# Persistant Dry, Flaky Skin



## nessariel (Mar 3, 2010)

Winston's skin is very dry and flaky, and nothing seems to help! I've been putting flax seed oil on his food every 4 days, given him an oatmeal bath and have been putting flax seed oil on his back about once a week. He still leaves a little trail of dandruff behind him. 

He's not scratching at all, and I think he's still finishing up quilling, though it's only the odd quill every once in a while now. If I push his quills up a little to look at his skin, he huffs a LOT (way more than if I'm just petting him regularly) so I think it hurts him.  

I'm stuck on ideas. If he were a human, I'd cover him in lotion! If anyone can help, I'd be very appreciative.


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## jdlover90 (Jun 14, 2010)

I've heard mixed reviews about olive oil baths, but maybe give that a try? Quilly was starting to get a little flakey and dry too, and I would sort of peer through his quills and see really dry skin. I gave him an olive oil bath (just a bit of olive oil, not a lot at all) and he's better now. I guess I just wouldn't recommend always bathing him with olive oil...too much of anything isn't good after all.


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

How's the humidity in the room? Maybe its dry air drying him out? Mine have stopped the flakiness since I've increased the humidity a bit. I had a regular white-out for a week there, but no other symptoms. I did the oil-drops after an oatmeal bath, that didn't seem to be curbing it, so finally brought in my small room humidifier and ran it every other day for about a week and the dry skin went away. Now I have it on only if I notice the air is very dry. (my own nose lets me know) Don't know if you have a hygrometer but mine reads 45%.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I don't think she has to worry about humidity being the problem unless they have a/c. It is super humid here right now. 

Olive oil rinses are fine as long as you know it is just dry skin and not bacteria or fungal. You can increase the amount of flax you put on him. Also, the vet sells a hydrating spray which works great. The only problem is, it is highly perfumed and really bothers some hedgehogs.


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## nessariel (Mar 3, 2010)

He's starting to look a little better. I stepped up the flax seed rinses recently, and I think it's starting to help, finally. I'm at my parents' for the summer, so we are using air conditioning (but only to 24.5 C, to conserve energy). The humidity in his cage is 55% on average.

Is there any way to get rid of the flakes of skin? I feel like, if they were gone, the flax seed oil would be more effective. A lot of them aren't even attached to the skin anymore, they're just trapped by the quills, but I'm having difficulty getting rid of it because he doesn't like me touching under his quills.


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## terrih (Sep 3, 2017)

my hedgehog has this rash it looks a bit like cradale cap on his face what can i do to help him


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Please start your own thread with your question. This thread is from 2010.


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