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Heat Sources
There is usually a lot of confusion when it comes to the best way to heat a room on a normal basis or the best way to keep the hedgie warm during a power outage. Here are a few options that are commonly used.
The temperature in the hedgehog's cage/environment should remain a constant 72-80 degrees Fahrenheit at all times. A digital thermometer should be used for monitoring this. One with a remote sensor is a great choice (like this one: ESU digital thermometer--put the probe near floor level, taping it if you have to, being sure not to cover it with the liner or bedding).
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SUMMER/WINTER TRANSITION: Cool air is different than warm. During winter, 74 degrees may be fine for your hedgie when it's warm air coming from your vents. During the summer, however, that same 74 degrees with cool air may cause a hibernation attempt. If you rely on central air for your hedgehog's heat source, this is something you should keep in mind and you should try to keep the room the hedgehog is in a few degrees warmer than the rest of the house--shutting the vent in that room usually works for this, just make sure it doesn't get TOO hot in there.
Everyday heating
If you don't want to keep your thermostat turned up to 72 all the time for the whole house, there are a few options you can use to heat on an every day basis.
Space heater -- This will heat the whole room that the hedgie is in, keeping the total environment heated. Most of the time these are used when there is a Sterlite cage, and a lot of people like them when a C&C cage is involved because that keeps the whole area heated and you don't have to worry about the heat escaping the cage. There are many different styles of space heaters so you should do research to find out which one is right for you. Some of these can pose a fire risk, but as long as you use them according to manufacturer instructions, make sure your pets can't knock it over, and have an up to date heater, the chance of fire is minimal. (You might opt to turn it off if you have to leave the house and leave a snuggle safe disk in the cage just in case.) Oil filled heaters are the most popular among hedgehog owners. Here is an article that may help you in choosing a space heater: Which space heater is best? by Dan Crane. You have to carefully monitor space heaters to be sure the temperature does not exceed 80 degrees--they easily can. You can buy a thermostat to plug them into. NOTE that if the hedgehog is going to be in your bedroom and you can't sleep with a warmed room, you might need to consider another choice of heating.
Here is a tip from Nancy about space heaters (originally posted on HHC):
Before we got our first space heater to use in the hedgie room I phoned the fire department to ask about them. They made a few recommendations.
One of the main problems with space heaters is using old ones. With use and heat the wiring inside become brittle and the brittle wiring can crack and cause shorts. It is recommended to buy a new heater every couple of years if it is used all the time. Buying a new heater every few years also ensures it has the newest safety features and that they still work.
Buy a name brand heater, and a good quality one. Don't buy one just because it's cheap. Heaters are not something to try and save money on.
The less moving parts, the better. Oil filled heaters are very safe and have no moving parts.
Ceramic heat emitter (CHE) -- These look like oddly shaped light bulbs, but give off no light(some give off red light but you should avoid those because some hedgehogs are bothered by red).
(Fixture -- needs to be ceramic!)
(Bulb)
They are best used with C&C cages. They should not be used with Sterilite ones without some modification to the cage because they get really hot and can melt the plastic. These are well-liked because they heat the cage and only the cage, so you don't have to have the whole room at a higher temperature. You HAVE to have a thermostat controller for these or they will run full blast and overheat your hedgie. The thermostat will turn the emitter on and off to keep the cage at the right temperature (you may have to order the thermostat online because they are sometimes difficult to find in pet stores). Look for the Repti-Temp 500R Thermostat--you do NOT want the rheostat. (Discussion of the difference between the two can be found here.)
If you want to use one with a Sterilite bin, you will need to make a top for the cage using metal wire (look for the kind used for screen doors) that the emitter can sit on. The emitter should NEVER touch the plastic.
Here is what Reaper originally posted on Hedgehog Central about heat emitters:
A ceramic heat emitter sold at most pet stores for reptiles. YOU MUST have a thermostatic heat controller or the ceramic heat emitter will be on full blast and cook your hedgie. You must also use a ceramic socket for the fixture, cheap plastic sockets are dangerous and a fire hazard. You will pay a little more for a ceramic fixture at the pet store but it is safer. Most emitters come in 100/150/250 watt sizes. I would recommend a 150 watt emitter unless you have a huge cage or the normal room temperature is below 68 F. You must also be careful when using a emitter in plastic bins. The fixture is metal and gets pretty warm so you don't want the emitter or fixture touching any plastic.
This is what Nancy had to say about the number of emitters needed for a C&C or wire cage (from this thread on Chins-n-Hedgies):
In a standard 18" - 22" x 42" or less wire cage, one emitter will usually provide enough heat, especially if the back is closed in. When you have a C&C that is 2 cubes x 2 cubes, (28" square) one emitter will usually work fine. Even 2 x 3 cubes One emitter might work, but larger than that and you need to have 2 emitters, one for each end of the cage. Most of the thermostats will control two emitters.
Human heating pad -- They can be used under HALF of the cage to provide a warm spot if you other ways of heating are not an option for you. Only use new brand name heating pads (cheap is NOT an option because they can start fires), wrap them in a towel, always place them UNDER/outside the cage, and always keep a close eye on them. The issue with fires is where humans bend them by lying on them and wearing them down. A problem should be very unlikely with a new, high quality heating pad. DO NOT use them with aquariums because heat can build up in an aquarium quickly. If you're using this method they have to stay on all the time and cannot be turned off when you leave the home.
Emergency Heating/Travel Heating
If the electric goes out or you have to take a trip to the vet in cold weather:
Snuggle safe disk
Snuggle safe disks -- These are disks you can put in the microwave to warm them up, cover with a cloth, and put into the cage. They are available commercially, but I believe you have to order them online because most stores don't keep them in stock. They are reusable. If you wrap them (and you should), they can provide heat for 10-12 hours.
Hand warmers
Hand warmers -- You can buy these for a dollar or so at most stores (they even typically have them at the dollar store). When they're opened from the foil packet they come in and exposed to air, they heat up. Wrap it in a piece of fleece or put it in a sock before putting it into the cage with your hedgie so there's no chance of getting burned. These are disposable, so you will probably want to buy a pack of several just to keep them on hand. Depending on the brand, they can stay warm 8-10 hours.
Rice Sock
Rice sock -- You can fill a thick sock with uncooked rice, tie it shut, and stick it in the microwave for a minute or so to use as a make-shift heating pad in a pinch. Wrap it in a towel before you put it in with the hedgie to be sure it's not too hot against the skin. It's reusable if you sew the top of the sock and keep it clean and dry. This can stay warm for 2-3 hours.
Hot Water Bottle
Bottles -- A standard hot water bottle can be filled up with warm water, wrapped in a towel, and used. If it's a total emergency and you have nothing else, fill a small soda bottle with hot water, wrap it in a towel and use it.
Body heat -- If the power goes out (I do not recommend this for vet visits! Hedgehogs should always be in a travel carrier with a sufficient source of heat--handwarmer, hot water bottle, etc--when in the car!) and you do not have anything around for warmth, put on a sweater or hoodie, lie down, and let your hedgehog sleep on your stomach (be careful not to fall asleep yourself). Body heat can keep your hedgie warm enough for someone to make a run to the store for hand warmers or for the power to come back on.
