African pygmy hedgehogs are increasingly popular as exotic pets, but their specialized needs make welfare failures common among owners without adequate preparation.
Pet hedgehogs that cannot exercise adequately develop fatty liver disease and obesity that shorten their lives significantly. Attempting torpor in cold rooms without the physiological preparation wild hedgehogs undergo before winter hibernation causes sudden death from hypoglycemia. The nocturnal nature of hedgehogs means they are most active when owners are asleep, leading to insufficient enrichment and handling. Veterinary care requires exotic animal specialists that are not universally available, leaving sick hedgehogs without adequate treatment.