# Pulled out a quill. Help? Advice?



## NoDivision (Aug 29, 2010)

After giving Watson a bath today I was sitting getting him comfy in my lap for nail trimming time, when I noticed what looked like a little piece of dirt or, well, poo, in his visor quills. I tried to just brush it away with the end of the nail clippers and it didn't move, so I tried to gently work it with my fingers and it came out in my hands - along with a very sickly looking quill. It looks like it got broken, or ingrown, or SOMETHING, and had a ball of crud at the end.










I didn't pull on it, it just came right out in my fingers, but it left Watson with a little bloody hole on his head D:










!!! I got some q-tips and carefully cleaned it with warm water and then put on a little dab of neosporin (regular, not pain relief.) He didn't fuss when it came our or when I cleaned it. I hope it didn't hurt him too much.

Have I done everything I can? What do I need to worry about? Anyone had anything like this happen before? I looked him over and don't see anything else like that, and his skin and everything seems fine.


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## amberkinn (Oct 9, 2011)

Oh, yuck.  It's probably an ingrown quill, I've read about people's hedgies getting them. It might have been infected, but chances are now that it's gone there won't be any harm. The neosporin should help, and he was probably happy you pulled it out! http://hedgehogcentral.com/whenvet.shtml I'd check that page though, if it seemed kind of puss filled I'd be a little worried, otherwise it was probably just a relief for him.


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## Hedgehog lover01 (Jan 10, 2012)

It Should be fine but keep a close eye on her


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## Jake (Dec 26, 2010)

looks like you don't really got anything to worry about 
I'd just add a little more flaxseed oil to the food


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Yup, looks like an ingrown quill to me as well. You did the right thing, it's the same thing I've been told by the vet to do for Lily's ingrown quills. Just keep putting Neosporin on it once or twice a day and it should clear up pretty quickly.


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## chelsea.kang (Dec 2, 2011)

Thank you for VERY good pictures of it. Marvin is quilling and I haven't came across any ingrown quills thus far but now I know what to expect!


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## NoDivision (Aug 29, 2010)

I did notice yesterday that he was grumpier than usual, which is why I pushed his bath up to today so I could get a good look at him - glad I did! This must have been bothering him, so hopefully he'll be happier now once it heals.


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