Spike - Good Boy

Finally, he sleeps in my hand again.
I think we've reconciled after the incident mentioned in "Spike - Since Oct. 8th." Now when I handle him, although he still tries to run away when he's conscious, he still puts down his quill pretty soon and "allows me" (not saying that he likes it) to pet him (And I do believe it's not because that I bribe him with mealworms.) It's even better when he is sleepy. He'll just try to fall asleep again even in my hand.

Usually I won't be able to see his face cause he always tries to hide it when sleeping. But I was lucky enough to see it when I did the routine handling one evening.


Chubby, but cute.

Spike - Accessories

我可是在小傢伙身上花了不少心思。
雖然沒有製作別墅的能力，就設備來說，他住的也應該算是豪宅吧。
以下就要來看看他的用品們。

I. From Breeder
前四項是我從breeder買來一開始的setup中有的東西而我現在還在用的。

1. 整理箱

長型的。空間還不算小。

2. 飲水器

雖然是聽說有夾到舌頭跟給水量不足的顧慮，不過目前看來似乎Spike使用上並沒有什麼問題，所以不打算換。裝水在淺盆裡Spike有時後會踩過去，我怕他腳濕濕的不好，就不這樣了。這個飲水器其實就算不去動它，每隔一段時間都會自己滴一兩滴下來，所以我下面還是擺了一個容器，以保持整理箱的乾燥。

3. 碗

其實我因為整理箱內"家具"擺放位置的變動，還買了很多個其他的碗。結果最後因著現在的安排，還是換回了原先breeder給的（所以我浪費了一些錢在沒用的碗上)。這樣正好，因為飲水器會滴水，這碗的兩頭，一邊就拿來裝食物，另一邊就用來接從飲水器落下的水。有時候Spike若是有注意到，也會先喝完碗裡的水才喝飲水器的。

4. 滾輪


看過別人的滾輪喋血故事(看了都覺得痛...)之後，開始比較會appreciate這個滾輪，因為它基本上沒有什麼地方可以造成傷害。一開始我就是單單滾輪連著鐵架直接放在整理箱裡，晚上Spike運動的時候，非常的吵。想過要在整理箱挖洞然後把滾輪固定在箱上，結果整理相被我弄裂...花了好一段時間做白功。目前因為把便盆放在滾輪下，正好有壓制的作用，就比較好一點(雖然我還是得把Spike留在客廳然後我要關上房門才能睡覺)，所以我暫時先把鑽孔的事情擱置。把便盆放在滾輪下後，我兩次早上起來看到滾輪並不在鐵架上，每次都驚慌的把Spike吵醒來檢查有沒有受傷，然後發現是虛驚一場(每次都結束於Spike睡眼惺忪的瞪著我)。第一次我以為我沒裝好，後來才覺得可能是Spike硬往底下鑽而把滾輪頂下來。因為滾輪其實只是"放"在鐵架上的:


我現在就以隨手可得的材料把它固定住，目前還沒有其他狀況。

我仔細思考過，還有可能造成傷害的大概就是兩個在滾輪底(側面?)的小洞了。雖然Spike每次一上滾輪就開始狂奔，應該是很難有什麼機會去鑽那兩個洞，可是為了確保安全，我還是稍微用砂紙磨了一下。

II. From me
接下來就是我敗家的開始...

5. 便盆

我對自己的歪點子還挺滿意的。
第一個是把便盆放到滾輪底下是個好主意，反正Spike也會在滾輪上大小便，這樣剛好，現在整理箱其他部份都可以保持"相對的"乾淨。第二個是把別人用來烤蛋糕的cake pan買來當便盆。其實我之前一直思考了很久到底要去哪裡買會剛好合整理箱寬度的便盆。有想過要買那種放在盆栽下的淺碟子，可是一直沒看到適合的。有天在買grocery的時候正好看到這個，就買了。大小剛好，又有點"可塑性"，簡直是完美。

便盆裡面用的litter是：

也是花了我一點時間去找。本來breeder給的bedding看起來跟網路上看到的刺蝟皮屑長得有點像，總是讓我在Spike換刺的時候心驚膽戰，老是自己嚇自己，況且看起來一點都不吸水。我知道刺蝟使用的litter有很多限制，最好不能有添加物，因為他們可能會咬；最好不要是clay作基底的，有一些潛在的危險(忘記是什麼了)，blahblah的，總之很多。尤其是公刺蝟，凝結砂怕會沾粘在他們的重要部位上造成堵塞，所以最好是分解的。幾乎完全符合需求的我在Petsmart只有看到一種，兩家不同公司的。一家就是我買的這個，另一家稍微比較貴一點，google "feline pine cat litter"應該可以看到(同一家公司有出不同種的，可是包裝一樣，要小心搞混)。
目前用起來感覺還不錯，我今天又買了一樣道具：

幹嘛用的勒？因為分解的litter每次要清理的時候，常常都會順道挖掉一些還可以使用的，造成浪費，所以我買了這個東西來當作過濾器，把還完好的litter留下，粉都篩掉。剛剛試用了，效果非常好(得意)。

6. 木屋

這是在網路上買的小木屋。
剛開始其實從breeder那邊拿來一個只算的上是睡袋的東西，後來好像是因為Spike在裡面大便，而我已經連續好幾天都在洗那東西，而那東西又不容易乾，所以我給他拿了一件我不喜歡穿出門的T-shirt，順便讓他熟悉我的味道。只有布料雖然是可以有遮蔽又順便有床，可是有時候容易被他推來推去，不在一個固定位置。有天我在網路上亂逛，看到了這木屋，就馬上下手了(買Spike用具從來沒手軟的)。


現在我的T-shirt也在待洗中，用了兩個袖子跟兩塊布當木屋中的床用(沒錯，兩塊白色的是另一件T-shirt的袖子，我為了他多了一件無袖衣)，這樣就可以拿來輪替。

7. 保溫燈加溫控組
這就是我極度敗家的證明。

保溫燈本身沒什麼稀奇。100W的陶瓷加熱器加上夾式的的燈座，其實沒有多少錢。



重點是溫控器。這不是一般的on/off溫控器，而是proportional的。on/off的溫控器，在溫度不到設定的溫度時就會開啟你的加熱裝置，然後在超過時切斷，真正的溫度會隨著設備好壞在設定溫度的上下2~5度(華氏)之間。而proportional的會自動調節輸入加熱裝置的power來維持所設定的溫度。說實在，溫度有點起伏有關係嗎？我想大概是沒差吧。可是就想讓Spike奢侈一點，既然我不會造樓中樓的話。

8. 體重計

是用來量廚房裡的食物的。簡單的數位顯示，一目了然，單位可以用磅或公斤。

9. 砂紙

其實就是一塊砂紙，實在沒必要放照片，可是都照了，所以...。
不是很粗的，100 grit(中文叫什麼?)。我摸過，不太粗，不掉沙，算滿OK的(我希望)。貼了一塊在整理箱內的底部，目前看來有點用，應該很久不用幫Spike剪指甲。會使用這個方法的原因是因為我實在很不會給Spike剪指甲，因為總是很擔心會撿到他的肉，所以每次都折騰老半天，Spike都不爽了我還沒剪到(囧)。在書上看到說可以放置粗糙表面的東西在食物盆的周圍來避免剪指甲，書中說的材料我忘了(英文的)，只記得都是不怎麼容易取得的(至少對我來說)，所以用了砂紙(當然是很小心的自己先摸摸看才選的)。

大概就是這樣了，其他還有些雜七雜八買錯的、沒在用的就不提了。

Spike的家是這樣：


旁邊還擺了一大推跟他有關的東西：


吧台下現在沒位置了，我吸塵器要另覓住處了。

Spike - Since Oct. 8th

Having been so busy lately, I didn't have time to update things about Spike.

He is 344g now. I worried for a little bit, but since he'll be 3 month for less than a week, I guess he's not too fat. Plus, he runs on the wheel ever night, he's probably more fit than fat. (I hope)

Just when I thought I got he's trust when he was 2 month old, one day an accident happened. I was handling him like usually, and I put him on my lap while I was getting something. I didn't know what happened, maybe he scared himself or he sneezed (?), he backed up a little and rolled down my lap. He immediately rolled into a ball and that was the first time I heard him make the clicking sound. Ever since that, he has been very cautious and there were several days I can't really hold him. Any little movement will cause him to roll into a ball and make clicking sound. Now that he's been better (I guess I can say within a relatively short time period, but surely doesn't feel so the first few days.) Now I know I not only have to be careful don't make any mistake myself, I also have to beware of his mistake that might hurt or upset him. Overall he's a good boy I think. Now he's just more cautious. But he will still sleep in my hand if I hold him during his bed time.

Spike is an interesting guy. (This is probably an interesting line...)
A few days ago, I put a mealworm beetle (well, mealworms grew up...) in front of him. He smelled it, but didn't eat it. That was weird to me. While I was holding him in my left hand and ready to put him back to his house, I decided to try it again. So this time, he was in my left hand and the beetle was in my right. And he ate it! I wonder why. I guess he just doesn't pick anything random from the ground to eat?! No idea.

Spike - Over 2 month Old

I don't know what topic to use so I randomly chose one.
Haven't blog about Spike for a while now cause I have been busy and lazy.
Several points to update: (man, is this the engineer way of writing a blog or what)

He's gotten bigger now.
I spent some time with him after work everyday and I remembered one day I just suddenly felt that he's big. Several days ago when I was looking for a pot (or a "Whistling Tea Kettle" if you will), I saw this scale for measuring weight of food (or spices?) in the kitchen. I was too excited since I had been looking for a weighing scale that suits Spike and there it was in front of me. I bought it without thinking (and ended up returning it the next day). Came home all excited and couldn't wait to measure Spike's weight. It was a dial scale with graduation to 1/4 of 100g (so, 25g). Spike seems to be 200+3/4*(100)=275g. That scared me. He was 185 when we went to the vet. Now it's only about 2 weeks later and he's almost doubled up? After inquiring someone else's opinion, he's probably just at his "growth stage". Now when I calm down and look at him again, he doesn't really seem that fat to me. I am just being very protective that's all.


He doesn't poo in his bed now.
I guess I shouldn't feed him uncooked veggie? I really don't know. But he doesn't poo in his bed anymore and that's a great improvement. I think I can officially claim him as being successfully potty trained. I guess he probably didn't really need to be trained. I am probably the one who needs to be trained. Here are the changes I made (as I was being potty-training-trained):
1. I took the professional opinion and put his bed at one end and the food in the middle. 2. Since he poos on the wheel and like to poo under the wheel too, I decided to put the potty box under his wheel (which is also recommended by another hedgie owner on his website.)

This is the first successful version. (oh... my lousy picture taking skill...)
His sleeping bag is my TEAM BUZZ T-shirt now...

This is an upgraded version. I bought him a wooden house. The same T-shirt is in the house. There is also a piece of sand paper taped in the middle there (grade: 100. I don't think this will hurt his little feet. I mean, he walks on it, not that I sand his nail with it.)
(wow, I really didn't know it's that dark... I'll take new ones sometime and update this post...)

That's probably it. Oh ya, and I bought a proportional thermostat "Herpstat". Seems real easy to use. I'll go get heat emitter and set it up soon. Upgrade, Upgrade, Upgrade. (Spike doesn't even care. I am the excited one)

Commercial Hedgehog Food

As far as I know, most people use cat food (sometimes dog food too) to feed their hedgies. Although not many, there are still food specially formulated for hedgehogs available on the market. I did a little research. This list is by no means a recommendation list. It only shows the fact that they exist. Also, the order means nothing at all either. It's totally random. The numbering is just to count how many are out there.

If I know the company name, I'll list it and list the products. Otherwise I am just gonna post the product name.


1. Eight in One Pet Products

a. Ultra-Blend Diet for Hedgehogs


b. Crunchy Treat - for Hedgehogs


There seems to be different package (appearance.) I posted the newest version of the package.


2. Pet-pro

a. 1st Crumbs
b. Spikes Delite Premium
c. Spikes Delite Pet-Diet
d. Spikes Delite Lite-Diet
e. Spikes Delite Pro-Diet Chicken 'N Rice


Seems like the packaging for all the products are the same except for the product name. I might have to ask Spike if this would really be his delight. XD


3. Sun Seed
a. SunSeed Sunscription Vita Hedgehog Adult Food


The company website doesn't really tell you anything.
And I don't understand why is the name of the food has to be so freaking long.


4. Exotic Nutrition Company

a. Hedgehog Complete


b. Insectivore-Fare


c. Insect-Eater Diet


d. Mazuri Insectivore-Diet


I actually bought the Hedgehog Complete for Spike and he seems to like it, but there is really no way to know if the nutrition is exactly what he needs.(shrug)

5. Vitakraft



Can't find the product on their homepage. Saw some very bad review of it when I was searching for the picture...

6. Pretty Pets Hedgehog Food



I don't get if there are two kinds or if "premium" and "maintenance" are just two words in one long name.


7. Wildthings Hedgehog Food



8. F.M. Brown's Nutrition Plus Hedgehog Food
or F.M. Brown's Zoo Vitals(with or without "s") Hedgehog Food




9. Spike's Dinner


Another hedgehog food that is named with "Spike." Makes me wonder if there is really
not many hedgehogs named Spike.



Again, I have to say, this is just a list of hedgehog food out there. Even though they are all called hedgehog food, some of them have ingredients that are actually not suitable for hedgehogs. Many hedgehog owners even claim that hedgehog food is actually not as good as weight-control cat food. (Of course there is opposite opinion too.) It's really hard to tell what is the best. I guess hedgehog owners just have to watch out themselves.