Anyone got an African Pygmy Hedgehog?

Apparently a much sought after pet - but demand is outstripping supply - quite easy to look after and cute as a box of monkeys!

Definitely have the aaawwww! factor

Cute,yes. But whether I think they should be pets I don't know.
It is like Meerkats as pets, wrong all wrong. They are naturally gregarious creatures and function better in a group situation.

fillymum said:

Cute,yes. But whether I think they should be pets I don't know.
It is like Meerkats as pets, wrong all wrong. They are naturally gregarious creatures and function better in a group situation.

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Not strictly true Sue, me being me, I did a little research and they are best kept as individuals, with the exception of you can keep a couple of females together - preferably siblings.

A m/f couple will breed and males will fight. They are surprisingly easy to keep, though some of the squeamish might not like to see their beloved hoglet chomping on mealworms. Fewer still would hand feed them such delights.

Apparently, they are much sought after, and unlike loads of other cute furries (muggings here "almost" bought a pair of Pygmy Marmosets a few years ago - until I realised they shouldn't and couldn't be handled) the hoglets enjoy being handled.

Main danger is them getting bored - they are nocturnal and will walk miles on a wheel at night lol. Oh and they need to be kept fairly warm as a cold spell can send them into hibernation which is potentially lethal!

Hmmm I like the way it is I who did all this research on behalf of others at work who probably wouldn't know how to care for them, - actually, most of them can't care for themselves. - still, gotta be better than "real work".

Edit: just to confirm I'm not getting one, I have enough trouble keeping tropical fish tank healthy!

I had one a few years ago, well, 6 to be precise! His name was Alf, or Mr Hehog. He lived in a wooden viv with a heatmat and a glass sliding front. He was quite a grumpy little fella, especially when he was bathed, but he quite liked being handled, and only ever bit one person, and on reflection, I would have bit them too. He had a giant hamster wheel which he used to run on all the time, and he loved chicken and mealworms. At the time, they were about £120 each, and I believe the price hasn't dropped much. Did consider breeding them at the time, but I could afford the initial outlay, and didn't have the time for them
He died about 2 years ago, I just found him curled up. Would I get another one? Possibly not. Although he was amazingly cute, in hindsight little critters are not really for me. We are currently breeding birds, well, attempting to, if only they would go in their nest boxes, and some fishies. Did consider breeding pygmy hedgehogs, but I would rather breed something that we had a passion for, rather than just a money spinner.

Ooh which birds?

I bred budgies many years ago, specialising in Lutinos & Albinos and trying to breed for colours, opalines, lacewings etc.

Thought about breeding cockatiels, then realised it was for the wrong reasons (i.e. profit rather than enjoyment) so didn't do it.

Now you're asking.......

In the house at the moment we have 3 Lineoliated, 1 budgie awaiting a friend, 4 celestial parrotlets (yellow pair, blue and yellow baby girls for next years breeding), and 2 bourkes are coming home tonight. OH also has an aviary at his grandparents, in which he breeds cockatiels, finches and budgies. We were going to breed pennants, but sadly the female died prematurely, so the male is now living in the aviary, and has made friends with a ringneck

Still learning about the bird side of things, so please excuse any spelling mistakes, or just general mistakes! OH has been breeding them for the best part of 10 years, so I am learning

We are lucky that we have a bird market every other week in my town, so its quite easy to get them, and we are also near the big bird show in Stafford.

There's an African Pygmy Hedgehog at the community Farm my SU goes to every week (so I go every fortnight). I have yet to see it! I think like Hamsters it would be an unfortunate pet unless you like staying up late!