Is disease transmission possible between hedgehogs and sugar gliders?

Question

Hello! I have a hedgehog and am interested in getting a pair of sugar gliders. We are planning on housing them separately and avoiding interactions, but I was wondering about any potential for disease transmission between the two species. Thank you!

Miranda Sadar, DVM, DACZM · Accepted Answer

This is a great question, and I am so glad that you are considering this prior to getting new pets! There are some diseases that can be passed from hedgehogs to sugar gliders, and actually, they can be passed to humans as well! The first is Salmonella, a bacteria. Hedgehogs can harbor this bacteria as part of their normal bacterial population, or flora, and may not have any signs of illness associated with it. But, sometimes they can pass this bacteria along to other animals or humans, and those animals or humans may get sick. I would advise washing your hands thoroughly after handling your hedgehog or when cleaning up after him/her (or the cage, food/water dishes, etc.). This can help to decrease any chance of bacterial spread. The second is dermatophytosis, or ringworm. Again, hedgehogs can harbor these fungal organisms and not have any signs of carrying them. Most of the time, people or other animals do not "catch" this from hedgehogs if they are healthy or don't have immune compromise. But, it can happen, so again, please follow the same guidelines as outlined above to help keep everyone safe. I hope this helps, and thanks for your question!

Is disease transmission possible between hedgehogs and sugar gliders?

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