Breeder or Pet Store?

[volcom_pebble]

I have been researching information about hedgehogs for quite a few months now and am now ready to purchase my first hedgie. However, I have a problem. I would prefer to buy from a breeder but the closest breeder lives about 4 hours away and doesnt reply back to my emails. There is however a local pet store that sells hedgies but they pair the males and females together, they dont have a wheel in the tank for excersise, and when I asked for a health record they said they didnt have any(they said they get their hedgies from local breeders). The only good thing about their hedgies were they seemed very playful and they werent scared when I held them. Now I know all of these are negatives to buying a hedgie, and I just don't know what to do. Should I take a risk and buy one from the pet store? Or wait and try to find a breeder? Please help! Thanks in advance!

[Tilt]

Have you checked your local animal rescues and shelters? Hedgies get dumped from time to time. My friend takes in unwanted Hedgies.

Petfinder.com has Hedgehogs up for adoption, though I don't know if any are in your area at this time.

You may also find unwanted Hedgies on Craigslist or some other similar free ad site.

[candyraver]

I got almost all my pets from other people who could no longer care for them anymore. (Not saying bad households,I just mean maybe they were moving or whatnot).
& That's where i'll also find my hedgie someday. =]

(I'm aware these posts are a few months old,this part of the forum don't seem active enough,I didn't know it existed till now )

[jayberrylee]

I just got my hedgie from a pet store and he seems healthy to me. A breeder may be better but if the hedgies are playful and look healthy to you they probably are.