by Jessy Hudson

Created on: September 29, 2009

The most common external parasite known to affect hedgehogs is the flea. Although this is a condition that is easily treated, it can become dangerous to the animal. Prolonged periods of flea infestation have been shown to cause anemia. It is best to remove the fleas as soon as possible.

Fleas can be introduced to your hedgehog in a number of ways. One of these is by the mother hedgehog, which can give fleas to her offspring. Another is by the fleas being brought into the house by other pets, such as a dog or a cat.

There are two types of fleas that are commonly found on hedgehogs. The first are hedgehog fleas, which are comparatively rare on domesticated hedgehogs in the United States. The second are cat or dog fleas. The good news about this latter group of fleas is that since these fleas prefer to live on cats or dogs, they will not want to spend much time on your hedgehog and should be easy to remove. The easiest way to tell if your hedgehog has fleas is to look at the soft hair on their belly. Here, the fleas will be easiest to see.

If your hedgehog does have fleas, there are some common treatments to choose from. The safest ones are the ones designed to treat mites in birds, as they tend to have the lowest levels of harmful chemicals and are very gentle. The next best choice would be any treatment that is formulated or suggested for use on very young kittens. Sprays or powders can be used, but shampooing seems to deliver the best results. Be sure, while shampooing your pet, to avoid getting any of the solution near the face of your hedgehog, as some flea treatments can cause eye irritation.

Once you have removed the fleas from your pet, the next step is to clean the cage before returning your pet to it. The fleas will have laid eggs in your pet's bedding and, in a few weeks, will hatch and re-infest your pet. All of the bedding in your pet's cage should be replaced and all of the items and the cage itself should be cleaned thoroughly. Also, the area surrounding your pet's cage should be vacuumed or wiped down well and, if carpeted, treated with a commercial carpet flea treatment.

At this point, you should also check the other animals in the house to see if they have been infested. If you remove the fleas from your hedgehog and not from your other pets, there is a very high chance that your hedgehog will become re-infested.

If, at any point, your pet begins to seem lethargic or stops eating, be sure to see a veterinarian as soon as possible, as these are signs of anemia. A flea infestation can be very detrimental to your hedgehog, but with proper care and treatment your pet should be feeling less itchy in no time.

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