paper OR puppy liners underneath just in case hedgie decides to wee or poo while eating their food as this can and does happen especially with the younger subs or hoglets. I have never had a hedgie roll in their pee or poo and I’m dealing with them all my life. IF something is on the muzzle (like an irritant for example) they will rub their face along the ground for relief and I have seen them flip due to the speed some have travelled  but never seen a roll into faeces.

Now shavings can and again do create two problems, one the most obvious one I suppose is hedgies are prone to resp infections both upper and lower and obviously dusty wood shaving can cause this problem. One tried and tested but time consuming way to deal with this is by the 'dust free' shavings and get your self a good sieve. As you are about to put each scoop in just sieve it, you would not believe the amount you get rid of. Second problem is mites, they can and do travel in shavings so just treat your hedgies every three months with a selemectin solution which will not take care of internal parasites like it does for cats/dogs BUT it does kill the out side passengers.

As for litter trays I don't put wheels them into the little tray and one reason is hedgies are not strickly nocturnal, they do get up during the day to drink, eat and toilet. If a wheel is taking up most of the space they will just go in another corner so I would use like a flat rectangle cat little tray, the small ones, put your wheel in that and use a ferret corner litter tray then your flying.

NEVER use cat litter unless it's 100% natural wood. You cannot ever safely assume your animal will not ingest the litter and you don't want binding in the gut or any other problem that litter can cause so just avoid the situation all together. I use sand, coloured wood (with natural colour nothing toxic) & you can use paper towels but they do like to feet something under their feet so it isn't something I use but I believe some do and their hedgies like it. You must also remember as the urine specific gravity is high in hedgehogs if you use something less absorbent and your hedgie needs to wee again and stands in this they can start to strip the skin on the lower portion of the paws and you don't want this although they do heal rather quickly.

I use a mix of fleece, shredded paper and also kitchen roll and loads of it into their little wooden bungalows which I opt for over plastic igloos due to them being cosy and more aesthetically pleasing and I personally find they like the option of a ground floor dwelling or the pent house  I have never found dark/light colours to change or aid their sleep pattern in any way at all BUT the material will effect it, they do like comfort and will make nests with harder materials and sleep but sleep tends to be deeper an not as easily disturbed when given pure comforts. 

This is my own opinion based on spending all my life around, rescuing, hand rearing hedgehogs, many many medical tests funded by us and also three dif genus so hope this helps and CONDRATS, you can't go wrong with the spikey forest children


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## Twiisted (Mar 15, 2008)

Thanks for the detailed post 

Well iv just bought big plastic igloos & some fleecy pouches off Ebay... Have big enough cages so to start ill put them both in & see what they prefer..

Gonna do the whole, wear a t-shirt to get my smell on them thing which iv been recommended to do. But thinking im gonna try the shredded paper/kitchen toll too because think that would be great for them to arrange how they want it.

Guessing the sand is for the litter trays... So what do you use on the actual bottom of the cages?


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