Money Saving Tips for Hedgehog Owners

Money Saving Tips For Hedgehog Owners

    I know exactly what it's like to want a pet hedgehog, but worry about costs. I'm a student, with a part time job, and unpaid internship, so believe me I know. I'm also that person who avoids spending money on myself, but will spend so much on my pets and other people. I hope I can help other hedgie owners, or future hedgie owners save some money with these tips! 

1. Invest in a good SILENT wheel: The key word here is silent, that's why it's all caps. If you get a loud wheel you will regret it. Hedgehogs are nocturnal. If you have a hedgehog who sleeps in your room, especially if you're a light sleeper, just get a silent wheel. I made the mistake of buying a wheel that was not, and regretted it. I ended up having to spend more money on new wheels, because of this, when I could've just spent a little extra money and saved the hassle. I highly recommend bucket wheels, make sure they're 10-12 inches in diameter, you can find them online, or even build your own. I ended up building my own, and all the parts cost less than the original wheel that I bought. Now at night time all that I really hear is the pitter patter of his feet tapping the wheel. There's no longer squeaking or rattling, and I no longer feel as if I'm losing sleep at night. Getting a good wheel will save you money in the future, even if you have to splurge initially.

2. Fleece bedding: Newt happens to love blankets. His breeder told me all about him dragging blankets around, and cuddling in them as much as possible. I decided instead of spending money on bedding all the time I would use fleece. I bought some fleece blankets on Black Friday that were $4 each. I fold them in half and use them at the bottom of the cage. He is litter box trained, but sometimes gets poopy prints on the fleece, and is the worlds messiest eater, so there's always crumbs. I change out the fleece, usually twice a week. When I wash them I don't even use detergent. Detergent can be expensive, and harsh on a hedgies skin, so instead I use cleaning vinegar. It can be a generic brand, as it's all the same. It goes where detergent usually goes, and it gets rid of any stink or stains on the fleece. This is a great way to save money, as you no longer have to buy bedding, and it makes less of a mess when cleaning too!

3. Buying your hedgehog toys: When it comes to toys, almost all of Newts are actually cat toys. They're the perfect size for him, and they can be found for fairly inexpensive prices. One place you can actually find them is at the dollar store. I've found him cat balls, crinkle balls, and little stuffed animals that are perfect for playing, and his dig box. Also at the Dollar Store are containers perfect for litter boxes, dig boxes, and food. Another place for cat toys is actually Homegoods. They constantly have cheap toys that are sometimes marked down even further. Speaking of Homegoods I actually buy his hides from there. They tend to have lots of dog toys where it's a big toy with smaller toys inside of it. I take the smaller toys out and use them for his dig box, or for my dogs, and I use the bigger toy as a hide. They tend to have really cute ones! Sometimes if they're missing the toys on the inside you can find them marked down to close to nothing.

4. Buy in bulk: Hedgehogs are small and don't need much litter, and a small bag of food can tie them over for a while. Usually if you do the math, it's actually cheaper to buy large bags of litter and food instead of the small ones. Newt has a thirty pound bag of litter that he's been using since November. The bag cost only $15 which is great. It'll probably last him a couple more months before I have to buy another one. Food usually works the same way. I buy larger bags, and keep some food in a container near his cage, and the rest of it wrapped up and away. This isn't something that's obviously money saving right away, but will be a lot more helpful in the future. Usually you're paying less per oz. on the larger bags than you are on the smaller.

5. Proper diet: A proper diet is important, but can also prevent hedgehogs from getting medical problems. Exotic vet visits are very expensive, and nobody wants to have to take one, especially if it could've been prevented by a proper diet. Newt will only eat a not so good for him cat food. I've tried other kinds, and even mixing other foods in, but he is very picky. He would actually take all the food he didn't like, place it on the ground, and then only eat the other food. If I didn't mix it I was worried he just wouldn't eat at all. Since he is so stubborn I add supplements to his food. I give him Hedgehog and Friends coconut quills for his dry skin, and I give him Exotic Nutrition hedgehog booster. The hedgehog booster is a powder vitamin that I sprinkle in with his food. I also give him super worms as much as possible. Dried worms aren't the best, but I keep some on hand for when I'm out of live. I also give him fruits and veggies two times a week, and he absolutely loves them.

    I hope that these tips can help a current, or future, hedgie owner. When it comes down to saving money on them it usually comes down to thinking of the future. Sure something may be cheaper, but if the quality is also cheaper, it may be better to splurge. It also comes down to shopping smart, you do not need to buy all hedgie supplies from pet stores, there are other ways to do so. If you have any questions feel free to leave them below. I hope that this was helpful for you. Follow for future blog posts, and check out Newt on IG @hedgehog_namednewt. Stay tuned for an entry on dog anxiety next week. In the mean time, stay sharp!