Do they hurt to hold?
Yes, they can be sharp! Babies are sharper than adults, due to where they are in the quilling process. You get used to the quills over time, and the more comfortable they get with you, the easier they will be to hold. When relaxed, their spines are no worse then stroking a hairbrush. 

What do they eat?
Most people feed theirs a high-protein cat food. You want the food you choose to be a chicken or turkey formula, have at least 30% protein, and have real ingredients (not a ton of byproducts). We use Blue Buffalo Tastefuls adult cat chicken and rice formula. You can choose what to feed your hedgie, but be sure to ease them into it by starting them out with yours and ours mixed.

Can I use the "hedgehog food" at the pet store?
Most "hedgehog foods" you see in pet stores are low quality, lacking in nutrients, and composed entirely of by-products. Cat food has the same nutrients they need except it is available in several luxury brands that contain real deboned chicken as the first ingredient rather than by-products and fillers.
However, there are a couple decent hedgehog foods available online (such as Hedgehog Precision) and we support people in using those, but do recommend reaching out to us before ordering one so we can let you know if what you've found online is in fact "one of the good ones". Due to accessibility, we prefer to still use the cat food over the online-only hedgie foods, as it's available at all pet stores and will be easier for our customers to find (and has no wait for shipping). 

What is in your starter kits? 
For an additional $40, we can supply you with a 105 qt plastic storage container (which is a good beginner cage for babies), a lid with drilled airholes, a plastic igloo to hide in, food and water dishes, some fleece to hide under, some bedding, a baggy of our food, and some balls to play with. You will need to still get yourself an exercise wheel (the one we recommend - the Carolina Storm Bucketwheel - is handmade and cannot be purchased in bulk so we are unable to sell them here or include them in kits. We recommend ordering one as soon as you can.) You will want to move up to a larger enclosure when your hedgie grows to adult size. We can help you plan and pick out hedgie-safe enclosures for them. 

Why do people use storage totes for Hedgehogs?
Hedgehogs can't have cages with levels (they have no depth perception), cages with wire bottoms (their feet get stuck), or cages with wire sides (they try to climb and fall, which can cause broken legs). You want a solid sided cage. Plastic totes tend to be easy to clean, easy to transport, are very affordable, and can be found at almost any store. Aquariums work fine as well but hedgies need room to run so you want it to be very big with a lot of floor space.  C&C cages are also a popular choice and you can customize them to whatever size you want. 

What about rabbit cages that have plastic sides for a few inches before the wire?
Hedgehogs find a way to climb. They will hop on their igloo or wedge themselves between the wheel & the wall, and get to those wires very quickly. It's a risk we don't like taking so we greatly prefer our hedgies to live in a solid sided cage. 

​Do you have a waiting list?
No, unlike most breeders we are usually able to set up appointments immediately with no wait! Sometimes we run low in December/January due to the high demand for Christmas hedgies. During times like this, we may need to add your name to a call list and contact you when the next litters become available.

Is there a difference between males and females?
No, there are no differences in size or temperament. Also, hedgehogs do not menstruate, go into heat, or spray. 

How much do you charge?
6 week old babies are $300. We often have rescues available for reduced fees as well.

How does the adoption process work?
When you are here, you can handle all the available babies until you pick which one you want to bring home. We will educate you on hedgehog care and answer all your questions. We provide your temporary permit, a care packet, and a bag of our food. 
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​Can you keep two in one cage? 
You can attempt to house 2 of the same sex in the same cage, but it isn't necessary as hedgehogs are solitary animals that don't crave interaction with other hedgehogs. We recommend only attempting this with females as males are more likely to fight. 

Do they smell?
Not if you keep up with the cage. Their bodies have no smell, and they do not spray and have scent glands like other pocket pets. Unlike rabbits or guinea pigs, their urine has no smell and they do not soak the cage. They do, however, lack the easy-to-clean pellet poop of most rodents due to their meat-rich diets. You spot clean the cage like a cat's litter box. If you take just a minute or two every day to pull out wet areas and poops with a paper towel or litter scoop, smell will never be a problem. This is even easier if you litter-train your hoglet, which is surprisingly easy!

What supplies should I buy if I want to make my own set-up?
For the cage itself, you should use a plastic tote, vivarium, C&C, aquarium, or something else that is one level with fully solid sides and a good amount of ventilation. Wheels are important but the only wheels that are totally safe for hedgies are solid ones with no wires or holes. We recommend the Carolina Storm wheel as it's silent and easy to clean. You also want something for them to sleep & burrow in. (Plastic igloos are popular, as are the sleeping bags we sell here, but anything works - even a cardboard box!) Dishes should be tip-proof. Hedgies can use bottles or dishes for water, we prefer dishes as they are safer. They also love tubes and tunnels.
​Please bring pictures of any cage or supplies you plan on using so we can make sure it's safe before you put the hedgie into it.
More in-depth info on what supplies are and aren't safe for hedgehogs can be found here.