My Hedgehog

I recently became the mother of a female hedgehog that I named Penelope. She is just over five months old currently, but I got her when she was about 1.5 months old. She is an African Pygmy Hedgehog which is a domesticated hybrid breed that originates from the four-toed hedgehog mixed with the Algerian hedgehog. There are 19 breeds of hedgies worldwide! African Pygmy hedgehogs (APHs) are not found in the wild at all. Being a hedgehog mother has definitely been a learning curve. Honestly, I originally wanted a hedgehog just because they were so cute, and because I wanted a puppy here but my parents said no. Little did I know, Penelope is much more difficult to care for than you'd think. There are entire books on hedgehog ownership, because it really is that complicated. I've had to do so much research on hedgehogs to learn how to properly care for her. First of all and most importantly, APHs require a constant temperature of around 73-82 degrees fahrenheit. This is because they have the instinct to hibernate in low temperatures, which seems alright until you read that APHs will die from hibernation. Since they are not in the wild and they are housed inside, they can't tell when "winter" is coming, so they can't prepare for hibernation (extra eating and drinking). This means that the hedgie could fall into a state of "sleep" that they will not wake up from, resulting in death. Additionally, APHs are nocturnal. This means I can't just wake her up during the day to play. I guess I could, but she would be very grumpy just like any of us would if we were woken up in the middle of the night. I have to get her out for cuddles and treats at 9pm or later. I will be posting much more information and stories about my hedgehog I'm sure, because I just love the little sea urchin so much. :)