How to Carry a Hedgehog

Getting Your Hedgehog Comfortable

Give your hedgehog 1-2 days to get used to its cage at first. When you first bring home your new pet, it’s likely going to be afraid. If you try to handle it, your hedgehog will probably react with fear. Instead, put it into its new cage and give it time to explore on its own. Set up the cage before you bring home your hedgehog. It’s okay to talk to your hedgehog for a few minutes, but don’t try to touch it. You may notice the hedgehog hiding for a while, but that’s normal.

Drape a dirty shirt over the cage so your hedgehog learns your scent. Choose a shirt that you’ve worn recently and haven’t washed. Then, put the shirt over part of the hedgehog’s cage or close by. Leave the shirt in place for 2-3 days. This will help your pet get comfortable with your scent. A shirt that you got sweaty will work best because it will carry more of your scent. Don’t cover the entire surface of the cage. Instead, cover a portion of the cage.Variation: Sleep with a piece of fabric or fleece so that it smells like you. Then, put it into your hedgehog’s cage to familiarize your hedgehog with your scent.

Approach your hedgehog from the front when you want to handle it. Never sneak up behind your hedgehog because it will view this as an attack. Always come toward your hedgehog from the front. Make noise or talk to your pet so it knows you’re coming. This way, it’s less likely to get scared. You might make noise as you walk or say something like, “Who’s a cute little hedgehog?”

Let your hedgehog smell your hand so it knows who you are. Slowly reach toward your hedgehog and stop when your hand is about 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) in front of it. Let the hedgehog sniff you. It may also decide to lick or nibble your finger to taste it, which shouldn’t hurt. Don’t attempt to handle your hedgehog at first. Just let it sniff you. If your hedgehog huffs or hisses, remove your hand and back away from the cage. Sit near the cage and speak calmly to your hedgehog. However, don’t try to reach into the cage again.

Talk to your hedgehog so it learns your voice. Your hedgehog has a great sense of hearing, so it can learn to recognize your voice. Talk to your hedgehog when you’re spending time with it, handling it, or caring for it. This will help it get comfortable with you. Say things like, “It’s okay,” or “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Let your hedgehog climb you as part of its play. When your hedgehog approaches you, sit perfectly still. Let it sniff you and start to crawl up on your legs or feet. Don’t try to pet or lift it as it crawls around exploring you. This will help your hedgehog get comfortable with you and learn that you aren’t a threat. After your hedgehog gets used to you, it’s okay to try to handle it while it’s crawling on you.

Wear the same scents every day so your hedgehog knows them. Hedgehogs don't have good eyesight, so they use their sense of smell to recognize you. That means changing your scent, such as by using a new lotion, can confuse your hedgehog and make them think you’re a stranger. Use the same shampoo, soap, or perfume daily so that your smell stays the same. It’s best to wear as few scents as possible so your hedgehog can smell your natural scent. Your hedgehog needs to smell you, so don’t use gloves when you handle it. Gloves will mask your smell.

Don’t try to pick up your hedgehog from its cage until it bonds with you. Your hedgehog will view its cage as its territory, so it may feel provoked if you try to pick it up or handle it while it’s in the cage. Additionally, don’t touch its quills or try to pet it. Instead, wait until your hedgehog comes out of its cage to start handling it. Your hedgehog may hiss or huff when you put your hand inside the cage. This behavior can become a habit if you continue to put your hand in its cage before the hedgehog is okay with it. It’s okay to handle your hedgehog in its cage once it gets comfortable with you.

Avoid petting your hedgehog until it’s comfortable with you. In general, hedgehogs don't like to get their quills pet. However, your hedgehog may like getting scratched between its quills once it feels comfortable with you. When you're carrying your hedgehog, let it move around your hand and sniff you. Additionally, talk to it as much as possible to get it used to the sound of your voice. After your hedgehog gets to know you, it might start to enjoy getting scratched between its quills. However, don't ever rush this process—wait until it's very comfortable with you!

Picking Up Your Hedgehog

Wash your hands with warm water and an unscented soap. Apply unscented soap to your hands, then scrub them under warm water for at least 30 seconds. Rinse your hands clean, then pat them dry on a clean towel. It's important to clean your hands before you handle your hedgehog to get rid of any food smells, which can make it bite you. Use an unscented soap to help your hedgehog get used to your smell.

Let your hedgehog sniff your hand before you pick it up. Your hedgehog will recognize you by your smell, so make sure it sniffs your hand. In some cases, it may also try to taste you, as well, which won’t be painful. Slowly extend your hand toward your hedgehog while talking to it in a calm voice. Then, stop when you get about 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) away from the hedgehog. Let your hedgehog come to you so it doesn’t get scared. Don't be nervous! Hedgehogs are great at sensing fear, and if you're scared and nervous, it will be scared and nervous, too.

Use both hands to scoop your hedgehog up from underneath. Avoid its quills and make sure all you feel is its fur. Try to keep your hedgehog's weight evenly distributed over your hands to minimize the pressure of its spines. Think of yourself as a performer walking on nails—instead of walking on one nail at a time, you need to distribute your weight across as many nails as you can. There are 2 ways to pick up a hedgehog. As 1 option, slide your fingers under your hedgehog's belly, then lift it up. Alternatively, scoop up your hedgehog by sliding your hands sideways under your pet. Press the sides of your hands together, then lift your hedgehog. If you're having trouble picking your hedgehog up, use the side of its cage to roll it into your hands. Don't let your fingers meet in the middle of your hedgehog's belly or you'll get pricked if it rolls into a ball.

Lift up your hedgehog with both hands in a single, quick motion. Think of it like pulling off a Band-Aid. You may get pricked as you lift your hedgehog, but it won’t hurt much. The quicker you lift your pet, the less likely it will be to prick you. Be confident as you swiftly lift your hedgehog in your hands. Keep a firm grip on your hedgehog so it won’t fall. However, don’t squeeze your hands around it.Warning: Always use gentle, non-threatening motions. Don't make fast, jerky movements because your hedgehog might think you're attacking it.

Keep calm and give your hedgehog time to relax. After picking up your hedgehog, remain still and let it do what it wants. If it rolls into a ball, don't worry—be patient and wait for it to calm down. After a few minutes, it should unroll and start to sniff you and might even try to explore you. If your hedgehog continues to be agitated, put it back in its cage and wait a bit. Some hedgehogs have been well socialized or have better temperaments, and they should unroll pretty quickly. However, some are not so great and require more time. Keep your hands flat and let it wake up and get used to everything. Once its quills are down and it's looking around and sniffing, it's comfortable.

Walking with Your Hedgehog

Hold your hedgehog out from your body while you carry it. Hedgehogs won’t jump out of your hands, but they may slowly crawl forward. Keep 1 hand positioned under your hedgehog and 1 hand in front of it while you’re walking. This way your hedgehog won’t fall. If your hedgehog walks forward, continuously shift your hands so that you always have 1 hand in front of it. If it's comfortable enough with you, scratch your hedgehog between its quills with your free hand.Variation: You can hold your hedgehog close to your chest to keep it secure, but this is likely to cause the hedgehog to put up its quills. You’ll need to protect your skin with thick clothing or a towel.

Use your palms to support your hedgehog at all times. Start walking with your hedgehog and keep your palms underneath it to support them. If your hedgehog is a bit jumpy, hold it in the palm of one hand and place the other palm behind it—facing its head—just in case it tries to get away. Be sure to carry your hedgehog by the fur and not its quills!

Carry your hedgehog for at least 30 minutes daily to bond with it. Holding your pet daily let's you bond more quickly. It's helpful to break this up into a 15-minute morning session and a 15-minute evening session. Watch for signs of stress, such as hissing and huffing, twitching and shaking its head, and frantically running away. If your hedgehog displays any, put them down.

Traveling with Your Hedgehog

Pack your pet’s normal food, water, bedding, and toys. Your hedgehog will be most relaxed if it’s normal care remains the same. Bring the exact food you give it at home, and pack a bottle of water from your home tap, if possible. Additionally, bring its normal bedding and a few toys. You want your hedgehog’s routine to be as close to normal as possible.

Put your hedgehog in a pet carrier lined with a soft towel or blanket. This will keep it comfortable and warm. Fold up the towel or blanket. Then, spread it along the bottom of the carrier. Provide several blankets if you’re traveling during the wintertime when it’s cold. Additionally, put hand warmers or a hot water bottle under the blankets and cover the cage with a blanket to keep in the warmth. You can use a plastic or soft carrying case. You will need a plastic case for air travel. However, you can use either when traveling by car. A plastic case is sturdier, but a soft case is more comfortable for your pet. Choose a pet carrier designed for small animals. You can even find 1 made just for hedgehogs. The minimum cage size for a hedgehog is 16 in (41 cm) by 16 in (41 cm). However, it's best to pick a carrier based on your pet's weight. Hedgehogs like a lot of space, so a larger carrier can work for them. However, keep in mind that it may feel more secure during travel in a small carrier.Variation: You can use any plastic container if you’re traveling by car, as long as it has air holes. However, your hedgehog will be safest in an actual pet carrier.

Buckle the case into the backseat when traveling by car. The backseat is safest for your pet because it doesn’t have airbags. Secure the case in place by buckling a seat belt around it so that it can’t slide around. Don’t put the case on the floorboard, which will be extra bumpy and hot. Your hedgehog will likely get sick or overheated.

Check with your airline before trying to bring your hedgehog on a plane. Some airlines don’t allow hedgehogs onto planes, so make sure you can bring yours when you book your flight. Ask them if you can bring your pet into the cabin. If they say no, tell them you plan to check your hedgehog. Your hedgehog won’t be placed in the plane’s regular cargo compartment. There’s a special area for pets.

Get a certificate of health from your vet when traveling by plane. This is required by most airlines to prove that your pet is not ill. Get your vet to examine your hedgehog to make sure it’s healthy. Then, ask for a certificate of health, which your vet will complete and give you. Make 2 copies of this certificate so you have extras in case you need them. Carry the certificate of health while you’re traveling. You’ll likely need to show it when you check in for your flight.

Put “live animal” labels on both sides of the case during plane travel. Make 2 labels that say “live animal” and feature an arrow pointing up. Then, use packing tape to secure the labels on either side of your hedgehog’s carrier. Make sure the arrow points up so people know that’s how the cage should sit. You can make your labels using regular printer paper.

Maintain your hedgehog’s feeding, watering, and play routine. Your hedgehog may get upset or nervous if you change its schedule. Keep it orientated toward your normal time zone by feeding, watering, and caring for it at the normal times. This will keep your pet calm and well-adjusted throughout your trip.