# Handling hedgies when working night shift



## omgitsbleigh (Sep 5, 2016)

So, as I'm sure you have guessed... I work night shift! Woohoo for being nocturnal like my (soon-to-be) new hedgie! 

Down side? I leave the house at 6 pm and don't get home until 830ish am. I work 3 days a week, sometimes 4, but usually only 3. When I get home I spend some time with my family and then I sleep until about 4 pm. 

So, when on those days is best to handle my hedgie?

In the mornings when I first get home my toddler is allllllllll over me. And in the evening when I get up, we're eating supper and cuddling. Plus getting ready for work. 

I would hate to go 2 days (because I only sleep all day 2 of the days that I work) without handling him!


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## paige.alison (Aug 30, 2016)

I would suggest getting your family to handle him on the days that you can't. (I don't mean your children unless they are responsible enough not to hurt him)


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## NathanielPatten (Apr 17, 2016)

I had this problem. Worked from 11 pm till 7am.
I would take her out for a bit before I left for work and I would take her out again sometime in the morning to cuddle. 
They won't be super stoked about being woken up in the morning, but will surely go right back to sleep.


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## bobble (Apr 30, 2016)

I work 11pm til 7am, 4 days a week. On the days I work, I get my hedgie out for around 9pm til 10/10:15pm. On my days off I get still him out at 9pm, but then he stays out for as long as I want, usually 2-3 hours.


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## omgitsbleigh (Sep 5, 2016)

So should I just get him out maybe when we're having supper and have him sit with me? 
I leave at 6 pm, so any later than that is out of the question.


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## paige.alison (Aug 30, 2016)

I guess you could. He might be tempted to bite, though.

~Paige~


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## kelseyfougere (Aug 1, 2016)

what about a bonding bag or bonding scarf? You could wear the bag well your eating/ getting ready


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## paige.alison (Aug 30, 2016)

Yes that's a good idea

~Paige~


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

What is your schedule like on your off days?


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## omgitsbleigh (Sep 5, 2016)

On my first day off, I get home at 830 am and then the day resumes like a normal day. Up all day, sleep at night. 
As for a bag, I have made a couple of no-sew bags I found on this site. We brought our boys home yesterday, and today is my first night of work. I decided that I will get him up when I get home for a little bit, and then I will have him out in the bag when I'm eating supper. We have made HUGE progress just since yesterday! At our bonding session last night (around 830 pm) he was super huffy and a "spiky caterpillar" for 10 or so minutes and then I had to make very gentle movements or else he would do it again. This morning at our 830 am bonding session, he was only huffy and a "spiky caterpillar" for a few minutes when I first woke him up. And then he woke up for an afternoon snack, so I decided to do some bonding too, and he wasn't huffy at all! I know that the huffiness very well may continue for a while, but I'm pretty happy that he made it through one whole bonding time without becoming a spiky caterpillar!


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## cwallace4runner (Sep 28, 2016)

I work night shifts too. 
Start work at 6pm and off by 4:30 am. 
I am wondering what is a good time to try feeding them new things? 
I want to bond with it more but it's hard to associate food with it if it's not the right time and he doesn't wanna eat... 

Mine spikes into a ball, turns his back to me, and makes a soft hissing sound. 
I have to pull his bed away otherwise he just retreats under it. 
He's not really curious, doesn't wander the cage after I wake him. 

So far he sleeps during the day time too and all during night as well. 
Does he have a problem?


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