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This page has a few different articles about children and teens. Some are geared toward parents who own or wish to own a hedgehog but are concerned about their kids, and some are geared toward teens/adolescents who want to get a hedgehog. Here is a little overview in case you don't want to read through all of that to find what you're looking for. Note that the black headers/titles are the start of different sections so you can just skim down to the one you want.
This page contains:
Young children and hedgehogs -- guidelines for parents with children 10 and under; deals with interaction, rumors of illness caused by hedgehogs, and how to keep your child and hedgehog safe
Children under 5 years old should not be holding/handling a hedgehog. Under that age an adult can hold the hedgie and show a child how to properly pet it but for both child's sake and hedgie's sake, safety-wise the child should not be allowed to hold the hedgie. This is because young children can easily get distracted and drop the hedgie, and are often a little unsteady on their feet and could easily fall, possibly hurting both hedgie and child.
An article was on the news recently (fall 2008) about exotic animals and children, and how hedgehogs are terrible for kids. The article was entitled "Doctors: No hamsters or exotic pets for young kids" and said: "Hedgehogs can be dangerous because their quills can penetrate skin and have been known to spread a bacteria germ that can cause fever, stomach pain and a rash..." This information was put out there by a reporter that was just taking bits and pieces of information out of their context and putting them together to form an article. While some of the information about other animals being provided was correct (about salmonella from reptiles), the part about hedgehogs didn't even cite what bacteria it supposedly is. The truth to the matter: Quills can puncture the skin and make it easier for different bacterias to get in, but hedgehogs do not carry any diseases on their quills that make them unsafe to be near kids. Simply washing hands with soap and water after handling can greatly reduce any such risk. The symptoms mentioned could be caused by anything, and upon much forum discussion and debate about the article most people in the hedgehog community have never heard of such a bacteria coming from hedgehogs. The general conclusion was that dogs and cats are more likely to be harmful family pets than a hedgehog would be.
General guidelines should always be followed when it comes to young children and pets:
Wash hands before and after handling (try putting a bottle of hand sanitizer by the cage and making it a rule that the hand sanitizer has to be used before leaving the room)
The child should not have any unsupervised contact with the pet
Teach the child how to handle/interact with the pet, and the do's/don'ts (don't squeeze, move quickly, pull ears; do move slowly, be gentle, etc).
When the child gets a little older, teach them not to scare the hedgie just to get it to ball up (because although younger kids might find it fun to watch, that can traumatize the hedgie), and gradually start working toward more than petting: the proper way to hold the hedgie in their lap (5-6 years old), pick it up (7-9), etc.
Should an adolescent be responsible for a hedgehog?
Children under the age of 13 should not be the sole owner of a hedgehog--even children up to 16, I would still keep a close eye on. A hedgehog is a big responsibility that requires special care--parents really need to be involved when it comes down to it because it's easy to make mistakes, especially at such a young age. If I had become owner of a hedgehog when I was 15, I know for a fact that it would not have had the care and attention it needed--because at that age all I cared about was getting on with playing games online/calling friends/etc. I didn't think twice about quality of life or special requirements. At that age, I would have been a terrible hedgehog owner, and I openly admit that. It was only after I got out of the typical high school drama (where everything is about material things) and started college that I considered taking in my first hedgehog, and I was much more prepared at that point to do the research and become passionate about my new-found pet. Some kids are more responsible than others. But parents still need to be involved to be sure that the hedgehog is not being pushed aside in favor of "more important" things.
While some adolescents may enjoy owning a hedgehog and dutifully do everything required to take care of one, those kids are rare--most will lose interest very quickly. In either case, the parent needs to realize that they as the parent will need to assume a lot of the responsibility for the hedgehog and not just rely on their child to do so. The parent has to be sure the hedgehog is fed and watered daily, that the temperature is correct, that the lighting is working, and that the cage is cleaned, in addition to having at least half an hour of interaction time a day (either with the child or with them). The parent also has to be responsible for taking the hedgie to the vet, and paying for any vet expenses.
The reason most children/adolescents lose interest so quickly is simple: the hedgehog is nocturnal and not up to do anything cool while they're still out of bed. It can also often be discouraging because the hedgie can take a while to come around, and will probably poke them a lot. Often the pet that was asked/begged for becomes the parent's sole responsibility--and parents need to be prepared for that.
I'm not saying that no one under 17 should own a hedgehog, by any means. Hedgehogs are a wonderful pet that can enrich the lives of those who are passionate about them. If an adolescent/young teen is really passionate about getting a hedgehog, does research beforehand, and is willing to put in the time and dedication needed, there is no reason that it couldn't turn out to be a good experience for everyone--and hopefully it does! Just keep in mind that the parent needs to be on board 100% and be ready to help out if their child asks for help or even to step in if the child starts to lose interest in their quilled friend.
Are you an adolescent/teen wanting to convince your parents?
If you've done all your research and you're really dedicated to the idea of getting a hedgehog but your parents are resistant, it's probably not going to be an easy task to convince them. They're the ones who will have to pay for vet bills, take you to the vet, help you sufficiently heat the room the hedgie is in, and will probably have to help you get the food (whether driving to a pet store or ordering from online).
You will need to show your parents that you are ready for the responsibility. Try saving up money to buy your own hedgehog instead of asking them to pay for it (that might mean doing odds and ends around the house for money, saving your allowance, or getting a part time job mowing lawns, doing paper routes, helping neighbors, etc). This includes the cage, wheel, hiding place, and food as well. Hedgehogs cost about $150-$250 typically from a breeder; the cage usually costs about $50, whether buying one pre-made (can cost more depending on cage) or buying materials to make a Sterlite cage; the wheel usually costs about $30 depending on the wheel and where you get it; the hiding place can cost about $20 if you want variety (igloo and fleece for hedgie bag); and food can cost up to $20 for two bags of high quality cat food (which lasts 6 months or more when mixed together). That's a total of a $320 initial cost, if your hedgie itself costs $200. If you need to buy a ceramic heat emitter because your house is too cold, it can cost even more.
If you manage to convince your parents, talk to them about vet care. Find out if you need to put away money for vet care (typically $100-$200 in emergency funds) or if they will be willing to help you.
You might also consider taking in a rescue hedgie. This usually costs significantly less (usually a $60-$100 adoption fee) and the hedgehog typically comes with a cage. The drawback to this is that you may not know the hedgehog's history, and will definitely need to go see a vet after adoption. Your parents may find it more responsible of you that you'd like to rescue a hedgehog instead of buying one that is already guaranteed to have a good home (in most cases) with the breeder.
You need to have your parents 100% on your side about getting a hedgehog before you do. Sometimes parents will let their child get a hedgehog, then be uncooperative if it needs to see a vet or if the room is too cold and needs heated. Many parents don't like the idea of space heaters, and might not be cooperative about buying a ceramic heat emitter. A hedgehog has certain needs (food requirements, heating requirements, light requirements, vet trips, etc). If your parents aren't willing to help with that, the quality of life for your hedgehog can suffer greatly. If that is the case and your parents are reluctant to help with caring for your hedgehog, you should reconsider getting one. Wait until a later date when you can take care of the hedgie's needs on your own.
And no. Sorry, but you're on your own. I can't help convince your parents. That's all up to you. ;)
