This article was written by Ian Miles who is the owner of Leo, one of the pet hedgehogs involved in my ringworm article. It describes how he built his own locust incubator and provides some good tips for anyone thinking about constructing one for themselves. For our American readers, Ian is lives in the UK so all the stores he mentions are UK based. You guys can probably find everything used here at your local Home Depot.

I decided to try my hand at constructing a suitable cage or housing in which to rear purchased young locusts to feed to our newly acquired African Pygmy hedgehog.

I had never done anything like this before so decided to search the net. Over the next week or so I searched hundreds of sites and forums trying to find a decent guide or account of how to raise and possibly breed Locusts. None of them had what I would consider to be a suitable guide. Using bits gleaned from various sites I set off to the local timber merchants and also ordered some of the electronics from various web sites.

I drew up a list of the major 6 requirements and these formed the basic design and operating guidelines.

1. A housing of approximately 2ft wide 2ft high and about 18 inches from back to front.
2. A daytime temperature of between 28 to 35 degrees centigrade,
3. A night temperature of 25 to 30 degrees centigrade,
4. Lots of ventilation, as a damp environment causes fungal infections which are lethal.
5. Ample perches and hiding places
6. Containers of about 5 inches deep to hold the moist sand for egg laying.

I decided to make the unit as simple to run as possible and therefore as automated as possible. I didn’t want the hassle of having to physically turn lights on and off for set periods of time.

The first purchase was a two channel timer to give me my set day and night periods. The second to control the daytime temperature was a Habistat dimming thermostat as I wanted to use light bulbs as my daytime heat source. These thermostats never actually turn the lights off they simply dim them as the required set temperature is reached. As the environment cools the lights brighten again giving more heat.

For the night time heat source I wanted to use heat mats so I opted for a Habistat mat thermostat with two heat mats connected. Unfortunately the two mats didn’t keep the cage hot enough in the cold spell we have just gone through so I fitted a 60 watt tubular heater to the roof of the cage. This is not controlled by the mat stat but is simply switched on by the night timer.

The timer was set to 16 hours of daytime and 8 hours of night.

I also fitted a low voltage LED night light to simulate moonlit conditions this was also controlled by the night portion of the timer.

Three holes were cut into the bottom of the cage for the egg laying containers. The ideal containers for this job I found to be from Asda, they sell cheese sauce and various other items in them, the ones I bought were the 600gramm ones. They are an ideal depth and have a snug fitting lid for retaining moisture in the sand after the eggs are laid.

The basic cage is made from 12mm MDF from B&Q, they cut it to any size for you if you are not to handy with an electric saw.

The glass doors are cut to size by my local glass merchant, they also sell the sliders for the top and bottom.

The unit took me about 3 nights to build and paint and a further 2 nights to wire up.

The sensors from the dimming thermostat, the mat thermostat ant the thermometer were mounted through tight fitting holes mid height in the cage wall.

I left the cage running for 3 or 4 days to adjust the day and night temps.

When I was sure it was running satisfactorily I ordered 100 young Locust from a live food dealer.

I decided I wanted to try and maintain a temperature of 34 degrees centigrade throughout the day and 30 degrees at night.

The 100 Locust arrived on the 28^th of January as 5^th Instars.

They were fed a constant supply of spring greens, shredded cabbage, bran and Pro Grub. They also liked the odd piece of orange or banana.

Five days later on the second of February the first ones began to moult and emerge as fully winged adults. This continued for the next few weeks.

As my wife dislikes feeding live Locusts to Leo our African Pygmy Hedgehog I culled 50 and froze them.

As the adults began to mature the males began to change from a buff colour to yellow and the females remained buff. On the 7^th of February I observed the first attempts at mating.

I sterilised sufficient bird sand by placing it in a tray and baking it in the oven on full power for one hour, once cooled I filled the plastic containers and moistened the sand with boiled and cooled water. Once wetted a light daily misting seemed sufficient enough to keep it moist.

On Monday the 9^th February I removed another 20 Locusts.

The following day on Tuesday the 10^th February the first hole appeared in the sand. The top of the hole was filled with what appeared to be white foam. I removed the container to check and I could clearly see the clump or pod of eggs. They were right at the bottom of the container almost 5 inches down and the column of foam extended down to the eggs almost as a plug.

Over the next few days several more holes appeared in the sand all plugged with white foam. I removed the sand container and fitted its lid to retain moisture which I found out the eggs need before they will develop and hatch. The container was stored at the rear of the cage to give the developing eggs the same temperature as they were laid in.

Another container of sand was put in its place so further eggs could be laid.

Eggs were continually laid and the full containers again stored.

On Friday 13^th February, I removed a further 10 Locusts leaving us with 10 laying pairs.

On Monday 16^th February I removed all adults as we now had 5 containers full of eggs.

The cage was stripped cleaned and sterilised and the containers returned to it after it had dried.

Tuesday 24^th February, the first batch of eggs seems to have swollen or grown in size slightly and seen to be getting a lot lighter in colour, almost white in parts.

Wednesday 25^th February, several young Locust emerged today so I placed several pieces of fresh spring greens in the cage along with a small pile of bran and some progrub to give the young hoppers a selection of foods. This gives us an incubation time of 10 days at 34 degrees since the first pod was laid.

Thursday 26^th February, lots more young hoppers are out today.

Friday 27^th February, literally hundreds hatched out today.

Tuesday 10^th March, the locusts are now 13 days old and to me appear to be what is called 4^th Instars. I have no idea how many there are but I would guess at around 500 to 600. They need several good feedings a day, four large Spring Green (Cabbage) leaves last about half an hour. I removed the first batch today to feed to Leo our African Pygmy Hedgehog.

Below is an image gallery showing the development of the locusts from mating, egg laying and emergence from the containers of sand.

[View with PicLens]

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If you’re raising baby hedgehogs (also referred to as hoglets), rescuing orphaned hoglets, or bringing a young hoglet home as a pet, you may find that you need to hand feed them at some point. This could be because the babies are being neglected by their mother, the mother is sick, or there is no mother at all. Hand-feeding baby hoglets is a delicate matter, as the health of the babies can be compromised pretty easily. Further, hand-feeding doesn’t really make a difference in how social the babies become with humans.

If a foster hedgehog mother is available, then that’s the best option for feeding baby hedgehogs. Babies who are fed by another hedgehog have a greater chance of survival than those fed by hand. If no foster mother is available, however, then you’re going to have to give hand-feeding a try and hope for the best.
Here’s what you’ll need to properly feed your hoglets:

1. The right kind of cage. For babies, a shoebox is usually just fine. Put a soft cloth in the box for bedding. Then, set a heating pad on low heat and put it under the lower half of the box. Hoglets need a source of heat, because they can’t generate their own.

2. The right kind of food. Do NOT feed cow’s milk to hoglets, as they can’t digest it. Instead, use kitten milk replacer or goat’s milk. If using kitten milk replacer, mix some lukewarm chamomile tea into it to aid in digestion.

3. The right kind of feeding technique. Hoglets have TINY stomachs, so don’t feed them with anything larger than an eyedropper. Put the eyedropper to their lips and squeeze one drop into their mouths at a time. If a hoglet doesn’t start to suckle, stick the tip of the eyedropper in his mouth to encourage him. Don’t give a hoglet more than 2 to 3 mouthfuls of milk during any feeding session, or you might accidentally kill it with overfeeding. Feed the hoglets every two hours, or whenever they start to squeal, whichever comes first.

4. The right digestion stimulation. Hedgehog mothers lick their babies’ bellies to stimulate digestion. You’ll need to approximate this by taking a Q-tip or cotton ball and gently stroke the hoglet’s body from chin to rectum about 20 to 30 times following each feeding. This is VERY important!

5. The right weaning time. You can usually start the weaning process when the hoglets are about 3 weeks old. Start mixing some dry food with warm water to make it moist and leave it out for them to feed themselves between hand-feedings. At about 5 to 6 weeks of age, you can start leaving out unmoistened dry food for them all the time.

If your baby hedgehogs do well with the hand-feeding, they’ll be out of the most dangerous period of their lives, and have a much better chance of living to see adulthood. Not all hoglets who are hand-fed make it, even the most carefully cared for hoglets. Hand-feeding hoglets is a chance we take to give the babies a better chance at life than they had before. If you come out the other side of hand-feeding, you can look forward to your hedgehogs growing up healthy and strong!

If you’re wondering what kind of hedgehog food makes great snacks your hedgie, you’ll be happy to know you’ve got a lot to choose from! Hedgehogs are omnivores, so they can successfully eat both meat and plants. Just like with any animal, some foods are better for your hedgehog than others, and some treats will delight him more than others. Here’s what to feed your hedgehog to keep him healthy and happy.

For regular, daily feeding, it’s best to buy some kind of commercial hedgehog food, since that way you’ll be sure your pet is getting the vitamins and minerals he needs. Commercial food is specially formulated to meet the unique dietary requirements of hedgehogs, and is always the best choice, especially for new hedgehog owners. You can get commercial food online through places like eBay and Amazon.com, or from your local pet store. You can also order commercially produced food through our on line store by clicking here.

Once you’ve got the main part of your pet’s diet sorted out, you’ll need to figure out what kinds of treats to offer him. Hedgies love treats, just like humans do, and a healthy treat once or twice a day is sure to keep him happy. Most hedgehogs love mealworms and crickets, which can be purchased at most pet stores and make excellent snacks. Sometimes, you can even find these things freeze-dried, which makes them easier to serve. Just shake some out into your pet’s bowl.

Fruit is also good hedgehog food, and each hedgie seems to have his or her own personal favorite. Grapes are always a good choice, as they’re small and easy to eat. Blueberries and strawberries may also please your pet, as will bananas and pieces of seedless melons. Avoid apples, though, as these can upset a hedgie’s tummy.

Now that you know the kind of hedgehog food your spikey critter enjoys the most for treats and snacks, you can stock up so you always have something on hand to please his palate. Hedgehogs bond to us through the use of treats, as well as cuddling, so be sure to incorporate treats into your routine for hedgehog care. Just be sure you don’t overfeed him, so he doesn’t get fat!

One of the basics of hedgehog care is how to bathe one. Most pets eventually need to be cleaned. Even if they’re good self-groomers, the realities of their day to day existence will sooner or later result in dirt and grime beyond their ability to remove themselves. If you’ve got a pet hedgehog, you’ll probably want to bathe it once a week to keep him from getting too smelly.

Here’s what you need to bathe your hedgehog:

• A gentle baby shampoo/conditioner combo product – preferably of the “no tears” variety (hedgehog’s eyes are sensitive)
• A dedicated nail brush you use ONLY to bathe your pet hedgehog
• A clean hand towel
• A kitchen sink with drain plug

How to Bathe Your Hedgehog:

1. Insert the drain plug and fill the sink with about 1.5 cups of lukewarm water (make sure the sink itself is clean first).

2. Mix one ounce of the shampoo/conditioner combo into the water to make suds.

3. Gently lower your pet hedgehog into the water, face up (you don’t want him to drown!)

4. Let your pet soak for a few minutes. He’ll probably try to get out of the water, so just gently hold him there. He shouldn’t freak out too much.

6. Look for any spots on the quills, and apply extra shampoo to those spots, using the nail brush to gently rub them out, going in the direction of the quills.

7. Gently wash the furry parts of your hedgehog with a washcloth. Make sure to clean their face with the washcloth, but keep the water out of their ears.

8. Lift your pet and drain the sink. After draining, rinse him off with lukewarm water coming out of the faucet, moving in the direction of the quills to get all the shampoo off.

9. Dry off your hedgehog using a warm towel. You won’t be able to get him completely dry this way, but do the best you can. After drying, give him another warm towel to snuggle up in, where he can lay down and rest and continue drying off away from drafts. It’s best to keep the hedgehog in the towel on your lap while you watch TV for a few hours afterward. It’s a great time for the two of you to bond!

Hedgehog care alert – Don’t let your pet get too cold, because hedgies are susceptible to pneumonia. Keep him warm and he’ll stay healthy!

Hedgehog care always involves knowing how to have a clean hedgehog. You wouldn’t want to be dirty with no way of getting extra clean, and neither does your pet. A clean hedgehog is a happier hedgehog, and more of a joy for you to be around!

Hedgehogs (often affectionately referred to as hedgies) are very interesting, fascinating pets to own. They are adorable, fun to watch, and can give you a lot of enjoyment. Before bringing one home, however, you need to know how to care for it, so your pet will always be happy and healthy and at its best!

The first thing you will need for your hedgie is a cage. The minimum cage size is 24″ by 24″. If you keep them in a smaller cage, they may become fat, bored, and sick. This is because hedgehogs are naturally active animals who run a lot in the wild. Often, they don’t even run for a reason–they just run for the joy of it. So, in addition to a large cage, your pet hedgehog also needs an exercise wheel (use a wheel with solid floors, so your pet’s feet don’t fall through the bars, since this can hurt him).

Hedgehogs cannot tolerate cold climates so be sure you keep yours warm. If they are kept in temperatures below 70 degrees F, they can become seriously ill or even die. You will also need to provide a shelter for your hedgehog inside the cage, since hedgehogs are burrowing animals. There are many acceptable shelters sold at pet stores, but a small box will do. Use some kind of comfortable bedding in the cage, preferably a type that will adjust to the shape of your pet’s body.

Some hedgehogs can be litter trained, but others cannot. Watch your hedgie and see if he uses the same spot to relieve himself on a consistent basis. If so, then he’ll likely use a litter pan, which will make cleaning the cage a lot easier.

Your hedgehog will need to have food and water available at all times. A water bottle works better than a water bowl for most hedgehogs, and is cleaner. You can buy commercial hedgehog food for your pet, or feed him meal worms or other small insects. Hedgehogs are omnivores, so a combination of meat and produce is your pet’s ideal diet.

Toys are important to your hedgehog’s mental health, since without something to entertain them, they can become very depressed. Try to get a variety of toys, such as tubes, boxes, and balls. You should also spend as much time as you can with your pet.

Get the cage and other supplies BEFORE you bring home your hedgehog, so you’ll be prepared when he arrives. Once he’s home and settled in, he won’t require much maintenance. Just make sure to clean his cage once a week and clip his nails when they get too long. He shouldn’t need a bath too often, maybe once or twice a year to clean off any visible dirt or grime.

Overall, hedgies make great pets. If you give yours a proper environment and handle him regularly, the two of you will get along wonderfully. You can expect a lot of enjoyment from a well-cared for hedgehog!

Bedding for pet hedgehogs is one of the first things you need to consider before bringing home your new friend. We all want something soft and comfortable to sleep on, don’t we? Well, your hedgehog is no different. Get the best bedding, and your spikey companion will happy one!

When you are choosing bedding for pet hedgehogs, keep these important things in mind:

1. Comfort
2. Smell
3. Dryness
4. Safety
5. Price

Not every hedgehog is the same, and bedding that one hedgehog loves might not please another. It’s kind of like how you may prefer a really soft pillow, while your best friend likes a pillow with more firmness to it. You may have to experiment with a few different types of bedding if your pet doesn’t seem to like the first thing you try.

That said, most hedgehog owners find that corncob bedding is the best for their pets, for a number of reasons.

First of all, cedar and pine shavings can start to take on a bad odor after only a few days in the cage. This type of bedding also holds moisture and get get moldy pretty easily. It’s also a bit scratchy, so most hedgehogs find it difficult to sleep on (there are exceptions, though, and you just might have the rare hedgehog who loves this type of bedding).

Newspaper shavings are also scratchy and uncomfortable, and provide no cushioning for your pet.

Corncob bedding is the bedding of choice for the majority of discerning hedgehogs for several reasons:

1. Your hedgehog can easily move corncob bedding around, which makes them happy, since they enjoy burrowing.

2. It conforms to their body shape, kind of like a beanbag chair.

3. It absorbs odors really well.

4. It’s absorbent and mold-resistant.

5. It is organic and safe to use, even if it happens to get into their food or water.

6. It’s non-toxic, so it won’t hurt your pet if it gets into his food or water dish.

You can also add a little bit of betonite clay cat litter to the bedding for extra odor absorption, if your pet’s cage gets particularly smelly. Make sure it’s real betonite clay, and not a synthetic substance, because anything else could be toxic to your hedgehog.

When you’ve got the right bedding for pet hedgehogs, you’ll have a well-cared for pet who’s healthy and happy. He’ll enjoy spending time in his cage more, and get more rest. As a result, he’ll be more energetic and playful when he comes out to spend time with you!

Pet hedgehogs are a playful and adorable addition to your family. When you are looking for an exotic pet, a hedgehog is an excellent choice. They’re notoriously easy to care for, easy going, and don’t take up much space or make a mess. They’re perfect for a busy family, especially if you only have time to spend with your pet in the evenings, since hedgehogs are nocturnal.

You can never mistake a hedgehog for something else. Their unique, spikey nature gives them a stand-out appearance you can’t forget. Pet hedgehogs are becoming more popular because of their gentle nature and insanely cute faces. They’re also unique creatures, and must be handled with the utmost care.

In the United States, the most common type of pet hedgehog is the African Pygmy variety. They’re the most quiet and calm of the different breeds of hedgehog; however, you still need to be sure to not startle them, or they’ll deploy their quills. Hedgehogs have over 7,000 quills each, and those spikey things are very sharp if you get poked with one directly. Each quill on a hedgehog points in a different direction and forms a protective barrier around the animal when it rolls into a ball. This is how a hedgehog protects itself in the wild.

One of the most challenging aspects of keeping a pet hedgehog is feeding it. These animals are omnivores in the wild, eating both plants and other animals. Dry cat and dog food can satisfy a hedgehog, and provides it with the essential nutrients it needs to live. Giving it some meal worms and other small insects will also help it thrive. For treats, hedgehogs love fruit; this isn’t an everyday food for your pet, but giving him a little bit of his favorite fruit a few times a week will certainly make him happy! Experiment with different kinds until you find the type he likes best (every hedgehog is unique and has his own personal favorite foods).

Please make sure you always keep a sufficient amount of water available to your pet, since hedgehogs need to drink liberally while they’re awake.

As far as your pet’s living space goes, he’ll need a large cage, as hedgehogs like to move around. Like any animal (including humans!), he also needs exercise to stay healthy, so be sure to put wheels and tubes in the cage so he can have some recreation. In fact, without recreation, your pet will get bored and make a mess of his cage!

If you follow these simple guidelines, you’ll find that having pet hedgehogs is a real joy! Properly cared for, your hedgehog will give you many years of enjoyment, and the two of you will likely become the best of friends.