Thanks everyone!
I keep mine in indoor rabbit cages, but I know some people prefer zoozone 2 cages or even vivariums. They are nocturnal and, like hamsters, run on wheels at night, although their wheels need to have a 12" diameter.:shock: They can also be litter trained, although they usually go to the toilet while running on their wheels, which is why I have the trays underneath these. This is the setups I have for them....
As they an African species they need it to be fairly warm ( 70 degrees +) and so must be kept indoors. They eat mainly dry cat food, but can be supplemented with cooked chicken, scrambled eggs, chicken or vegetable baby foods, etc, but their favorite treat is usually mealworms. You shouldn't give them slugs, worms and so on, from the garden because of the risks of poisons.
African pygmy hedgehogs haven't been kept as pets for that long, so they are not truely 'domesticated' as such. But, as long as you get them from a good breeder that will have socialised them, they make great pets. A friendly hedgehog will rarely ball up and will keep their quills down while you are handling them, so they are not spikey at all (feels a little like stoking a wire haired terrier). Both of mine puff up slightly if I wake them up from a sleep (wouldn't you?:lol
, but as soon as I pick them up they put their quills down and are quite happy. They love to snuggle up in the crook of my neck and go to sleep, while I'm lying on my bed watching tv
. Neither of them mind being visited or even held by the neighbours children, but the kids are well warned that they need to be quiet and very gentle with them, or they could quickly end up holding a ball of very sharp spines (which can draw blood). With that and them being nocturnal, it means that they are really not suited as a 'family' pet.
Although they are getting more and more popular, they still are quite rare, so it's very unlikely you would find any in a rescue. Unfortunately, you may see the occassional one in a pet shop
, but really the best place to get one is from a breeder. They usually cost around £150.
I hope that i've answered everyones questions.