# Doesnt wanna come out



## sammyjh45 (Jun 26, 2011)

My heggie is a wild heggie. Once he is out of his cage he is all over the place smelling stuff and walking around. He does not just sit in my lap and i cant just hold him he is to crazy. He lets me pick him up no problem if he starts to walk towards danger. He WILL NOT let me get him out of his cage tho. I get him out to play everynight around 930 and he hides under his whell and huffs and balls up and jumps and is terrible. Once he is out hes perfectly fine and nice. Is this normal are there any suggestions? 

What do you suggest for lighting when playing with your heggie


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

That type of behaviour is quite typical as they are territorial of their cage so when we reach in to get them, they huff and puff and carry on. 

Dim or red lighting works well when playing with them.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I lure Cholla out into the open with mealies! I give him one, then he has to walk closer to me to get the next one, etc. When he's out in the open, I give him one last mealie to occupy him & then just scoop him up!


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## panda (May 23, 2011)

i agree with PJM that mealies help get them a bit off guard :lol: 
but i dont really mind that Norma balls up or huffs when i go to get her out, its her way of saying maaaaa i was napping still! but after just a minute out of the cage she calms down.


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## sammyjh45 (Jun 26, 2011)

thank you for your advice. I have only had Hector for a week now but I have been wanting to make hima box he can hunt for worms in so I will have to get some get him to come out. 

Is it possibly my heggie is overly sensitive to light? if i play with him and there is any direct light at all even a tv he goes to sleep.


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2011)

Hedgehogs are by nature nocturnal creatures so it isn't at all surprising that s/he would do that, what times are you mostly interacting with you hedgie?


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## sammyjh45 (Jun 26, 2011)

im very worried about hector that me might be overly sensitive. Today we took him out and just had the tv on and light and the volume way down and he still went and hid his eyes. He has a light schedule and we have to wake him up. He will get up and eat and play for about 30 mins and then want to sleep.
Also my breeder said she kept his room at 80 so i have kept my apartment at 79-81. Lately he as come up and splat on his wheel so I dug a little hole in his bedding and placed an iceback under his cage so the cool would go through and he lays in it so I know he is hot. Im worried about him getting to cold I can not figure out a temp he likes. He looks so sad he will go into the hole and lay there with his eyes open and not move just looking so sad  

What temps do you guys kept your cages cause hector is clearly not comfortable. Also he is three months old how many hours of light do you guys give your three month olds?

I am just very worried about him!!!


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2011)

Firstly calm down you obviously care deeply for your hedgehog and thats the key element!

As I said some hedgies are more light sensitive, you may find you will need to interact with your hedgie in very low light circumstances I think Nancy mentioned a red light which may be helpful.

You should have constant light source for about 10 to 14 hours, a hedgie can vary on temp, lower the temp a degree and carefully monitor if it helps, a hedgie that is too hot can cause issues as well, I would not go below 75 degrees though.

Keep giving your hedgehog love and attention  you will get it right in time!


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## sammyjh45 (Jun 26, 2011)

thanks I appreciate it  I want a healthy happy hedgehog and when he lays there hot he just looks so sad i feel so bad for him 

could he be scared of the tv?


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2011)

Being he's still new to the environment yes he may come to get used to it, but he may not each hedgehog has their own personality


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