# Nice hedgehog won’t come out of ball



## Mr.Pricklesworth_Hedgehog (Jul 31, 2017)

I have had my hedgehog Mr. Pricklesworth for about 8 months, he is 9 1/2 months old. He is pretty tame, he will huff when I wake him up, and may be a bit spiked. Once I pick him up and hold him his quills go down and he just wants to explore the world around him. He loves running on his wheel and does every night. He ran last night, and is eating normally, and pooping/peeing normally. 
This evening when I went to pick him up he was curled into a tight ball, and refused to come out. His cage temperature is 76°F, so I’m pretty sure it’s not a hibernation attempt. Other than being really grumpy he seems normal. I had him out for 10 minutes in a quite dim place and let him sit, waiting for him to come out of his ball, but he never did. 
I put him back in his cage about ten 10 minutes ago, I looked over and saw he had uncurled after a little bit, so I went to go pick him up now that he was calmed down just to check that he was okay, but he just balled up again when I went to pick him up. 

He has had no recent changes to his environment. 
I wasn’t able to hold him yesterday, but thats happened before, and I can’t imagine how he could have lost all tameness in 1 day. 
I’m not super concerned, but I just want to make sure he’ll be okay. 

Is he just being grumpy? Could be possibly be quilling again at 9 1/2 months? Or should I take him to the vet (I don’t really have the money to do so at all right now)
Please help! Thanks so much.


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

Are there any new smells in your house? Did you have any hand cream on or change some other scent like hand soap or your clothes detergent? Basically do something differently?Sounds like he got a little scared or startled by something but that's just my opinion. Even though my boy huffs and is generally on the grumpy side he's never balled up completely for longer than a few seconds so I can't say for sure what's causing it. When my boy does ball up its when he's startled by something and goes in defense mode.

See how he is the next evening. Try offering him his favourite treat whilst you are holding him and see if that tempts him out. Otherwise try holding him in your lap on a blanket or cuddle sack and cover him so he feels more secure. Hopefully it was just a one time thing


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## Mr.Pricklesworth_Hedgehog (Jul 31, 2017)

Let me just start off with all is now good. 

He had never curled into a ball for more than a minute before, so I was very confused on why he was then. I’m not using anything new that was a different smell or caused a new smell. 

I also was out of meal worms (his favorite treat, and the only treat he’ll eat) to bribe him with sadly. 

When I woke him up again this morning he was perfectly fine and happy, and normal. 

I guess I’ll never know why he was so grumpy. Maybe it was just a bad day.


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