

Use code: Save10First for 10% off your first box. Burrow into a monthly adventure at www.pocketpetpouch.com Use code:your first box. SPLOOT NEWS

In this issue: - Poket Pet Pouch

- Heating 101

- One Huff At A Time

- Care Card #1

- Meredith Noyes

- SPLOOT Hog of the Month

- Hey Hooman!

- Hog-O-Ween Costume Contest

- Subscription Information

- First Fifteen Subscribers

- Critter Camp

- Special Subscribers

- Disclaimer

- SPLOOT IG info Heating 101

Heating is a foundational aspect of hedgehog care. Domestic/pet hedgehogs are susceptible to hibernation, which can be deadly.



According to Christina and Shaun Hannigan, founders of Hannigan Hedgehog HQ, the ideal temperature for a hog is between 77 and 81 degrees Farenheit. To maintain this temperature, there are a few options: Ceramic heat emitters

Space heaters

Heating the entire home (thermostat) Beth Randall, founder of Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary, drives home the importance of NOT using heating pads, since they easily cause burning and electric issues. Other hedgehog experts like Tori Lynn have mentioned that heating pads only warm the bottom of the cage, not chilly air.



There are some places where even the experts differ, but most sources SPLOOT spoke with had similar opinions, and the differences were small. Christina Hannigan made the following product recommendations. Ceramic Heat Emitter - Ceramic emitters don't use light to generate heat, which is important because hedgehogs are nocturnal. Heat lamps interfere with their regular routine and can make them much less active.

8.5" dome - A dome is just as important as the heat emitter. A small dome limits heat distribution, and an open-frame wire dome lets heat dissipate entirely.

Thermostat - Thermostats make heating less stressful and takes out the guesswork. Thermostats regulate heat so you don't have to keep turning on and off the lamp. Heating is a basic part of hedgehog care, but that doesn't mean it's one size fits all. Our hogs are as different and individual as people, and so is each person's living situation and climate.



The above information is a great place to start, but keep track of your hedgie's food intake, activity and happiness and adjust heating as needed. Hedgie care is an ongoing process and the work is never done. One Huff At A Time by SPLOOT creator Abby Lee Hood



One year ago, I had a short list of senior dogs who'd passed away in my care. At the time, I was adopting exclusively senior dogs and sadly, that means losing a few in the process.



"How do you do it?" my friends asked



I felt like I was making an impact when people reconsidered their preconceived notions about old dogs. They can, in fact, learn new tricks. What I didn't tell them was how sad and scared I was. I was terrified to touch or hold or love a new animal, because I was afraid they were all going to pass over the rainbow bridge.



One year ago, I felt a little fake. Here I was, pretending to be this senior dog hero when I couldn't stand the thought of taking another one into my home.



Then, Noodle happened.



On Christmas in 2018, my brother (who is eleven) could barely keep the secret of whatever he and my mother had cooked up for me. I was beginning to suspect it a living present and was scared. When my mom handed me a cardboard box I gasped. Inside was this little spiky animal with red eyes, and I had no idea what to think.



I knew what a hedgehog was, but I had never had one.



"She's a rescue," my mom explained. "Her mom died and the daughter couldn't take care of her."



I picked the little creature up in my hands and immediately started to cry. I remember it like it was yesterday; a then-nameless Noodle in my hand, much smaller than she is now, and just kind of sobbing at her. I didn't agree with gift-giving animals, and I still don't, but something was happening in my heart and I couldn't let her go.



I immediately began to read everything I could about hedgehogs. She had a cage, a hide, food, bowls, and a few other items but I could see she hadn't come from a great situation. She was eating Meow Mix.



Two weeks into our relationship I felt I had consumed as much hedgehog information as I could, and things were going smoothly. She already had a bigger cage, a new wheel and heat set up and higher quality food. I had just started to settle into a routine with her.



Then, one evening, I saw blood on her fleece bedding.



Just like that, Noodle had an extreme UTI. I rushed her to the emergency vet after basically bullying them into seeing her, crying my eyes out the entire way. They informed me she was dying and gave her a 1/10 chance. That same night, back at home after beginning antibiotics, Noodle couldn't walk. She was almost lifeless. In my most recent experience, animals like that don't bounce back, and I did not want Noodle to suffer, so I rushed her back to the vet and said I had accepted his original recommendation: euthanasia.



I thought, "I'm cursed. Maybe I'm not meant to have animals anymore."



The nurse, however, could see how upset I was and made me promise to wait for one hour in the office. It was midnight and I had nowhere to be, so I agreed.



In that hour, Noodle showed me what she was made of. She ate some kibble and began to walk around. I was shocked, and I told her I would never give up on her if she wanted to fight. And fight, she did.



I got up every two hours for nights on end to feed her. She was recovering slowly but still had trouble moving around. One evening, I was browsing the hedgehog subreddit and found a post where someone mentioned they'd given their hog Pedialtye for dehydration. They described wobbliness, weakness, and how dehydration can do that to a hog. I immediately commented back.



The next morning I purchased a bottle of unflavored Pedialyte and after two doses, Noodle had done a 180. She was a completely different hog, no longer weak or wobbly. I was ecstatic, and forever grateful to that Reddit user.



That was the beginning of SPLOOT News. That bottle of Pedialyte made me realize: this community is resilient. We study, we research, we love and we learn. I became dedicated to furthering our efforts to improve hoggie lives.



Noodle has a new, more experienced vet now. She was recently diagnosed with spinal arthritis and is recovering from an infection. I know her background is sketchy at best and that may impact her health. But I'm no longer afraid to face it with her.



Noodle is here to stay and regardless of what happens, her hooman is wrapped around her tiny footsies for the rest of her days. Care Card #1 - Eyes and Ears

EYES

Watch out for: Bulging eyes

Scratching/poking eyes out

Infection Prevention tips: House aggressive hedgies separately

Mind toys, water bottles, etc. which might be on eye level

Check your hog each day and note changes in appearance or behavior EARS

Watch out for: Ear wax/ear infection

Tattered ears

Dry ears Prevention tips: Ear wax can sometimes be cleaned at home, but it is also common for vets to clean hedgie ears while they're already under, say for an x-ray. Noodle recently had her ears cleaned for the first time while getting a checkup.

A small amount of coconut oil can help remove dry skin from ears, BUT

Dry or tattered ears can be a sign of mites, and if it's severe or persistent, see a vet

Sources for Care Card #1:

Laurel Sedgwick, HWS Rescue

Beth Randall, Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary

Christina and Shaun Hannigan, Hannigan Hedgehog HQ, HWS rescue station



Adorable hedgie-themed tees, bags, mugs and more in Meredith Noyes' Threadless shop! (We're digging the backpack) SPLOOT Hog of the Month

Snooty A small hedgehog hellbent on taking over the world. He is 1 year old and his occupation is king of his own kingdom; Snootopolis. He loves snacks and firetrucks.

Follow Snooty on Instagram

Join Snooty's Facebook group Hey Hooman!

Our first featured hoomans are Christina and Shuan Hannigan of Hannigan Hedgehog HQ, a HWS rescue station.



SPLOOT: How did you and Shaun come about getting your first hedgehog?



Shaun: Christina was the driving force in bringing hedgehogs into our home. I was not on board and afraid to touch him. He even bit me. [But] Tumbleweed happened. He was a force of nature. He had a huge personality and taught us so much. He was my buddy and loved to run around and just be himself. That was very endearing.



SPLOOT: Why are you both so passionate about hedgehogs?



Christina: Typical animal shelters have no clue what to do with them. The HWS is 100% volunteers who open their homes to unwanted hedgehogs. Someone has to help them. They are so popular, but proper care and education is lacking, so we strive to answer every question a new adopter has.



Shaun: They are unusual pets but if you work with them you will find that are very loving. I want to help bring that relationship to other people.



SPLOOT: When did you get started, and how many hogs have you helped?



Christina: We got our first hedgehog, Tumbleweed, in June 2009. I joined a few hedgehog Facebook groups and met some lovely people who helped me learn so much. Word got out (because we never shut up about hedgehogs) and someone contacted us about taking in [more hedgehogs]. We became an official HWS rescue station in January 2014.



We have rescued 127 hedgehogs to date, including the ones we took in before January 2014. We've averaged 30 per year since 2017. Our busiest time of year seems to be July through September.



SPLOOT: Do you have pet hoggies, or are they all up for adoption?



Christina: We keep the special needs hedgehogs. We currently have two tripods, WeeMan and Bingo. WeeMan would do fine in an adoptive home but he is kind of Bingo's emotional support animal. Bingo does not like humans at all. Toast has a severe heart condition and we don't know how long he has, so he will stay with us. Gus is just a clown. We have no clue how old he is, but he is very bonded to me and I can't imagine giving him up. Lastly is our latest permanent hedgie, Bubbles. She is 4 years old and due to her age, she will stay with us.



SPLOOT: How many do you have currently for adoption?



Christina: Two brothers who are 7 months old. This number can change daily.



SPLOOT: What's next?



Christina: We want to do more outreach, going to pet stores and educating them on the proper care so that info can be passed along to new owners. I've also contacted the Chicago Public Library system in hopes [of] a program of education.



I would love to mentor more people to become rescuers. We are currently the only rescue station in IL, IA, parts of IN, WI and MI.



SPLOOT: If you could communicate something to every hedgehog owner, what would it be?



Christina: Hedgehogs require patience, consistency and time. They have only been domesticated about 40 years. Some will become very friendly and others will be what they are - guarded, timid, etc. Don't give up on them because they aren't what you see on Instagram with socks on their feet, etc. Bringing a pet into your life is a commitment. Hog-O-Ween Costume Contest!

SPLOOT News is getting ready for the October issue! We want to highlight your piggie in their Halloween costume or ~fancy attire~ so send your entries to splootnews@gmail.com with the subject "Hog-O-Ween." Subscription Information

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Subscribe to SPLOOT News First Fifteen Subscribers

These subscribers are truly the founders of SPLOOT News. Thank you for believing in this project! (And yes, we know we said fifteen, but we were so excited we just kept the list going) #1 - Dread Hogs

#2 - Kiwi

#3 - Scribble The Hedgehog (including Gnocci & Truffle!)

#4 - Brynn / Teddy

#5 - Patrick Jackowiec

#6 - Bonnie & Twill / Miss Harvey's Home

#7 - Jade

#8 - Jen #9 - Caroline

#10 - Cucunut Hedgies

#11 - PocketPetPouch

#12 - Nicole

#13 - Cassie

#14 - Stacey

#15 - The Wonky Hogs

#16 - Dominique / Charlie the Hedgehog

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#18 - Hercules Critter Camp Exotic Pet Rescue is the only exotic rescue in the Oxbow Rescue Giveback campaign! Vote for Critter Camp daily until September 23rd. Special Subscribers

Each month SPLOOT gives a special thank-you to our $15/mo subscribers. You have been invaluable to our launch!



- The Wonky Hogs

- Alabama Hedgehog DISCLAIMER SPLOOT News and the sources who give information in our articles cannot be held liable for care decisions and/or the consequences thereof. SPLOOT News is not a replacement for proper vetting. Use #splootnews on Instagram for a chance to be featured on our page.