10 Tips for Hedgehog Health

I wrote this article because I know several families that have hedgehogs as pets. Hedgehogs are the cutest things and there are 22 ailments that are good to know as well as how to keep your pet healthy and happy.

Let’s start with the tips to keep your hedgehog happy and healthy.

1. Handle your hedgehog daily to keep it tame and social.
2. Hedgehogs are solitary animals. If you have more than one, then you will want to house them individually.
3. Temperature is important. Keep the environment between 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit to keep it comfortable and prevent hibernation.
4. Keep your hedgehog in a quiet place. Loud noises cause stress for your pet.
5. Provide a running wheel in its cage.
6. Keep your hedgehog in a spacious and clean house.
7. Weigh your pet weekly and don’t let it get too fat or thin. Males average about 15.8 to 21 ounces. Females weight between 8.3 to 17.6 ounces.
8. Make sure fresh, clean water is always available.
9. Feed your pet a nutritious diet. Hedgehogs are omnivorous. They eat insects, worms, small lizards, mice, eggs, vegetables, fruit and commercial hedgehog diet food.
10. Check your pet daily for signs of problems.

So, what are you checking for? There are 22 ailments that are common to hedgehogs. So here is a brief summary.  Please, let your pet sitter know if your pet hedgehog is suffering from any of these ailments so proper care is given while you are away.

1. Lack of appetite, difficult or refusing to eat. Hedgehogs stop eating when they have dental disease, parasite or infections, in pain, or are sick.
2. Injury. Take care not to step on, drop or crush your pet. Hedgehogs may climb, slip, fall and break a limb. Even with the spines, these little guys are no match for aggressive animals that may bite them.
3. Cancer.Cancer is common, especially for older pets. Usually these are mammary tumors, gastrointestinal tumors, lymphosarcoma, tumors of the mouth, and skin tumors. Most cases the cancer is malignant.
4. Heart Problems.Heart muscle disease is common for these pets.
5. Dehydration.Dehydration can be obviously caused by not drinking. It can also be cause by illness, diarrhea, vomiting and a hot, dry environment. In an emergency, use an electrolyte solution like Pedialyte and give it to your pet with an eyedropper.
6. Dental Problems. Also common, dental problems include excessive tartar accumulation, gum and periodontal disease, infections, tooth root abscesses, diseases of the jawbone and cancer. If your pet is reluctant to eat, drops food while eating or is drooling, it may be suffering from dental problems.
7. Ear Problems. Parasites, infection or injury may be the cause of the ear problems. Most ear diseases are caused by parasitic mites. Mites are tiny and difficult to see. They live around the ears, on the head, and at the base of the quills. Mites cause itching, crusty skin lesions on the margins and tips of the ears and excessive dander. In severe cases they cause head shaking, tilting the head to one side, loss of balance and loss of hearing.
8. Eye Problems. Sensitivity to light and pain are symptoms of an eye injury. If they are partially closed, cloudy, have a discharge or protruding unnaturally, keep your pet in a room with subdued lighting until you can see the vet.  Proptosis is a condition where the eye has come out of the socket and the eyelids is behind the protruding eye. The reason for this condition includes (not limited to) too small an eye socket and over-sized eye, large amount of fat behind the eye, tooth root infections and trauma.
9. Fatty Liver Disease. A very common and serious health problem for captive hedgehogs. When obese, the fat accumulates in the pet’s liver, which affects the pet’s health. Symptoms are lethargic, lose interest in food, eventually lose weight and die. Some hedgehogs may have a ‘sudden death’ as a result of this disease. Overfeeding is the primary cause of this disease, along with no exercise. (Remember the running wheel)
10. Gastrointestinal Disease.This disease is caused by bacterial or viral infections, internal parasites, incorrect diet, stress, unsanitary housing conditions, foreign bodies and cancer. Signs of the disease include lack of appetite, vomiting, lethargy, weight loss, constipation, diarrhea, green stools or mucus in the feces. Normal feces are brown or black, firm, and semi-dry.
11. Constipation.Causes of constipation include dehydration, insufficient water intake, dry or hot environment, obstruction of the intestinal track (hair, foreign objects) and parasitism.
12. Diarrhea. Diarrhea can be caused by infection, parasitism, stress and incorrect diet. The feces may be foul smelling, green in color, mucous-like or liquid. Around the anus may be red, swollen, irritated and soiled. It must be treated immediately to prevent rapid dehydration and death.
13. Intestinal Obstruction. This is a life-threatening condition for your pet. Signs include vomiting, lack of appetite, lethargy, dehydration and weight loss. Emergency surgery is usually necessary.
14. Intestinal Parasites.There are several intestinal parasites that can infest your hedgehog. These include roundworms (like whipworms and pinworms), tapeworms, and protozoa. Parasites can cause severe illness, weight loss and diarrhea. Your vet will need to determine the type of parasite and prescribe the proper medication for your pet.
15. Heatstroke. Hedgehogs cannot tolerate temperatures more than 85 degrees F. With heatstroke, your pet will quickly become comatose and die.
16. Infections. Your pet’s infections can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. Signs include lack of appetite, weight loss, and lethargy. Severe infections can cause death.
17. Kidney (renal) Disease.The kidneys fail to function with this disease. It causes weight loss, increased thirst and urination, and eventually death. Kidney disease is common to this little pet. One study showed 50 percent of hedgehogs died from kidney disease.
18. Vestibular Disease (syndrome). The vestibular system helps animals keep their balance and coordinate eye movements. The vestibular system is located in the inner ear. Signs of the disease include loss of coordination, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, head tilt (usually on the affected side), falling over or rolling over to one side, and nystagmus (abnormal, rapid rhythmic eye movement).
19. Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome (WHS). This serious neurological condition is seen commonly in hedgehogs less than two years old, although not limited to that young age. Hedgehogs lose muscle coordination and have difficulty balancing. They wobble, trip and fall, have difficulty eating from dishes and swallowing. It worsens over time until the pet falls repeatedly and cannot right itself. The pet may make running movements while on its side and develop tremors and seizures.  In a quarter of all cases, hedgehogs had abnormal protrusions of one eye. In many cases, paralysis starts with the hind limbs and advances to the forelimbs. All cases end in death. There is no treatment for this disease and is believed to be genetically inherited.
20. Respiratory Problems.Hedgehogs are prone to pneumonia. Some respiratory problems are caused by fine, powdery, materials that irritate the respiratory track. Pneumonia is caused by infectious agents and is life threatening. Viral infections take hold while the animal is weak, chilled or stressed. Signs of pneumonia include difficulty breathing, nasal discharge, lack of appetite and lethargy.
21. Skin Disease & Quill Loss.Skin disease is the most common hedgehog disease.  Most are caused by mites. The parasites cluster on the skin of the head, ears, flanks and inside of legs. Mites can cause itching, severe quill loss, excessive danger, reddening, dry, flaky skin, sores that become infected. Skin fungus, such as ringworm, may infiltrate the skin and worsen the condition. Fleas and ticks are also a concern, along with improper diet, hormonal imbalance. Take your pet to the vet as soon as possible for proper treatment.
22. Urogenital Disease. Diseases of the urinary track and genitals are common. The pet may have difficulty or unable to urinate. Others may have dark-colored urine or blood. The symptoms include lethargy, lack of appetite, pain, dehydration, decreased or excessive drinking and vomiting.

Source: Critters USA, 2011, (pp74-79), “Hedgehog Health Concerns,”Sharon Vanderlip, DVM