What are the best sleeping spaces for a new hedgehog's cage?

Thank you for your question! My preferred method for warming a hedgehog cage is to use a ceramic heat bulb. They are sold in the reptile section of most pet stores. The reason that I prefer this type of bulb is that they only emit heat, and no light, so Quilliam's day/night cycle will not be affected. Many of the brands will also have a chart on them to assist you in what wattage you need from the bulb, but you will need the distance from the bulb to Quilliam (aka the height of the cage) as well as your desired temperature in order to use the chart (temperature recommendations for hedgehogs are 70-80F depending on what care sheet you are using). I would also recommend monitoring the temperature in his cage once you have added your heat bulb to ensure that it is within the desired range. This can be performed with a digital thermometer - these are also often found in the reptile section of most pet stores. I hope that helps to answer your question, and good luck!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You can get Lilli some huts and nesting/bedding material to hide/play in. Guinea pigs enjoy burrowing/tunneling so things like huts and pipes are fun for them. You can find plenty of options in pet stores, or make things your self out of shredded paper, toilet paper rolls, PVC pipe, etc. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach! I would recommend using a Q-tip to remove the bedding piece. I would recommend wetting the tip of it first as a dry Q-tip will cause some irritation. If it is too difficult to remove, you will likely need to bring him to a veterinarian to have him sedated to have the piece removed. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns

Thanks for your question about Noel, and I am sorry that she is doing this behavior! I didn’t see if she is also pooping in appropriate places in addition to the water and food, but if she isn’t, you may be able to try moving her dishes to a location where she isn’t going to the bathroom. Be sure to clean the dishes thoroughly to help to eliminate any fecal contaminants that may be present as well. You could also try to transition her to a water bottle - please continue to offer her water in a bowl until you see her using the bottle regularly so that she doesn’t become dehydrated. I also didn’t see how large of an enclosure you have her in - hedgehogs may not look athletic, but they are incredible athletes. They can run, climb, swim, and dig for hours on end. Due to this, they ideally need an enclosure that is at least 3 feet by 4 feet in size. If the enclosure is small, that may also lead to her going to the bathroom in inappropriate places. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I recommend choosing the larger cage for sweet pea. Hamsters like to have separate bathroom / toilet areas well away from their bedding, so the one with the biggest base area is the best. Height of cage is less important. Also provide safe chewing sticks for her to gnaw her teeth on.

Dachshunds tend to be snugglers, and also love to be buried (like under a blanket!). I'd look into a dog bed (or even a large cat bed) that has a [clamshell or hooded design]() that she can crawl into and be covered up by it. Most smaller dogs (especially dachshunds) tend to like this [cave type bed]().

Hi, Hedgehogs are very sensitive to environmental temperature and may behave abnormally if the temperature is out of range. Make sure the temperature in the cage is 72-80F. If his behavior has been abnormal in face of appropriate temperatures, then I would be more worried about an illness and recommend a visit to your veterinarian.