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Children and Hedgehogs
Many people fear allowing hedgehogs into homes where young children live, and on one hand, they have reasons to worry. On the other hand, hedgehogs make wonderful pets. It all really depends on the children in question, and the circumstances.
For example, hedgehogs are favorites for class pets. First, they are hypoallergenic, so parents and teachers don’t have to fear any of the children being allergic to the hedgehog. Second, the children are with the hedgehog in a controlled environment, where supervision is constant. This, however, isn’t always the case in a private home.
Hedgehogs are very small, and can easily be injured by small hands that are not always gentle. Of course, few children in this world would intentionally hurt any animal, but because they don’t always know their own strength, unfortunately injuries caused by small hands are very common.
On the other hand, the hedgehog does have those quills to protect him, and if a child has handled him roughly in the past, he will fear that child, and he will use those quills to protect himself when the child reaches for him again. Here, you don’t have to worry about injury to the hedgehog. Instead, you have to worry about injury to the child.
If you will have a hedgehog in a home with a child, it is best to wait until the child is about nine or ten years old. No matter what age the child is, there must be rules established, and you must be able to know that the rules will be followed. The rules are for the child. The hedgehog doesn’t understand rules, and no matter what you do, he is going to behave like the animal that he is. You can reason with a child. You cannot reason with a hedgehog, and if your child is injured by a hedgehog, it is important to keep this in mind.
First and foremost, it must be understood that the hedgehog’s cage is never to be opened unless you open it. Second, you must pick up the hedgehog, have your child sit down, and place the hedgehog in the child’s lap until he or she is old enough and big enough to be able to carefully pick the hedgehog up without your help.
The child must be instructed not to feed the hedgehog anything unless they have cleared it with you first. With small feet in the house, the hedgehog should not be allowed to roam freely in your home either, and if for some reason he is, the child must keep small toys picked up. Furthermore, the child should not give the hedgehog one of their own toys without clearing it with you first.
Finally, you should never leave a child with a hedgehog unattended until they reach an age where they can actually be held accountable for the care of the hedgehog. You don’t want your child hurt…and you don’t want your hedgehog hurt, and the only way to prevent these things is with diligence, supervision, and rules that are followed to the letter.
Hedgehogs, Hedgehogs information, Hedgehog tips, Hedgehog pets, Hedgehog advice
Next Article: Showing Your Hedgehog
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