Unusual Pets: Hedgehogs

Pet Hedgehogs are usually hybrids caused by the mating between the White-bellied Hedgehog, the Four-toed Hedgehog and the North African Hedgehog. The resultant small Hedgehog is usually referred to as the African Pygmy Hedgehog. These little mammals are friendly and curious and have a lifespan of 4 to 7 years, although individual animals may live for shorter or longer periods.

Pet Hedgehogs are quite small, about 5 to 8 inches (12.5 – 20 cm) in length with an average weight of ½ to 1 ¼ pounds (.227 - .568 Kg). However, some can be as small as 6 to 7 ounces (.170 - .198 Kg) in weight and others could be as heavy as 1 ¾ to 2 pounds (.796 -.908 Kg).

Domestic Hedgehogs are prone to obesity caused by either poor diets or lack of exercise. This frequently leads to fatty liver disease or cardiovascular disease. Pet Hedgehogs also suffer from cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma but, by and large, they are usually quite disease resistant.

When buying a pet Hedgehog, pick it up. Does it unroll after a few seconds? If it doesn't, it's too timid and you should consider a different one. Does it click, jump or hiss? Hissing is OK, but if it clicks, it is trying to threaten you and you should pick one with a better temperament.

Its eyes should be nice, round, beady, wide open and bright, with no sign of discharge. Its nose should be clean with no sign of running. Its ears should be short (unless it is a Long-eared Hedgehog), clean and with no sign of discharge or crustiness. Note that some young Hedgehogs may have ears that have teeth marks or chunks bitten out of their ears. This is caused by siblings fighting and is OK as long as the bites are healed.

Make sure that the Hedgehog has all of its quills and that there are no bare spots, mites, fleas or crustiness on the body.

Check the pen in which the Hedgehog is being kept. There should be no sign of green droppings or diarrhoea.

The body of the Hedgehog should be plump, but not fat and its walk should be a cross between a walk and a shuffle. There should be no sign of a wobble or any difficulty staying upright.

Make sure that there is no rattle when it breathes. Do not confuse chirping, cheeping or purring, normal noises for this animal, with the rattle of a Hedgehog with breathing problems.

Ensure that the Hedgehog you are considering is at least six weeks old before you bring it home.

The Cage.

The home for your new pet should be placed in a comfortable, warm, well lit area free from drafts and direct sunlight. It should be a minimum of 16 by 24 inches in size. An enclosed cage or aquarium should never be used as it could result in your Hedgehog becoming overly warm, suffering heat stroke and dying. The temperature for your new pet should be between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If cooler, your Hedgehog could go into hibernation, and if warmer, as mentioned it will usually suffer a fatal heat stroke.

When you first bring your pet home, leave it undisturbed in its cage for the first day. For the rest of the first week, you can pick it up for a few minutes a couple of times a day. After that you can handle it frequently as it should be familiar enough with you that it will not become frightened. During its first month with you, your new pet will spend quite a bit of time sleeping. However, as it gets older it will become more active and interesting.

You should let your pet Hedgehog out of its cage for a few hours each day so it can get exercise and to prevent boredom. Once your Hedgehog bonds with you, it will follow you around like a dog. It can also be trained to use a litter box like a cat. Non-clumping litter is preferred, and make sure the litter box is cleaned daily.

Bedding.

Your pet's bedding should be dust free. It can consist of aspen or pine wood shavings (not sawdust), but should never be cedar shavings. Immature females and adults can also use dust free crushed corn cobs. NEVER use crushed corn cobs for immature male Hedgehogs. Shaving or corncob bedding should be 2 to 3 inches deep. You can also use several layers of inexpensive fleece material to line the cage and act as bedding. Replace bedding when it begins to smell. If using fleece material, it can be washed, dried and then returned to the cage.

Food.

Basic diet of high quality dry cat food is recommended. This can be supplemented 2 or 3 times a week with raw or cooked vegetables, meal worms, crickets, pinkies (newborn baby mice), cooked meat and fresh fruit. Only leave the supplemental food in the cage for 15 minutes and then remove it. The dry cat food can be left in the cage 24/7. Note that commercial Hedgehog food is now becoming available. This may be used, but most Hedgehog owners that I contacted felt that high quality cat food was a better alternative.

Food Bowl.

The food bowl should be 3 to 6 inches in diameter and a maximum of 3 inches tall. Heavy ceramic is recommended as it will prevent your pet from tipping it over and using it as a toy.

Water Bottle.

Use a water bottle for your pet Hedgehog (one designed for rodents or rabbits would be excellent). Never use an open dish for water for your Hedgehog. If you do, your pet will fill it with bedding material and then there won't be any water left for it to drink. It will then suffer dehydration which is usually fatal.

Hiding Place.

Your pet will enjoy having a hiding place. You can use an old plastic pitcher, a 4 inch by 12 inch piece of PVC pipe (make sure your pet can get in and out easily), or a small cardboard box like a shoe box, with a 4 inch diameter hole cut in one end. If you use a cardboard box, it should be replaced with a clean one every 2 to 3 weeks.

Toys.

Toys can be added to your pet's cage. Some people use empty toilet paper rolls, which are favoured by pet Hedgehogs, however, if you choose to use one, make sure that you slice it open from end to end on one side so that your pet cannot get its head stuck inside the roll. A Hedgehog wheel is highly recommended. This wheel will assist in keeping your pet fit and healthy.


Sexing Hedgehogs.

Female – genitals close to the anus.
Males – penis sheath ½ inch or more toward the nose from the anus.

Both males and females make great pets. However, you should never put a male and a female in the same cage unless you intend breeding them. Breeding should only take place after the female is more than 5 months of age as pregnancy earlier could result in problems and even death of the female.

After the female becomes pregnant, the male should be removed from the cage as the male will very likely kill the newborn babies. The gestation period is between 35 and 58 days, depending on the breed of your pet Hedgehog. The litter will consist of 5 or 6 babies on average.

Pet Hedgehogs are diurnal animals. This means that they are awake part of the day and part of the night. They are friendly, curious animals that require no immunization. They are usually odour free if regular cleaning of the cage is done. They are peaceful, humorous, solitary animals. They are also very intelligent and have good memories.

Hedgehogs have excellent sight and smell abilities. Their pointed little noses are constantly twitching as they sample the scents in the air around them.

When frightened, they roll into a ball protecting their soft white tummy. Their back is covered in short quills for protection. Unlike the quills of porcupines, these quills do not have barbs and they usually remain attached to the hedgehog.

As noted above, obesity is a problem, so if your pet develops “ham-hocks” for legs or has double chins, eliminate the supplemental food, and if your pet does not have a Hedgehog wheel, get one. If there is no sign of weight loss after one month, change to a dry cat food with at least 20 percent fat content. The extra fat content should cause your pet to eat less and thus lose weight. If it still doesn't lose weight, consult a veterinarian.

So, if you want a smart, friendly, cute, little pet that is fun, quiet, gentle, fairly odour free, that doesn't climb your curtains, chew your furniture, require vaccinations or daily walks, then you may want to consider a Hedgehog as your next pet.

However, be aware that some states in the USA and some Canadian municipalities have laws banning the keeping of Hedgehogs as pets, so before purchasing one, please check with local authorities.

Until next time,

Teia
PS. Hedgehogs enjoy baths. We put our pet hedgehog in about two (2) to (3) three inches of barely warm water in our bathtub every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for ten (10) minutes. Make sure the tub is clean before putting the hedgehog in and make sure that NO chemical cleaners have been used. If you are not sure, rinse the tub out thoroughly before putting the hedgehog in the tub. NOTE! the hedgehog may have a bowel movement in the tub. After the bath take your hedgehog back to its cage and thoroughly clean the tub with hot water.

Cat Breeds: American Bobtail Cats

This breed is relatively new in that it began in the 1960's in the United States of America. Apparently, a couple found a male bobtail kitten, which they named “Yodie,” on an Indian Reservation. When the kitten reached maturity, it was bred to a seal-point Siamese female cat. All of the offspring had bobtails and looked like baby Bobcats (a wild feline described in my Sunday, June 28, 2009 entry titled, “Unusual Pets: Bobcats.)

As a result, a rumour started that “Yodie” was actually an offspring of a mating between a Bobcat and a domestic cat. However, scientists quickly countered this rumour with scientific evidence that showed that any mating between a Bobcat and a domestic cat would result in male offspring that were sterile. Since “Yodie” obviously wasn't sterile, this rumour regarding his ancestry quickly died.

However, if you look back in history, you will find numerous mentions of domestic cats that had been abandoned in the United States wilderness mating with other wild “domestic” cats and producing “mutant” offspring with bobtails. “Yodie” was probably the product of such a mating. Since the mutated gene that produces this type of tail is a dominant gene, most, if not all progeny, would have bobtails. Since “Yodie's” offspring had bobtails, this is probably the most logical origin for him.

“Yodie's” offspring were bred to Birmans, Himalayans, Siamese and Ragdolls (Cat breeds, the latter two of which I have previously covered. Friday May 22, 2009 titled “Cat Breeds: The Ragdoll Cat” and Tuesday May 26, 2009 titled “Cat Breeds: Siamese Cats.) Since the gene pool was relatively small, inbreeding lead to medical problems with progeny of the original bloodline. As a result, in the 1980's, breeders chose random bred domestic cats and mated them with American Bobtails. This created a much wider gene pool and eliminated most medical problems and also almost all traces of the original blood line.

The resultant American Bobtail cat is an affectionate, very intelligent, gentle, loving, kind, athletic, well muscled, medium to large cat. The males weigh 15 to 20 pounds (6 – 8 Kg), with the females weighing slightly less. Their average tail length is one to four inches long (2.5 – 10 cm), although some cats have shorter or longer than average tails.

Interestingly, those with shorter tails, or no tails at all, tend to have an increased risk of hip dysplasia, spinal-bifida, bowel and bladder issues.

The American Bobtail appears powerful with its strong, broad, wedge-shaped head, broad, deep chest, distinctive brow, large almond-shaped eyes, strong back legs, which are slightly longer than its front legs, large feet, sometimes with tufted toes, and tufted ears; in short, regardless of colour, it appears in stature, to be quite a bit like a Bobcat.

All cat eye and fur colours are available in this slow maturing cat, which takes two to three years to reach adulthood. The hair comes in two varieties, medium, semi-dense short-hair and medium-length long-hair. Both hair types are water resistant. The long-hair version appears more scruffy looking.

The short-haired varieties do not require much grooming. They usually only need to be combed during the shedding season. Long-haired American Bobtails should be combed at least two (2) or three (3) times a week to prevent tangles and matting of the hair. If started at a young age, most cats enjoy their grooming sessions.

The American Bobtail has a dog-like personality. It enjoys playing fetch and hide and seek and is very devoted to its owners. It can easily adapt to a busy or quiet environment, so will fit into most households. It is leash trainable, so can be taken for a walk. It enjoys climbing and discovering things, so do not let it outside unsupervised, or it will be at the top of the nearest tree.

Because these cats are very trainable, they can be taught to do simple tricks. They are excellent with children because they do not mind being lugged around like a sack of potatoes.

Unlike most cats, the American Bobtail gets along well with most dogs and other pets. They are fairly quiet cats, but will chirp, click and trill when they are happy.

The American Bobtail interacts with humans of all ages, so it is sometimes used as a therapeutic animal for distressed people.

These cats sound like the ideal pet, but one word of caution though. These cats are fascinated by shiny things so you must ensure that jewelry, coins, and small ornaments are always kept locked up, because if they spot something shiny, they will pick it up with their mouth and carry it away. Unfortunately, they sometimes swallow these things which means a quick trip to the veterinarian must occur to ensure that whatever was swallowed does not injure or kill the cat.

American Bobtail kittens usually sell for $400 to $900 (US) depending on their bloodline and what they will be used for. Show animals are, of course, more expensive than companion animals. Breeding rules are almost always part of the sale contract. Be sure to do a thorough check of the breeder before you decide to deal with them.

If you would like to own a bold, people oriented cat that is highly intelligent, somewhat demanding and whose cleverness and dexterity have earned it a reputation of being an escape artist, then an American Bobtail may be the cat for you.

Until next time,

Teia

Dog Breeds: The Australian Terrier

Also known as the “Aussie,” the Australian Terrier was created from several Terrier breeds about 1820. It was first shown in Australia in 1899.

This sturdy little dog is fairly long in body in proportion to its height which is approximately 10 to 11 inches (25-27.5 cm) at the shoulder. It weighs 12 to 14 pounds (5-6 Kg).

The Australian Terrier has a fairly short, shaggy, untrimmed coat over a fine, soft undercoat. It has a definite ruff around the neck and the fur is shorter on the lower legs, feet and around the muzzle. They also have a fine, soft topknot at the top of the skull. Coat colours consist of Blue, Steel Blue, or Dark Grey-Blue with tan, or solid Sandy or solid Red. The dog's coat does not need clipping, but it should be brushed several times a week. With frequent brushing, this dog will shed very little. If necessary, trim around the eyes and ears, and clip the nails regularly. The Australian Terrier should not be bathed more than once a month or its coat could become lank. Be careful when brushing the soft undercoat. When the coat is washed, it should be brushed as it dries to prevent matting and tangling of the hair.

Keen, Dark Brown eyes and small, erect, pointed ears give this friendly, extrovert breed an anxious to please demeanour. As well as being an excellent rodent killer, the Australian Terrier is also an excellent companion dog and an above average guard dog because of its keen eyesight and hearing.

The Australian Terrier is very adaptable and enjoys both city and country living, as long as it gets a daily walk on a leash or lead. Never let the dog run loose because its genetic makeup will cause it to chase anything that moves. This dog is above average in intelligence and it is quite easy to obedience train. It is not an aggressive dog, but will defend itself if attacked. It tends to be bossy in a multiple pet family and is apt to chase and possibly kill smaller pets like cats and rabbits. Because of its rodent killing genetics, this breed of dog should not be kept in a home where rodents are kept as pets.

The Australian Terrier has a lifespan of 10 to 16 years, with an average life expectancy of 12 to 15 years. Health concerns: generally a healthy breed, although it is susceptible to cancer, diabetes, cataracts and ear infections. Some of this breed also suffers from allergic dermatitis.

The Australian Terrier is an alert, amusing, self-assured dog that is usually even tempered, so is good around children. However, all children in the family must be taught how to be kind to the dog and also how to be its leader. If this is done, a deep bond will develop between the dog and the children. The dog should be taught that all humans are pack leaders. If the dog believes that it is the pack leader, then it could snap at the children if it sees them do something that it doesn't approve of. The pack leader always keeps all members of its pack in line.

If you would like to have a smart, alert, active little dog that is easy to obedience train, then an Australian Terrier should be high on your list of dogs to consider.

Until next time,

Teia