For families looking for a pet that won’t take up too much room, Hedgehogs have been a popular option for years. They are easy to maintain, but they are also smart animals who can give their owners years of joy and love. Although they are not your typical pet, Hedgehogs can become part of the family just like any other animal.
Pet Hedgehogs do understand their names. Hedgehogs are capable of linking sounds with related orders. So, there is a possibility that your Hedgehog learns to respond to their name. Offering treats, petting, and other positive encouragement will help Hedgehogs keep these orders in their memory.
Not only are Hedgehogs soft and cute, but their intelligence makes them one of the most rewarding pets to have.
Teaching your Hedgehog their name is not as difficult as you may think. Let’s talk about why this may be an excellent option for you and how you can help your Hedgehog learn as much as it can along the way.
Can Hedgehogs Learn Their Names?
Hedgehogs can surely learn a magnitude of skills, and one of those is learning its name.
Just like other pets, the bond between you can your Hedgehog can make being a pet owner an enjoyable experience.
Hedgehogs are pretty intelligent and love to connect with their owners.
With just a few positive affirmations from your side, your Hedgehog can learn their name.
This can be in the form of treats, contact with their owners, and repetitive exposure to the skill.
The use of treats and positive speech to your Hedgehog will help them realize that it is safe for them to leave their cage and be more connected to you as an owner.
Besides this, teaching your Hedgehog their name can help them feel safer in their home, and it can help you protect them as well.
A Hedgehog who knows its owner and name is more likely to come when it is called.
How Many Words Can A Hedgehog Learn?
Owners can teach their Hedgehogs different commands by keeping them short and simple for their pets to understand.
Usual words and phrases for Hedgehogs are as follows:-
- No
- Come here
- Up (to make them sit on the sofa or bed)
- Down (to make them come down of couch or bed)
- It’s okay (comforting them if they are scared)
- Bed or go inside (move back to the cage for sleep)
Hedgehogs will also give a response to your voice tone. Nearly all orders should be conveyed in a gentle and soft tone so your Hedgehogs do not get scared.
Can Hedgehogs Respond To Names?
Studies suggest that a Hedgehog will not rush toward their owners when their name is called out. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t recognize their names.
Sometimes, it happens because Hedgehogs misbehave and do not obey you. For example:- If you call their name and they suddenly turn their backs on you and do not move a single muscle.
Hedgehogs are much more mischievous and naughty than they are assumed. Though Hedgehogs do not disobey because they want to upset you but maybe they simply have desires of exploring and relaxing more at that moment.
It has been stated that Hedgehogs do respond when they listen to their name-calling. If Hedgehogs want to listen to their owners or not is quite a different thing.
If you teach your Hedgehogs their name, you must stick to single names to call Hedgehogs.
Few owners might call their Hedgehog different names, and it can turn into confusion for a new hedgie.
Callin Hedgehogs with a particular name is a much better option, considering they already know and understand that it is their name.
How Long Does It Take For A Hedgehog To Learn Its Name?
It can be pretty time-consuming can challenging for you to teach your Hedgehogs to learn their names.
Hedgehogs do not like anger and aggression, so showing some patience is a better alternative.
The first thing you need to do is make your new Hedgehog feel that you are not a danger.
Hedgehogs are alert at all times, so they will take a while to get accustomed to the new place.
Therefore, it can take a while for your Hedgehog to learn their name.
Training Your Hedgehog
Yet, it is essential to note that human socialization is not something you can do in one or two days. To make this procedure easier, it is an excellent option to try classical conditioning training like:
Training your Hedgehog is not something you can do in one or two days. To make this procedure easier, it is an excellent option to try classical conditioning training like:
- Get down on the floor on your stomach to be on the level with your Hedgehog’s eyes.
- Hold on to this position without moving and being quiet until your Hedgehogs feel much safer to come near.
- Reward them for being curious with a treat like fruit and offer a gentle pat on their head.
- Do not attempt to grab your Hedgehogs roughly or make sudden movements; it will scare them.
- Repeat this several times in a day until and unless your Hedgehogs start coming near you, without a doubt.
Your Hedgehogs must be sufficiently relaxed around you before you make them learn something.
And from there, you can teach your Hedgehogs their name and come when called.
How Do You Teach Your Hedgehog Its Name?
After the tiring procedure of making your Hedgehogs trust you, you may notice that it is easier to teach your Hedgehogs some new commands.
You can make your Hedgehogs learn their name, similar to how you teach them to come closer to you.
- Get or rest down on your stomach on the surface, maintaining a short distance (1 foot would be excellent) with your little pet, and then call them by their name.
- They might appear confused at this new command if they come near you without it, but keep doing it with a gentle voice.
- Reward your Hedgehogs if they come closer to you.
- Keep this continuing until your Hedgehogs get ready to come to you when called by name willingly.
When your Hedgehog finds it simple to cover this distance, try increasing the range slightly and restart this process.
It may help by holding a treat in front to attract Hedgehogs to follow you.
If you observe your Hedgehogs not approach you even after smelling the treat, come forward to the same distance earlier and try the process again.
Keep trying more and more unless your Hedgehogs learn to come to you no matter how far their name is called.
Once your Hedgehogs learn their name, you may try teaching them further new commands.
The length of time it takes your Hedgehogs to get expertise in this relies on many other elements like the kind of encouragement (or treats) your Hedgehogs get from you and the difficulty level of the commands.
Keeping a consistent and straightforward tone is a critical factor in Hedgehogs’ training.
You can even teach your Hedgehogs some tricks.
For example:- You can make your Hedgehogs learn how to twirl around or roll a small ball in return to get some treats. It is much better to maintain simplicity and consistency in stimulating positive behavior by rewarding with some treats, petting, or pampering.
What Else Can You Teach A Hedgehog?
Once your Hedgehog has learned its name, you can start teaching it more tricks or skills.
With treats and positive affirmations, you can spend hours with your Hedgehog teaching them different tricks.
Eventually, your Hedgehog can also learn how to navigate mazes, and they can even run agility courses.
Also, Hedgehogs can jump short distances, which can help them get into your hand from the cage, the floor, or the surface they are on.
If you are trying to create an agility course for your Hedgehog, make sure you keep the walls tall enough so they will not try to jump out.
Lastly, you can essentially potty train your Hedgehog. The typical Hedgehog will prefer one area of their home as a place to use the bathroom.
You can place a small dish or plate in this area, making cleaning your Hedgehog home more manageable.
If you spot your pet’s droppings in the cage when you place the dish, place the droppings on it so that your Hedgehog realizes what it is for.
