# Hedgehog and I losing bond..



## Hh9 (Feb 22, 2016)

My hedgehog is very sweet... I worked with him everyday and he loved it... But for some reason he has been very territorial and huffs everytime I go near him... He always did that but after a few minutes he would stop but now he doesnt stop. I dont know what to do... Any advice??


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## Theobromine (Nov 5, 2015)

How old is your hedgehog? Is there a possibility that he may be in a bad mood because he's quilling?


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## CherylMatthews (Apr 19, 2016)

*It sounds like he's quilling. Due to the pain and discomfort of losing quills, they will tend to be more huffy when you try and pick them up. *


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## Hh9 (Feb 22, 2016)

He was born at the end of January


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

He's about 16 weeks old so he's probably not quilling right now. What do you do when he huffs at you?


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## Hh9 (Feb 22, 2016)

Well I lift his igloo or snuggle sack up and the first thing he does is huff and stick is quills up... I give him a few minutes to warm up and try to slowly touch him. I usually will put some mealworms or food close to his face to get his head to come out and then I go to pet him again and he huffs again. This makes me give up and let him be please give me some tips i miss him!!


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## Artemis-Ichiro (Jan 22, 2016)

When you leave him alone after huffing you are teaching him that you will leave him alone by doing that. You need to pick him up and continue with your usual routine that's how he learns that it's pointless.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

You have taught him that if he huffs you'll leave him alone. So in effect you have trained him to huff at you. When you go to pick him up you need to follow through with it no matter how he reacts. He will then learn that huffing doesn't help and will be less lightly to huff at you.


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## Hh9 (Feb 22, 2016)

Okay! Thankyou


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## Artemis-Ichiro (Jan 22, 2016)

Forgot to add, be confident when you do it, if you are nervous or hesitant, he's going to use it to its advantage.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Reaching in and grabbing them can be daunting if you let it be. It doesn't have to be. You get poked. Then you get used to it. 
If you need to, use some fleece to pick him up. Just go in and do it. Convince yourself before you even walk in the room that you are committed to doing this, walk in, open the cage up and pick him up. Don't stop to think about it.


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## CrysAnner (Apr 29, 2016)

Also try soft gentle back talk. When Stellaa! has a huffy fit at me I'll softly tell her to toughen up and call her a cranky pants, kind of stuff but in a playful way. Your familiar voice can help them realize that oh! Thats a friend! And want to investigate. The words/ conversation you choose to say are of course optional in terms of what youre saying. I choose banter because my Stellaa! Is a pack of sassy haha.


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