# He won't uncurl or stop hissing



## aros130 (Nov 26, 2015)

Hello all, I have a hedgy named Monty who I got back in July from a breeder. He had no problems adjusting to his life at home but these past couple of days when I've tried to handle him, he stays curled up in a ball and starts hissing. I even bring him out and hold him in my lap for sometimes 10-15 minutes at a time and he still won't uncurl and he keeps hissing all the while he does so. I hear him running around and eating at night so I know he is active but I don't know why he all of a sudden stopped letting me handle him. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!


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## crave4spikes (Oct 3, 2014)

I adopted my Oscar from a home where he had been for a year and it took an additional year for him to get comfortable with me but for you it shouldn't take nearly as long what I wound up doing was getting those flukers canned mealworms they are not freeze dried they still have moisture to them. Anyway every time i got him out I put him in my hand and then put the worms as close to his head as i could and eventually he would come out just enough to eat them and if he did i gave him a few more then held him for a minute or so then when i put him back i made sure he was still in my hand in the cage and gave him a few more after about 2 weeks he really opened up he liked being held in the dark better than the light I use a lighting schedule basically just a lamp that is on a wall timer and keep the light on from 8 am to 8 pm and as soon as the light goes off at night he comes out. That schedule is very important to his temperament he gets grumpy or will sleep all day and night if the timer isn't plugged in. but if I hold him anytime before the light goes out at 8 pm he wont come out at all so I hold him when the lights go out and i hear him running around. and you can change the schedule to an earlier time just as long as they have some time structure. the lamp I have is just at the end of his cage it gets hot so i dont put it too close but it doesn't have to be more than a 12 inches away. 

Hope this helps

Scott


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Sudden behavior changes are highly concerning and usually mean something is wrong. It could be health related, but it can also be environmental. Has anything changed in the house? New smells, noises, change in human activity levels or even lighting can cause behavior problems. 

Health can be something as simple as a quill poking him in the back of the ear, to internal pain.


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## aros130 (Nov 26, 2015)

I will definitely try that, thank you very much!


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## aros130 (Nov 26, 2015)

I have noticed a lot of dead skin around some of his quills so I try to brush it with a toothbrush but I can't get all of it. I figured he should be done with quilling by now but would that have anything to do with it?


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## Xogabii (Dec 9, 2015)

aros130 said:


> I have noticed a lot of dead skin around some of his quills so I try to brush it with a toothbrush but I can't get all of it. I figured he should be done with quilling by now but would that have anything to do with it?


Maybe something is irritating his skin, do you have any clothing in the cage with a different detergent thats maybe effecting his skin, his cage clean ? If its not cleaned well then that could be another reason. If you dont find a reason for him acting this way take him to the vet make sures his healthy and has no problems


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