I strongly caution new owners from getting a second hedgie right after getting the first one. This is because one hedgie takes a lot of time and dedication--two is double that WHILE you're still learning how to take care of the first one.

Many people think that their hedgie is lonely and is in need of a companion to keep it company. Hedgehogs are by nature pretty independent. Typically, they don't want companions of the same species. If you feel your hedgie is lonely, you should spend more time with it instead.

If you do make the decision to take in a second hedgie, don't do it JUST because you want a companion for your current hedgie. Because there's a good chance that the two won't want anything to do with each other. If you want a second hedgie for yourself (not as a companion for your other hedgie) and feel that you can divide the time equally between them (especially in the event that they can't have any play time together, like male/female), a second hedgie could be a wonderful addition for you. You just have to make the decision carefully and really consider if you have the time to dedicate to another addition to the family.

If you do bring a second hedgie into your life, there are a few things you must keep in mind.

• The new hedgie has to have a 30 day quarantine period before being near your current hedgie or your family pets--this is especially true for rescues and pet store hedgies, and is a very good idea even for ones from breeders. This is to rule out the possibility that the new hedgie is carrying a disease or illness that can be passed on to your other pets. The quarantine means that the new hedgie has to be kept in a completely separate room of the house where it does not come into contact with any of the other pets. This means you have two warm environments set up in your house, one for your original hedgie and one for the new one. You and anyone else that come into contact with it need to wash your hands after handling the new hedgie, before you handle your original one. Keep clothing in mind, also. If you have the new one all over your shirt, you might want to change it before you go handle the original one.
  
• If the new hedgie is a rescue and is female, keep a watchful eye out because you do not know her history and if she's been housed with any males.  There is the possibility that she could be pregnant.  Hedgehog gestation is normally 34-36 days but a longer pregnancy can be anywhere from 34-46 days.  Mark the day you brought her home on the calendar, and then wait 55 days to be SURE that she isn't pregnant.  The vet can do an x-ray to look, but these are often inconclusive.  Just keep in mind that you need to watch her and if she goes into labor and something goes wrong you may need to make an emergency visit to the vet.
  
• After the 30 day quarantine, if you want to house the hedgies together or let them be playmates you HAVE to keep this in mind:
  1. The only suitable housemates are two females--and that is only if they want to be housed together.
  2. Two males should NEVER be housed together. They will fight and the results won't be good.
  3. A male and a female should only be together in the hands of an experienced breeder, unless they are spayed and neutered. There should be NO interaction time at all between the two--it only takes a few seconds to mate.
     
• When you introduce the two hedgies they might want absolutely nothing to do with each other. The introduction should be totally supervised, and should be on neutral ground (aka outside the cages). Don't just dump them into the same cage together. Try putting their cages side by side, so they can get used to each other. After that, you can let them interact a few times first, then you can try housing together if you want to do so if you've seen no aggression. Monitor closely, though, for the first 48 hours. Snuffling and mild nudging is okay; more serious fights mean they should be separated. Fighting can be serious, even fatal, so watch for signs of escalating aggression.
  
• If housing together, have two of each item: two wheels, two food bowls, two water bowls/bottles, two hiding places, etc. There needs to be a LOT of space so that there is less chance of fighting. You need to have a second cage on hand too for if they show any sign of not getting along.