Hedgehogs on the Loose

Hide and Seek

• Hedgies love to play hide and seek.  They will hide for hours or even days and probably don’t even care if you don’t notice they are hiding.
• Only allow your hedgehogs to play in “hedgie safe” areas so that you can monitor your hedgehog at all times. 
• The best way to search for a missing hedgehog is to explore an area on your hands and knees.  Look for warm dark places where a hedgie is likely to hide.
• Be sure to look in, under and behind appliances such as the stove and refrigerator.  Refrigerators are very popular because they are warm.
• Couches and recliners are dangerous because an unassuming person can sit on one and squish poor hedgie.
• Hedgehogs can sneak behind cabinets, dressers, bookcases, or other storage units.
• They might find holes in walls and flooring or squeeze through ducts and drains.
• Heather Johnson at www.hedgies.com suggests putting food, water, and treats in a brown paper bag.  When a missing hedgie searches for a meal you will hear the bag rustle.
• Familiar sleeping bags or other objects might also attract a missing hedgie.
• Remember that hedgehogs are nocturnal so a good time to find them on the move is to search in the dark with a flashlight.
• The best way to be a winner at this game is not to play at all!  Make sure your hedgehog is housed in a secure cage and allowed to play only in an appropriate play area.