Do you know that Hedgehogs are also common as household pets? There are 16 species of hedgehogs, and one of the most common pet species is the African pygmy hedgehog. Domesticated hedgehogs have an average life expectancy of around 3 to 5 years.
As we all know, hedgehogs are known for their sharp hairs called quills. They use quills to defend themselves when they are threatened. They can also curl themselves up like a ball! Hedgehogs are insectivores and also nocturnal and solitary animals.
Unlike hedgehogs, you may no longer surprised about hamsters. Hamsters are also popular to be a pet with their cute appearance.
Comparing these two, both hedgehogs and hamsters have petite sizes. Besides the quills and fur, they almost look the same, aren’t they? Then, do they have the same treatment? Here’s the article to help you to answer the question. Let’s discuss them one by one
Does Hedgehog Has Same Treatment As Hamster?
Hedgehog as pet
Hedgehogs can be a perfect pet for you if you are home in the evenings or nights because your hedgehogs are most active after dusk since they are nocturnal animals. However, hedgehogs may not be suitable for children, especially the younger ones because of their sharp quills. If the hedgehogs suddenly scared, they can extend their quills and hurt or injured the children.
Hedgehogs’ Cage
Hedgehogs are not aggressive and relatively easy to take care of. Hedgehogs may be small, but they are super active! They need a large space to exercise and run around. Their cage needs to be at least 4 feet long and 2 feet wide. They are also one of the clean animals so you don’t have to worry that much about their smell. You can use recycled paper or pulp as your hedgehogs’ bedding. You may also need to provide a hidden area for them to go to feel safe and secure, some toys and decors, like exercise wheels, pipes, tubes, tunnels, or balls to keep them active.
Hedgehogs’ food
As long as you feed them daily with healthy food, hedgehogs can live for a long time. Some of the food that you can give to your hedgehogs are:
1. Dry food
Not only a dry hedgehog food, but you also give them the dry cat food that is made from meat or chicken. Both are good for your little friend because it is high in protein.
2. Canned food
Besides the dry food, you also need to provide the hedgehogs with moist food from a canned cat or dog food that is high in protein as well.
3. Fruit, vegetables, and insect
Give them fresh food too from fruits and veggies. You can give small amounts of beans, corns, apples, or carrots to them. You can also give them insects as a treat like crickets or mealworms.
You may also want to provide plenty of water in their cage to keep them hydrated, which is super important to maintain your hedgehogs’ health!
Hamsters as pet
Now let’s talk about hamster. Hamsters are one of the most popular pets especially for those who are looking for small and docile pets. Unlike hedgehogs that are not suitable for kids, hamsters is a good option for children’s first pets or any first-time pet owners. While hedgehogs can injure you with their quills, hamsters, on the other hand, can bite you. They like to bite especially if they are awakened during the day. Hamsters sleep during the day because just like hedgehogs, hamsters are nocturnal animals as well.
Hamsters’ cage
One of the most important indicators to choose the best cage for them is to make sure that it has narrow openings to prevent them to get stuck in it and to make sure that the hamster cannot escape from squeezing themselves between the cage bars. Just like hedgehogs, hamsters are also super active despite their small body so they need plenty of space in their cage to run around. The best bedding for your hamsters are paper bedding or aspen shaving that dye-free. You may need to provide them a hidden area as well as a place for them to feel safe and comfortable. Toys and accessories like tunnel or wheel and hamster ball might also be needed to let your hamster exercise. You can also add some nesting material under the cage that can be used as blankets.
Hamsters’ food
There are 2 ways to feed a hamster. You can either place the food on its food bowl once a day, or you can scatter the food around their cage. The scatter method is good for your hamster’s natural foraging skills but you will need to clean the cage more often. The type of food that you can give to your hamsters are from food pellets for hamster that you can easily find in pet stores, or fresh foods as an addition, like fruits and veggies, such as asparagus, broccoli, carrots, green beans, spinach, turnips, apples, strawberries, pears, or even hard-boiled eggs. Hamsters also love to chew, so you may want to give them some hard food or treats to gnaw on and maintain their teeth health. Don’t forget to provide them with plenty of fresh and clean water!
As you can see, there are some similarities between hedgehogs and hamsters treatment, like both of them need a spacious cage to run around, a hidden area, toys or accessories to exercise, and more. They also have some differences, for example, while hedgehogs are not getting along very well with children, hamsters are one of the most popular choices as children’s first pets. Hedgehogs and hamsters also have different favorite foods and diet plans.
Basically, the key of the suitable treatment is depending on your pet’s personalities and habits. Hedgehogs and hamsters are completely different animals, so they might have a lot of differences in their natural habits. Therefore, they will have a different treatment too.