FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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ARE YOU A USDA BREEDER?
No, we are not required to have a USDA license because we are under the legal limit of five or less breeding females. We could get licensed, but we wish to remain a hobby breeder for a while longer. We plan to eventually become licensed in a couple years, but for now we’re happy staying as a small hobby breeder. Even though we’re not USDA licensed, we do choose to abide by all the same regulations that a USDA licensed breeder does when breeding small animals.
WHY SHOULD I BUY A tenrec FROM QUILL VALLEY?
Answer to question 1
WHAT IS THE LIFESPAN OF A LESSER MADAGASCAR TENREC?
Lesser Madagascar Tenrec live on average for ten to fifteen years.
do male or female AFRICAN PYGMY HEDGEHOGS have better personalities?
There is no difference in personality or temperament between males and females. Each hedgehog is an individual just like a human, not one is like another. Unlike some other species of animals where one sex may be more calm or grumpy, that isn’t the case with hedgehogs.
DO HEDGEHOGS GET ALONG WITH OTHER ANIMALS?
Provided you’re always supervising the animal’s interaction and offer enough space for each species to get away from one another, many hedgehogs are okay with the company of other animals and may like other animals, such as dogs and cats. Even if the animals seem to be best friends, it is essential that they have constant supervision. Some breeds of dogs that have high prey drives are dangerous to let around a hedgehog which is a prey animal. So, be careful and make sure you’re well aware of your animal’s prey drive, and watch their behaviors around prey animals. But, keep in mind that there are some predatory animals that are entirely unsafe to allow around hedgehogs even if you’re supervising their interactions. Animals like ferrets can be highly aggressive towards hedgehogs and injure or kill them quickly. Animals like rats, tend to try and chew a hedgehog’s quills off. Hedgehogs, also, tend to get stressed out from even just smelling ferrets. If the hedgehog lives in a home that also has ferrets in it, make sure to house the ferret(s) and hedgehog(s) far apart in the home. Some hedgehogs can start acting out, become highly stressed, and be grumpy and bitey to show you their stress. Dogs who haven’t been vaccinated for kennel cough and may be exposed to it need to be kept away from the hedgehog. Hedgehogs can get kennel cough, and it is fatal to hedgehogs if they contract it. The same goes for rabbits. Rabbits can carry what’s called Pasturalla which is dormant in their bodies. It’s known mainly by the name Snuffles when it’s active in a rabbit’s body and is making them sick. Hedgehogs can contract Pasturella which is fatal to small animals if contracted. It can kill rabbits too—it’s a nasty illness. Also, animals are most impressionable at a young age, so for cats and dogs it is best to be introduced to hedgehogs when they are kittens and puppies. They will be most likely to bond with them while young, and you’re able to train behaviors and how to act around the hedgehog more easily.
CAN I TRAVEL WITH MY HEDGEHOG?
Yes, most hedgehogs travel well and make good traveling companions. Like any animal you need to attend to their basic needs depending on the length of travel. Some may have motion sickness—just like us. Keep in mind that while traveling you need to make sure hedgehogs are legal to have where you’ll be going. You need to research vets that treat hedgehogs along your travel path in case your hedgehog gets sick while traveling. This way you won’t be scrambling to find a suitable vet for them. We don’t recommend taking a hedgehog on an airplane unless they can be in the cabin of the plane with you. Shipping hedgehogs in the cargo of a plane can be stressful for them and they can get cold.
ARE HEDGEHOGS OR TENRECS better family pets?
Generally speaking, a tenrec would make a better family pet because they’re more handleable. The majority of them enjoy being handled, and they’re more laid-back, calmer animals than hedgehogs. Hedgehogs aren’t the easiest animal to handle, especially if they’re grumpy and ball up or raise their quills which are sharp. Most hedgehogs aren’t laid back animals—they can be pretty energetic and high strung. A hedgehog’s quills are, also, sharper than a tenrec’s quills. A hedgehog’s quills are longer, thicker and sharper. A tenrec’s quills are thinner, shorter and duller.