How does the process of adopting from us work?
1. Confirm that you feel a hedgehog will be a good fit for you and your household. If you haven't already, please consider reading our completely free care book there as well. Even if you've done a lot of research already, because there is a lot of misinformation out there (especially from other care books) it is nice to know that you've gotten your care info from a reliable source. I published this book and have provided it for free so people can be sure they understand hedgehog needs and what they're like as pets. If you're interested in a hedgehog as a family pet or as a pet for a child, please consider adoption carefully. They are usually not good kid's pets because of their defensive and nocturnal nature, though they can be great rewarding members of the family in the right situations.
Things to ask yourself...
- Are pet hedgehogs legal to own in your state?
- Are you within driving distance of us in Omaha, NE or prepared to pay for us to deliver or meet part way? If you're outside of the Omaha Metro area, are you willing to pay $200 or more to ship your hedgehog via airline to your local airport?
- Are you able to spend a few hundred dollars on the initial supplies a hedgehog needs, and pay for exotic veterinary bills?
- Will you be content with a pet that doesn't necessarily want to interact with you and may not enjoy your company?
- Do you expect any life changes (schooling, demanding careers, children, different housing...) within the next 5+ years that could compromise your ability/willingness to care for your hedgehog?
If you have never had the chance to interact with a hedgehog in person, we very strongly recommend scheduling a visit to come meet with us and our hedgies to make sure you're confident in your decision before committing to adopt. We can do this after receiving your initial application.
2. Fill out the initial application below. I'll email you back within a few days (if you don't hear from me, feel free to send an email to be sure I got it!) From there, we'll discuss supplies and care, as well as potentially schedule a visit to come see us. At the end of this step I can approve you for adoption!
3. Once you're approved to adopt from us, you have a couple options. You can place a deposit (details here), which puts you on our priority list. This will hold your place in line for adopting a baby, but can also be applied to any adult that becomes available. This deposit is what we use to reserve a hedgehog for you until you're able to pick him or her up.
Alternately, you can simply wait until you see a hedgehog pop up that is available to approved applicants, and then get in touch with me. You would then place a deposit to reserve that hedgehog.
4. The last step is to officially reserve your hedgehog, whether it is a baby, retired breeder, or rescue/rehome. I'll confirm that you have your supplies ready, diet sorted out, and questions answered. We will schedule a pickup appointment and send him or her home! Then we'll follow up with any questions or concerns, and hopefully keep in touch over their lifetime. :)