# Walter never wakes up :(



## Alexandraboo (Sep 11, 2010)

Im having an issue getting walter out for out time.... He sleeps ALLLL the time, I have a life and I have to sleep at night, like between 12 am and 9 am, and he only appears to ever wake up for about an hour between 4-5 am. When I wake him up otherwise and let him out to play he will just find a spot and sleep. I just dont know what to do, I have given him a good couple weeks to adjust, ive had him about a month, and his schedule seems to remain the same. Although last night I happened to be awake between 4-5 am and I did take him out and he seems to be more friendly he diddnt try and bite me, and only huffed a little bit. Im glad for that, but I just dont know what to do, some advice might help. Also, he is eating and drinking normally, and his cage is not cold, I have him right by a heater and there is a blanket over his cage. he is nice and toasty.

this is my little walter  hes so cute.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Having a digital thermometer is recommended, no matter what you think the temperature may be.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal. Some hedgies like to explore, and some like to sleep. When I wake my boy up for cuddle time (usually around 9pm) all he will do is curl up and sleep on me. That's just how he is, and I don't mind that. Makes him good study partner, cause I'll end up studying at my desk with him sleeping in my lap. 

Do you have a light set up for him? When you stay up till 12am, do you have lights on? My boy does NOT come out unless it's completely dark. Though he HAS gotten used to computer light. I have a desk lamp on a timer, so that it's on from 9am-9pm. So on nights that I don't take him out, at around 9:30pm, my boy wakes up and does his thing around the cage. I usually head up to my room at around 11pm, and by then, he's back to taking a nap, so I continue with doing my own stuff. Sometimes, I'll take him out at this time. Then at around 2am, he'll come out again for another hour or two, then nap, then 4-5ish am, he comes out again. 

It may take a bit to find HIS optimal temperature. If my boy's cage is too warm, he isn't as active that night.

Forgot to say... Babies sleep A LOT.


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## rhausagi (Oct 4, 2010)

I'm having a similar problem, but I didn't know that the temperature invears in the hedgehod behavior. It's been very hot lattly, more then 25°C and I use one of those hitting rocks on his cage. 
Is it ok? Should I take the rock out?


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

rhausagi said:


> I'm having a similar problem, but I didn't know that the temperature invears in the hedgehod behavior. It's been very hot lattly, more then 25°C and I use one of those hitting rocks on his cage.
> Is it ok? Should I take the rock out?


Heating rocks can BURN their sensitive little feet. It is NOT an approved form of heating!

Only CHE's and Space heaters are used as permanent sources of cage heating. The human heating pads are normally used for sick or older hedgies who need the extra heat, and that is with them already having either CHE's or space heaters.


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## EryBee (May 23, 2010)

I just rigged up my new CHE system and it was too hot the first night so my boy didn't wheel. The next night I turned the temperature down and he was back to his usual routine. Some hedgies just prefer the lower temps, and some don't.


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## Alexandraboo (Sep 11, 2010)

if i keep him room temperature will he be okay? I dont have a thermometer but its not cold or hot in the room. the heater throws a bit of dull heat not alot, it just feels warm to the touch. ill turn off the heat and see. its on very low atm. what happends if the room gets a little cooler than usual? it is winter here and temperature is up and down.


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## Alexandraboo (Sep 11, 2010)

walter is over two years old, i forgot to add that


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

You MUST have a thermometer so that you know the exact temperature of the cage. Until you get a thermometer, it's really hard for us to give you advice because hedgies are so temperature sensitive. Without a thermometer, I would NOT suggest turning off any heat, better too warm than too cold. But again, really hard to give advice without knowing the temperature. 

Your hedgie could already be too cold. As they grow older, they sometimes need more heat. So that may be another reason why he's sleeping more, is because there's not enough heat. This is why having a thermometer is so important. Makes it easier to judge what temperature your hedgie needs. 

Example, my boy likes the 74-75F range. When he gets up to 80's in the summer, he wouldn't come out as often. That being said, he's also getting older, he's almost 2. Probably in another year or two, I'll bump up his temperature to 76-77 and see how he likes it. Knowing the exact temperature just helps you make adjustments as needed, rather than playing a deadly guessing game.

Fluctuating temperatures can also cause illness. If the temperature keeps dipping cold and then to warm, it may explain his lack of activity as well.


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## Alexandraboo (Sep 11, 2010)

Well, I have an apartment and he is in the living room, we need to keep the room at a liveable temperature for all of us, not just him. I have no other room to put him in, as I have a 2 bedroom with a baby on the way very shortly. I cant not go into my living room because its too hott for me, I can get a thermometer I guess but Im quite sure the room is about 27 -29 degrees Celsius. I looked up on hedgehogs very well before I got him and asked the people I bought him from, I had no idea I was getting into all this. I love my pets, (cat and walter) but I cant with the heaters I have in my apartment maintain a PERFECT temperature all the time. they are old old heaters and they go off and on when the temperature in the room is to cold or to warm leaving the room at a pretty steady temperature. there is no thermostat, so when I turn it on I dont know what temperature the room will be at. I keep it liveable for me and my bf. its just room temperature, if this isnt good enough I am going to have to find him another home, because I just cant keep up with all this stuff for him. I thought hedgehogs were a simple pet to keep, boy I was wrong, I even did my research and was still wrong.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

What you can do is get a Ceramic Heat Emitter set up for him that will keep the cage warm but not heat up the entire room. That way he's at a safe temp, not to hot, not to cold and you can keep the living room at a comfortable temp for you too.


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## Alexandraboo (Sep 11, 2010)

How much do those cost? im on a huge budget atm. and how do they work,


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Alexandraboo said:


> Well, I have an apartment and he is in the living room, we need to keep the room at a liveable temperature for all of us, not just him. I have no other room to put him in, as I have a 2 bedroom with a baby on the way very shortly. I cant not go into my living room because its too hott for me, I can get a thermometer I guess but Im quite sure the room is about 27 -29 degrees Celsius. I looked up on hedgehogs very well before I got him and asked the people I bought him from, I had no idea I was getting into all this. I love my pets, (cat and walter) but I cant with the heaters I have in my apartment maintain a PERFECT temperature all the time. they are old old heaters and they go off and on when the temperature in the room is to cold or to warm leaving the room at a pretty steady temperature. there is no thermostat, so when I turn it on I dont know what temperature the room will be at. I keep it liveable for me and my bf. its just room temperature, if this isnt good enough I am going to have to find him another home, because I just cant keep up with all this stuff for him. I thought hedgehogs were a simple pet to keep, boy I was wrong, I even did my research and was still wrong.


27C is 80.6 F, 29C is 84.2 That is very warm and you must spend your time in shorts and a tank top and still be hot. Walter does not need it that warm and that could be why he is not very active.

I suggest you get an accurate thermometer and see what exactly the temperature is.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

If you put CHE in the search box you'll get alot of information on how they work, as for price they vary according to where you live.


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## Alexandraboo (Sep 11, 2010)

27 degres celsius is room temperature is it not?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Alexandraboo said:


> 27 degres celsius is room temperature is it not?


Normal room temperature is usually 21C/70F. This is comfortable for most of us, but is not warm enough for hedgehogs. Hedgehogs need 23C/73F or a bit higher. 27C is HOT.


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## GiveToHairy (Jul 24, 2010)

The CHE is the best idea. Yeah, it's a bit more money to start with but once you get it set up there is no worry -it maintains just where it should.

Unless it's too hot in there .


I sympathize really - you don't sound like a bad person or anything but you chose him, he didn't choose you. Time to do what's best for Walter.

And all you might get out of it is a cuddle partner for an hour or so. I keep Sam on my lap and pet him while I watch tv for an hour a night. We are both happy with that and I don't ask more than that...


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## Alexandraboo (Sep 11, 2010)

this heater his cage is on emits a steady non changing temperature. It is warm to the touch, but not hot, and his cage is directly over it. The room is not cold, if I get a thermometer and make sure it is a steady temperature I dont see why I would need a heat lamp or a che heater seeing as this radiator does the same thing, it stays the same all the time as there is no thermostat.


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## GiveToHairy (Jul 24, 2010)

If that's the way you want to go that's fine, once you get a temp reading and regulate it either will work. The nice thing about the CHE is it's only trying to keep the sensor in one small area warm. Your radiator is no doubt running 2/4/7 to keep the whole room that temp.

BUT you sound like you may live in a warmer climate. In Michigan, nights well below freezing are normal sometimes 6months out of the year. I personally wouldn't want to see that electric bill.

Good luck. A cage is great when it keeps your hedgie safe and comfortable. it's a prison they can't escape from if it's too hot or too cold. Definitley get the right reading so Walter doesn't suffer...and you don't lose a pet you obviously care for (otherwise, you wouldn't be posting here).


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## Alexandraboo (Sep 11, 2010)

the heater is warming under half his cage, but its only warm to the touch so the heat goes through the bottom a bit where he sleeps, also he has another fenced in layer he can go to if he got to warm from it, I feel the bottom of the cage every time I go into the room with my hand and its always just a little warm to the touch. ill get a thermometer just to make sure its an okay temperature. but it seems like its okay since its normal temperature in the room, but the cage is right on the heater on the edge of it, so it would be a tad warmer in the cage.


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