# Help with a new hedgie!



## George (Jul 31, 2013)

Hi everyone!!

My fiance and I got our first ever hedgehog on Sunday night (2.5 days ago)!

Here's a little bit of background info on him before I ask my questions:
The girl who had him since he was 4 months (he's now about 1 year and a couple of months) is moving into a no-pet condo and reluctantly had to give him away  she said he is very friendly and likes to hang out on her shoulder while she walks around the house; he also just sits there when you're watching tv. And his best friend was a teacup yorkie!
so all in all, he sounded like the perfect little guy for us!

So Sunday night we went to the girl's house to meet the hedgie (now named George Alexander Louis II :lol and he was very grumpy when she lifted the igloo because he was sleeping. not even she could pick him up because he was huffing and puffing.
When we got him home (in his same sterilite home), we pretty much left him alone. Middle of the night he ran like crazy on his wheel! lol
So, in these last 2 days, he doesn't wake up during the day (8am-past midnight), so the girl told me to just get him out in the evening to get him used to our schedule.
I slowly lift the igloo and he is as angry as ever! It's really hard to pick him up because he spikes all over even if I scoop him up from underneath. It REALLY hurts.
Long story short, he hates human hands  hates being picked up, and has bit me 3 times already 

What should we do?
I tried offering him a little mango but he refused (girl said he loves bananas and mangos). He's eating, drinking, pooping and peeing (all while we sleep).

Will he eventually get used to us? Will we be able to carry him and hang out with him like his past owner used to do, or is he a lost case??

Any feedbacks or advice is much appreciated!!

Thanks

Giovanna & Cesar


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## definitelydeven (Jul 8, 2013)

Pick him up in some sort of cloth of it really hurts you (I've gotten use to holding Peaches and her quills don't hurt me at all any more) 
Pick him up in a towel and set him on your lap (later in the day is better) he will get curious and start wanting to explore. Put your finger close to his nose so he smells you. Sleep in a shirt of a few nights or wear one to bed after wearing it allll day and put it in his igloo. So he will think your sent means safety and home. Change out the shirt every 2-3 days so its always smelling like you.
Give him a bath, peaches is always nicer after bath time

Hope something helps!!


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## jayjay_87 (Jul 28, 2013)

that is so true... although i haven't bonded totally with my 2 hedges i think they tend to like you better when they are washed becoz hedges hate water and they will do anything to get out of it!!~ i kinda had the same case as ur case and now im still trying my hardest to bond with them!!~ i normally give them cat food on my hands!!~


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## JulieAnne (Sep 3, 2012)

The tshirt idea is a good one  I would also suggest doing that. Mainly, you need to be patient and just keep handling him. Make a routine out of it. Every day, around the same time get him up (and try a routine with that too: lift igloo, let him smell your hand, gently scoop up- using something to help if needed-, put on chest to smell... or something like that). Give him time, there are lots of new things right now! 

Oh, and it's completely normal for him not to get up during the day


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## sklock65 (Jan 9, 2013)

Hi there 

I agree with the responses so far but would just like to add one thing. Besides that he just needs some time to adjust to all the new smells and such of his new surroundings, there is another thing I've noticed with my own hedgie. My Henry is super friendly and well-mannered when we have him out of his cage HOWEVER after months of having him he still hates being woken up! I like to think it would be like if someone woke me up at 4am and was like "you're getting up let's go!"....let's just say I wouldn't be too thrilled either haha! Anyways I find that it's never a fun thing waking him up but that having a very certain routine and not dragging out the process really helps. I try to wake him around the same time each night and do the same thing every time (talk to him so he knows I'm approaching, remove his house, let him eat as much as he wants for a minute, and then pick him up gently...all followed by a footbath and then he gets to snuggle in my lap). I really think having the routine helps...I always joke that "I'm the human!" meaning I just take charge. I find that when he's in his cage he is a bit territorial but the second I take him out he's fine. I let him explore on his own terms and I really believe he has the learned behavior that being out of his cage is not so bad!

Every hedgie is different but I hope this helps! Remember....patience!

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## George (Jul 31, 2013)

Wow thank you all for your responses! I feel much better now 
I will definitely do all of those things!
@sklock: do you give him a foot bath everyday as part of the routine? Does that consist of just rubbing his little paws with some water to get the poop off, or do you fill some water in the sink and let him walk in there?

I will try a nice soothing bath tonight  Let's see how that goes... lol


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## sklock65 (Jan 9, 2013)

Glad to help! I like to do footbaths every day and I think Henry now actually likes it (I think he prefers having clean feet!). People have different methods but I just fill a bucket w warm water about half inch high and put him in for a few minutes. Sometimes he walks around but sometimes he will just sit there (I had to get a big paint bucket so he can't climb out)...and I usually go spot clean his cage and replace food and water while I leave him in there. Then I get him out and rub off each foot with a towel. The warm water just softens all the crud so it easily comes off. I've heard stories of hedgies that have a difficult time with all of this...my little guy has come a long way so be patient. But I really believe he now appreciates the strict routine. Just my take on it!

Best of luck and feel free to ask any other questions!

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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Re: foot-baths

I've seen other people have their hedgehogs run around on a wet towel, or fill a sink with an inch of water. For my little guy, I tried the sink but he went into full-panic and kept trying to climb the sides, slip, smack his chin, try again... so after the first attempt I switched to the bathtub and it's been way, way better. It's flat enough that he can run around without immediately hitting the edge & slipping, and even has a bit of a shallow-deep gradation.

The point being: you can try different methods of foot-baths to see which works best for your new tiny friend.


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## George (Jul 31, 2013)

Ok so here's what happened: I put my shirt in his igloo yesterday afternoon and he was huffing and jumping as if I was in there (lol); but eventually he relaxed and slept (not on it though). 

Then we gave him a bath at night!  He didn't love it obviously as it's a new place and new humans, but I got to brush him a bit with warm water and a drop of olive oil to hydrate his skin which seems to be very itchy.

Anyway, after the bath, I wrapped him in his towel and BREAKTHROUGH: I was able to gently stroke the side of his face!!  I have the video, he looks so adorable in his towel lol

After that, we put him on the couch and we kinda laid down so he wouldn't fall off; after a few runs back and forth trying to escape, he eventually settled down on the bounty right next to my fiance  He was sort of sleeping but keeping his guard up. But I thought that was HUUUUGE progress!

And the last part, after I put him back in his house, he went in to the igloo smelled my shirt, and went to sleep under his wheel -_- 
This morning I found him in the corner by the wheel sleeping...I guess he really hates my smell lol So I took my shirt out, coaxed him in, and now he's fine, sleeping in his igloo.


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## definitelydeven (Jul 8, 2013)

My he doesn't like the deodarent you are using. Hedgies don't like perfumes or other sents. It can distract them from you


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## George (Jul 31, 2013)

So I think we're making some slooowww progress here...lol George still hates being picked up from his house, but I've been able to hold him in my hands without him hissing and balling up!
The problem now is, he tries to run for his life the whole time I have him out. I followed the advice of a youtube tutorial which suggested putting the hedgie on a chair or coffee table so he'll just walk around a bit, while being in your presence and starts getting used to you. I put George on a chair, and he did stand and walk for 1 minute, then he pooped, peed and wanted to JUMP OFF!
Same thing on the sofa: I put him on the sofa and he just approaches the edges like it's nothing! If I dont quickly put my hand in front and pick him up, he WILL fall off! I know hedgies are a bit vision-impaired, but George seems to not be afraid of heights and would rather die falling than stand still with me  He tries to walk right off the sofa.
So needless to say, I have to put him back in his cage after just a short while because he will not stop running looking for a way out, even if i provide him with his fleece to hide under....
Any advice?? Are any of your hedgies this careless? lol


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Yes, hedgehogs have terrible depth perception. My little friend will run off the edge of tables or walk right off my hands if I ever let him. siiiigh...

Sounds like you have an explorer. Can you hedgie-proof any part of your home so he can run around on the floor sniffing things?


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## George (Jul 31, 2013)

yeah....depth perception is an understatement...he looks suicidal! lol

I let him roam the living room freely (i just started blocking off the sofa because he would just hide under there and not move). But I want to bond with him, spend time with him, have him fall asleep on me or next me..you know?


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

My little explorer is snuggly-sleepy if I transport him from sleeping in his cage to on my lap in the evening. When he eventually wakes up, he's a hyperactive, and yes, suicidal maniac determined to run everywhere.

So, maybe you could steal him for the end of his slumber, or in the early morning, for snuggles?


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## sklock65 (Jan 9, 2013)

I used to put Henry on the coffee table but after seeing his daredevil attempts I no longer do that! He would literally walk to the edge and then continue to take a step...thankfully I got my hand under him in time but I don't take that risk anymore.

For Henry I usually lay a small towel on my lap and loosely fold it over and he LOVES to find a nice cozy spot within it and fall asleep. I've been using the same towel for that since we got him so he's super familiar with it and gets pretty excited at this point when he sees it. He passes right out and sometimes wakes up for just a moment every once in a while to look around and check things out and then will fall right back to sleep. I think this has been one of the best ways I've bonded with him. Once he got comfortable with this I was able to stop using the towel and now he will sleep in my hand on my stomach. Takes time 

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## George (Jul 31, 2013)

LMAO @Annie "suicidal maniac"! It's so true!

I will try the idea of not waking him up too much, and just put him on my lap in a towel....I've tried that after the failing chair attempt, but he just kept running out of the towel. 

Oh! I gave him an oatmeal/aveeno baby/olive oil bath last night and when I wrapped him in the towel to dry him, he actually stayed  I was able to sit down and snuggle with him in the towel for a good 10 minutes!!! I think he was so exhausted from trying to escape the sink... lol But I LOVED those 10 minutes. Of course, any slight movement he would huff, but still. I hope with time, he just nap on my lap, that's pretty much all I want from him <3 

Thank you all for the great ideas


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## mdelu (Aug 14, 2013)

I think it sounds like good progress...he's older so it is going to take more time...I would try another shirt, no deodorants, he should eventually warm up to it...make sure your hands r free of strong food or perfumed smells too...and talk to him....mine responds to my voice and doesn't huff as much if I talk to him b4 I get him out....good luck...patience is hard!


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## George (Jul 31, 2013)

thanks mdelu. I tried diff shirts, no deodorants, but nothing. If i put the shirt in his igloo, he'll spend the day or night sleeping under the paper towels on the opposite side if his house...sigh

what i've been doing the last 2 nights is i put him in a small cat litter box with some paper towels and put it on my lap while i watch tv and sort of craddle it. it's been progress because at least he doesn't try to desperately escape, and at the same time, he is feeling my movements, listening to my voice, and getting used to my hands.
last night he actually gave up a bit and settled for a nap, but wouldnt really go for it for more than a minute or two lol


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## ajweekley (Aug 8, 2013)

You could also get one of the wire play yards and set it up on the floor so he can't get out, but sit inside it with him. Or, if it's a small one like mine (because apparently some people who write product descriptions don't know the difference between circumference and diameter) you can kind of leave it open, but block the opening with your body so he can't get out but you're not all scrunched in there like a giant sardine. Same concept as the "let him play on the couch next to you" thing, no risk of stage-diving.


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## George (Jul 31, 2013)

Hi aj, I've done that too. He'll just run around like a crazy hedgie trying to find an exit, them eventually he stops and stands there. But wants nothing to do with me  I'll offer mealworms out of my hand and he'll huff but reach for the first one, but thinks my hand is too scary to go for repeats. ...
I have noticed though that some of his poop is sometimes green: like every other day or so, but there is also regular brown poop. Is that a concern? I've had him for a month now, should he still be stressed about being I'm a new home?


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## zamxonk (Mar 6, 2013)

So I have a hedgie who, when wide awake, also wants nothing to do with me. One thing to try is to use two sheets on a couch - sandwich him between them and tuck the ends under to cushions, so he can burrow around to his heart's content but can't fall off. Another thing to try is enriching a playpen. When I just put my hedgie in a pen with food and water and me, he was desperate to find an exit. When I added several toys, a dig box, and most importantly his beloved wheel, he started running laps, exploring the toys - lap around the perimeter - wheel - lap around the perimeter - toys - lap -wheel, etc. Seemed much less frantic. Also experiment with light - he might want it to be darker so he feels safe to explore, etc. Adding some hiding places in a playpen (a tunnel or a bag) might help too - my hedgie used to go from one hidey-spot to the next when he was still getting used to my home.

My hedgehog has been home and on a new food mix for 3 months and still has occasional green poop, so as long as everything else is still normal and he is having normal poop too, I would just keep an eye on it but not worry too much.

Have you tried any daytime bonding? I have pretty sweet times with my pig taking him out during the day. He sleeps inside my shirt while I do something very quiet, like reading or typing on the computer. It took him a while to really trust that he was safe - he went from sleeping deep in his snuggle bag to sleeping with only his head inside his snuggle bag to sleeping under his snuggle bag against my belly to sleeping just under my shirt. I'd say the progression took about 2 months, so hang in there! 

Ultimately, you're the person who's there with him every day. Try new things, trust your instincts, and listen to your hedgie, and you'll do fine bonding!


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