You may have noticed recently that we are lacking hedgehogs at Pet World. Trust me, I’m just as sad about it as you are. During the winter months hedgies have a hard time breeding because their tiny little bodies are working overtime just to keep themselves warm. When they do breed in the winter they tend to have smaller litters making it super hard for us to get our hands on some, and when we do they sell out in 24 hours! Whoa! We are working hard to get as many as we can as frequently as we can, but, until it warms up, supplies will be limited. Demand is high so they will sell out very fast. We’ll always keep you guys updated on when we are getting hedgies through our facebook and twitter accounts!

For now, here are a few tips on keeping hedgies healthy in the winter months!

Pet hedgehogs are a sensitive to temperature change. They prefer to be in the range of 70º- 80ºf. Some European hedgehogs will attempt to go into hibernation if they get too cold. But the domestic hedgehogs in the U.S. pet trade are African and not capable of hibernation. Their little bodies aren't prepared to go days upon days without food. If a hedgehog is too cold, it will walk around like it's drunk. It will be wobbly and probably stumble a lot. He might stop eating as well. In the case of pet hedgehogs, remember, this is not an attempt to go into hibernation (which they can't do); it's a symptom of temperature related illness.

If your hedgehog gets too cold, warm it up slowly. Use your own body heat or a warm cloth in the cage to get them warm. We keep our hedgehogs in a glass tank with an undertank heater to insure that we never run into this problem! And to make things convenient for our customers, we sell the exact same kit that we use at the store!

Lastly, to keep your hedgies fat and happy you can feed them mealworms along with their everyday diet! Hedgies go crazy for them and it’s kind of fun to watch them eat!

See you soon!

It might still be cold out but spring is starting to sprout at Pet World! We've got all kinds of cute baby animals in the store right now. It's also the time of year for guinea pig and rabbit shows so our breeders also have lots of babies. If you've been looking for a specific kind of pet - now would be the time to let Ande know. We posted some pictures of a few of the babies we have at the store - some hamsters, a baby bunny, and some sleepy baby gerbils!

Did you know that we sell vitamins and probiotics for your small animals? These are beneficial to especially very young and older small animals. Probiotics help with digestion in our small fuzzy critters and often we need to add essential vitamins that may be lacking in our critters' diets. We have lots of different options and a Pet World employee would love to help you decide which ones are right for your pet. A lot of them are even fruit flavored so your little critter will feel like they're getting a treat!

We've got an awesome hamster sale going on through the end of February! If you buy one of our Critter Trail GLOW or clear cages we'll give you your new hamster for free! Critter Trail cages are great cages and the glow cages even glow in the dark! If you've been thinking about adding a tiny, furry critter to your family come in before the end of February to take advantage of this great deal!

See you soon!

Hey Small Mammal fans! We love it when our customers visit with their pets. This cool little girl (pictured on the left) got her bunny, Rose, for Christmas and brought her in to visit us. They even decided on getting a second bunny, now named Blueberry, to add to their family. Pets can be such a priceless learning experience for children! If you've been thinking about adding a furry (or feathered, scaley, etc.) pet to your family stop by Pet World and talk to an employee who can help your family choose a pet that will fit with your family's specific needs and lifestyle!

Did you know we do a little bit of exotic grooming at the store? We do minor grooming on animals that we sell (so no cats or dogs) but we will trim nails on small mammals, birds, and reptiles! We also trim bird wings. Pictured on the right is Ande trimming a bunny's nails at the store. You can find more information about our in-store pet services here. If you want to groom your pet at home, we'll help you choose the best grooming accessories and teach you how to do it yourself!

See you soon!

Welcome to our new department blogs! We want to keep our customers updated on what's going on in every area of our store and this is where the managers will be posting about pets, sharing fun pictures and videos, and keeping you up to date on new products and sales! This week in Small Mammals we're getting in new ferrets and bunnies! Stop by this weekend to meet and snuggle with our new additions. While Ande was trying to take pictures to update the website this little polish rabbit tried to eat her phone! Their little "fight" ended in them making up with nose kisses. All the attention from our Jr. Volunteers and customers keeps our animals so sweet!

Also this week we wanted to showcase our Livingworld Cage Kits! These are great for rabbits and guinea pigs and we love that they come with everything you need - just add your favorite perishables. These kits include the cage, a hide, food dish, water bottle, as well as a hay feeder! All you have to do is pick out your bedding, food, hay, chew toys, and treats for your pet. You get the convenience of a kit while still leaving your options open for some of the items more specific to your pet's needs or likes. Whether you're upgrading your pet's cage or adding a new family member these cage kits are great options. Need help picking out the items not included in the cage? A Pet World employee would love to help.

See you soon!