Introduction to the Lesser hedgehog tenrec

About Course

An essential introduction to the unique care needs of Lesser hedgehog tenrecs in captivity, including enclosure setup, temperature and humidity requirements, dietary needs and enrichment techniques tailored to this nocturnal insectivore.

Course Content

Course introduction

1. Species overview
A chapter about the origin, evolution and taxonomy of the Lesser hedgehog tenrec.

2. Legal and ethical considerations
Learn the legal and moral responsibilities of owning a Lesser hedgehog tenrec. Are they legal where you live, what's their conservation status, ethical sourcing and rehoming processes.

3. Choosing your tenrec
Learn what a healthy tenrec looks like, red flags and warning signs in sellers, where to buy and where not to.

4. Preparing the enclosure
What's the minimum cage size, which temperature and humidity are needed, do they need lighting or UV-B lights, substrates, basic cleaning, wheel, layout and zoning, and if you can house multiple tenrecs together.

5. Daily & weekly care routine
Daily care tasks, weekly and monthly cleaning, feeding routine, handling and bonding, monitoring health and building a care routine.

6. Feeding & Nutrition
Understanding nutritional needs, safe and unsafe foods, choosing the right kibble, meats, insects, natural foods, fruits, vegetables, supplements & gut health, feeding schedule and portion control, nutrition based health issues in tenrecs.

7. Handling & Bonding
Building trust, reading body language in stress vs comfort, daily contact, how to handle safely, overcoming fear and defensive behavior, scent, sounds and presence, handling for healthcare, common mistake in bonding.

8. Health & hygiene
Recognize when your tenrec is unwell, common health issues in tenrecs, health impact of poor breeding, preventative care and vet checks.

9. Veterinary Care
Finding a good exotic vet, what to expect from routine checkups, when to seek immediate help, communicating with your vet, costs & planning for veterinary expenses.

10. Enrichtment & Play
Choosing safe & engaging toys, why climbing matters for tenrecs, exercise essentials, stress reducation thorugh movement, free roaming, creating an enriching schedule.

11. Understanding behavior
Basic behavior terminology, normal vs abnormal behavior, neutral behavior and its importance, common sounds and meanings, reading tenrec body language, nighttime activity patterns, stereotypical behavior, social behavior and interaction, behavior changes over time and between seasons, troubleshooting common behavioral issues.

Basic behavior terminology
Normal vs abnormal behavior
The role of neutral behavior
Common sounds and their meanings
Reading tenrec body language
Nighttime activity patterns
Stereotypical behavior
Social behavior and interaction
Behavior changes over time and between seasons
Troublehooting common behavioral issues

12. Seasonal care
Hibernation, aestivation, the importance of temperature regulation, when to seek veterinary help.

13. Traveling with a tenrec
Preparing for travel, choosing the right carrier, long distance travel and long distance travel, legal considerations, keeping your tenrec calm during travel and post-travel recovery.

14. Your tenrec journey continues
End of the course, quiz and what to do next.

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About Course

Course Content

Course introduction

1. Species overview A chapter about the origin, evolution and taxonomy of the Lesser hedgehog tenrec.

Life in the wild

Natural behavior patterns

Physical traits & senses

Communication & social behavior

2. Legal and ethical considerations Learn the legal and moral responsibilities of owning a Lesser hedgehog tenrec. Are they legal where you live, what's their conservation status, ethical sourcing and rehoming processes.

Permits, registration & Notification requirements

Owner responsibility: Legal and moral duties

Conservation status and species protection

Ethical sourcing: how to choose responsibly

The risks of illegal or unethical trade

Rehoming: if you can’t keep your tenrec

3. Choosing your tenrec Learn what a healthy tenrec looks like, red flags and warning signs in sellers, where to buy and where not to.

Red flags and warning signs in sellers

Where to buy (and where not to)

The truth about “Wild-caught” tenrecs

4. Preparing the enclosure What's the minimum cage size, which temperature and humidity are needed, do they need lighting or UV-B lights, substrates, basic cleaning, wheel, layout and zoning, and if you can house multiple tenrecs together.

Temperature & humidity regulation

Lighting and UV-B needs

Substrates & cleaning routines

Choosing the right wheel

Environmental enrichment

Multi-tenrec housing: why it’s not recommended

5. Daily & weekly care routine Daily care tasks, weekly and monthly cleaning, feeding routine, handling and bonding, monitoring health and building a care routine.

Weekly & monthly cleaning: keeping the enclosure safe

Feeding routine: what, when & how much

Handling & bonding: daily contact done right

Monitoring health

Building a care routine

6. Feeding & Nutrition Understanding nutritional needs, safe and unsafe foods, choosing the right kibble, meats, insects, natural foods, fruits, vegetables, supplements & gut health, feeding schedule and portion control, nutrition based health issues in tenrecs.

Safe and unsafe foods

Choosing the right kibble

Meats, insects and natural foods

Fruits and vegetables

Supplements and gut health

Feeding schedule and portion control

Nutrition-based health problems

7. Handling & Bonding Building trust, reading body language in stress vs comfort, daily contact, how to handle safely, overcoming fear and defensive behavior, scent, sounds and presence, handling for healthcare, common mistake in bonding.

Reading body language

Daily contact

How to handle safely

Overcoming fear and defensive behavior

Scent, sounds and presence

Handling for healthcare

Common mistakes in bonding

8. Health & hygiene Recognize when your tenrec is unwell, common health issues in tenrecs, health impact of poor breeding, preventative care and vet checks.

Recognizing signs of illness

Common health issues in tenrecs

The health impact of poor breeding

Preventative care

9. Veterinary Care Finding a good exotic vet, what to expect from routine checkups, when to seek immediate help, communicating with your vet, costs & planning for veterinary expenses.

Finding a good exotic vet

Routine check-ups

When to seek immediate help

Communicating with your vet

Costs & planning for veterinary expenses

10. Enrichtment & Play Choosing safe & engaging toys, why climbing matters for tenrecs, exercise essentials, stress reducation thorugh movement, free roaming, creating an enriching schedule.

The importance of climbing

Exercise essentials

Stress reducation through movement

Free roaming

Creating an enrichment schedule

Normal vs abnormal behavior

The role of neutral behavior

Common sounds and their meanings

Reading tenrec body language

Nighttime activity patterns

Stereotypical behavior

Social behavior and interaction

Behavior changes over time and between seasons

Troublehooting common behavioral issues

12. Seasonal care Hibernation, aestivation, the importance of temperature regulation, when to seek veterinary help.

Hibernation

Aestivation

The importance of temperature regulation

When to seek veterinary help

13. Traveling with a tenrec Preparing for travel, choosing the right carrier, long distance travel and long distance travel, legal considerations, keeping your tenrec calm during travel and post-travel recovery.