Whether you’re planning to get a new hedgehog or you’ve already got a spiky companion of your own, it is very important for every hedgehog owner to take time finding the best ways to bond with their new friend.
This can often require a bit more time and patience than with a dog or cat, however there are many interesting ways to go about it, and one of these is through music.
A treat or some exercise can definitely perk a hedgehog up and keep them happy for a while, but letting them enjoy some time listening to your music will not only improve their mood, but also become much less anxious and more familiar and friendly with their owner.
While a hedgehog can love lying around and listening to some music with their owner, it’s important to know what particular kinds of music majority of them like and what noises are best to avoid to make sure they don’t get too worried or anxious due to their very sensitive hearing
Hedgehogs And Noise
To make up for their poor eyesight, hedgehogs have incredible hearing with a frequency ranging from 250 to 45000 Hz.
They use this to survive in the wild, being able to listen in on a potential predator from far away, or hearing an oncoming car on the road when crossing.
This does however mean they are very sensitive to noise in general, with loud noises being interpreted as a dangerous predator and causing a hedgehog to curl up and protect itself.
The rule of thumb is therefore to avoid very loud music or anything considered relatively noisy, instead if you want to get your hedgehog to enjoy music the best method is training it through either speaking to it softly as much as possible, or to get them used to background noise like your favorite TV show or placing them in a snuggle bag when next to your laptop.
This way you can help tune your hedgehog’s ears to enjoy your music, while at the same time being a great way of bonding and getting closer to your trusty spiky friend.
What Kinds Of Music Do Hedgehogs Like?
It’s important to keep in mind that music preference for hedgehogs, just like humans, is largely based on personality and past experience, however soft and more ambient music is usually more enjoyable for hedgehogs and safer for their little eardrums.
Classical music, slow jazz and ambient sounds of rain and even thunder have been among some of the softer sounds that helps relax a hedgehog not only from the soothing syllables, but also by drowning out any alarming loud noises around the house that could scare them.
Nursery rhymes and talking on the radio are also favorites among hedgehogs, so when you feel your little friend is ready to experience your music taste, feel free to try and put on a slower paced album and watch their body movements to see if they relax, it may even cause them to curl up and go straight to sleep if they are relaxed enough.
Some hedgehogs can like slightly louder music, for example some owners report that their hedgehogs love listening to dubstep and light rock, and while this can be the case it is far rarer with softer more peaceful music being an often better and safer option.
Instruments
So what about if you play an instrument? Will the hedgehog become a dedicated fan of your music style? This again depends on the noise of the instrument, while dogs and cats usually don’t mind any instruments being played, hedgehogs can be a bit more picky
Louder instruments such as violins or guitars can similarly alarm hedgehogs and make them uneasy, while softer toned instruments like a harmonica, clarinet and even piano can help them relax, or even send them straight to sleep.
Again this is entirely based on personality, so a hedgehog could enjoy the sound of a roaring electric guitar, but usually they prefer the soothing symbols of lighter instruments.
If you are a regular player or really want to play your instrument a bit louder without disrupting your hedgehog, one method is simply placing them in a separate room while you play, and maybe even turn down the volume a little bit to ensure they don’t get too alarmed.
Also when doing this, make sure not to leave the hedgehog alone too long as they can quickly get upset and lonely with no interaction.
Another useful method is investing in soundproof walls so they can’t hear the music at all, or sound resistant sleeping bags so they can have a peaceful nap time without hearing a thing.
Other Considerations
When playing music or training your hedgehog to enjoy it, there are some other useful pointers to remember to make sure your hedgehog is getting the most enjoyment they can out of it.
It has been reported by many owners that their hedgehogs have extremely positive reactions to them singing along with a song, with some even becoming agitated if they stop suddenly.
If you’re playing one of your favorite songs to your hedgehog don’t be afraid to try singing along with the lyrics to see if the hedgehog likes it, and don’t be embarrassed to sing in the shower while your companion is in the other room.
Because hedgehogs are nocturnal and sleep for most of the day usually, it is also preferable to not interrupt this sleep with loud noises or music, so it’s best to enjoy music with them when they are awake or in the evening or night so they don’t wake up in a rut.
Conclusion
Hedgehogs love music and it can be a great bonding activity so it’s always worth every owner experimenting with what music their hedgehogs respond positively and negatively to, until very soon your hedgehog will be bobbing their head along with you to your favorite songs and enjoying themselves!
