# My new baby was acting strangely...



## JaimiLynne (Feb 29, 2012)

I got a new baby hedgie on Tuesday April 3rd. I got him home and he had really dry skin and at first I thought he was just very calm and friendly, but by Thursday I realized it was more lethargic than just calm. Then I noticed something else strange. Two days and no poop in his cage or litter box. His water wasn't going down either. So he wasn't eating or drinking. I started bottle feeding him water and bought a new bag of the food he had supposedly been eating before I got him. Then I gave his poor dry skin a good rub down in Flaxseed oil. 

His skin seems to be looking better, plus his temperament has changed to match more of what I would expect out of a hedgie. He has learned how to drink out of his water bottle on his cage and has been eating pretty well, plus his poop went from the green runny stuff to semi solid brown chunks. 

I'm just wondering if I should still consider taking him in to a vet? 
I read a LOT of articles about babies and how moving can cause them a great deal of stress which will affect things like that. I live in Utah and he flew in from Ohio... I imagine that was quite the stress on the little guy. So I've been giving him lots of extra love and attention for the last week and he seems to be doing lots better.

Where he's made such a huge improvement in the last week should I take him to a vet? Things seem to be alright now, and exotics vets here are pricey. I don't want to take him in if it was just stress and he really is doing better.


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## EinsteinsMama (Jan 18, 2012)

When in doubt, go to the vet. Especially if they're not eating or drinking. It's also a good thing to get a full check up any time you get a new baby just to play it safe. Even if it's nothing, you can feel better knowing your baby is safe.


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## JaimiLynne (Feb 29, 2012)

Okay, thanks! He is eating plenty now and drinking just fine.


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## raerysdyk (Oct 21, 2011)

I agree with EinsteinsMama, a vet visit is always in order if your hedgie doesn't appear to be eating, drinking, pooping or peeing. It could have just been stress, but it could also be some sort of parasite or infection that your new one picked up. Part of owning a hedgie is having extra cash for a vet visit. Personally, I would feel better ruling out possibly deadly results.

Don't mind me asking, but you said you are using a bottle? A water dish is much more natural for a hedgie, and in most cases they will drink significantly more.


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## JaimiLynne (Feb 29, 2012)

My other hedgie has never had a problem with the bottle so I didn't know they liked dishes better. Good to know for sure. I can take him in to a vet, it's just a lot of money if it was just stress. Plus he made such a huge improvement over the weekend I didn't know if I needed to take him in. Also, my two hedgies have never even been in the same room. My girl just had a litter and I wouldn't want to stress her out or potentially get her (or the babies) sick.


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## JaimiLynne (Feb 29, 2012)

He also had a Vet visit the Saturday before I picked him up and everything checked out and he was in very good health.


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## DasIgelPoggie (Oct 21, 2010)

The problem with bottles is that it's an unnatural angle for them to drink from so it can be hard for them to get enough without having to crank their head around to the side or upside down, and they can potentially hurt their teeth or cut up their mouth on the metal spouts. I'm a huge fan of the crocks personally.  Also-- just a bit of unsolicited advice... It's a good idea to keep your new hedgehog separate from your others for at least 30 days, and wash your hands very thoroughly between handling them. Quarantine is very important, because even if everything checked out at the vet visit, there are things the vet may have missed or had no way to recognize at the time that can be spread to your other hedgies. 30 days gives time for those problems to manifest themselves before possibly cross-contaminating. Also, did the breeder send you the bill of health with him? Look over that and see what tests they did, it can be very helpful information.  I'm a little bit ridiculous sometimes and go overboard, but I like to get a fecal smear done and just get an over-all wellness exam right when I get any new hedgie, and then we get fecal smears done bi-annually and a check-up annually. I know it's expensive, but it just comes out of my "hedge-fund" (savings for each of my hedgie's vet bills, it's proven vital in my experience as an owner or breeder to have at least a couple hundred saved up for each hedgie you own, just in case crap hits the fan and you have an emergency or even just for check ups and smears) and I've had several problems caught early on (before they become a real problem!) thanks to those visits. This also provides you with a way to develop a relationship with your vet that is NOT under any kind of stress... trying to work with a new vet in an emergency situation is miserable lol. Congrats on the new addition, post pictures!!


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## JaimiLynne (Feb 29, 2012)

I will definitely post pictures. He has been kept separate from my other hedgehog for sure. She just had a litter. Odds are that he will remain separate since I don't plan on being a breeder. I bred her once so her hip bones didn't fuse, that has been all. I don't know that I want to put her through all this again so my little man will rarely see her and never unsupervised.


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## DasIgelPoggie (Oct 21, 2010)

Also... post pictures of the babies as you start handling them, I'm such a sucker for them!  Sounds like you've got a cute bunch over at your house, between your new baby, your mama, and your newborn hoglets!!


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## JaimiLynne (Feb 29, 2012)

I posted a picture of her with her day old babies on this site a few places. I have a thread called "What color is Harley?" and the picture is there. I had been taking daily pictures of her and had my camera ready to just snap a quick picture and let her get back to resting since I knew she was due soon. I snapped a picture and surprise! Babies! I was thrilled!


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## JaimiLynne (Feb 29, 2012)

viewtopic.php?f=23&t=16702&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=10


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