To learn about which states are illegal, go to: http://www. hedgehogcentral. com/illegal. shtml and speak to your veterinarian or contact your state veterinary board.
If you know anyone that has a pet hedgehog, ask them where they bought it to get some ideas. You can also search for something like “Hedgehogs for sale in South Carolina. ” Be wary of buying a hedgehog from a pet store. If you are interested in one, be sure to ask the store where they got the hedgehogs from and try to check their sources if possible.
Professional breeders may also belong to organizations such as the Hedgehog Breeders Alliance, the Hedgehog Welfare Society, or the International Hedgehog Association.
Young hedgehogs won’t be as prickly, and you can easily pick them up. The hedgehog may quickly curl up into a ball when you pick it up. This is a natural defense mechanism. If this happens, be calm and patient while it relaxes and adjusts to being held in your hands. Healthy hedgehogs will normally uncurl themselves fairly quickly and investigate your hand. If the hedgehog clicks, hops, or jumps, put it back in its cage and let it settle down and become more relaxed. These signs indicate that the hedgehog is scared and/or stressed, and it may attack.
Accidentally buying a pregnant female can also leave you with a litter of hedgehog babies before too long.
If the seller seems shifty or unwilling to share details about the animal’s health, buy elsewhere.
If the hedgehog rolls over, you can also see its fur-covered belly. The fur should be soft, smooth, and free of any mats or tangles. There should not be any missing patches of fur or areas where the fur is thinned out.
Hedgehogs with WHS will suffer a number of health problems, and likely die at a young age. Reputable dealers will not knowingly sell hedgehogs affected by WHS.
