Do hedgehogs need a heating setup?
When a hedgehog gets too cold they will attempt to hibernate which is extremely dangerous and potentially fatal. It could be the perfect temperature during the day but then dip down too low during the night. A proper hedgehog heating setup is one of the most important things to consider when first bringing your new pet home! You should have your cage and heating elements completely assembled and warmed up before bringing your little buddy home.
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What temperature should your hedgehog cage be?
Your hedgehog’s cage should be kept 73-78 degrees. It can be very hard to regulate the temperature of the cage with just an uncontrolled heat lamp. A heat thermostat will make keeping the temperature of your hedgehog’s cage under control a breeze! I highly recommend the Century Digital Thermostat which can be found on Amazon here. It has a digital readout that shows the actual temp of the cage instead of the plastic dial you will find on most thermostat controllers. It also has a long probe thermometer that’s easy to place in any cage setup. You should place the probe near the bottom of the cage for the most accurate reading.
Some hedgehogs actually prefer their cages warmer than usual, I’ve had hedgies that were happiest around 80 degrees. While on the other hand, Sophie our current hedgehog is happier in the low 70’s. If you are setting up your hedgehog’s cage for the first time be sure to keep a close watch on your pet to see if the temperature needs to be adjusted. If your hedgehog is constantly huddling inside their sleeping enclosure and not spending a lot of time outside during the night the cage may be too cold.
Thermostats and Thermometers
Hedgehog cage temperatures will wildly go up and down from day to day. It’s impossible to control unless you are in the room 24/7 which is most likely not the case. This is why I strongly suggest an automated cage thermostat. You just plug the lamp into the thermostat control and set it to the correct temperature. This will automatically kick your heating source on and off to keep the cage temperature perfectly balanced. If the thermostat does not also have a built-in thermometer that shows the current temperature you need to also get one so that you can ensure the setup is working properly. All pet stores carry these; I recommend you get one with a digital readout because the dials tend to be inaccurate. You can also buy very reasonably priced thermostats online at Chewy.
How to Create a Hedgehog Heating Setup
A Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE) is by far the cheapest and safest way to heat your cage setup. Keeping your home’s main thermostat at 72+ degrees would be very expensive, as would be heating a room 24/7 with a space heater. Heatings mats can be a nice addition to add some warmth to a specific corner but are not sufficient to heat a cage by themselves.
CHE bulbs burn out just like a regular light bulb but can last 2-5 years depending on the quality of the brand. Most pet stores carry CHE bulbs and any pet store that caters to reptiles will carry metal dome lamps. My local stores have terrible pricing so I’ve been buying all my supplies online for the past few years. I mainly use the brand Fluker’s and you can buy them here.
What size dome lamp should I get?
I recommend at least a 8.5-inch dome lamp; if you have a larger enclosure you can get a 10-inch dome lamp to heat the larger space. I have also had to use multiple lamps to properly heat my hedgie’s cage in the past. Anything smaller than 8 inches will not allow the heat to properly diffuse throughout the cage.
What wattage bulb should I get?
100 watts is the minimum wattage to properly heat your hedgehog’s cage, 150 watts is optimal. I prefer Flukers 150-watt bulbs because I’ve seen them last 4-5 years before burning out. Alternatively, here is another cheaper brand that comes in a two-pack, but be aware these bulbs will likely only last 2-3 years.
The best heating bulb for hedgehogs
It’s important to keep in mind that a lot of heating lamps emit light because they are mainly marketed towards reptiles. Hedgehogs require a bulb that emits zero light, so make sure that the bulb you choose is made of white ceramic. Almost all other kinds of bulbs will emit light which will throw off your hedgehog’s day/night cycle. Hedgehogs need roughly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. If the heating lamp emits light during the night it will interfere with your hedgie’s internal clock.
Hedgehog Heating for Plastic Cages
Some extra care needs to be taken when arranging your heaters in a plastic cage. With a metal cage, you can clip your dome lamp practically anywhere, but with plastic, you must ensure the lamp will not melt or cause the plastic to start off-gassing fumes which can harm your hedgehog or result in burns.
If there is not a non-plastic spot to clip your lamp you can also just clip the lamp to something close to the cage so it can overhang without touching the plastic. I’ve used bookcases and nightstands in a pinch to hang lamps in the past.
Hedgehog Heating Mats
Heating mats cannot be used with plastic bottomed cages; these should only be used with glass-bottomed setups. Heating mats can provide an extra boost of warmth during the winter or to cozy up a sleeping enclosure. Heating mats can cause burns if turned up too high so use extreme caution when positioning these in your hedgehog’s tank.
A great alternative to heating mats is a microwavable heating disk. I’ve used the brand Snuggle Safe for years to help keep my hedgehog’s sleeping enclosures warm. I buy mine here. These heating disks take 3-6 minutes to microwave depending on your microwave’s wattage (read the instructions and check your wattage carefully!). After microwaving the disk slips into a fleece cover and it’s the perfect size to slip under a igloo hideaway like this one.
Keeping your hedgehog warm during a power outage
Snuggle Safe heating pads retain heat for up to 12 hours so they’re a great back up to have in case a bulb burns out or if there is a power outage. Hand warmers are also a good back up for longer outages and can also be helpful during long car trips to the vet or if you are moving.
I bought a huge value pack of hand warmers like this one, and keep them close by the cage so that they’re easy to find in dark during an outage. I will take 3 or 4 warmers and stick them inside a sock once they’ve heated up. The sock ensures my hedgie won’t try to chew on them and makes them easy to remove from the cage once the power kicks back on. I’ll arrange 1-2 handwarmer socks around my hedgehog inside its sleep enclosure. I also recommend draping a blanket over the cage to help retain heat.
Worst case scenario if you do not have a backup source of heat you can hold your hedgehog on your stomach or if you have a hoodie with a kangaroo pouch that would be perfect as well. If you move quickly after the power first shuts off you can also fill 2-liter bottles with hot water from the tap before you water heater cools off. Place the bottles in your hedgehog’s cage, preferably around the sleeping enclosure with your hedgie inside, so that he/she can get warmth from all sides.
Want to read more hedgehog guides? Check out our complete wheel breakdown and how to pick the best one for your hedgie.
