Cages & Accessories

I’m sure you’ll agree that hedgehogs are amazing animals and make great pets.

Unfortunately, as hedgehogs are relatively new to the world of domesticated pets, it’s difficult to find cages that meet their housing needs and requirements.

I’m sure this will change in the near future as hedgehogs continue to increase in popularity but for now, you will have to choose a cage that’s developed for another animal and kit it out with the accessories your hedgie needs.

As well as a cage, your hedgie will also need several other pieces of side equipment to ensure they are housed correctly and will live a long and happy life.

We have put together a list of our top recommendations of great hedgehog cage plus we have handpicked a selection of all the side equipment you will need too.

Take a look at the list below or venture down the page for an in-depth look at each of the recommendations…

Wire Cage/Guinea Pig Cage

As we mentioned above, as hedgies are relatively new to the pet owners world, they don’t yet have specially designed cages that specifically meet their requirements.

This means that you will have to choose a cage that is supposed to be used for another animal.

The most common cages purchased by hedgehog owners are ones used for guinea pigs, ferrets and rabbits.

Depending on which country you live in, the minimum size cage that your hedgehog needs is around 2ft by 3ft.

As the legal cage size requirements will vary from country to country, you should check the requirements of the country you live in to get the exact minimum measurements you require.

You will find that it’s very difficult to find cages that meet the standard minimum size of 2ft by 3ft when looking at different wire cages meant for guinea pigs, ferrets and even rabbits.

It’s important to try and make sure that the cage is all on one level and also doesn’t have a wire floor as this can cause problems with the hedgehog getting its feet and toes caught.

One main drawback of wire cages is that they let a lot of heat out. 

Hedgehogs require a temperature of 70º – 85ºF to stop them from going into hibernation and potentially risking their health.

This requires constant heat on their cage in order to maintain these temperatures (more on how to do this shortly)

The problem with wire cages is that the heat you supply goes straight out of the holes in the wire and into the room.

Unless your home is naturally around the 70º – 85ºF temperature then using a wire cage for your hedgies enclosure may not be the best option.

If you have a home that’s naturally warm or you’re confident you can keep the heat of the wire cage to the required level then we’ve got your back and looked up 2 great options for you…

We have picked out wire 2 cages that we think are the best choices available if that’s the route you want to go down.

You can check out our first choice of wire cage here on Amazon. It’s spacious when compared to other wire cages and will give your hedgehog the most amount of room to wander and explore their enclosure.

Our second choice is also available here on Amazon and offers a similar amount of space and ticks all the boxes we mentioned previously.

Front Opening Terrariums & Cabinets

Our number one recommendation for hedgehog housing is to actually use a vivarium that is intended for a reptile.

These vivariums make great hedgehog enclosures and have all sorts of added benefits when compared to the guinea pig, ferret and rabbit cages.

The first thing to mention is that it’s much easier to find vivariums that are larger than the 2ft by 3ft general recommendation we talked about earlier.

Large vivariums that are intended for reptiles such as bearded dragons usually easily exceed these measurements.

One main feature that is worth noting is that due to the fact that they’re intended for reptiles, they hold in heat extremely well.

This is the polar opposite of the wire cages that are near impossible to hold any heat.

This is obviously very important to keep the enclosure to the 70º – 85ºF temperature that’s recommended for hedgehogs.

They’re also ventilated really well and let in plenty of fresh air.

Something else that can’t be overlooked is the fact that they just look amazing! 

Vivariums can be made to look like a centrepiece of a room and what better way to house your hedgie!

They also come with cabinets for them to stand on, which you can store all your accessories, food, cleaning equipment and more.

With all things considered we believe a vivarium is the best enclosure for your hedgehog by far.

If you choose to house your hedgie in a vivarium then we recommend this vivarium to house your hedgehog as it’s both stylish and large enough.

Ultimately, we recommend purchasing a vivarium and cabinet together as well it will give you the perfect stand for your hedgehog house as well as a practical storage unit.

You can check out the vivarium and cabinet we recommend here on Amazon.

Big Cage

Some hedgie owners choose to house their hedgehogs in ‘plastic bins’ storage containers.

This isn’t something that we recommend due to the fact we think the other 2 options are better.

It’s really difficult to find a storage container that meets the 2ft by 3ft general living space requirements as just about all storage bins or containers just increase in height as they increase in size and they hardly increase in length and width.

An extra-large 85-litre container bin doesn’t even work out at 2ft by 2ft on average and some are as low as 1.2ft by 1.9ft.

Obviously this isn’t any good for a hedgehog that needs floor space.

You will also need to start and cut holes in the top of the container and fix wire mesh so you can attach a heat source to keep your hedgie warm.

We believe that if you want to own a hedgehog seriously then you should go the extra mile and give them the best living environment possible and this means choosing either a wire cage or vivarium as we mentioned above.

Ceramic Heat Emitter

Ceramic heat emitters are vital to the health and well being of your hedgie.

As mentioned previously, hedgehogs, including pygmy hedgehogs require a temperature of 70º – 85ºF to thrive and be healthy.

If they aren’t provided with this temperature range constantly then they attempt to hibernate.

Hibernation in hedgehogs can actually have negative effects on their health in captivity and isn’t advised.

You can provide your hedgie with the constant  70º – 85ºF temperature they need by installing a ceramic heat emitter.

Ceramic heat emitters are especially good for hedgehogs as they provide heat without giving off any light.

The heat emitter we recommend is by Zoo Med. It’s a great choice and will keep your hedgehog nice and warm without breaking the bank.

You can check out our selection here on Amazon for the latest price.

Ceramic Lamp Holder

To ensure your ceramic heat emitter is clamped down securely and won’t fall into your hedgehog enclosure you’ll need to purchase a lamp holder.

Unfortunately, the ceramic heat emitters don’t come with these lamp holders and they have to be purchased separately.

We don’t recommend trying to use DIY fixings or duct tape to try and save a little cash here as it’s vital this is done correctly for the safety of your pet.

You don’t want your heat source falling on your hedgie or elsewhere for that matter.

Ceramic lamp holders such as this one on Amazon are relatively cheap and specifically designed for the job.

They will allow you to lamp your heat emitter in place and make sure you are providing your hedgehog with the correct amount of heat they need while doing it safely.

Heat Guard

When you’re using a ceramic heat emitter it can get hot and for that reason, it’s important to protect you and your hedgehog from burns.

The easiest way to do this is to use a heat guard. It’s a simple wire mesh guard that covers the ceramic heat emitter, keeping it out of reach and preventing any accidents.

They’re not expensive but they are an essential part of your housing set up so it’s important to invest in one.

The heat guards come with the ability to clamp to surfaces such as vivariums and usually have an opening latch for easy access when changing bulbs etc.

Here’s a great heat guard on Amazon and it’s pretty cheap too.

Thermometer

Ok, so we’ve mentioned many times already that your hedgehog’s enclosure needs to be between  70º – 85ºF to keep them both happy and healthy.

The only way you can accurately keep a check on this temperature is to use a thermometer.

We don’t recommend using one of the old analogue style thermometers as they aren’t very accurate and they are equally as unreliable.

Instead, we highly recommend you use this duel thermometer and humidity gauge by Zoo Med.

This is the go-to thermometer for many reptile owners all around the world and works equally well for your hedgehog.

It’s really small and handy so it won’t take up a lot of space in the enclosure and it’s also got a water-resistant probe for peace of mind.

Most importantly the thermometers got an accurate digital output so you can be confident that the temperature in your hedgie’s enclosure is optimal at all times.

Pulse Thermostat

One of the most important pieces of equipment you’ll need for your hedgehog is a pulse thermostat.

The job of the pulse thermostat is to stop your hedgehog’s enclosure from either exceeding or going below the recommended  70º – 85ºF temperature.

This works by connecting to the ceramic heat emitter. You then choose the temperature you want the enclosure to stay at.

For example, you can tell the pulse thermostat to not let the heat in the enclosure go below 77ºF 80ºF.

The thermostat will then keep the enclosure between these two temperatures.

Every time it recognises the temperature in the enclosure has reached 80ºF it will turn off the ceramic heat emitter and once it recognises the temperature has dropped below 77ºF it will turn it back on.

This is vital to stop your hedgie from overheating or freezing and going into hibernation.

You can leave the hard work to the pulse thermostat, knowing it will keep the temperature consistent for you all day.

Again, we recommend using the Zoo Med thermometer that’s available on Amazon as it’s just a great option and does everything you need.

Play Pen

Something that’s often overlooked when you first bring a hedgehog into your family home is getting them a playpen.

Playpens come in handy for both hedgehogs and owners and will often be used regularly.

It’s good to offer your hedgie some new surroundings so they can get some mental stimulation.

Moving them from their enclosure to a playpen where they can explore and play with new toys and experience decor for a short while is great for them.

It’s also a fantastic idea to have a playpen while you’re giving their enclosure a clean.

Knowing you’ve got somewhere safe for your hedgehog to play while you sort out their cage with new bedding etc is highly recommended.

There’s plenty of good playpens out there, we recommend this simple one on Amazon

The other option is a playpen like this one that’s got a floor so it’ll give you that extra peace of mind that they won’t poop and give you something extra to clean.