Heating Lamps For Hedgehogs: Tips For Keeping Hedgehogs Warm

Having hedgehogs as your pet may appear odd to some people, but anybody who has ever spent time with this creature is deeply aware of exactly how cute hedgehogs are and what good pets they are!

However, with having any type of pet, you need to be committed on your side to understand that your pet (in this case hedgehog) is leading a healthy and comfortable life daily at your place. Among the most vital features of pet hedgehog care is to keep them in an environment warm enough for them to survive! Hence we will discuss heating lamps for hedgehogs and tips for keeping them warm

Because hedgehogs are not used to existing indoors, you have to ensure the cage of hedgehogs is kept between 23-25°C. Keeping the hedgehog cage warm enough can be effortlessly done with an affordable heating pad or heating lamps for hedgehogs.

This means the room temperature should not be too cold or too hot. In case a hedgehog isn’t given a perfect warm space to sleep as well as spend a maximum of their daily time, they may go into hibernation, can be unfriendly, and might sooner or later die.

Hedgehogs have precise light and heat necessities that make the creature a bit dissimilar from other animals. In addition to the heat necessities, they require 12 to 14 hours of light each day. Your pet Hedgehog needs these things to stay healthy and happy at your place.

What Are Heating Lamps For Hedgehogs?

The temperature inside the hedgehog’s cage must be kept in between the 72°F to 78°F range. However, your specific hog might have an individual preference. Having this particular preference in mind and set up the heating pad and heating lamps for hedgehogs.

There are numerous options available for heating the cage. In case you’ve multiple hedgehogs or a room for hedgehogs, keeping that entire room at the perfect temperature can be the best way to care for your pet.

Nevertheless, with a single hedgehog as your pet who exists in your personal living area, you’ll need to pick a way of warming their atmosphere without affecting excessively yours. The only method to do this is using ceramic heat emitters. Do you know what a ceramic heat emitter is? Let’s get to understand below.

Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE)

The Ceramic Heat Emitter or CHE is a heat lamp that offers a beaming heat source, identical in use to the sunshine. The heat lamps deliver a uniform, consistent outline of heat utilizing ultraviolet waves. Possibly most significantly for the hedgehogs – which require the maximum warmth throughout their dark period – it doesn’t emit light.

You can hang 1 or 2 Ceramic Heat Emitters (CHEs) over your pet hedgehog’s cage to get the perfect room temperature you’re targeting for.

They’re designed for reptilians and can be purchased in packs or singly with the dome and other essentials comprised.

The wattage of CHEs goes from about 80w to 100w. However, this can differ as per the fact that how adjacent to the hedgehog you’re fixing the heating lamps and how big the place is to be heated up. The Ceramic Heat Emitters lamps are the best stored in an aluminum dome to be fixed easily over the hedgehog cage.

This aluminum dome imitates the heat from its lamp, and it must be around 8-10 inches in length, using over a single piece for bigger areas instead of a more expansive dome.

Microwaveable heat Pack

These hard-plastic warmth-conserving discs are appropriate for delivering heat in small parts for around 8-12 hours. They’re heated in the microwave, then get covered, as well as left in parts that need extra heat.

They also can be beneficial, particularly when the temperature gets down is not great; however, they can lose warmth quite speedily when it’s very cold there. They should be used threatened to avoid any type of burn.

Human Heating Pad

The human heating pad can be a choice if you utilize a plastic container or a Duna-type cage for your pet hedgehogs.

You can place the tub under the blanket and set it aside at a continuous temperature with its thermostat. This procedure can function well in milder weather.

These blankets are incredibly reliable and will heat the entire ground of the case. This can cause over-heating. Thus, try to place them under only a part of the enclosure so that the pet hedgehogs have a cooler space to move to if they feel uncomfortable there.

For protection purposes, use only a single blanket on the outer part of the plastic-based enclosure, and at all times place it beneath the enclosure as warmth rises upwards.

What Kind of Temperature Do Hedgehogs Need?

Hedgehogs are pretty specific once it comes to their ambient temperature requirements. African Small Hedgehogs live obviously in an atmosphere that does not experience wild temperature variations. That is why it is crucial to keep their enclosure’s temperature between 72° F to 78° F.

And more than that, they may get serious issues related to overheating. The temperature underneath 65°F can even cause death to your pet.

As soon as you use a heater, it is compulsory to heat just a single part of the enclosure. Your hedgehog requires to have the option of moving from the heated area. They may get overheated as well as leave the heated space, which is the solitary means to escape.

As well as once the temperature drops, you have to warm up your pet. Do it very quickly, or else you may cause them even more injury.

As soon as your pet hedgie is cold, use your body heat to warm them up. For instance, put the pet hedgehog underneath your clothing.

Why Do Hedgehogs Need Heat Lamp, Heat Pad?

African pygmy Hedgehogs originated from the central sections of Africa, where the weather is very reliable, with an average temperature of around 26°C (79°F) and normal humidity of about 61%.

Thus, the hedgehog is used to living at a high temperature & humidity, way higher than the temperature where humans live comfortably.

This means you have to take different measures to ensure that your hedgehogs are continuously warm enough.

If you fail to put much effort, you will be risking your hedgehog’s life as they will try to hibernate. All hibernating tiny hedgehogs are at risk because of reduced protection. However, pet hedgehogs are kept well at a healthy mass and simply don’t have the fat stored to survive hibernation.

What Kind of Alternative Exists for Heat Lamps?

Heat lamps are not the solitary option to have your hedgie safe and in a comfortable atmosphere. We will be discussing several of the substitutes available in the market.

This can be done with any kind of heating device! So, let’s now check the options here.

Central Heating Structure

Some individuals choose to make their entire home warm enough for the pet hedgehogs. Having a constant temperature of around 75° F might not be the finest idea, for instance, throughout a hot summer. As compared to utilizing a device for heating purposes, this option will create way more electricity bills.

Yet, there are several situations where this’s possible. As soon as you start living in a small apartment where the climate is cold, then this may not be such a bad option in the end.

You just have to make sure that the room temperature is constant and there are no extreme, sudden variations in the temperature.

Heating Pads For Hedgehogs

The heating pads for hedgehogs are made in such a way that the place works perfectly both for humans and hedgehogs.

If you want to use the pad for your hedgehogs, you simply place the pad underneath where your pet hedgehog normally sleeps.

It is vital to check if the precise heating pad for hedgehogs has a programmed feature to turn the heat automatically off.

No matter which device you use for keeping your hedgehogs warm but always take safety measures. If you do not use any heating system, then they would get cold and die.

The other problem of using the heating devices is overheating issue. For instance, if your pet hedgehog is sick, they will not realize that the temperature of their place is too high, and they have to move immediately.

Incapable of moving, they may get burned seriously or even expire when their inside temperature increases above a reasonable limit.

There’re cases while the damage is not noticeable from the outer side, but the veterinary surgeon can see inner problems.

You have to ensure the heating device is appropriately maintained to avoid any unexpected spikes or drops in the offered heat to your pet.

Solutions For Emergency Heating

Occasionally power outages take place. In such cases, you are accountable for offering solutions for emergency heating to your pet hedgehog.

First and foremost, you could utilize instant heat boxes. Stock several of them in a spot where you can easily find them during an emergency.

Note that if they’ve been kept for a more extended period, they may not work appropriately. Keep them efficient as well as throw away the old ones.

Natural body heat is among the most accessible emergency solutions obtainable. You just have to put some coatings of clothing between your hedgehog and you. Then cover your pet hedgie with further loosely fitting coatings.

Ensure you allow enough gap for your pet hedgehog to breathe appropriately. This will be a highly effective emergency solution since you will be creating fairly plenty of body heat continuously.

Obviously, in case you’ve got the option, then use a backup generator in your house. These aren’t only helpful for keeping the hedgie warm, but they are similarly an asset for the entire family.

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Heat Lamps?

There are some pros and cons to using heat lamps for pet hedgehogs. Do you know what those pros and cons are? Let’s learn about those below.

Pros

To keep your pet hedgehogs healthy and alive, you need to provide them warmth. And heat lamps for hedgehogs are made so that it allows for the perfect temperature for them to stay healthy.

Cons

One of the biggest problems of using any type of heating device for hedgehogs is overheating. If you fail to pay attention to your heat lamps’ temperature, the heat can burn your pet’s body or even lead to death sometimes.

NOTE:

Note that while the comparatively cheap value is a vital pro, there’re also strong bad sides to using the heat lamps for hedgehogs.

Luckily, some replacements assist you in creating an accurate temperature for your pet hedgehog.

BOTTOM LINE

Keeping your pet hedgehogs warm is among the most significant responsibilities you will have as the owner.

Thus, by going through this guide and getting prepared, you have made sure that your pet hedgie is going to live in a safer house with you.

Whether you pick our recommended heating pad or heat lamp for your hedgehog, any option will serve you perfectly if you continuously pay attention to the temperature.

Never take the temperature issue for granted, or else you may have to lose your favorite pet!

FAQ