# What should I do?



## K9_girl1994 (Nov 6, 2008)

My sisters and I all have our own hedgies; Bruno, Xena and Fabio. We are on vacation and my mom is looking after them. Almost everytime she calls she complains about the hedgies smelling. This is not new and she has been complaining for the last couple months. We open windows when we are home, clean the cages every other day or so, spray vinegar/water mix, and have left baking soda in a bowl. I dont know what else to do! To me aand my sisters they dont smell, but my grandma and mom says they smell really bad. They said that they will put them in the paper last time I talked to them (1 hour ago). I know she wont though. Do you guys know what else I can do. They are on CSFCLSL and Wellness food btw.


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## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

If they are being fed 1/2 wellness 1/2 chicken soup, then I bet it's the wellness making them stinky. Wellness is a very rich food and most hedgehogs can only handle 10-20 kibble a night, some more, some less.

Try feeding more chicken soup or add another food or two into the mix so they can eat less of the wellness.


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## K9_girl1994 (Nov 6, 2008)

I'll check out reapers list and pick out another food. Thank you. Does anyone else have any quick advice?


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

You could try buying a cheap air filter. I bought a HEPA air purifier for about $40 when I had an ungodly huge amount of animals in one room temporarily last year, to keep the stench down. It worked fantastic and I still keep it on 24/7 to keep the air nice and clean, even with just Inky, the bearded dragons, and the feeder insects in there now.


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## K9_girl1994 (Nov 6, 2008)

I am using some of my b-day money to get the air filter. My mom is buying a at food off of reapers list today. I asked her to buy one that doesn't have fish as the first five ingredients. Thank you for your help. My mom called and left a voicemail on my phone last night, saying like, "I wont get rid of them, if you dont want me to, but I think everyone will be happy when they are gone." NOTE: She does this with almost every animal we have. She said that a person ended up in the hospital from breathing amonia in the urine. And that she doesn't think they are safe and that we will get very sick keeping them.

I am not getting rid of Bruno, like he is some toy. He and my sisters hedgies are staying.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Wow, I think that it is rude that they are treating your hedgies like some disposable things and wishing they were dead or gone to another home. They obviously don't understand the commitment to a pet that *good* owners have. 

I'm glad you aren't willing to give them up. The air purifier should help, if it is as bad as they say it is (which I doubt, hedgies aren't THAT bad, and yours aren't even babies anymore...). Hopefully something will work out and they will stop complaining. Sorry you have to deal with that!


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

I bought an air purifier last summer after reading a post by LG saying she had one and how well it worked. I was very pleased with how good of a job it did


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## mel2626 (Sep 28, 2009)

Hi there,

I just had a few questions:

You said that you and your sisters clean the cages every 2 days or so, but is your mom doing the same while you are away? 
If she's not, I'm sure the cages definitely smell worse than usual because the waste would be adding up.

Do you use liners? That definitely helps to cut down on the smell for my hedgies.

Do you have them housed in one room or separate rooms? 
If they are all in different rooms, they could just be getting overwhelmed as they walk room to room, but if they are in one room then the "hedgie smell" would be in just one room and maybe they could more easily deal with that.

Personally I think the smell of vinegar is disgusting. I can't imagine how sick I'd be if I smelled pee, poo and vinegar in the morning...baking from the heat lamp! Gag! :lol: Most people do use it though since it's safe for the hedgies, but there are also a few threads on here about alternative cleaning products to use. I'm looking for something different for my hedgies too so I figured I throw that out there as a possible source of stink (the combination of smells). 

Everyone else here had really great ideas and hopefully you can get the smelly situation taken care of to make everyone happy.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Just checking... Does your mom know to add new food very _very_ slowly? Cause otherwise, that will just ADD to the smell as the hedgies would end up with loose poops and probably diarrhea.

It probably would have been easier just to adjust the amount you are feeding and make it 80% CSFCLS and 20% Wellness.


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## K9_girl1994 (Nov 6, 2008)

My mom said she is cleaning the hedgies cages *twice* a day (the whole thing...liner and everything) which doesn't make sense. They are in the same room and yes we use liners.

I never gave my hedgie too much wellness. He eats 10 pieces a day and 40 Chicken Soup. And of course a meal worm. I am going to tell her to add 5 pieces of the new food into the combination. Fabio eats the same as Bruno. Xena is on a special diet because she doesn't have many teeth. I have it all figured out though. 

Thanks for your help everyone.


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## K9_girl1994 (Nov 6, 2008)

LizardGirl said:


> Wow, I think that it is rude that they are treating your hedgies like some disposable things and wishing they were dead or gone to another home. They obviously don't understand the commitment to a pet that *good* owners have.
> 
> I'm glad you aren't willing to give them up. The air purifier should help, if it is as bad as they say it is (which I doubt, hedgies aren't THAT bad, and yours aren't even babies anymore...). Hopefully something will work out and they will stop complaining. Sorry you have to deal with that!


It makes me so mad, because my grandma always makes comments like, "How long do they live." I hate it.


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## nessariel (Mar 3, 2010)

K9_girl1994 said:


> It makes me so mad, because my grandma always makes comments like, "How long do they live." I hate it.


I feel you there! When I told my family that I was getting Winston, most people's first reaction was "Why would you want to? It's not a real pet." and I even had my ex-roommate's girlfriend ask me "Where are you finding this little creature?" with a look of disdain on her face, as though he were some sort of vile, disgusting thing. :evil:

As for the air purifier idea, it's definitely a good one. I use one for my allergies, and it helps with all kinds of smells (cooking fish, stinky feet, etc.  )


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## nationofamanda (Jan 19, 2010)

she is not going to end up in a hospital from the amount of ammonia in three hedgehog cages.
that is impossible.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I can relate to your feelings on people being so open with how disgusting they think they are. I remember telling people when I decided to get one and seeing their reactions but I think the worst have been when I have been out shopping for supplies and someone asks about what Im making. I am all for speaking your mind and everything but I have to admit I find it rude that a store employee would ask then act so openly disgusted. After all Im still a customer and it shouldn't matter what Im using things for since Im the one paying for them. I think the people in the fabric department do this the most and make it seem like you are wasting the fabric or something. 

Sorry that turned into a rant but it hit close to home since I just went through this recently when I was on a fabric shopping outting. It's not exactly the same but people trying to make you feel like its a nasty pet to have hit home to reactions I've gotten.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

> I can relate to your feelings on people being so open with how disgusting they think they are. I remember telling people when I decided to get one and seeing their reactions but I think the worst have been when I have been out shopping for supplies and someone asks about what Im making. I am all for speaking your mind and everything but I have to admit I find it rude that a store employee would ask then act so openly disgusted. After all Im still a customer and it shouldn't matter what Im using things for since Im the one paying for them. I think the people in the fabric department do this the most and make it seem like you are wasting the fabric or something.
> 
> Sorry that turned into a rant but it hit close to home since I just went through this recently when I was on a fabric shopping outting. It's not exactly the same but people trying to make you feel like its a nasty pet to have hit home to reactions I've gotten.


I completely know what you mean, I get that a lot too. Sometimes I am surprised at the audacity of store employees- one time I was in Target and was buying oral syringes, glucosamine chondroitin tablets, human nipple cream, and some cute mini dishes for Inky. While I know that's an incredibly odd group of things to be buying, I don't think it's entirely polite for the employee to give you bug eyes and say "what the h*** are you doing with all that?!". Fabric shopping too, I'll go buy some cute fleece and the person will say aww, whatcha making? And of course I'll either lie (to avoid their response) or tell them I'm making liners for my hedgehog's cage, or hammocks for my rats. Thankfully people usually aren't disgusted by the thought of a hedgie but I've seen some pretty nasty faces after mentioning my ratties. :x


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## nationofamanda (Jan 19, 2010)

i have cute little bowls from target too!


anyway, yes i get upset when people think my girls are gross...but i take it in stride, how is picking up after my two little beasties any ickier than cleaning up after a dog on a walk, or scrubbing out a litter box? it's all a perspective issue--there are plenty of pets (i can think of a few in particular) that i personally would never want to own, but i'm sure the people who have those pets think they are just lovely and don't mind the upkeep that comes with them.

i think the main concern of this post at this point might be that next time you are out of town you might want to look into alternative petsitters for your hedgies...your mom doesn't seem to want this job, and it's stressing you both out. you and her would probably feel a lot better if they stayed with a responsible friend or neighbor next time around.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

I get that too :lol: When I make my way to the counter with 30-40 cake covers all the employees ask are you going bake some cakes(very original :roll: ) and I just say" yea a whole bunch of em" :roll: :lol: 
One time I tried to explain the were to make hedgie wheels and everyone was like "duh what's a hedgie wheel" :lol:


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I absolutely hate it when clerks or cashiers quiz people on what they are buying certain things for. Although the employees at the fabric store I deal with know and don't ask, I'd often get customers asking what I do with all the flannel or fleece. I used to answer but that always led to EWWWW, or looks like I was insane so now I just give an offhand comment of "stuff" or "different things". Often the person will then start trying to guess. :shock: 

Back when I was making wheels and buying plumbing pipe and connectors, I'd get comments that I must do a lot of plumbing. Yep, that's right. :lol:

It isn't just the hedgie things. Some cashiers seem to comment on everything.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

I've gotten the fabric store reaction once. I was in a Wal-Mart with my brother and of course had to check out the fleece. I found a super cute pattern with elephants and giraffes (my favourite animals) so of course I had to have it. When the lady was trimming it she was like, you know this isn't enough to make a blanket or anything. I told her I was making hedgehog liners. I then had to explain what hedgehog liners are and her comment was "couldn't you by a cheaper one" when I said No she had this look of confusion and judgment on her face. 

I also get similar reactions from people when I mention my pet mice. People are so confused like they've never heard of keeping mice as pets. These are the people that have never walked through a pet store their entire life. I feel sad for them actually.


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## Sashalynn (Mar 23, 2010)

I've been getting the opposite reaction to Cyndaquil when people ask. They get excited and want to see him. All the girls at cumberland farms gas station begged me to bring him in. I was just in walmart cashing out with baby soap, toys, ect and when I told the cashier it was for my hedgie she wanted me to bring him in Lol. Every is in awe and then they fall in love with him as soon as they see him.


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## K9_girl1994 (Nov 6, 2008)

When I tell people that I am buying things for my hedgehog, they either dont care at all or they are a little interested. They usually say, "I didn't know that they could be pets."

So, I am back home now. The hedgehog cages looked like they haven't been cleaned for like 2 days. They didn't look well cared for, and I was really mad at my mom. We had a little fight on the phone, and as bad as it sounds I had to hang up on her and turn the answering machine off. 

She was saying things like, "When we move into Fred's house (my moms been dating him for awhile) you will need to get rid of them because they smell so bad. The smell of the amonia in the urine will make you end up in the hospital. Why do you even love them so much. They dont have feelings, and can't love you." After that last sentence, I had no choice to hang up and walk away.

She called back and I didn't answer. Then called again a few minutes later, and I turned the answer machine on. She left a message, saying sorry I upset you, and we will talk later. And then she called again, an I answered...She was saying that we will see how the purifier works.  

We cleaned everything really good and I put the purifier upstairs. It works really good! My grandma came upstairs last night and said that she could only smell it a little!

Next time we leave on vacation, they are going to a pet sitter. My mom sucks at being a hedgie sitter, and that is ok, but she will not pet sit for me and my sisters again.


Thanks for everyone's help. It is very appreciated.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I am so sorry your mom is being so rude to you.  It is really offensive, regardless if they actually are that bad.

I wonder why she complains about the "ammonia" all the time? I have never ever associated hedgehog urine to smell like ammonia. Mice and rats, definitely, and even moreso because they are kept on shavings (well mine are). Hedgie urine just kind of has a... "sweet" smell to it. Not like yummy sweet but more sugary than acidic. I dunno.

The air purifier should really help. You will probably be able to smell them a tiny bit when you are close to the cage, but overall it shouldn't be anywhere near as bad.


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