# new hedghog sneezing a licking nose



## lcoopman (Sep 8, 2014)

Hello, yesterday day I got a 8 week old hedgehog, I have noticed that he sneezes and licks his nose a lot. Do I have to be worried about this?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Yes, that could possibly be a sign of a URI. I have a bunch of questions for you, if you can answer them, that'd be great! More information will help us with figuring out if you need to get him to the vet ASAP or if it might be due to something else.

- What kind of bedding are you using? If it's a loose bedding such as wood shavings or Carefresh, try switching him to a piece of fleece or a spare pillow case (check for loose threads) and see if the sneezing lessens. Sometimes dust from bedding or allergies to the bedding can cause sneezing.

- If you're already using fabric bedding, what are you using to wash it in? He could also have an allergy or be irritated if it's a scented detergent.

- What temperature is his cage? Do you have a thermometer and heat set up for his cage? If not, you need to get a digital thermometer right away so you can check the temperature. If he's not warm enough, it can cause hibernation attempts and URIs.

- Is he eating well? If you're not keeping track of how much he's eating, it would be a good idea to start. Most people will either weigh, measure, or count kibble when putting new food in in the evening, then check again in the morning to see how much was eaten. Hedgehogs with URIs will sometimes eat less because they can't smell or taste the food as well.

- Do you have a light schedule set up for him? He needs 12-14 hours of light daily, around the same times. This is more to avoid hibernation attempts, but still important.

- Do you use any candles, room fresheners, etc. in the room where his cage is? They can be very sensitive to smells, so it's best not to use scented/smelly things around hedgie cages.

If he's not eating well, is lethargic, or you're not seeing anything else that I mentioned that could be causing the sneezing, you need to book a vet appointment right away. URIs need antibiotics to go away, otherwise they can turn into pneumonia, which can easily kill your hedgehog.


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## lcoopman (Sep 8, 2014)

Lilysmommy said:


> Yes, that could possibly be a sign of a URI. I have a bunch of questions for you, if you can answer them, that'd be great! More information will help us with figuring out if you need to get him to the vet ASAP or if it might be due to something else.
> 
> - What kind of bedding are you using? If it's a loose bedding such as wood shavings or Carefresh, try switching him to a piece of fleece or a spare pillow case (check for loose threads) and see if the sneezing lessens. Sometimes dust from bedding or allergies to the bedding can cause sneezing.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply, I am using these pellet things recommended from the breeder. He is eating a lot and drinking a good amount, he is very active. He has a mammal heating pad also recommended. Inside the cage it is around 75 and out side of is 72, it gets to a lower temputure during the night. I so have him on a light schedule. Thanks


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I would try moving him from pellets to a fleece liner or something (washed with unscented detergent), just in case that's the issue. Otherwise it might be worth a vet visit, just to be safe. URIs can get serious very quickly. Even if it turns out not to be that, a wellness visit isn't a bad idea either, so you can both meet your vet & such. 

Personally, I'd check into a different heating method. Heating pads mainly heat the floor, and can sometimes cause contact burns if a hedgehog lays where the pad is for too long. If the cage is getting to a lower temperature during the night already, you may run into bigger problems keeping him warm in a couple months, when winter starts up. A CHE set up might be a better option, as it heats the air and keeps the whole cage at a steady temperature. There's more information about CHEs and other heating options like space heaters in the Housing section.

And I forgot to add...welcome to the forum!


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## lcoopman (Sep 8, 2014)

He mostly snorts and sneezes when I am around him, he's usually fine when I put him down in the cage.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Do you wear any kind of perfume or cologne? Do you have the smell/fur/etc. of any other animals on you? Or would you have any strong scents from a job on you?


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## lcoopman (Sep 8, 2014)

I have cats, I don't where any scented things.


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