# How can you tell if your hedgie is happy?



## DallyTsuka

i just wanted to know how you could tell if your hedgie is happy or not. i know its easy to tell when theyre upset, they hiss and freak out. but how can you tell a happy hedgie?


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## SquiggyTheHedgie

It depends on the hedgie really, they all have such different personalities, and just like us they show their happiness in different ways  A lot of the time though, you can always tell a relaxed happy hedgie by the way their quills lay flat or if they chirp or whiffle. I can always tell when my Squiggy is happy because he will chirp or whiffle when I pick him up, give him mealies, or just give him his kibbles lol. And when hes relaxed and comfy, he'll splat out with his quills flat and a happy sigh. I love my sweet boy <3


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## DallyTsuka

well poke a roo doesnt do those

shes not really too tame, shes just starting to come out of her shell with me. more me than my fiance. seems she likes women better lol her previous owner was a woman too.

however, i do see her for a few hours running around her cage, rather quickly like shes having fun. she runs around, then goes on her wheel, eats, runs around, back on the wheel, then back in her tent, then out to do it all over again lol but i dont know if that tells any way if shes happy lol


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## SquiggyTheHedgie

Well only time will tell really. But sounds to me like shes enjoying herself running around, so I'm sure she's content. Just keep giving her a loving home, and she'll warm up to you all eventually.


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## DallyTsuka

i just want to make sure shes happy above all else. its hard to tell with some animals and i want to make sure they have a good life. we have birds, cats, and chinchillas too, but theyre easy to tell when theyre happy. hedgehogs are completely something else to me lol


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## hanhan27

No one can ever really "know" if their pet is happy, lol. Hogs are even more difficult than most animals when it comes to ascertaining if they're happy. 

You can socialize a hog pretty well if you go about it the right way, but who's to say that when they are cuddling with us they aren't thinking, "I'll put up with this for a while, but I'm really not too pleased about it."?

Once in a while, my Mildred will sigh really deeply when we cuddle and then her whole body will relax and she'll look at me with her sleepy, half-closed eyes and I think she's happy. When I let her explore my room and she scuttles around sniffing things and seems pretty pumped to be able to do that and I assume that she's happy. She likes to run laps in her cage as well, running over and under everything and creating havoc where she can :lol: I assume that makes her happy since she does it every night.

All we can do is provide their food, water, stimulation and socialization and hope that we are doing it all right and they're content.


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## Rainy

If you're providing the essentials, like water, food, wheel, plenty of room and taking her out of her cage for stimulation and cuddles, then I'm sure she's happy. Or as happy as we can determine that they are. Hedgies are naturally timid and shy because they are constantly on the look out for predators. Cuddly hedgehogs are rare. It could be that she won't fully warm up to you, but will tolerate you handling her. It could be that she will be hissy and huffy every time you pick her up. That's her natural instincts. Hedgies aren't happy as we would imagine that they are happy. I'm sure that they have emotions but I don't think that they actively look for happiness. I think they are happy when their needs are met.

Her running around her cage getting exercise, running for cover, coming out for more running and eating sounds like a happy hedgie to me.


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## LauraJ94

I find that my Pokii is happier when she's out her cage free to run around my house  probably because theres loads to explore but she has plenty of food water and treats and cuddles so I think thats all you need


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## sklock65

I've always felt Henry was "happiest" when relaxed. By that I mean when he gets to the point (within maybe 10-15min of being woken up) where he totally splats and sleeps in a more open/vulnerable position when I hold him. Of course he probably is actually most content when we are asleep and he gets to run around in a nice dark and quiet room!

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Lilysmommy

Just a note, this thread is over 2 years old, try not to bring old threads back up please.  It can get confusing.


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## hedgiebum14

its harder to tell, hedgehogs are Solitary so they dont show much emotions (emotions are a pack or group animals way of creating bonds with other pack members). but it doesnt mean they dont have them.

a happy hedgehog will run, eat, poop and explore, a socialized hedgehog will sniff and cuddle you.

i think your doing fine. hedgehogs adjust very well to cage life  as long as you treat him well worrying isnt needed.


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## watercolourinq

My hedgehog dislikes me. He is in a constant state of grumpiness. I give him his monthly bath, feed him, give him water, and take him out for ten minutes as much as possible. He really just doesn't seem happy. I've had him for a year or so now. He has dry ears, doesn't seem to bother him. He never used his wheel, and it crowded up his cage, plus he pooped in it a lot. We took it out soon after putting it in. He's very very grumpy and will bite after his baths. Sometimes he's okay with me. He's an albino African Pygmy so maybe that has something to with it?? My newest cat is infatuated with him, maybe that's made him so shy? Any tips?


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## watercolourinq

Oh. And we might be getting a puppy soon along with our eight other animals. I don't know if that'lol be a problem.


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## Artemis-Ichiro

watercolourinq said:


> Oh. And we might be getting a puppy soon along with our eight other animals. I don't know if that'lol be a problem.


This is a pretty old thread and you should start your own but to answer your question, you can't expect a hedgehog to feel comfortable with you if you only take him out of the cage for 10 minutes on occasion. It needs to be at least 30 minutes each day.

Also, what kind of wheel do you have?


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## nikki

Please start your own thread with your questions.


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