Raising pets requires dedication and hard work because physically-demanding activities ranging from cleaning to feeding are inevitable. Knowing what to expect in terms of the hedgehog’s level of sanitation minimizes the risk of new owners becoming overwhelmed with the hard work down the line.

This article answers the question “Are Hedgehogs Dirty?” by revealing the sanitation habits of hedgehogs and how to keep their environments spotless to promote good health and vitality. Let’s dive straight in.

Are Hedgehogs Dirty?

Hedgehogs are born with natural cleaning mechanisms like anointing their bodies with saliva and other self-grooming traits. The only downside is their indiscriminate pooping and peeing which inevitably leads to foul stenches when their environments are not cleaned regularly.

Hedgehogs are some of the cleanest caged animals around today and the lack of natural body stench makes them even more adorable. In fact, many hedgehog owners describe the creature’s natural scents as pleasant which is a huge plus compared to rivals like hamsters.

If you’re looking to raise clean pets that do not emanate nauseous body scents, hedgehogs can be a great option.

Why is My Hedgehog Smelling Bad?

Hedgehogs only emanate foul smells when exposed to dirty cage environments. Sure, they may be naturally clean but physical contact with poop cannot be easily eliminated without the owner’s intervention. Since they pee across different areas of the cage, hedgehogs in dirty environments may also smell like urine.

Wallowing in poop and pee is the main cause of bad odors in hedgehogs. In rare instances, hedgehogs may also smell terribly as a side effect of diseases or infections. This is easy to spot among hedgehogs living in fairly clean cages.

Booking a trip to the vet is recommended to get an official diagnosis of the underlying health problems for treatment. The bad stench typically disappears when sick hedgehogs gain the necessary veterinary interventions.

Do Hedgehogs Make Your Room Smell?

The absence of scent glands in hedgehogs means they do not give off natural foul smells like hamsters and other rodents. However, hedgehogs kept in dirty cages lose their naturally pleasant scents temporarily.

Keeping the hedgehog’s cage clean does not only eliminate the risk of bad stench but also creates a comfortable breathing environment in the whole house for everyone.

What Diseases Can Dirty Hedgehogs Transmit?

Unfortunately, hedgehogs may host various diseases and infections despite their natural cleanliness and this could be one of the reasons why some folks may tag them as dirty.

These diseases and infections may not only be transmitted to other hedgehogs and pets they come into physical contact with but to humans as well. Although instances of hedgehogs transmitting zoonotic infections to humans are a bit rare, it is not impossible and caution needs to be exercised at all times.

A few zoonotic infections hedgehogs may expose humans to include:

• Foot and mouth disease
• Herpes
• Salmonella
• Rabies
• Ringworm

(Source)

Can I Touch A Wild Hedgehog With Bare Hands?

Always wear hand gloves before touching wild hedgehogs to minimize the risk of zoonotic infections. Domesticated hedgehogs should be handled with bare hands because they recognize their owners via body scents and wearing hand gloves could mask those scents.

However, the following precautions must be taken after handling domesticated and wild hedgehogs, according to the CDC.

• Wash the hands with soap for a minimum of 20 minutes after handling hedgehogs or anything they may have come into contact with including toys, food, food bowls, and other cage components.
• Wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning or any form of physical contact with hedgehog enclosures. This can be critical just before cooking, eating, or feeding others including babies and adults.
• Hand sanitizers could be competent substitutes in the absence of soap and water but do not hesitate to wash your hands once soap and water become available.
• Friends and family members should be prompted to wash their hands thoroughly after handling hedgehogs or any of their cage components.
• Children require adult supervision during hand washing after handling hedgehogs or making contact with cage accessories.

Can I Kiss My Hedgehog?

Never kiss pet hedgehogs to minimize exposure to diseases and infections. Also, do not let hedgehogs touch your mouth or any other part of the face. Avoid eating or drinking around domesticated or rescued wild hedgehogs.

Also, do not bathe pet hedgehogs in bathtubs, kitchen sinks, or bathroom sinks. Designating a small plastic bowl or bucket for the hedgehog’s exclusive use can be healthier. This bucket should be thoroughly washed and disinfected with vinegar after each use.

Can Dirty Hedgehogs Be Given Baths?

Hedgehogs require routine bathing every 2-4 weeks to eliminate traces of dander, dirt, poop, and pee particles from their bodies. This is especially important right after cleaning their cages for maximum environmental sanitation.

We recommend oatmeal baths for maximum results and thankfully, there are numerous options in supermarkets and pet food stores. Raw oatmeal can also be filled into socks and soaked in warm water for bathing hedgehogs.

Oatmeal baths can nourish the hedgehog’s skin by eliminating dirty particles and parasites like fleas.

Can Dirty Hedgehogs Be Given Daily Footbaths?

Daily footbaths can be a hedgehog owner’s secret weapon for eliminating foul stench. Hedgehogs love to run on their wheels daily but it stimulates pooping. Thus, the probability of stepping in their own poop while running can be high.

Daily footbaths eliminate hedgehog poop boots which guarantee the ability to handle hedgehogs daily with minimal risk of physical contact with their poop. It also helps maintain pleasant scents in hedgehogs and minimizes the risk of contracting infections.

How Do I Keep My Hedgehog Cage Clean?

A sanitized environment is the secret to maintaining the hedgehog’s pleasant natural scents. Cleaning the cage may not be an owner’s favorite activity but the impact on the hedgehog’s quality of life could be significant.

Firstly, we recommend spot-cleaning daily by picking up poop and urine-soaked bedding from the cage each morning. This may also be the perfect time to soak the poop-filled hedgehog running wheel in warm water to soften the poop particles for easy cleaning.

The removal of pee and poop also minimizes the risk of physical contact and resultant skin irritations in hedgehogs. Additionally, the cage and component materials should be completely cleaned and disinfected.

Cleaning with water and soap can help eradicate not only dirt, pee, and poop particles but it may also help eliminate thriving populations of bacteria and other disease-causing organisms. Vinegar could be a solid disinfectant option as long as the cage is completely rinsed with clean water afterward.

Conclusion: Are Hedgehogs Dirty?

Hedgehogs are some of the cleanest exotic animals available to raise and while they may be messy, dirty is not a word that best describes their behavior. Hedgehogs give off a pleasant natural smell that makes them easy to handle, unlike other small pets.

Hedgehogs only become dirty when exposed to cage environments that lack the highest hygiene standards. Leaving their habitats filled with urine and poop for several days or weeks could increase the risk of physical contact with their excreta resulting in a bad body stench.

Foul body scents can make the physical handling of hedgehogs off-putting for many folks. Regular bathing is another important component of caring for pet hedgehogs and most folks do it 1-2 times a month.

As long as your hedgehogs enjoy routine baths and regularly-cleaned cages, bad scents will never be an issue.