# Daily Routine!



## cookieboots (Aug 8, 2011)

Here is our Cookieboots daily routine and I was wondering if we could change it so we could interact with her more. OR if we are doing things perfectly. The temperature goes from 74-82-74 ish throughout the day. I know the temp varies but its pretty much like a normal day like cycle so I don't think it bothers her. She hides in her fleecy bedding throughout the day. Around 9ish I take her out for a bit of running around my hands and our bed then around 9:30 we put her back so she can nom drink water and then begin her nightly marathon in her wheel. In the morning I clean her wheel from the exorbitant amount of hedgie pancakes she made. She gets daily sun from the blinds being open so its more then 12 hours. So are we doing the right stuff? We have ordered a heater and the thermostat for when it gets cold and are already experimenting where to place her and ensuring if a power outage occurs we can keep her warm. I really want to spend time with her even if its just watching her scoot around our bed or anything. We will be getting some cat greenies for her teethies. Also what is the best way to give her treats like dead(frozen killed) crickets or pieces of melon or banana?


----------



## EryBee (May 23, 2010)

Sounds like you've got a nice routine! When your heater is all set up just make sure to keep it constant. You might also need to experiment with temperature to find just the right setting. My hedgie gets very picky about those things :? 

If you want to watch her scoot around, why not set up a play pen on the floor with some obstacles/toys? TP rolls, things to push around, tunnels to crawl through,etc. Great exercise and mental stimulation for her, cute for you to watch!

People may have different methods, but as far as treat giving I just place them in front of my hedgie or in hidden spots around his cage and watch him hunt for him. Again, good mental stimulation.


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Just wanted to add that your routine sounds great! If you guys are wanting to spend more time handling her and watching her play, you could keep her out longer, for an hour or so. You could either wake her a bit earlier (which she'd get used to eventually, once it becomes new routine) or just keep her out a bit longer, until 10 or so. I usually get Lily out around 9 and keep her out until 11, either exploring or (most of the time) cuddling.


----------



## cookieboots (Aug 8, 2011)

Now how do yall suggest cuddling that spiky thing of adorableness? Also every time we go to pick her up she quills...and HARD...the few times we tried without using a towel...my fingers got caught near her head and traped inside her face pocket area and it drew a bit of blood owie. What would yall recommend for a play pen area?


----------



## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I wouldn't use a towel, since nails and quills can get caught in the loops. Use a soft blanket, fleece, flannel, etc. that has no loose threads. She sounds like she's still getting used to you, and if she's young, she may be going through quilling, which is painful and makes them grumpy. Quilling can also cause them to not want you touching their back, since the skin is sore from new quills coming through. Just keep using a soft blanket to take her out, nothing wrong with doing that. If you want to cuddle, just plop yourself down someplace with her while you watch tv, read, etc. Covering her with part of the blanket might help her settle down, since they usually feel safer when covered. She may dig around and move around under the blanket still before settling down. If she's a determined explorer-type, she may not want to cuddle at all! :lol: 

For play pens, a lot of people like using those plastic kiddy pools you can get for cheap at a Walmart, etc. You can also use wire fence small animal pens found at pet stores, though you have to watch closely in those since hedgehogs can easily climb over or shove under them. You could also hedgie proof a room and just let her run around wherever. I don't have an actual play pen for Lily, so when I have her out to explore, I put a blanket down on my floor and surround the perimeter with her wheel, dig box, food bowls, blankets, etc. to kind of block her in. Doesn't work perfectly, but well enough for while I'm watching her.


----------



## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

I have a play pen that I made out of the leftover storage cubes from my C&C. I just zip-tied the pieces together and voila! I need to put coroplast or something similar on the sides of each cube face, because Liam often decides he would rather stick his head in the holes and push the playpen around rather than actually PLAYING. :roll: A lot of people use a plastic kiddie pool as well. For me, I don't have the space to store one, so my foldable playpen works well. There are other wire ones I've seen as well, like this one:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2754677

I can't tell how big that is from the picture. You might be able to buy two and connect them!

For cuddling: do you have a blanket or a hedgie bag you could snuggle her in? A lot of hedgies will relax more and be more amenable to petting if they're covered up. Liam often quills up when I first wake him up (I think he's very territorial of his cage) so to pick him up I just kind of cup my hands around his sides and scoop, so it's mostly fur touching my palms. Then I roll him over so his back is on my palm, and talk to him and gently stroke his head/ears/nose until he comes out his ball and starts squirming. He usually relaxes quickly and puts his quills down once he's outside of his home. Would Cookieboots be okay with something like this? The key is just going to be patience, both for you and for her. Touching her with your bare hands is going to be the best way for her to recognize and be more comfortable with you.


----------



## panda (May 23, 2011)

those little pens are cute and easy to store, but getting a puppy pool at petsmart is actually way cheaper, its what i have, i just slide it under the bed for storage.. good thing about it is it has multiple uses, i can use it for her or my other pets as needed


----------



## cookieboots (Aug 8, 2011)

Lilysmommy said:


> I wouldn't use a towel, since nails and quills can get caught in the loops. Use a soft blanket, fleece, flannel, etc. that has no loose threads. She sounds like she's still getting used to you, and if she's young, she may be going through quilling, which is painful and makes them grumpy. Quilling can also cause them to not want you touching their back, since the skin is sore from new quills coming through. Just keep using a soft blanket to take her out, nothing wrong with doing that. If you want to cuddle, just plop yourself down someplace with her while you watch tv, read, etc. Covering her with part of the blanket might help her settle down, since they usually feel safer when covered. She may dig around and move around under the blanket still before settling down. If she's a determined explorer-type, she may not want to cuddle at all! :lol:
> 
> For play pens, a lot of people like using those plastic kiddy pools you can get for cheap at a Walmart, etc. You can also use wire fence small animal pens found at pet stores, though you have to watch closely in those since hedgehogs can easily climb over or shove under them. You could also hedgie proof a room and just let her run around wherever. I don't have an actual play pen for Lily, so when I have her out to explore, I put a blanket down on my floor and surround the perimeter with her wheel, dig box, food bowls, blankets, etc. to kind of block her in. Doesn't work perfectly, but well enough for while I'm watching her.


Well the towel is only to ensure that 1) I dont get my finger caught under her head again and 2) so I can actually pick her up(she quills hard then relaxes after). Now as far as the snuggle bag just a fleece bag for her to be safe in is what they like. BTW while she is in my hands/on my arm she sniffs almost squeekly...is that a happy noise? She doesnt seem in distress or concerned just sniffs sniffs.


----------



## Guest (Sep 3, 2011)

cookieboots said:


> Lilysmommy said:
> 
> 
> > I wouldn't use a towel, since nails and quills can get caught in the loops. Use a soft blanket, fleece, flannel, etc. that has no loose threads. She sounds like she's still getting used to you, and if she's young, she may be going through quilling, which is painful and makes them grumpy. Quilling can also cause them to not want you touching their back, since the skin is sore from new quills coming through. Just keep using a soft blanket to take her out, nothing wrong with doing that. If you want to cuddle, just plop yourself down someplace with her while you watch tv, read, etc. Covering her with part of the blanket might help her settle down, since they usually feel safer when covered. She may dig around and move around under the blanket still before settling down. If she's a determined explorer-type, she may not want to cuddle at all! :lol:
> ...


I suggest you go read to topic about a single hair on here with a hedgie and realize how quick damage can be caused to a foot use a fleece blankie or something else safe instead.

Probably her just sniffing thats nothing to worry about unless it sounds wheezy or something.

I realize how much it hurts my girls do it all the time still and I just got used to it don't try to scoop up your hedgie from below if you are using fleece it will result in fingers getting caught as you have discovered


----------

