# GETTING POKED!!! OUCH!!!!!



## mead

Hi,
I just adopted a new little hedghog. She is still quite young, about 4 months old. I have tried to hold her with out a towel and when I do she pokes me really hard and I start to bleed. Everything I read said that they shouldn't be that sharp they should be rounded. Have I read wrong? Should they be that sharp? Could I be handling her wrong cause I just set her in my hand I don't squeeze or anything. She still is not used to me. I am right now trying to make her trust me. Does anyone have any good ways to make her trust me and not ball up. She really is nice she takes treats out from my hand but I just can't touch her. Please any advice would be great.

-MeaD.


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## r_k_chic47

Where did you see that they're supposed to be rounded? LOL no, they're not supposed to be rounded. and to get her used to you, let her sleep with one of your old t-shirts or something. once they get used to you and are comfortable with you, they will put their quills down and let you pet them.


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## mead

huh well i guess i shouldn't have picked her up like that then with out her being use to me yet. ha well live and learn thx.
-MeaD.


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## r_k_chic47

you should still hold her every night, just hold her in a blanket instead of your bare hands, until she gets used to you.


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## hedgie love

My breeder told me that when they get their final set of quills they won't be so sharp, but not rounded. Over time you will get used to the quills. I am used to the quills now (after several weeks of handling hedgehog at least 15 min a day) and can pick up Herisson with out something in between me and the quills.


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## Tristen

They do hurt at first, although I never had an issue with them drawing blood, but you should get used to it in a month or two. Letting her sleep with an old tshirt would probally be the easiest way to get her used to you, but you should still get her out at least 15 minutes a day, I'd recomend 30 personally though.

You can use a towel to get her out or a pair of dishwashing gloves and it should help quite a bit.  Good luck!


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## Gnarly

Are you bleeding every time you handle your hedgehog? If you are, you are definately handling her wrong. 
I've only ever bled once from quills, and it was when my brat first came to me, and was NEVER socialized and curled in a ball around my fingers. 

The proper way to pick up a hedgehog is to slide your fingers under their belly (with both hands, one on each side of the body), where they have soft fur. Lift your hedgehog, and then offer support by moving one of your hands under the hedgehogs bottom. So you have one hand under the belly, and one hand under the rump. 

It's important to socialize you hedgehog everyday, to get used to you, and soon you guys will be great buddies.


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## nikki

Please!! do not use gloves to pick up your hedgie, gloves will stop them from getting used to your scent, and they may be scared by the smell of the gloves, and be careful with using a towel as hedgies can get their nails caught in the loops in the towel. Fleece is much safer to use.


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## mead

WOW 
Thanks for all the replies. To answer a few questions.
I only got poked hard and drew blood once.
I don't use gloves i do have a dish cloth that i get her out of her cage with. 
(i will get some fleece now though)
i saw the right way to pick her up on youtube so i think im good on that once she lets me touch her without balling up.
She lets me hand feed her so i think thats a start. but what are good things to do when she is out with me? or is just letting her sit on my lap ok. i have been playing with her for about 30 min a night and i plan to continue that as well. 
thanks everyone.
-MeaD.


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## Hathery

Baby quills are much sharper than the adult quills. The adult quills are thicker. They still can be sharp, but the baby quills are worse. You'll get used to it after a while


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## Tristen

Tristen said:


> They do hurt at first, although I never had an issue with them drawing blood, but you should get used to it in a month or two. Letting her sleep with an old tshirt would probally be the easiest way to get her used to you, but you should still get her out at least 15 minutes a day, I'd recomend 30 personally though.
> 
> You can use a towel to get her out or a pair of dishwashing gloves and it should help quite a bit.  Good luck!


Oh I guess I shoulda specified, I only used gloves the first week or so, and only when I first picked him up. Soon as he unballed I took them off.


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## Gnarly

You might want to reconsider feeding her by hand, it can lead to nipping in some hedgehogs.


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## Nancy

Don't hand feed her. That encourages biting as they sometimes start to associate your hands with always having food. Set the treat in front of her but do not hold it in your fingers. 

Baby quills are sharp. Most adult quills are not too bad. They are still pointed but don't hurt as much as baby quills. Of course there are a few exceptions to that. There is an occasional adult that I swear spends their night sharpening their quills. :lol:


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## Kalandra

You'll probably also find that you just adjust to the sharp quills and over time you don't notice them. About the only quills that I can feel now are sharp baby quills. Either you get used to the sensation of being poked or maybe the hands just go 'numb.' I also think that you learn how to handle a quill ball so that it doesn't hurt as much. For instance, try to scoop a quill ball up with both hands. Place a hand on each side and gently scoop both hands under at the same time. It helps spread the weight out so that the quills do not poke in as far. Another suggestion is to use the same method as above with a receiving blanket on one side and gently roll the hedgehog into your hands.


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## hedgie7908

I highly recommend just continuing the effort: picking him up the proper way BARE HANDED and letting him just sleep on you at first. Don't try and "play" with him, just give him a place to hide on your lap and let him go back to sleep. If he can sleep on you, he'll start gaining trust. And I know those quills can hurt---baby ones especially!!!---but just take a deep breath. Kalandra was right: by picking him up properly, it evens out his weight and the quills won't poke into your skin as hard. And eventually, you get used to it. For me at least, I don't even think twice about picking up Chip, even when waking him up! He's just my prickly little love  

(I should be honest and mention that after a bath, I have a few little flaps of skin haha. Never drawing blood, but just like a bunch of superficial cuts. He really hates water...)


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## Cinca

I think you're doing great. Your hands will get used to the sharpness (no they are not rounded) over time. Some think that the adult quills are not as sharp but in reality, it's because the hands are tougher. 
You really do not have to do much when you are interacting and bonding. Just let him sleep wherever he wants on you. I had one that would charge for my neck and sleep under a shirt as soon as I held him. He was the only one who would come out to be picked up when I called his name.


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## justin j

i used to get poked when holding my heagehog (snowball). but after a coupel of weeks you get used to it.[attachment=05ocfvxd]09-07-08_0020.jpg[/attachment5ocfvxd]


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## iamdbf

How long do u guys thing till he realizes it is not spelled headgehog? Probably till he see's this message...


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## Nancy

iamdbf said:


> How long do u guys thing till he realizes it is not spelled headgehog? Probably till he see's this message...


What does it matter? Do you spell everything correctly all the time. I know I don't. :lol:


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## Krisword

So when it comes to hand feeding...what about off a small plastic spoon? Is that okay to feed him treats off of that, or is that still too close to the hand and there might me wrong association?


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## iamdbf

Nancy said:


> iamdbf said:
> 
> 
> 
> How long do u guys thing till he realizes it is not spelled headgehog? Probably till he see's this message...
> 
> 
> 
> What does it matter? Do you spell everything correctly all the time. I know I don't. :lol:
Click to expand...

I don't spell everything right always... its just on HEDGEHOG central spelling HEDGEHOG wrong more than twice in a row(they have another post) is kinda strange...


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## iamdbf

Krisword said:


> So when it comes to hand feeding...what about off a small plastic spoon? Is that okay to feed him treats off of that, or is that still too close to the hand and there might me wrong association?


I think thats okay, but i could be wrong. Either way, i hand feed Jade with no problem.


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## Gnarly

A small plastic spoon is a very good idea, I usually use a plastic spoon to offer baby food as treats.


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## Krisword

Its the little spoon that came with the freeze dried crickets. He has only to see the spoon and he goes crazy!

My guy is a little sharp and prickly. Its tricky getting my fingers under his belly to lift him out safely but once my fingers are on his belly, he relaxes and and its business as usual. Only once did I hit a quill just right to draw blood. But I have really soft hands. I'm sure they'll toughen' up over the next months.


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## justin j

Nancy said:


> iamdbf said:
> 
> 
> 
> How long do u guys thing till he realizes it is not spelled headgehog? Probably till he see's this message...
> 
> 
> 
> What does it matter? Do you spell everything correctly all the time. I know I don't. :lol:
Click to expand...

thank you  you are right i bet iamdbf dosent spell every thing correctly


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## Reaper

Yes but we all should try to use correct spelling and grammar on this site. It keeps me from getting annoyed and correcting your posts.


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## Hedgie17

hehe I know what you mean. I just hate it when people spell things incorrectly! I don't know it just bugs me lol :lol:


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## iamdbf

Look, i know i mispell things, but i just pointed ur mistake cuz u misspelled the main word in this forum. But lets all forget about this now.


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