Would you like to buy a pet hedgehog sometime soon? You might have seen some cute videos of them recently and started to seriously consider getting one of your own.
These pets are fairly popular, but they’re still not incredibly common. This is why many people don’t know a lot about them.
You might not know exactly how much hedgehogs cost to own. Are they expensive pets, or are they considered to be affordable?
Below, you’ll learn about the cost of hedgehogs as well as how much you’ll need to spend to get everything that you need to care for them. It should make it simpler to decide if buying a hedgehog is the right call for your situation.
Are Hedgehogs Expensive?
You won’t be able to buy a hedgehog for just a few dollars. These little pets will cost at least $100, and you might wind up paying more than that.
To buy a hedgehog from a reputable breeder or pet store, you’ll need to spend between $100 and $300. This price could go up or down based on various factors, but this figure holds true at the time of writing.
Of course, there might be some differences in price based on where you live. Regardless, you shouldn’t expect to get a pet hedgehog without paying a bit of cash.
They aren’t inexpensive pets, but whether you consider a maximum of $300 expensive depends on your situation. To some, $300 will be a high price, but people also pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars to purchase certain breeds of dogs.
How Much Are Baby Hedgehogs?
A baby hedgehog is generally going to cost at least $100. Sometimes you can adopt baby hedgehogs for $50 or a bit more, but this is less common.
Hedgehogs aren’t so common that you can go to an animal shelter and find many of them up for adoption. It’s also notable that adoption fees have the potential to be just as much as the cost of buying a baby hedgehog from a breeder.
It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to get a baby hedgehog for less than $100. This has happened in the past, but it’s not the most common situation.
How Much Is a Hedgehog Enclosure?
One of the most important aspects of hedgehog ownership is buying an enclosure. This is also referred to as a hedgehog cage.
You need to buy a cage that’s large enough so the hedgehog will have room to move around and play. You also want to make sure that the floor is solid since the hedgehog’s feet can get stuck if the bottom is simply wire or mesh.
Hedgehog cages are readily available at pet stores. You can buy a small animal cage that is the right size for a hedgehog.
The cost of the cage will likely be between $50 and $200. It’s recommended to spend over $100 and make sure that you get a high-quality cage.
Whatever cage you buy should be escape-proof. Also, you want it to be able to fit all of the accessories that you need to buy.
How Much Will Accessories Cost?
There are so many accessories that you’ll need to buy for a hedgehog’s cage. You’ll need to buy a water bottle, a heavy food bowl, little ramps, tunnels, and more.
You might argue that ramps and tunnels fall under the “toys” category, but you should know that they’re important. You’ll likely spend $20 or so on accessories like these.
A water bottle can be purchased for $10, and you can also find a good food bowl at a pet store for $10. You’ll also need to purchase bedding for the cage.
The best bedding to buy for the cage is Aspen shavings. Aspen shavings won’t get nasty when it gets wet, and it’s readily available at pet stores.
The bedding shouldn’t cost more than $15. Of course, you’ll have to buy more bedding every so often as you’ll eventually run out of it.
You might need a heat lamp for the hedgehog cage as well. Hedgehogs need the temperature to stay between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
A heat lamp will cost between $20 and $50, depending on what you buy, but it’ll do the job nicely. Some people choose to use heating pads instead, but those do run the risk of burning the hedgehog in extreme situations.
Heating pads usually cost $20 at pet stores. It’s likely easier to stick to using a heating lamp.
It’s wise to buy a cage thermometer so you can keep an eye on the temperature. This will only cost between $5 and $10, and it’ll make it simple to check the temperature at a glance.
Buying a little hut for your hedgehog is important as well. You can purchase a small hut for $20 or less at a pet store, or you can make your own using a small cardboard box.
The hut is essentially just a little hiding spot for the hedgehog. It’ll sleep in there and hide when it feels the need to do so.
Finally, you should buy cleaning wipes so you can keep up with cage maintenance. You’ll want to wipe down the cage every so often using cleaning wipes, and you can do a bit of daily spot cleaning as well.
It’s unlikely that you’ll spend more than $15 on cleaning wipes, but you will need to buy them often. You might buy cleaning wipes each month.
How Much Will Toys Cost?
Toys aren’t going to be all that expensive. There are many types of toys that you should buy for your hedgehog.
Each type of toy will cost between $5 and $20 on average. Some will be more expensive than others, depending on how big they are, but none of them are that costly.
You’ll want to buy chew toys for the hedgehog to keep them occupied. Balls can be a lot of fun for hedgies to play with.
Give your pet ramps and tunnels that it can travel through so that it will stay in good shape. You’ll likely spend between $20 and $50 on toys when you want to buy a variety of different things.
How Much Will Food Cost?
Food is going to cost money as well, but it’s not that bad. A hedgehog needs to consume between 70 and 100 calories daily.
You don’t want to overfeed the hedgehog, and this means that you’ll be portioning things out appropriately. Hedgehogs eat many different types of food, but they’ll commonly eat hedgehog kibble that you buy at a pet store.
You can also feed hedgehogs mealworms, various types of veggies, fruits, and even cooked eggs. Cooked eggs can only be given to hedgies if you don’t season them.
Typically, people will spend around $20 to $30 on hedgehog food. It largely depends on what you choose to buy.
How Much Will Vet Visits Cost?
Vet costs are another concern that you want to keep in mind. A typical veterinary bill for a hedgehog won’t be too bad, but the annual costs will add up.
Most experts say that hedgehog veterinary care will cost around $150 annually. This is very manageable and shouldn’t have a big impact on your budget.
The Total Cost of Owning a Hedgehog
The total cost of owning a hedgehog will differ depending on what you decide to buy. Also, some people will spend more or less money when buying the hedgehog itself.
Even so, you can come up with a figure that will give you a rough idea of how much you’ll spend out of the gate. You should expect to spend at least $400 to get the hedgehog, the cage, various accessories, toys, and other essentials.
It’s possible that you might spend more or less than this to get what you need. It all comes down to what deals you can find and just how much you’re charged when buying a hedgehog from a breeder.
If you have at least $500, it should be fairly simple to get everything you need without having to worry too much about your budget. Just make sure that you can find a hedgehog that costs as close to $100 as possible, and it’ll make staying under your budget easier.
Do You Need a Permit?
Understand that the legality of owning hedgehogs is up in the air. Depending on where you live, you might need a permit to keep a pet hedgehog in your home.
Some states have outright banned hedgehogs as pets. For example, California has made hedgehogs illegal.
There are also certain cities that will have bans in place even if there isn’t a statewide ban. Some cities simply require owners to apply for permits.
So you need to look into whether it’s legal for you to own a pet hedgehog. If it’s illegal in your area, you’ll have to abandon the idea until you move to another location where it is legal.
Also, you should know that the permit that you might need could have fees associated with it. So plan accordingly, and you will be able to have a good experience.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. I have a wife and two children and love taking them to the zoo to see all the animals. I grew up with dogs and fish and now have two dogs and two cats. I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.