Tenrec Housing and Handling
A Tenrec is very similar to a hedgehog, but is smaller and colder. It is also arboreal, which means it naturally lives in trees, unlike hedgehogs. Tenrecs are also nocturnal, and in my experience, they are more active than hedgehogs.
Tenrecs, like every animal, need food and water. Food and water can be provided in anti-slip bowls. Tenrecs cannot drink out of a dropper bottle. Their necks can not end upwards and swallow at the same time. If you give a Tenrec a dropper bottle, it will dehydrate and die. Tenrecs generally eat fruit and cat food. They also enjoy insects like mealworms, crickets or small beetles. Tenrecs cannot eat grapes, they are toxic. They can also not eat dried fruits or nuts, as those can be a chocking hazard.
Tenrecs need solid wheels just like hedgehogs, but also enjoy branches and rocks to climb over. I have read on some websites that people replace the running wheel with branches and rocks. This is a very bad thing to do, because a Tenrec runs on its wheel to regulate its body temperature. Without the wheel a Tenrec can get very cold and go into torpor, a similar process to hibernation. A wheel is a necessity.
Tenrecs are also nocturnal, and thus need a hideaway . The hide is a small dark space where the Tenrec can hide in the day. My Tenrec's hide is also made of foam tile, just like my hedgehog's. It is a good idea to place a heating pad inside the hide. The heating pad keeps the Tenrec warm. Because a Tenrec comes from subtropical climates, it needs to be kept warm the whole time. Generally, a Tenrec sleeps the day away, but in the early evenings I take Tina out for bonding time. Depending her mood, we either play, which consists of me watching her crawl around, or she lies on my tummy and gets body heat. The more often you handle your Tenrec, the friendlier they are.
Tenrecs, like every animal, need food and water. Food and water can be provided in anti-slip bowls. Tenrecs cannot drink out of a dropper bottle. Their necks can not end upwards and swallow at the same time. If you give a Tenrec a dropper bottle, it will dehydrate and die. Tenrecs generally eat fruit and cat food. They also enjoy insects like mealworms, crickets or small beetles. Tenrecs cannot eat grapes, they are toxic. They can also not eat dried fruits or nuts, as those can be a chocking hazard.
Tenrecs need solid wheels just like hedgehogs, but also enjoy branches and rocks to climb over. I have read on some websites that people replace the running wheel with branches and rocks. This is a very bad thing to do, because a Tenrec runs on its wheel to regulate its body temperature. Without the wheel a Tenrec can get very cold and go into torpor, a similar process to hibernation. A wheel is a necessity.
Tenrecs are also nocturnal, and thus need a hideaway . The hide is a small dark space where the Tenrec can hide in the day. My Tenrec's hide is also made of foam tile, just like my hedgehog's. It is a good idea to place a heating pad inside the hide. The heating pad keeps the Tenrec warm. Because a Tenrec comes from subtropical climates, it needs to be kept warm the whole time. Generally, a Tenrec sleeps the day away, but in the early evenings I take Tina out for bonding time. Depending her mood, we either play, which consists of me watching her crawl around, or she lies on my tummy and gets body heat. The more often you handle your Tenrec, the friendlier they are.
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| Snug as a bug in a rug |
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| Tina Tenrec portrait |
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