Pets are a big responsibility, and it’s important to make sure you’re prepared to take care of them before bringing them home. If you’re considering adding a hedgehog to your family, one of the first questions you might have is, “how long can a hedgehog be left alone?”
As a general rule, some hedgehogs can handle being alone for a day or two, but most need someone around at least part of the time to look after them. If you work long hours or are often away from home, a hedgehog might not be the right pet for you.
In addition, hedgehogs tend to be very clumsy, so if you’re going to be gone for more than a day or two, it’s important to make sure your hedgehog has a safe place to stay where they can’t hurt themselves.
In this article, we’ll discuss how long hedgehogs can be left alone, what you need to do to prepare your home for their arrival, and what to do if you have to leave them alone for an extended period of time.
Let’s dive in!
Can hedgehogs be left alone for a few days?
Hedgehogs can be left alone for a few days as long as they have enough food and water. Hedgehogs typically only need to be fed once a day, so if you are gone for more than a day, you’ll need to leave enough food and water for your hedgehog to last the entire time you’re gone.
It’s also important to make sure your hedgehog has a safe place to stay while you’re gone. Hedgehogs are very curious creatures and tend to be very clumsy, so it’s important to make sure they can’t hurt themselves while you’re gone.
If you’re going to be gone for more than a day, it’s a good idea to put food and water in two separate places, so the hedgehog can’t accidentally spill the water and go without hydration.
Ideally, you’ll need to have a side water bottle attached to your hedgehog cage and a small food bowl inside the cage as well. This way, your hedgehog will have everything they need while you’re away.
The choco nose water bottle from Amazon is a great option for a side water bottle with 11.2 ounces of water capacity.
In fact, on average, a fully grown hedgehog drinks about 12ml of water per day which is equal to 0.40 fluid ounces. So the choco nose water bottle can provide your hedgehog with enough water for almost three days.
CLICK HERE to check out the water bottle on Amazon.
If you are gone for more than a few days, you’ll need to make arrangements for someone to check on your hedgehog and make sure they have enough food and water.
You can ask a friend, neighbor, or family member to come over and check on your hedgehog, or you can look into hiring a professional pet sitter.
Just make sure whoever you ask is comfortable handling a hedgehog and is willing to follow your instructions to the letter.
Leaving a detailed care sheet with all the information your hedgehog sitter will need is also a good idea.
As for food, you can either buy a hedgehog-specific food mix from a pet store or make your own. A homemade mix should include ingredients like cat food, chicken, boiled eggs, and insects.
Can hedgehogs be left alone for the weekend?
Hedgehogs can be left alone for the weekend as long as they have a food and water source. It’s important to make sure that their food and water are replenished before you leave so they have enough to last the entire weekend.
That being said, we do not recommend leaving your hedgehog alone for longer than two days, as they may become stressed and anxious. If you must leave them alone for longer than two days, as I mentioned earlier, you’ll need to make arrangements for someone to check on them and make sure they have enough food and water.
In short, as long as you take the necessary precautions, it is perfectly fine to leave your hedgehog alone for a few days.
Clean your hedgehog cage before you leave
It’s also a good idea to clean the cage before you leave so your hedgehog has a nice clean area to relax in when you get back.
In fact, as any pet owner knows, keeping a clean cage is essential for the health and happiness of your animal. When it comes to hedgehogs, this is especially true. Hedgehogs are very clean creatures and will often spend hours grooming themselves.
However, they are also very sensitive to changes in their environment. A dirty cage can cause stress, and it can also make your hedgehog smells bad. For these reasons, it is important to clean your hedgehog cage before you leave for vacation.
Wipe down the walls and floors with a mild bleach solution, and make sure to empty the food and water dishes. By taking these simple steps, you can ensure that your hedgehog has a happy vacation.
Consider your house temperature
Now that we have answered the question of how long they can be left alone, it’s time to talk about temperature. Hedgehogs are very sensitive to changes in temperature, and their ideal temperature range is between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
If your house is not within this temperature range, you’ll need to make some adjustments before you leave. If it’s too cold, you can use a space heater to keep the cage warm. Just make sure to turn it off before you leave so your hedgehog doesn’t overheat.
Depending on the room in which you keep your hedgehog cage, you may also need to use air conditioning to ma sure the temperature does not get too high or too low while you’re away.
You should also take into consideration that the temperature in your house can fluctuate when you’re gone due to the air conditioning machines being faulty.
To avoid this, we recommend that if you’re going for more than two days, you should ask someone to come and check on your hedgehog to make sure they’re comfortable.
Hedgehogs are too sensitive to temperature changes and can die if their environment gets too hot or too cold.
I also recommend always monitoring your house temperature before leaving to make sure it’s within the ideal range for hedgehogs.
The SensorPush HT1 Wireless Thermometer from Amazon is a great tool to use for this purpose.
With its small, versatile design, the SensorPush can be placed almost anywhere in your home to get an accurate reading of the temperature.
It also comes with a free app that allows you to check the temperature from your phone, no matter where you are.
This is a great way to have peace of mind while you’re away from home. CLICK HERE to check it out on Amazon.
Is it 100% safe to leave your hedgehog alone?
No, there is never a 100% guarantee that anything will be safe when you’re not around. However, by taking the necessary precautions, you can minimize the risks and give your hedgehog a happy and stress-free vacation.
Also, if you want to monitor your hedgehog while you’re away, I recommend getting the HedgeCam from Amazon.
The HedgeCam is a small, lightweight camera that can be placed right in front of your hedgehog’s cage. It’s a small and versatile device that allows you to check on your hedgehog, no matter where you are.
CLICK HERE to check it out on Amazon.
How long can hedgehogs go without food?
Hedgehogs can go without food for a week. They are able to do this by going into a state of hibernation known as torpor, in which their metabolism slows down dramatically, and they use very little energy.
When they finally do eat again, they can double their body weight within a day or two.
That being said, you still need to make sure to fill up their food bowl before you leave so they have enough to last them the entire time you’re gone. Also, consider having a second backup food bowl in case they spill the first one.
So, before you leave your hedgehog alone, consider doing the following:
- Make sure they have enough food and water, two water bottles, two food bowls
- Check the temperature of your house
- Place a HedgeCam in front of their cage
- Ask a friend or neighbor to check on them while you’re away
With these things in mind, you can rest assured knowing that your hedgehog will be happy and safe while you’re away.
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Do hedgehogs need company?
Hedgehogs are solitary creatures by nature, so they do not need company. In fact, many hedgehogs prefer to live alone.
However, If you’re missing from home for long periods of time, it might be better to have two hedgehogs (or more) so that they can keep each other company.
Your hedgehog won’t get lonely if you leave them alone for a short period of time, but if you think they would enjoy the company of another hedgehog, you can always get them a friend.
Final thoughts
In this article, we found out how long a hedgehog can be left alone. We also discussed what to do before leaving your hedgehog home alone and how to make sure they’re safe while you’re gone.
We also learned that hedgehogs are solitary creatures by nature and that they don’t need company.
But if you’re going to be away from home for long periods of time, it might be a good idea to get your hedgehog a friend.
I hope you found this article helpful, and don’t forget to check out those links to learn more about hedgehogs.
Want to learn more about hedgehogs?
Ready to take your knowledge to the next level? If so, check out the articles below:
Can Hedgehogs Play With Hamster Balls? (Important Facts)
Do Dogs Attack Hedgehogs? (If so, What to Do)
What Are Hedgehogs Afraid Of? 11 Things They Fear The Most
