---
title: Hedgehog Care Article
author: codebuddy
type: article
source_topics: exotic_hedgehog_disease, exotic_pet_profile_hedgehog, exotic_nutrition_hedgehog, exotic_husbandry_hedgehog, exotic_tox_hedgehog_obstruction, exotic_tox_hedgehog_bedding
date: 2026-07-29
---

# Hedgehog Care: A Practical Guide

African pygmy hedgehogs are insectivore-leaning omnivores kept as solitary pets. They are rewarding but come with two signature diseases and two avoidable hazards.

## Housing and Bedding

Hedgehogs need room to roam and a warm, draft-free enclosure. Bedding choice matters: **aromatic or very dusty bedding** is a recognized respiratory irritant, so skip cedar/pine and heavily fragranced products in favor of paper or fleece substrates.

## Diet

A cat-food-style or specialist insectivore diet with controlled fat works better than mealworm-only feeding, which is too fatty. Obesity is the gateway to many secondary problems.

## Health Watch

- **Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome (WHS)** — a progressive cerebellar degeneration causing worsening incoordination and tremor; supportive care is the mainstay.
- **Gastrointestinal lymphosarcoma** — a common hedgehog cancer presenting with weight loss and lethargy.
- **Gastrointestinal obstruction** — hedgehogs chew and swallow non-food items (rubber, meat, carpet fibers, hair); foreign bodies cause acute blockage and need prompt care.
- **Bedding-related respiratory disease** — dusty, aromatic substrate is a preventable trigger.

Watch for wobbling, spinning, appetite loss, or a sudden lack of feces, and keep the diet lean and the bedding clean.