Unlike cats and dogs, which are clingy and easy to bond with, hedgehogs require some extra effort and time to bond with their owners. Identifying what your pet likes are one of the ways to bond with it quickly. Whether your hedgehog likes music or not, we understand it is a matter of concern that requires attention.
So, do hedgehogs like music? Just like human beings, hedgehogs love music, and playing the right music will soothe them and make them your best friend. However, given the different personalities, hedgehogs will have different tastes and what one likes is not necessarily what the other hedgehog would like. Thus, as a hedgehog owner, you should study and understand your pet’s body language before settling for its best music.
If you want to know whether hedgehogs like music, this is the ultimate guide for you. We will help you find out what kind of music hedgehogs like, whether hedgehogs are sensitive to sound, whether they are scared of loud noises and whether they have good hearing. Read through the rest of the sections to find out all the answers you need.
What Kind of Music Do Hedgehogs Like?
Human beings love music, and everyone has their preference. Equally, hedgehogs have their preference. This preference will also vary among hedgehogs depending on their personalities.
Hedgehogs love soft music and radio sound. This is because this type of music is more soothing than noise to their ears. Owners who play soft music say that it drowns other noises from the house and creates a peaceful and soothing environment for their pets. The talking on the radio is also helpful as it provides a stream of noise for your pet such that it will find new sounds less obstructive.
Besides enjoying soft music, hedgehogs also love to hear their owners sing along. Some owners report that their pets become so agitated when they stop singing along. The fact that they find comfort in your voice could mean that they love your singing, adding to your list of fans altogether.
While hedgehogs enjoy soft music, they may not love the idea of you playing instruments such as a guitar or a violin around them. This is because such music may feel loud to their ears and distract them. However, since different hedgehogs have unique personalities, you can experiment with your pet, see what it likes, and then adapt fully to its preference.
While exploring this, you should be prepared that not all hedgehogs will love the music you are playing and prefer a silent enclosure. If you have such a pet, you should ensure its peace by avoiding sudden talking, closing, and opening doors as this may irritate them.
Also, as you train your pet to love music and radio sound, you should bond with it using your voice. To do this, talk to your pet when bathing, holding, or doing other fun activities. This will make your pet associate your sound with enjoyment and comfort and love it all together.
Since hedgehogs get comfortable with background noise from your television or radio, you can use such opportunities to also bond with your pet. To do this, grab your pet when watching a show that excites you or while working on your computer. You can then cover it using a blanket or place it in a snuggle bag and let it relax on your lap. Your pet will enjoy the moment and even fall asleep on you.
Given the hedgehog preference, you may have limitations in owning this pet depending on your age and music genre. This is given the fact that most youngsters prefer loud music compared to older adults.
Are Hedgehogs Sensitive To Sound?
Keeping a pet implies spending most of your time with them. Your pet will be mostly around you, which calls for certain adjustments to ensure they are comfortable. If you love hedgehogs, the sound will be a top consideration as far as your pet’s comfort is concerned.
Hedgehogs are very sensitive to sound. Most hedgehogs will prickle or ball up when they hear a loud sound. You can have some background noise on your television or radio when handling your pet to avoid this. If you love playing loud music, you may need to consider a different pet or reduce the sound.
Are Hedgehogs Sensitive and Scared of Loud Noises?
Animals will respond to different stimuli differently depending on their natural makeup and adaptations. Generally, these adaptations enable these animals to survive in the wild with respect to the prey-predator relationship.
To survive in the wild, hedgehogs have sensitive hearing, and playing loud noises around them in captivity will scare them. They can hear a loud noise from far given their hearing frequency. They will then interpret this noise as a predator approaching and will be startled. This feature enables them to survive in the wild, as they will either enter into a defensive state once they notice their predator approaching or run away from them.
Besides scaring hedgehogs, loud noises are also disruptive. Hedgehogs are nocturnal; hence, spend most of the day sleeping. Playing loud music during the day will mess up their sleep patterns. If you must play your music during the day, you should put your pet in a different space.
Alternatively, consider having it in a completely separate enclosure from your house to prevent constant disruptions. While isolating them may work, you should note that hedgehogs love human company, and keeping them away will make them feel lonely and unhappy.
However, most hedgehogs do not mind noises such as the air conditioner and computer system unit. Instead, they find it soothing and will even sleep better when these units are on. This explains why most hedgehog owners prefer putting these pets in such spaces.
Besides loud music, you should also avoid talking loudly around your hedgehog. As a rule of thumb, what is loud for you is equally loud for your hedgehog. Given its higher sound frequency, your pet will pick up such loud noises at a higher pitch, stressing them further.
While loud sounds scare hedgehogs, this does not mean that they cannot live in loud environments. You can train your pet to adapt to a noisy environment. Such training should be gradual to minimize stress.
You should also limit how loud the noise is since loud noise may result in hearing loss. Given that hedgehogs rely primarily on their ears for food and other life functions, loss of hearing will affect their quality of life.
Do Hedgehogs Have Good Hearing?
Most creatures are sensitive to loud sounds, but this does not mean that they have good hearing. This is especially the case with reptiles, which are very sensitive to loud vibrations.
Hedgehogs have very good hearing, which makes up for their poor eyesight and enables them to survive in the wild. They have small ears, but their ears’ positioning is such that they can pick important sounds. The hearing frequency in hedgehogs ranges between 250 and 45000Hz. This means that they cannot hear low-pitched sounds, but their higher sound range is better than that of human beings, about 23000Hz.
Good hearing enables hedgehogs to find food in the wild. When a hedgehog hears something that interests it, it will stand still to capture the sound better. With this hearing, they will hear both their prey and predators from a distance and attack it or hide, respectively. On the other hand, if a hedgehog hears unfamiliar noise, it will take a defensive posture and duck its head.
Besides food and safety, good hearing also enables hedgehogs to undertake specific tasks. For instance, a hedgehog will rely on its hearing ability to cross the road. They will be able to tell whether a vehicle is near or far before they can cross, making it difficult for them to die through road accidents. However, they still die from unintentional accidents on the road and lawnmowers, given their poor eyesight.
Thus, in captivity, ensure your pet’s safety by always knowing where it is before moving your car out or cutting grass in your compound. This is because instead of running away, your hedgehog may interpret such noise as unfamiliar and enter into a defensive state.
Hedgehogs Prefer Soft Music and Sounds
Due to their sensitive hearing, most hedgehogs prefer soft music and radio sound. Their high-frequency hearing capability makes them sensitive to loud noises, and they can get irritated and scared.
Given their good hearing ability, hedgehogs can survive in the wild by hearing their predators’ sounds and running away or taking a defensive stance. Also, this ability enables them to find food by locating their prey. They can also perform tasks such as crossing the road with ease, but this does not exempt them completely from road accidents.
Finally, understanding your pet’s preferences is key to peaceful coexistence. If your hedgehog loves a quiet space, you should avoid disrupting it with sudden noises, talks, and bangs of the door. You should also study your pet’s body language to find out their music preference. While music plays a vital role in your pet’s comfort, you should not replace it with bonding sessions, during which you can also talk to your pet and let them get used to your voice.
