I see that the local exotic petstore had a bunch of hedgehogs for sale. They look as cute as a button but I wondered if they would be as rewarding to have as a pet as would a dog.
Are they smart or loyal in the sense that a dog is? Or is it a completely different pet experience? I never had one of these 'small & furry" cage creatures, (gerbils, hamsters, whatever) what do people do with them? Do they just pick them up every now and then?
Gah. Personally, I wouldn’t buy something as a pet unless it had been a relatively common pet for several (human) generations. That way you can be sure that all the local vets, petstores/supermarkets etc. are familiar with them and have all the accessories, there’s a good body of literature on how to look after them and deal with any foibles, and they won’t be exterminated in the wild due to collection for the pet trade.
Having said that, as a rule of thumb the smaller the animal, the less smart and loyal and personable they are, and the more likely to treat you as a big terrifying food dispenser. Dogs are pretty much the gold standard for smart and loyal, and you are pretty unlikely to get that from something that fits in your hand.
Pretty much. And laugh at them running round the sofa chasing each other, coo at them waggling their paws in ecstasy when eating broccoli, watch them making nests out of toilet tubes, curse at them while coaxing them out from under the washing machine, and so on.
You might find this article from the UK Guardian of interest:
Why Exotic Pets Are A Prickly Issue
Clearly you have never struck up a solid friendship with a rat ;). When I was working at a pet store, I used to tell people they were like little, pocket-sized dogs, without all the annoying parts about little, pocket-sized dogs.
I have no idea how friendly hedgehogs are, but there seems to be a good number of websites devoted to their care and keeping. Cute little guys! I always thought it would be fun to have one living in the garden, in an appropriate climate with appropriate shelter and such, of course.
My sister had one for several years. It was a cute little guy, and it was kinda fun to watch him eat and such, but he was not a dog- or cat-quality pet. Think more along the lines of a gerbil or the like.
The little beggar bit my finger, too, after licking it for a while to tenderize it and get my guard down.
RR
Keep in mind that should the animal require medical care it is not a given that you will have a veterinarian in your area who does exotics. Also, care will generally be more expensive than with other animals, as most PHs need anesthesia for an exam (they roll up in a ball).
Good pet? Totally subjective. I see far fewer of them than I did during their popularity peak in the early 90s.
We had one. Very cute. Not much else to it. It pooped a lot. We had to give it baths in the kitchen sink. It was nocturnal. We heard it most at night, running and running on its little hedgehog wheel, and we set it up so that the little bugger could go outside on to the balcony and investigate the night, the bugs, my plants. It had a cage and a blocked-off area with newspaper put down so that it could run around if it wanted and get activity. It wasn’t cuddly. It LOVED mealworms. It would poop on your hand if you were attempting to cuddle it. It rolled into a ball in a most interesting manner. It was cute, did I mention that? Very, very cute.
It could swim. It would occasionally disappear and we’d panic, trying to locate it. It could hide in a small place very well. It used its litter tray to have sand baths.
Our dog is much superior pet; loving, active, interactive, expressive, playful, etc. I would never have another pet that wasn’t a dog or perhaps a cat. I feel badly about buying into the whole “something different” thing. This was in the 90s, so I guess we got caught up in the fad.
Moving to IMHO.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Exceptions to every rule, of course. Rats are known for smarts, as are certain parrots and some other small animals. However I don’t think the average rat is as smart as the average dog.
My son had a pygmy hedgehog as a pet for a while. It was a complete pain in the ass – he had to wear gloves to handle it at all, it was not cute in any way, and it died at less than a year old, despite the constant care he gave it.
Can you give me more detail about how smart/personable fancy rats are? Are they really like dogs – what sort of examples can you share?