Hedgehog Cage Cleaning: Basic Facts for a Healthy Habitat
Cleaning your pet’s cage should be one of the primary tasks to keep your hedgehog healthy. But How Often?
After you’ve learned how to set up your pet hedgehog’s cage and brought your hedgie home, you will need to clean out his cage regularly to ensure that he (and you!) are living in a clean environment.
There are a few different levels of cleaning that should be done regularly.
Daily: Spot Clean the Hedgehog Cage
It would be best if you take care of a few small items daily to keep your hedgehog safe and clean. This should take no more than five (5) minutes per day and includes:
– Removing any visible feces from the cage.
– Take and dispose of the food leftovers, wash out your hedgehog’s food bowl, and supply fresh meals and water.
Weekly or Bi-Weekly: Fully Clean the Hedgehog Cage
One day each week, you should completely clean your hedgehog’s cage.
If you consistently spot clean it, it should be safe to do a full clean once every other week.
However, use your judgment: some hedgehogs make more of a mess than others, so if you notice that it looks or smells dirty, be sure to give it a complete clean.
While you’re cleaning their cage, be sure to put your hedgehog in a cardboard box or have it supervised by another family member or friend until the pen is ready for him.
Cleaning out the cage should take about thirty minutes and includes the following steps:
- Remove all toys and blankets from the cage.
- Empty the cell of current shavings or paper and dispose of old shavings in an outdoor trash can.
- For a natural cleaning option, wipe the hedgehog cage with hydrogen peroxide (disinfectant) followed by vinegar, and rinse clean! Wash out the empty cage with soapy water and rinse thoroughly. This can be done outside or in a bathtub or shower.
- Clean your hedgehog’s toys using the same method.
- Dry the cage and place down a new liner using a newspaper.
- Fill the cage with new shavings.
- Return clean toys and blankets to the cage.
All this process should be pretty straightforward; however, if you struggle to find safe disinfectant products, you can always use any alcohol as plan b.
