After careful consideration we decided it was time for a new addition to our family, no not a baby but a spiky lovable African Pygmy Hedgehog. As when considering to bring any new pet in to the family, a lot of thought and research was needed to make sure an African Pygmy Hedgehog was for us. After all it’s important to remember they are exotic animals which need to be given very special care. After hours of late night reading, a million questions and joining multiple Facebook communities, not only did I start to feel nocturnal myself but much more confident I could be a Hedgehog mummy.
Selecting a Breeder
When it comes to choosing a breeder it is important to find an ethical breeder which you can really trust, not just the first breeder who will sell you a hoglet. An ethical breeder will give you lifetime support and be there every step of the way. The only downside is that they often have long waiting lists, but this is a small price to pay when choosing a happy healthy forever baby.
Daggsys Hedgehogs
After hours of research I managed to find a club approved breeder which was only a short drive away. The breeder requested me to complete a short questionnaire to give an insight to our knowledge and any gaps which needed filling. During our wait for a hoglet (after all no one knows how many there will be in each litter) it gave me the opportunity to build a great relationship with the breeder and have plenty of time to prepare for our new baby.
Nest Check Day
Eventually nest check day came and there was one beautiful baby boy with badger stripes in the nest, to make it even more special he was born on our 9th anniversary. Leading all the way up until collection day Daggsys Hedgehogs sent me weight updates, pictures and videos so I knew exactly how my baby was getting on and even the food which he liked the most!
Collection Day – Welcome Home Dylan
By the time collection day arrived I was nervous but buzzing with excitement that I would finally get to meet Dylan. To help contain my excitement I double checked that we was completely prepared for our new arrival checking the vivarium temperature, buying his live food and putting some water in his bowl. Daggsys Hedgehogs was wonderful, answered all of my questions no matter how small and sent us away with an amazing care pack to get us stared on our adventures.
My top tips before bringing any new pet home is research, research and research after all this little guy or girl will be a big part of your life for many years to come.
Stay tuned for more Dylan updates and adventures as he grows up and gets settled in to his new home.
