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Having a hedgehog as a pet is fun and rewarding. Rewarding because it gives you the chance to get to know and care for a fascinating little exotic creature, and entertaining because hedgies have a host of fun behaviors to watch! However, it’s not like having a dog or a cat: potty training won’t happen in a jiffy! You will need a little patience and a few tips to train your hedgehog to use a litter box, and it still may not happen. So, in this article, we will walk you through four steps to litter train your hedgehog and try to make this whole process a lot smoother.
Before You Start: Gather Everything You Need
You only need two things to litter train your hedgehog:
1. A litter box
No need to buy the most expensive litter on the market. A simple plastic litter pan that you place in the corner of your hedgehog’s cage will be sufficient. Make sure it’s not too high, so your hedgehog can get in and out of it comfortably, without doing too many acrobatics. However, it should be deep enough to contain your pet’s droppings and urine. Besides, some options come with built-in clips to secure the litter box, but this is only useful if you have a wire cage. Ware Lock-N-Litter Small Animal Litter Pan and Oxbow Enriched Life Corner Litter Pan are two inexpensive options that meet the requirements listed above. In addition, they are easy to clean, made of durable plastic, and allow easy entry.
2. Litter
Obviously, you will need to purchase a good litter suitable for hedgehogs. It should be low in dust, non-toxic, absorbent, and soft enough for your pet’s delicate little paws. The best options for litter are:
- Fleece
- Paper-based litter (like Carefresh Small Animal Bedding)
On the other hand, you should avoid the following types of litter, as they are not suitable for hedgehogs:
- Hay
- Straws
- Sawdust
- Pine shavings
- Cedar shavings
The 4 Steps To Litter Train Your Hedgehog
Now that you’ve got the two essentials together, it’s time to start potty training. Here are the four steps that may help your little hedgehog to use their litter similarly to how a kitten would (or almost!):
1. Place the Litter in the Right Place
- In a corner away from their food and water. You must create a separation between the food corner and the toilet corner because hedgehogs do not like to relieve themselves near their food. This separation is also useful for sanitary and hygienic reasons, as it limits the contamination of food and water by feces.
- Under the exercise wheel. Just like hamsters, mice, and guinea pigs, hedgehogs need to burn off their energy daily. So, one of the best accessories for this purpose is an exercise wheel. However, most hedgehogs tend to relieve themselves in their wheels, which makes cleaning this area more tedious. That’s why placing the litter box directly under the wheel can help keep that spot cleaner and make cleaning easier. Although most hedgehogs run and relieve themselves at the same time, some will stop their exercise period to use the litter tray.
We recommend starting the training with the first option (litter in a corner away from the food), as this greatly facilitates the cleaning of the cage and allows your hedgehog to associate only one place with the toilet area. However, some hedgehogs are more difficult to train than others, so you should keep the second option in mind just in case, or you can have two litter boxes if their enclosure is spacious enough.
2. Relocate Feces and Urine to the Tray
The best way for hedgehogs to learn to use their litter box is to use their sense of smell. To do this, as soon as your hedgehog relieves themselves, simply relocate their droppings in the litter box. Clean the rest of the cage daily, or more frequently if necessary, so that the smell of his feces and urine is only coming from the litter box.
Side note: However, do not allow your hedgehog’s droppings to accumulate in their litter box. Clean your litter box every day but leave some excrement in a corner, so that the smell lasts there, without being too intense.
3. Establish a Daily Routine
Every day, you must interact and gently try to handle your hedgehog so they slowly get used to your presence and touch. It also helps establish a potty-training routine. So, before taking your hedgehog in your hands, gently place them in their litter box. Leave them there for a few moments but do not force them to stay there until they have relieved themselves. Then, place them on the ground and play with them. As soon as you see that they start releasing a stool, gently put them back in their litter box. Finally, at the end of your bonding period, place them once more in their tray. Repeat this routine daily and reward your hedgehog with extra petting every time they use their litter box to relieve themselves.
4. Be Patient and Consistent
This is the key: patience and consistency are your best allies in litter training your little hedgie. It may also take longer in some cases, depending on the age and temperament of your hedgehog and also on your diligence at the task.
It is also strongly recommended to start potty training your hedgehog from an early age to increase the chances of success. Be aware, however, that this learning can take a few weeks or even a few months while some hedgehogs will never learn or accept using a litter box, as they are not latrine animals by nature. So just keep calm and keep going!
Final Thoughts
Hedgehogs are not as easy to litter train as cats, but some can learn to do so. However, they won’t do it instinctively – it is up to you to try and teach them how. By following the four steps in our articles and purchasing the appropriate accessories, you may end up being rewarded with a perfectly potty-trained hedgehog!
Featured Image Credit: WildSnap, Shutterstock
