Healthy Hedgehog

Body Shape

Their body should be filled out through the back and sides but if they are unable to curl into a ball or have difficulties, they may be obese. Lose skin is a no go and should be filled out below the ribs.

Skin and Quills

Watch for abrasions, lacerations, open wounds, in-grown quill, lumps, excessive dryness, missing quills, balding. Refer to the skin care for more information on maintaining the skin quality of your hedgehogs.

Ears

There should not be any dryness, flaking, drainage, or crusting around the ears. Some of these problems can be caused by mites or fungal infections in the ears. Sometimes the babies can have ear damage inflicted but it will not prohibit the quality of life.

Eyes

The eyes of a hedgehog should be bold, clear, round, and bright. There should be no evidence of discharge or matting of the fur around the eyes. The eyes should not be sunken, dull, or watery.

Nose

The nose should be moist and clean. Watch for a dry, runny, or bubbles coming from the nose. If your hedgehog sneezes, this could be something in the bedding or in its surroundings but if it is consistently sneezing, this could be an indication of an URI (upper respiratory infection). See the blog regarding ‘Diseases’ for more information.

Hedgehogs can have a bloody nose by scratching and digging at things with the noses. The bleeding may be profuse, but I recommend using Remedy Recover a styptic powder to stop bleeding.

Foaming at the Mouth

Believe it or not but foaming at the mouth is normal for hedgehogs. They do this when they encounter strange or unusual smells. They will chew on the object until they develop a foam of saliva around their mouths and form an s-shape with their body to apply the saliva to their body. No one knows exactly why they do this weird activity, but some say it is to save it for later.

Teeth and Gums

Signs of unhealthy teeth and gums include the following: loss of appetite, drooling, bad breath, red gums, and swollen gums. Preventing teeth and gum diseases means to provide a dry crunchy food as the primary diet. Hedgehogs replace the baby teeth with adult teeth and will lose teeth as they age. This may require you to use an elderly pet softener or to use smaller foods.

Underbelly Fur

Look for any matting and if there is then you can either remove the matting yourself with scissors or take them to a vet.

Feet

If you notice the feet are bloody or swollen, this could be caused by their feet rubbing on a raw surface that is rough or abrasive. Do not use wired flooring or a wired wheel because these are the main reasons for the bloody and swollen feet.

A torn nail can also be a cause for a bloody foot. Use the styptic powder to stop the bleeding and make sure to keep up with nail trimming weekly. I suggest doing this any time when giving them a bath because they will not curl into a ball when in water and the nails are softer when soaked in water (bathes should be given at the most once every month).

DO NOT HAVE THE WATER ABOVE THEIR CHINS AND MAKE SURE THE WATER IS WARM (NOT HOT AND NOT COLD). IF THE WATER GETS INTO THEIR EARS, IT CAN CAUSE FUNGAL OR BACTERIAL INFECTIONS. HEDGEHOGS DO NOT LIKE TO SWIM. IT IS NOT CUTE. HEDGEHOGS PANICK!!

Movement and Gait

There should not be any limping, wobbling, or dragging of the feet.

Breathing

If you see your hedgehog having tachypnea (rapid breathing) or hear any wheezes or crackling in the chest, then take your hedgehog to a vet immediately because they could have an URI. Hedgehogs warn us through a huffing sound, so don’t confuse the above with their communication.

Bowel Movements

Just like us, their BM’s should correlate with the color of their food (most likely brown) and their stool should be a soft solid. If the hedgehog has green BM’s or diarrhea, this could indicate they are ill or stressed. My male hedgehog had green BM’s when I first brought him home but had dissipated after 2 weeks.

Veterinarian

Please make sure you have a local vet that will provide care for an exotic animal before purchasing a hedgehog. My hedgehog application asks you if you have a vet lined up so I am able to determine if they take care of hedgehogs. If their website does not say if they provide care for exotics or I am unsure if they do, I will call the veterinarian's office to get more information. The vet you have for your more domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, hamsters, bunnies, etc. may not accept a hedgehog as a patient. If you live near my area, you may ask where I go to take care of my animals.