Keeping your hedgehog warm is something that most owners know they need to do. They also know getting a heating lamp or heating pad should be a top priority before they bring their new pet home.
But most of them make one of the following mistakes:
They either rush out and get a low-quality product, don’t know how to monitor the heat accurately, or have no backup plan if their primary heating option fails.
Any of these common mistakes can lead to a cold hedgie and very serious health issues. And that’s why we put together this guide.
In it, you’ll learn everything you need to know about keeping your hedgehog warm. From the best heat lamps and heating pads to foolproof backup options if you suffer a power outage, it’s all in here.
If you’re in a rush and want the best heating products without the extra info, here they are:
This is our favorite hedgehog heat lamp without a doubt. It’s safe, reliable, and creates heat with ease.
Here’s the best hedgehog heating pad on the market. We’ve been using it for years with no issues, and no plenty of other owners who do the same.
Here’s a link to the most accurate and affordable cage thermometer you can find. No frills, but does the job without hurting your waller.
The Smart Approach To Hedgehog Heating
As you probably know, keeping your hedgehog warm is one of the most important things you can do if you own one as a pet. This prevents them from going into hibernation, which can be fatal.
Since hedgehogs need a warmer environment than you typically have in your house, most owners focus on keeping their cage area warm instead of the room. We think you should aim for a mix of both.
Heating your hedgehog’s cage should obviously be your main focus. This is where your hedgehog will be spending most of their time, so it needs to be a suitable temperature.
They will be in there for a long period of time unattended as well. Since they’re nocturnal you don’t want to go to bed and wake up to discover that they were chilly all night!
In our opinion it’s also smart to pay attention to your room temperature as well. While you obviously shouldn’t crank up the heat in your home super high just for your hedgehog, be mindful of the environment.
If you tend to keep your house on the cooler side, think about how that affects your hedgehog. Maybe you’ll want to shut the door in the room their cage is in to help insulate them from the cooler temperatures in other parts of the house.
Some experienced owners use space heaters during the winter as an extra layer of security. This will help keep their general area warm without having to adjust your overall house temperature.
Quick Tip: Take a little time to look for drafts or poor insulation in your home. If you’re aware of areas that get a little chilly compared to others, it’s probably smart to keep your hedgie somewhere else.
The Best Heating Products For Your Hedgehog
It’s incredibly important that you buy reliable, high-quality products to keep your hedgehog warm. This means either a top-notch heating lamp or a trusted heating pad.
Here’s why:
It’s not just about their ability to heat your hedgehog’s cage. That’s easy to find.
It’s about how reliable they are. Anything that fails periodically can put your hedgehog’s safety at risk. If it were just about comfort then this wouldn’t matter as much, but when hedgehogs get cold they can die.
This means the heating lamp or pad you get has to be reliable and consistent. They also need to be sturdy and not prone to overheating (which can cause other problems).
Over the years we’ve spent a lot of time looking for the best hedgehog heat lamps and pads out there. We regularly talk to other owners and try them with our own hedgehogs.
Because of this, we can confidently recommend the following two products. They’re both effective at heating, super reliable, and still quite affordable!
Option 1: Our Favorite Hedgehog Heating Lamp
This is our favorite hedgehog heat lamp out there by far. It’s quite versatile with an accurate temperature selection option and won’t let you down.
- Perfect 24 hour heat source: heat bulb does not emit any visually detectable light
- Temperature range: digital thermostat provides temperature control between 40-108°f
- Multifunctional clamp light: scratch-resistant sleeves covered clamp won’t leave marks on your surfaces
- Package Includes: One 150W ceramic heat bulb, one digital thermostat, one clamp light with 8. 5 inch reflector.
It also has a great clamp that gives you the flexibility to attach it to various parts of the cage no matter what your setup looks like. It also comes with a black bulb which means it won’t interrupt the sleep of your hedgehog during the day.
A lot of owners like heating lamps for hedgehogs because they’re simple to set up and easy to maintain over time. It’s also easy to check if they’re working or not without interrupting your hedgie.
Option 2: The Best Hedgehog Heating Pad
Hedgehog heating pads are another great way to keep your hedgehog warm. You’ll pretty much see owners split down the middle when it comes to pads vs lamps.
- Use indoors or outdoors
- Low power consumption, 25 watts
- Resists chewing
- One year limited warranty
The best way to use them is by placing them underneath half of the cage. This will give your hedgie the option to cool off a bit if they’re a little toasty, while still heating the entire cage effectively.
The hedgehog heating pad we’ve linked to above is a great example of everything you’re looking for. It does a great job of keeping the cage warm without getting too hot. It’s also quite safe and we haven’t been able to find an instance of it failing or overheating throughout all of our research.
The Importance Of Monitoring The Temperature
It’s your responsibility as the owner to make sure your hedgehog is nice and warm. Even if you’re using a heat lamp or pad we listed above, you should never trust them completely.
Whenever you pop in to check on your hedgehog or play with them, take a moment to make sure your heating product is working properly. Just putting your hand near it will ensure that it’s at least running, and if it’s too cool or hot you’ll probably notice.
In our opinion though, you should always use a thermometer.
Getting an accurate thermometer is the ultimate way to monitor the warmth of the cage. Not only will it make your estimates more precise, but it will also save you time as well (a quick glance only takes a second).
This is the thermometer that we recommend for all hedgehog owners. It’s cheap and extremely accurate. We really haven’t been able to find another thermometer that comes close to this one!
- External sensor can go in water
- Can display Fahrenheit and Celsius
- High-quality LCD readout
- Extremely accurate and well-calibrated
What To Avoid And Prepare For
There are a few things you’ll want to prepare for when it comes to keeping your hedgehog warm. This is probably the part of hedgehog heating that most new owners overlook the most.
Being ready to deal with potential power outages or product failures is part of the game. You don’t want to get a pad or heat lamp that can overheat and potentially injure your hedgehog (it’s happened to owners before).
You can avoid this by buying a high-quality lamp or heating pad that isn’t prone to issues. It’s also on you to check in on your hedgehog to make sure they’re doing well.
Being engaged and attentive (especially when you first get new heating equipment) is incredibly important. This will allow you to catch anything that’s not working before it potentially becomes dangerous.
You also want to have a backup plan for power outages.
Even though it’s an unlikely event, they do happen and can cause a lot of issues for hedgehog owners. There are a few different options you have when facing a power outage and trying to keep your hedgehog warm.
The first thing you’ll want to do is cover your hedgie’s cage with some thick blankets and towels. This will prevent some of the heat from leaving their cage and buy you a little time.
If you have a generator then go ahead and fire it up. This will allow you to power your hedgehog heat lamp or pad and keep them comfortable and safe.
If you don’t have a generator then you have to get a little more creative. Making a fire in your fireplace and bringing their cage nearby is a great way to keep them toasty. You can make it a nice evening in front of the fire together!
Another great option is by snuggling. Body heat is one of the most efficient ways to pass and maintain a warm temperature in cold conditions. Layer up so you can stay warm yourself, and then have your hedgehog rest against your skin. This will keep them nice and warm and can actually be a great bonding experience!
Conclusion
Keeping your hedgehog warm is one of the most important responsibilities you have as an owner. And by reading this guide and getting prepared, you’ve ensured that your hedgie will be living in a much safer home.
No matter if you choose our recommended hedgehog heat lamp or heating pad, both will serve you just fine. We’ve had such a great experience with both of them (and have heard the same thing from other owners) that we know you’ll be happy.
If you have any questions about different kinds of heating options or have another pad or lamp you want us to look at, send them over! We pride ourselves on providing the very best info and product recommendations to the hedgehog community, and always want to stay up to date.
