# Really worried... climbing behaviour!!!!



## duckie (Jun 14, 2018)

Hi guys... I'm super worried, I just caught meeko climbing the bars in his cage and he fell all the way from the top!!! I have now put fleece on the bars so that he can't climb at least for tonight, but i was watching him and he started climbing the fleece!!! And he made it pretty far up, but his nails were caught and he fell again, on his side on top of two little plushies partially. Im extremely worried, I've had him for two weeks and it worries me that hes probably done this without me knowing every night. Oh god. What should I do????? How do I look out for injuries or internal bleeding??


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## duckie (Jun 14, 2018)

I've been watching him for hours. He relentlessly was trying to climb the fleece, i kept having to poke my finger through to unhook him before he got any higher!! This has been stressing me out to no end.

I decided to put him in his cat carrier for the night, with his food and water and fleece. I feel so bad but this way at least I know he won't injure himself.


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## duckie (Jun 14, 2018)

I can hear him trying to bust out of the cat carrier... i feel so horrible. It's like he's in hedgehog jail


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## welcomemoo (Jun 23, 2018)

I would line the cage with a plastic material called coroplast. I got mine from my home depot, but they know it there as corrugated plastic sheets so I would ask for that if you get it from there.

The sheets are slick, and very hard to climb if they go far enough up the sides of the cage.

Also, I would just recommend letting your hedgie climb more in his outside time.


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## welcomemoo (Jun 23, 2018)

Also look for green jelly-like poops as a sign of internal bleeding. If you see any unusual behavior I would schedule a vet appointment.


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## welcomemoo (Jun 23, 2018)

+Did he fall on his stomach or his back?

If he fell on his back, then it's not that much to worry about, as the hollow hedgehog quills are made partly to cushion falls.

If it was a fall on his stomach, it's far more serious.

Good luck, keep us posted!


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## Yukidama's mama (Apr 4, 2017)

Does he have a wheel in his cage and does he use it? 

How long are you having him out for and does he free roam in a secured area / play penn?


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## duckie (Jun 14, 2018)

Thanks for all the replies everyone. When I take him out in the evening, he is usually out for 1-2 hours, but probably half of the time he is just sleeping in his sack on my lap. I'm still trying to bond with him so I've been trying to keep our sessions shorter as to not stress him out. Once he wakes up I just let him run around on my bed, but maybe I should set up a designated playpen for him on the floor? 

Also yes he has a wheel in his cage currently, its been there for about a week. The breeder told me to wait until 4-5 months to give him the wheel, but after researching more I decided to put it in right away. I don't think hes used it yet, at least not for long as its clean every morning.


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## duckie (Jun 14, 2018)

I've just woken him up and transfered him back to his cage in hopes that he'll go back to sleep, but the first thing he did was try to climb the fleece again  lol. Once he goes to sleep I'll go to home depot and check out the coroplast. And I'll have to find a bin or a playpen of sorts for him to release some more energy.


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## Yukidama's mama (Apr 4, 2017)

My boy used to sometimes climb his cage bars when he first came home and I didn't have the wheel yet (was being shipped from the U.S.) but I also read not to introduce it straightaway as can help them use the litter tray better. 

Anyways, as soon as he got his wheel he'd run for miles on it and release all that energy and doesnt climb anymore.

What wheel do you have? Does he know how to use it? 

Definitely sort out some coroplast to prevent anymore climbing and try help him figure out how to use the wheel if it doesn't look like its being used. Leabe a treat on it at night. Put him on it and slowly turn the wheel etc.


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## duckie (Jun 14, 2018)

So as of last night I went out and got him a kiddie play pool for supervised playtime, and I put coroplast on his bars to prevent more climbing behaviour. 


He has the Carolina storm bucket, and I don't think he knows exactly how to use it yet. I've left mealworms on it and he'll just eat them and hop off hahaha. But maybe now that he can't climb anymore he'll be forced to figure it out. 


I'm still watching him for internal bleeding or injury. He seems okay, last night I had him out for 2 hours and he just slept the whole time, so we didn't get really any play time before I had to go to bed (I work in the morning). I hope he is okay. I'm just waiting to see a nice healthy poop so I can relax a little.


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## duckie (Jun 14, 2018)

On the bright side, bonding is going well I think and he is starting to relax more around me.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Try putting him on the wheel and blocking him in it with a book so he's forced to walk forward. Once he realizes that it moves he may start using it.


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## Yukidama's mama (Apr 4, 2017)

As well as Nikki's suggestion, you can tilt the CSW back a little so more at an angle and this helps them run on it continuously as opposed to running off it when they're firet getting started


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## duckie (Jun 14, 2018)

Thanks you guys, I'll definitely try those tricks to help him get started. I think I heard him on the wheel for a bit last night after I put some more treats on it, so hopefully he's getting curious! Also, I think we are in the clear for any injuries. Although he is sleeping a ton, I think that has to do with him starting quilling maybe, as he's 9 weeks old now.


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