# Adult socializing



## ludo_love (Sep 13, 2012)

I'm considering adopting and adult hedgie and I was wondering, if their previous owner did not socialize with them very frequently so they still prick up when you pick them up but are still willing to sit on your lap after a while, if you then adopt them and spend A LOT of time handling and socializing with them can they learn to be affectionate and happy with handling or are they kind of permanently damaged at that point and will never really be comfortable with handling? I hope what I'm saying makes sense :s best I could think of to phrase what I was thinking.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Totally depends on the individual, and it can go either way. With patience and a lot of love, some hedgehogs in that situation can eventually bond well with their new person, but others won't. They could end up being fairly easy-going, but prefer not to be held, which is the case for one girl we got. She was originally from a breeder we know well, who handles babies a lot before they go to new homes, but she then lived for four months with someone who didn't know what he was getting into and ended up hardly handling her at all. She was six months when we got her from that situation, and she has a gentle personality, but she doesn't like to be handled directly. If she's on the floor or couch and can roam around, she does fine - she's just independent and not a cuddler. She's huffy compared to most of our other girls, but we love her all the same, and she's not by any means a grumpy hedgehog. Some adults that come from homes where they were handled little (if ever) will be a lot worse - unwilling to come out of a ball for months - but if you get a chance to handle the adult first before committing, there are signs to look for. Does he/she unball, whether it's in your hands or just when being set on the floor; are they actively huffing and clicking or just hiding their face and being very cautious; are they defensive enough to actually be aggressive (trying to bite or jab their head quills at you) or just defensive in a withdrawn way? Some rescues/rehomes that haven't had any socializing just need a lot of work and patience and can eventually make good pets, whereas some are so far gone that they're never going to be able to bond with a person. You can use their behavior when you meet them to get a sense for how much potential they have, but it's never a sure thing.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I wouldn't worry too much until you actually meet the hedgie, every single neglected rescue I've taken in has actually been even friendlier than the average well-socialized hedgehog. And then the ones that are well socialized obviously aren't bad.  If the hedgie was unfortunately handled roughly or even abused, that's a different story and it might take a LOT of work before they come around to trusting humans, if they get to that point. But like moxieberry said, it really depends on the individual - thankfully most hedgies are not so horribly afraid of handling that they won't come around with a bit of effort.


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