Healthy, Friendly Hedgehogs Start Here!
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Granite State Hedgehogs is a state and federally licensed professional hedgehog breeding facility proudly located in Franklin, New Hampshire. As a family, we've been professionally breeding these amazing little creatures since 2012 and have been hedgehog owners for a combined 20 years! We have a passion for hedgehogs and are fully committed to raising the healthiest, friendliest hedgehogs around. Our combined efforts and team work have made it possible to create Granite State Hedgehogs, establishing an excellent breeding program and a top class facility just for them! We supply hedgehogs to zoos, educational programs and people just like you. We hope that you'll enjoy the information found on our site and look forward to pairing you with your very own pet hedgehog.
Thank you,
Come Visit Us
Franklin, NH 03235
603-852-6015
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Available Hedgehogs
Holiday Waiting List
Looking to purchase a hedgehog for the holidays? Our Holiday Waiting List guarantees you a baby in time for Christmas. By participating, you'll get to pick from multiple babies and can pickup as late as Tuesday December 24th. If you have any questions about our Holiday Waiting List, just let us know.
There's still a few babies left!
With the holidays fast approaching, we're experiencing extremely high demand.
We're accepting Holiday Waiting List deposits for babies that wean mid-December, just in time for the holidays. If you reserve a spot today, you'll be able to bring your baby home as soon as Saturday, December 13th. You can sign up for the Holiday Waiting list with a $50 deposit which goes directly towards the purchase price. The average price of our babies range from $300 - $450 depending on color, markings, gender, friendliness and genetics. You will get to pick your baby once they get big enough to photograph. The expected date of selections is December 13th.
Our Holiday Waiting List usually sells out by mid-November! Don't miss your chance to take home a baby in time for Christmas.
The Ultimate Cage Setup
What Is A Hedgehog?
Hedgehog Basics
Lifespan: Up to 5 - 10 years
Diet: Our babies are sent home on Fromm - Gold Adult Cat food. We've chosen Fromm for their commitment to quality nutritional value. It is a complete diet and there is no need for supplements. We free-feed our hedgehogs, offering them 1/4 of a cup of food per day. Available through our site and at pickup.
Size at Adulthood: Healthy hedgehogs can range in weight from 1/2 lb to 2lbs, about the size of a softball. In comparison they are close in size to guinea pigs.
Captive Environments: Hedgehogs should be provided a cage that is draft free but allows airflow, easy to clean and escape proof. We use guinea pig style wire cages with plastic bottoms.
How To Care For A Hedgehog
Habitat: There are many options to choose from, we personally use and recommend guinea pig style habitat wire cages, with plastic bottoms. All of our babies are gravity-fed water bottle trained. They'll also need a food dish. For bedding, we recommend the use of recycled paper beddings such as CareFresh or Clean & Cozy. This tends to be the safest option since they are processed and do not pose the same risks as natural wood-based beddings. They will need a hideout, appropriate flat-bottomed running wheel, toys and an proper heat setup. We sell complete hedgehog cage setups which can be picked up in store or delivered with your baby.
Their bedding should be changed at least every 5-7 days. When washing their cage, avoid any harsh chemicals. We personally use Dawn dish liquid to wash our cages. Hedgehogs require baths about 1-2 times per month using warm water, baby shampoo and a soft-bristled tooth brush. Inspect your hedgehogs toe nails and trim as needed (usually 1-2 times per month). You can cut their nails with cat nail trimmers.
Since hedgehogs naturally are foraging animals, they like to walk around and will need a form of exercise. We personally use 12 inch flat-bottomed running wheels which work great in helping them keep up with their routine. Inspect your hedgehogs for toe nail trimmings, you can clip long nails with baby finger nail clippers. Exercise does not necessarily mean running on a wheel only. Hedgehogs also need activities, and enrichment. This is done by foraging, inspecting surroundings, exploring, and encountering new smells & objects. I like to set up play areas for them. I change the placement of hide houses, scatter food in different areas/corners, and also I move the actual play area from time to time. Hedgehogs love exploring and they always seem like they are on a mission to explore and have fun in their play pen. Your hedgehog would enjoy several hours of play each evening in the pen. Hedgehogs are solitary and once they reach maturity they must be housed separately. However if two females are raised together we find they will live together with little to no aggression as adults.
Diet: Our babies are sent home on Fromm - Gold Adult Cat food. We've chosen Fromm for their commitment to quality nutritional value. It is a complete diet and there is no need for supplements. We free-feed our hedgehogs, offering them 1/4 of a cup of food per day. Available through our site and at pickup.
Food: Hedgehogs are ominvorous insectivores and should be fed an appropriate diet. Their diest should consist of a high-quality cat kibble. Optionally, you can supplement with dead or live insects and small amounts of frutis and vegetables. Feeding hedgehogs too much fruit can cause loose stool, and hedgehogs do not seem to like many vegetables. We have a fantastic write-up on food selection along with recommendations in the Recommended Foods Section.
Handling: Hedgehogs are solitary by nature and require daily handling to build a strong desirable bond. Generally speaking, the more that you handle your hedgehogs, the friendlier he/she will be. Since they suffer from poor eyesight, it can be a good idea to place a worn article of clothing inside your hedgehog's cage to help him/her associate your smell as something safe. This will go a long way to making your hedgehog feel safe around you. While most hedgehogs are nocturnal, African Pygmy Hedgehogs have been domesticated since the early 50's and as such have adopted more of a diurnal schedule being up for part of the day and night. At night, typically when all the lights go off hedgehogs come alive! This is the time they would prefer to be handled and played with. This is also the time for them to go into their play pens.
Actual holding and touching a hedgehog can be challenging at first but will quickly become an easy task to achieve. Yes they have sharp spines, however they are easy to handle and even novice owners will be playing and holding their babies in no time. As your hedgehog gets older, their spines will soften as they grow in their adult coat.