Rat and hedgehog owners gimmie advice

[NovelNerd]

When I lived with my parents growing up I always had small animals as pets. Typically I had hamsters and a few rabbits. In college I had a rat that passed away years ago.  Since college I haven't even looked into finding a new small pet since every inspection day I used to have to hide Pan(my rat) in a closet. I told myself someday when I owned a place I would get a new pet.
Now when it comes to hedgehogs I've never had one, but I've keys wanted one. I'm trying to read up on them and learn more ect

Here comes the questions part. On rats I had my girl before and know basic care ect. I need to know if there are any good websites to help find breeders (and good breeders at that). I cannot find any in my area, and I refuse to just but from a pet store. Adoption is not an option since te shelters near me do not keep rats. Any suggestions on finding one or places to look would be great.

Now the next part. I don't know anything really about hedgehogs. I've been googling and reading. Suggestions to sites ect would be great. Oddly enough I've found several breeders in my area for hedgehogs to check out. If I meet a breeder what should I look for?


I'm not planning to get a new pet till maybe January, but I was considering asking for a cage for Christmas.

I'm trying to learn about hedgehogs and dang with the rats if I could find a breeder it would be a miracle.

[Shiromisa]

Ooooh, one of my best friends is a hedgie expert, but she's gone to bed already. D: I'll get her input tomorrow, but in the meantime, here's the forum she goes to: http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/ She's Lilysmommy on there, feel free to message her (and mention you're my friend so she's not confused) with any questions! She's the most hedgie-obsessed person I know and something of an authority!

Heads up: they are finicky, fussy little creatures that are easier to utterly destroy than keep alive. I wish I was kidding. They are not for the faint of heart.

Edit: And expensive. I should mention that too. Exotic pets ain't cheap, both in set-up and vet visits.

[kaoskat]

I recommend NoDivision for hedgie questions and we have a ratty breeder around here somewhere but for the life of me I can't remember who it is.

[SwiftheartBabbit]

Loooooooooooooove hedgies! Alas, I've never owned one, since I always seem to hit my pet limit with cats first.

One thing I will say is just make sure that it's legal in your area to own a hedgehog. Some states it's entirely illegal, while others it may just be a particular county (seriously, ONE stinkin' county!) that has them outlawed *coughSTUPIDVIRGINIAcough*

I do know of a breeder in MD who has a really good site. She's USDA approved, and has some good info and advice (and adorable pics!) on her site.

http://www.terrapinhedgehogs.com/

Good luck!

PS. A dancing/rolling hedgehog smiley for the forums would be awesome. Just sayin'. 

[NoDivision]

Ooooh, one of my best friends is a hedgie expert, but she's gone to bed already. D: I'll get her input tomorrow, but in the meantime, here's the forum she goes to: http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/ She's Lilysmommy on there, feel free to message her (and mention you're my friend so she's not confused) with any questions! She's the most hedgie-obsessed person I know and something of an authority!

You're friends with her? That's awesome! She is such an awesomely nice person. Small world!

I would also recommend hedgehog central. The forums there have been the backbone of my hedgehog knowledge. I'm not as much of an expert as some of the longtime breeders and owners that are on that forum, but I've owned 3 hedgehogs and considered myself very well informed. The biggest thing I can say about hedgehogs is that they have very specific needs. They're not particularly difficult to keep and care for, but there are a lot of things they need, or must have, or can't have, or things you have to to, and things you absolutely must never do... etc etc. Because people don't take the time to learn about proper hedgehog care there seem to be a lot of injuries and deaths that could have been very easily prevented.

For essential reading I really highly recommend this book http://www.westcoasthedgehogs.com/files/hedgehogbook/index.html It is available for free digital download, and is very up to date and thorough. Give it a read, I really think it answers just about any question a hedgehog owner could have, and unlike some of the outdated hedgehog books you might find at a library or bookstore, it's full of information that is widely supported and agreed upon by the hedgehog breeder and owner community.

I think that once you read over this book, that will help you identify a good breeder. You'll want to see that they are caring for their hedgehogs in the same way that any responsible owner would. A couple of things to keep an eye out for: Breeders should breed for temperament and health, not color. Don't be swayed by fancy color names, especially if they tell you a hedgehog is a salt and pepper/black (true salt and pepper or black hedgehogs are a very very rare color variant, but some breeders claim to breed/sell them, which is usually a bit of a giveaway that they're not as well informed as hedgehogs as others.) You'll want a breeder that has some kind of health guarantee, and IHR registered is a plus. Most of the reputable breeders can provide pedigrees for their hedgehogs. Since hedgehogs are prone to a genetic disease known as wobbly hedgehog syndrome (WHS) that there is no test for and no way to concretely diagnose until after death, the best defense the hedgehog community has ic clean breeding lines of healthy hogs. Other than that, a lot of it is kind of intuition. Is the breeder good at communicating? Are they friendly, helpful, and informative? Are they open to visits (most breeders will highly recommend/encourage a visit before buying for first time owners)? Can you go and see their hedgehog room/space? A good breeder will be transparent with their practices - if there are thigns they're hiding or questions they won't answer, that's a red flag.

I hope that helps a bit. If you have specific questions, feel free to ask I have to say that hedgehogs are really special pets. While they're not right for everyone,  they take hold of your heart very quickly and are so easy to love. 

Post Merge: October 31, 2013, 01:21:00 AM

Heads up: they are finicky, fussy little creatures that are easier to utterly destroy than keep alive. I wish I was kidding. They are not for the faint of heart.

Edit: And expensive. I should mention that too. Exotic pets ain't cheap, both in set-up and vet visits.

I wouldn't say this is particularly true, a lot of hedgehogs are very 'easy' to care for (though you should always be prepared.) Knowing what lilysmommy has gone through I know that some hedgehogs can have a very difficult time. She was a huge help and support to me when one of my boys got sick. When hedgehogs get sick, they require a lot of time intensive care. Also, because they're a relatively new pet they are a bit of a mystery still, so things can be difficult to diagnose and treat, even with the best vets. Because of that, vet visits can be plentiful, and it can get expensive. Hedgehogs are prone to a number of conditions, but, they can also live to the high end of their lifespan with no issues.

But it's the same as any pet: if you are not prepared to spend time and money if your pet gets sick, don't get one. I think that some potential hedgehog owners often fall under the "small animal" mindset, thinking that a small animal will be cheaper and less of a commitment. But hedgehogs are family members for sure, and I always say they're as much of a commitment as owning a dog. They require time and can be very costly. For a lot of hedgehog owners after the initial investment for supplies it's pretty smooth sailing. But yeah, they can certainly be little heartbreakers.

[melodys_angel]

Looks like you have some detailed info

[Galactica]

I would recommend a rat, personally.  They are so cuddly and sweet and actually like to be held-  Hedgehogs definitely monopolize the cute/unique pet thing, but I don't think they really like human contact so much as ratties which are uber uber domesticated.

I loved my rats...   just keep in mind (something I didn't know growing up) that rats are really really social animals (thus the snuggly feature) - and keeping a rat by himself or herself can be somewhat cruel.  If you can, get two rats so they can cuddle when they don't have access to you.

I would check craigslist maybe for rats?  Also try a google search for rat breeder in your area ? 

[NovelNerd]

I would recommend a rat, personally.  They are so cuddly and sweet and actually like to be held-  Hedgehogs definitely monopolize the cute/unique pet thing, but I don't think they really like human contact so much as ratties which are uber uber domesticated.

I loved my rats...   just keep in mind (something I didn't know growing up) that rats are really really social animals (thus the snuggly feature) - and keeping a rat by himself or herself can be somewhat cruel.  If you can, get two rats so they can cuddle when they don't have access to you.

I would check craigslist maybe for rats?  Also try a google search for rat breeder in your area ?

Sorry I guess I wasn't specific enough. Lol I don't need help on deciding which one to get, and I don't need rat information. I've already owned rats before.

I was looking for information on hedgehogs and then maybe sources or websites to find rat breeders since there doesn't seem to be any around my area. I did use google nothing came up that was current I was hoping maybe a better rat forum ect might have good info.  I don't buy anything from Craigslist. Over the summer there was a string of people being mugged in answer to adds ect in my area. Is prefer to avoid that.

Thanks guys I'll look into the website and Shiro I'll pester your friend. >.>

[UrocyonFox]

First thing is good for you for being a responsible pet owner and doing research before just going out and buying something. Always makes me happy to see others doing the right thing!

I cannot find any in my area, and I refuse to just but from a pet store. Adoption is not an option since the shelters near me do not keep rats. Any suggestions on finding one or places to look would be great.

Like this. Spot on. I use to work at a petstore and because rats are often sold as snake/lizard food they're often inbred and get cancer or parasites. Very little love goes into pet store rats, having owned rats myself it breaks my heart. (I do own snakes as well and have owned lizards that eat mice but we order all of that frozen. We have food rodents and friend rodents as we say in my house!

Heads up: they are finicky, fussy little creatures that are easier to utterly destroy than keep alive. I wish I was kidding. They are not for the faint of heart.
Edit: And expensive. I should mention that too. Exotic pets ain't cheap, both in set-up and vet visits.

THIS! Ha ha so so true. I had a friend that wanted a cute pet to love on enjoy so she got a hedgehog..... and as the statement above says they are fussy and finicky! Loki does not like well much of anything or anyone! My friend was pretty upset after spending about $500 on the whole set up only to have a pet that didn't love her the way she loved it! So Loki now lives with me and my husband, she fits us, we're pretty antisocial and grumpy too . My friend now owns 2 rats and loves how social and loving they are (when she asked about a loving pet I told her rats first thing but she ignored me, bet she wishes she'd listened!) We totally don't mind her crotchy little personality so she's an alright pet for us.

I'm curious/excited as to what you find out from others and what furry critter you choose make sure to submit pictures!

and you know, you could always go with something scaley!
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[NoDivision]

Ahhhh gorgeous snakes!

 Hedgehogs have different personalities just like a lot of animals, so it's not really fair to classify them all as finicky, fussy, or grumpy. My Sherlock was a loving cuddlebug who absolutely loved being with his person, Watson is a lovable grump, and Gatsby is an explorer who's not at all shy and loves meeting new people. It all just depends on the hog

[Shiromisa]

Ahhhh gorgeous snakes!

 Hedgehogs have different personalities just like a lot of animals, so it's not really fair to classify them all as finicky, fussy, or grumpy. My Sherlock was a loving cuddlebug who absolutely loved being with his person, Watson is a lovable grump, and Gatsby is an explorer who's not at all shy and loves meeting new people. It all just depends on the hog

There used to be a toy shop with a store hedgie here, and he was always the sweetest little cuddly pricklebutt. After I came in a few times, they let me hold him (with close supervision and over a counter, just in case) and he was just content to sit there and sniff me, hehe.

(Also, an outgoing hedgehog with the name Gatsby makes me so happy!)