If you have recently adopted a Hedgehog, then one of your initial concerns and realizations is that they need to be regularly cleaned, but how often do you need to clean the cage, and what is recommended for both hygiene and sanitary purposes? I spent some time researching to find out the optimal schedule that any Hedgehog owner should know and be looking to follow.
As a general rule, clean your Hedgehog’s cage thoroughly at least once a week. However, the cage might need deep cleaning more often, depending on the size of the cage and how well your Hedgehog is litter-trained. If you have more than one Hedgehog in a cage, it will need to be cleaned more often.
You will soon notice how much your Hedgehogs love the environment after you’ve cleaned the cage out and put them back into their enclosure. Mine runs around excitedly, making happy noises, and explore every part of the newly cleaned cage.
An unhealthy living condition might even lead to some severe health complications in your Hedgehog. Also, the rotten or bad smell of the cage can cause stress in your pet.
Do Hedgehogs Stink?
Hedgehogs are naturally clean animals. They stay as clean as we keep them and take care of them. Therefore, the smell around your Hedgehogs is usually determined by their living conditions and the cleanliness of their enclosure.
It is important to spot clean our Hedgehog’s cage every day and deep clean them regularly. The enclosure of your pet will start to smell bad if proper care is not taken.
Furthermore, good quality bedding and proper cleaning of the enclosure are of utmost importance. This helps to keep the smell at a minimal level.
Although having a pet can bring a little different smell to your house, most owners are comfortable with it.
How Often Should I Clean Hedgehog Cage?
It is important to spot clean your Hedgehog’s cage every day, followed by a deep clean once every week. The process of cleaning involves the following:
- You can always use a dustpan and brush or a small vacuum cleaner to spot clean the poop around your pet’s cage. This processa should be done on a daily basis.
- It is also important to replace the heavily soiled bedding near your Hedgehog’s food bowl or water bottle with fresh ones. This can be done once in 3-4 days.
- Get rid of the entire bedding once every week. Change the entire bedding even if some portions of it look clean.
- It is advised to use a brush and a sponge to clean the base of the cage. Do not forget to clean the corners of the cage.
- To get rid of the odor you can use some baking soda and vinegar. Remove all the toys and wash them too. Dry them out in the sunlight before placing them back in the enclosure. This can be done 1-2 times a month.
- Once you are done cleaning, fill the cage with fresh bedding. Also, put the other supplies such as water bottles, food bowls, and other accessories back in the cage.
- Put all the essentials back in the cage only when it is completely dry.
You can leave your Hedgehog in a playpen when you clean their cage. Check out this fantastic playpen I got from Amazon.
How Often Should You Change Hedgehog Bedding?
You must change your Hedgehog’s bedding regularly if you want to keep the cage and the surroundings smelling fresh.
You must spot clean your Hedgehog’s cage every day, followed by a deep clean once every week. Always use a dustpan and brush or a small vacuum cleaner to spot clean the poop around their cage.
Replace the heavily soiled bedding near your Hedgehog’s food bowl or water bottle with fresh ones. You can do this once in 2-3 days.
Get rid of the entire bedding once every week. Then, once a month or so, you should clean the entire cage, including all the toys and hideouts.
How Do You Spot Clean A Hedgehog’s Cage?
Spot cleaning a Hedgehog’s cage is of utmost importance. Therefore, it is essential to follow up on a daily cleaning routine of your Hedgehog’s cage. This will keep your pet remain happy and stress-free.
Spot cleaning a Heddgehog’s cage is quite easy. You need to keep in mind some of the guidelines, and you are good to go. A daily spot clean involves removing the poops and any bedding that has become soiled and damp. It depends on the bedding that you are using in the cage as to how easy this is.
You need to remove all the uneaten vegetables, fruits, insects, or treats lying around the cage. Next, spot cleans any dirty, messy area around their enclosure. Suppose you find any spilled water, clean that area up too. Lastly, refill the water bottles and the food containers with fresh food every day.
What Should I Clean My Hedgehog’s Cage With? (Safe Cleaning Products For Hedgehogs)
It is essential to use the right cleaning products to clean your Hedgehog’s cage. In addition, the products must be gentle so that it does not harm your pet.
Listed below are a few products that you can safely use to clean your Hedgehog’s cage:
- Mild Detergents: Pick up a detergent that does not have a strong smell. You can mix the detergent with lukewarm water to wash the toys and hideouts.
- White Vinegar: You can mix 1 part of vinegar with 2 parts of water to disinfect your Hedgehog’s cage. If their cage has a white sludgy residue(calcium) of urine, then the same can also be effectively removed with the help of this mixture.
- Cage Wipes: Cage wipes can be used to disinfect and deodorize your Hedgehog’s enclosure.
- Cage Deodorizer Spray: You can use a deodorizer spray to clean accessories of your Hedgehog’ss cage. It is useful to clean the urine stains and get rid of the strong smell from the cage.
It would be best if you never used cleaning agents like bleach or other scented cleaners and disinfectants to clean your pet’s cage. It can prove to be toxic for your Hedgehogs.
How To Litter Train A Hedgehog?
Litter training a Hedgehog is not an easy process at all. Time and patience are the keys. However, you can follow the process listed below to litter train your Hedgehog:
- You will observe that your Hedgehog mostly pees in the same place. Once you find that place, take a small piece of urine-soaked bedding from there.
- Place this urine-soaked bedding in the litter tray of your Hedgehog. Also, place this try in your Hedgehog’s preffered location for urination.
- Your Hedgehog might get confused when they see the tray for the first time. However, he will get used to it in a few day
- If your Hedgehog still urinates outside their tray, clean the area immediately as their urine holds a decent smell. Your little one will be encouraged to urinate in the same area, if you do not clean it immediately.
- If your Hedgehog urinates in the tray, do not clean it immediately. Leave the tray as it is for 24 hours. This will teach your pet that the tray is the perfect place to urinate.
- It is advised to repeat the above process until your Hedgehog becomes habitual to the litter tray.
Do not scold your Hedgehog if your pet is not doing well with the training. Instead, always keep in mind the golden rule for pet training. Always praise your little one when they are doing good and ignore anything undesirable.
Related Queries:
How Often Should You Clean Your Hedgehog’s Feet?
You can clean your Hedgehog’s feet once every week or so. Regular foot baths are essential to keep our Hedgehogs clean and healthy.
There are no such restrictions on foot bathing. However, you must be very gentle while bathing your Hedgehog. Do not use any harsh products.
How Do You Keep A Hedgehog’s Cage From Smelling?
It is vital to keep your Hedgehog’s cage clean to prevent it from smelling. Maintaining the cage correctly solves the problem most of the time. However, sometimes we have to do more than that to get rid of the smell. Here are some of the points you must note:
- Provide your Hedgehog with a balanced diet
- Look out for health problems
- Prepare a proper bathing schedule for your Hegdehog
How Often Should I Bathe My Hedgehog?
Hedgehogs do not require regular baths. A bath once in a month or so is ideal for them. However, you might need to bathe your Hedgehog more often if they are filthy or if the vet has advised doing so for medical reasons. I usually prefer bathing my Hedgehog once in 45 days. For a detailed guide, refer to this article: How Often Should I Bathe My Hedgehog? (Full Bathing Guide)
