How do I fix a hedgehog enclosure that keeps getting too humid

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges of maintaining appropriate humidity levels in a hedgehog enclosure. Participants share their experiences and suggestions regarding ventilation, enclosure types, and potential solutions to prevent excessive moisture buildup, which may affect the health of the hedgehog.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest increasing ventilation as a primary method to reduce humidity, with ideas such as using small fans or allowing cooler air to enter the enclosure.
  • Others emphasize the importance of cleaning and maintaining bedding to control odors and moisture levels.
  • A few participants inquire about the type of enclosure being used, noting that certain designs, like aquariums, may retain moisture more than others.
  • There are discussions about using hygrometers to monitor humidity levels and the potential use of hygroscopic materials, such as silica gel or Drierite, to absorb excess moisture.
  • Some participants express skepticism about relying on artificial dehumidification methods and advocate for addressing the root causes of humidity.
  • Concerns are raised about the health implications of high humidity for hedgehogs and the need for a detailed description of the enclosure to provide effective advice.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that humidity is a concern and that ventilation is important, but there are multiple competing views on the best methods to address the issue. The discussion remains unresolved, with no consensus on a definitive solution.

Contextual Notes

Participants note various factors that could contribute to humidity, such as the type of enclosure, the hedgehog's breathing, and the overall environment. There are also mentions of the potential impact of keeping hedgehogs indoors compared to other small mammals.

Who May Find This Useful

Pet owners, particularly those with hedgehogs or similar small mammals, may find this discussion relevant as it addresses common issues related to humidity management in animal enclosures.

smeelytop
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Hey folks! So I’m kinda losing my mind over my hedgie’s setup lately. No matter what I do, the enclosure keeps getting super humid and it’s starting to smell funky. I clean it, switch bedding, crack the window, the whole nine yards… but it still ends up damp and I’m worried it’s gonna mess with my little dude’s health. I’m starting to feel like I’m doing something wrong even though I’m trying so hard. Has anyone dealt with this before? Any tips, hacks, gear recs… literally anything would help. I just want my spiky potato to be comfy again.
 
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More ventilation, I think.
 
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Any small fan in a window will help.

I bought a small window fan for my shed and just framed it in. Pretty straightforward.
 
Clean its poop bed every day.
Could be the reason its smelling funky.
And lots of bedding.
 
By the way, do you have a hygrometer in there, to ensure you are tracking the actual humidity? They're about 10 bucks.
 
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Allow cooler air to enter the enclosure low down, slowly, as it warms and takes up excessive moisture, its density will fall, so it will rise to the top, where you will extract it, or allow it to vent.
 
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What are keeping it in?
aquarium (not much air circulation)
bird cage (lots of air circulation)

Something like an aquarium will retaining exhaled moisture or moisture from other sources.

Google recommends a solid floor for their feet and 2 x 3 feet of space.
 
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smeelytop said:
No matter what I do, the enclosure keeps getting super humid.
Could you please describe that enclosure?
The animal breathing is a source of humidity.
Exhaled warm air eventually cools down and becomes unable to hold some of that moisture, which then becomes condensation.
That exhaled humid air needs to be exhausted from the enclosure and replaced with dryer fresh air, which will be able to absorb some of that condensation.
 
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  • #10
smeelytop said:
my hedgie’s setup
This thread means nothing without a cute picture of your hedgehog. :smile:
 
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  • #11
berkeman said:
This thread means nothing without a cute picture of your hedgehog. :smile:

And there is no way to help without any information about the enclosure itself.
 
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  • #12
Borek said:
And there is no way to help without any information about the enclosure itself.
A small leak could account for a big increase in humidity. How much water does Hedgie drink? Is it outside with a dirt floor? etc. etc. so many possible variables.

Over humid conditions could harm the little person. Needs a solution soon, I think.
 
  • #13
Just a thought but what about those hygroscopic crystals included in shipments that have to stay dry? Their precise name eludes me.

EDIT: I know Wiki is frowned upon in the serious parts of the forums but it's a broader topic than I expected:

Hygroscopy.
 
  • #14
sbrothy said:
Just a thought but what about those hygroscopic crystals included in shipments that have to stay dry? Their precise name eludes me.
Silica gel (##\text{Si}\text{O}_2)?##
 
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  • #15
Yeah, I think that's what I was thinking about. Probably inadequate for the job though.
 
  • #16
sbrothy said:
Yeah, I think that's what I was thinking about. Probably inadequate for the job though.
These kinds of things will become saturated and stop absorbing humidity.
 
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  • #17
Yeah, upon posting it it almost instantly dawned upon me that it wasn't a viable solution over time.
 
  • #18
sbrothy said:
Yeah, upon posting it it almost instantly dawned upon me that it wasn't a viable solution over time.
But it is a short term fix if you buy the silica gel in bulk, as crystal cat litter from a supermarket. You can revive the crystals in an oven, or microwave them in a glass or ceramic dish.
 
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  • #19
Do hedgehogs eat rice?
 
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  • #20
sbrothy said:
Their precise name eludes me.
Drierite is what you'll find in the optics labs, where some crystals HAVE to be kept dry. It has an indicator (color change) so you know when to change it. Is it OK for Hedgehogs? Should be OK if they aren't eating it. OTOH, it might be a PITA to keep changing it when a fan could fix the problem. IDK.
https://pim-resources.coleparmer.com/sds/08934-18-26-36-37-indicating-drierite-sds.pdf
 
  • #21
The idea of artificially dehumidifying the enclosure seems misguided. Fix the problem at its source: increase ventilation to replace humid air with dry.
 
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  • #22
berkeman said:
Do hedgehogs eat rice?
While I know it's a myth I couldn't avoid envisioning exploding hedgehogs. It'd basically be a nail bomb! o0)
 
  • #23
If the OP really needs a solution then the possible source and quantity of water needs to be established. I'm not aware that hedgehogs are sensitive to drafts and cold so increasing ventilation could be the simple answer.

This sort of problem is far more interesting if the situation is described in detail.
 
  • #24
smeelytop said:
Hey folks! So I’m kinda losing my mind over my hedgie’s setup lately. No matter what I do, the enclosure keeps getting super humid and it’s starting to smell funky. I clean it, switch bedding, crack the window, the whole nine yards… but it still ends up damp and I’m worried it’s gonna mess with my little dude’s health. I’m starting to feel like I’m doing something wrong even though I’m trying so hard. Has anyone dealt with this before? Any tips, hacks, gear recs… literally anything would help. I just want my spiky potato to be comfy again.
Jumping in on this older post because I’ve had similar issues before. A small USB fan aimed near (not into) the enclosure helped keep moisture from settling, and switching to a more absorbent bedding made a big difference. Have you checked the room’s overall humidity? Sometimes the whole space needs a dehumidifier. Curious if you ever found a setup that kept things dry.
 
  • #25
PaisleyDavis said:
Curious if you ever found a setup that kept things dry.
Keeping a mammal is a different matter from keeping reptiles etc. Mammals respire a lot and, as a consequence, exhale a lot of water vapour. Is there a reason why the enclosure shouldn't have a large area of vent - or even just an open top (hedgehogs can't fly or jump to freedom. A fan would be just over the top, imo.

What is the temperature inside your enclosure? There's no reason why it shouldn't drop to typical outside autumn temperatures; hedgehogs don't live in a naturally 'cosy' environment.

People keep all sorts of small mammals in houses without causing condensation / high humidity problems. Maybe it's a 'smell' problem that you are dealing with by having the little chap indoors?

I could question the idea of keeping 'pet' animals that are not suited to indoor life. The good thing about reptiles is that they tend to do well indoors as long as you keep them at appropriate temperatures. Semi-domesticated mammals like guinnea pigs and hamsters have stood the test of time as house pets but hedgehogs are not common - and probably for good reasons. Your pet may be a rescuee so you may feel forced to look after it and that would be a good reason.
 
  • #26
Well the OP'er @smeelytop hasnt bothered to come back to the thread since his original post,
so I guess we will never know the whole story
 
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