# Bonding bag



## CinderSmoke (Jun 6, 2011)

Although I've had Jeremiah for a little over two months, he really hasn't bondeed too much with me. I read all your stories about your hedgies sleeping on you, not balling and huffing/popping when you go to pick them up, and I am slightly jealous. Maybe he just wan't handled much at the "breeders".
Anyway, I made a bonding bag for him using a purse (a Vera Bradley purse at that!) lined with a tee-shirt I wore yesterday and a pair of my socks. I wore the purse around my neck for about an hour tonight, and for 20 - 25 minutes of that time he was annointing with my shirt! (Yay!?? I think that is a good thing.......)
But....... when he started having "boy time" I decided that perhaps it was time for him to go back to his home. Should I have kept him in the bag, and let him continue doing his "thing"? 
I doubt that Jeremiah will ever be as cuddly and affectionate as a hedgie that has been handled frequently from a very young age, but I'm hoping that he and I will form a trusting relationship through the use of the bag.


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## CinderSmoke (Jun 6, 2011)

*Re: Bonding bag (pics added!)*

Here are a few pics of Jeremiah in the bonding bag. The first two are kind of dark and a little blurry....... I apologize.

[attachment=1:1szdjy86]bonding bag1.jpg[/attachment:1szdjy86]

[attachment=0:1szdjy86]annointing.jpg[/attachment:1szdjy86]


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## CinderSmoke (Jun 6, 2011)

And these two pics are just too darn cute........

[attachment=0:1rrbb12v]bondingbag3.jpg[/attachment:1rrbb12v]

[attachment=1:1rrbb12v]bondingbag2.jpg[/attachment:1rrbb12v]


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

What a cutie! He looks pretty happy and interested


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

He's adorable and I love your bag  I think it's great you are still working on the bonding cause he may turn around and surprise you and turn into a cuddle monster


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## DexterTheHog (May 22, 2011)

Hehehe he's cute!
Dexter has "boy time" on me often... it's gross but I figure if he's comfortable enough to do that then he must be comfortable with me.
I just sort of let him do it (unless he's in one of his bags that are hard to wash)

But just keep holding your hedgie every night! Maybe just try holding him in the t-shirt sometime and sit really still and see if he'll come out and explore! Dexter likes to use me as a jungle gym haha


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## CinderSmoke (Jun 6, 2011)

DexterTheHog said:


> Hehehe he's cute!
> Dexter has "boy time" on me often... it's gross but I figure if he's comfortable enough to do that then he must be comfortable with me.
> I just sort of let him do it (unless he's in one of his bags that are hard to wash)
> 
> But just keep holding your hedgie every night! Maybe just try holding him in the t-shirt sometime and sit really still and see if he'll come out and explore! Dexter likes to use me as a jungle gym haha


I'll try holding him in just the shirt tonight. (not ME in just the shirt...... LOL) He may feel more comfortable since now our scents are mingled on it.


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## CinderSmoke (Jun 6, 2011)

Hedgieonboard said:


> He's adorable and I love your bag  I think it's great you are still working on the bonding cause he may turn around and surprise you and turn into a cuddle monster


Thank you! I won't give up working on the bonding....... even if he stays grumpy I'll always love him!


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## CinderSmoke (Jun 6, 2011)

Ok............. I don't know if this signifies some success in bonding or if it just means Jeremiah is curious. I let him explore the bathroom while i showered. He sought out the clothes I had folded on the floor and snuggled into my shirt. When i finished showering I picked him up in the shirt and held him in my lap while i watched tv. he uncurled, found my hand beside him and began licking me. He then nudged my finger until it was resting on his forhead and just sat there for a bit. Of course, then my alergies ruined it for us, as I had to sniff and he huffed and balled up.

So folks, success, curiosity or a fluke? Either way, he's an adorable creature and I love him!!


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Fluke or not, the fact that he was curious enough to lick your hand and then nuzzle his face into it sounds like a hog that is trusting ^_^

Jeremiah is an absolute cutie <3 Just keep at it, and screw the allergies! :lol: My hands get all hivey sometimes when I handle Kashi (pretty sure I'm allergic too), and even though they're itching like CRAZY, I just keep handling because I love Kashi so much :lol:


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## CinderSmoke (Jun 6, 2011)

shaelikestaquitos said:


> Fluke or not, the fact that he was curious enough to lick your hand and then nuzzle his face into it sounds like a hog that is trusting ^_^
> 
> Jeremiah is an absolute cutie <3 Just keep at it, and screw the allergies! :lol: My hands get all hivey sometimes when I handle Kashi (pretty sure I'm allergic too), and even though they're itching like CRAZY, I just keep handling because I love Kashi so much :lol:


The allergy i spoke of is not an allergy to Jeremiah (although my hands do get a bit itchy from his spines). I suffer from hay-fever which pretty much includes every tree, grass, weed and flower you can imagine. The rain doesn't help any, believe me. It just pushes all the allergens down into my breathing space! If those allergies don't keep me from planting flowers and loving the smell of cut grass, I won't let a little itchy palms keep me from bonding with my hedgie!

How much time is too much time spent handling? I don't want to stress him out any.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

CinderSmoke said:


> The allergy i spoke of is not an allergy to Jeremiah (although my hands do get a bit itchy from his spines). I suffer from hay-fever which pretty much includes every tree, grass, weed and flower you can imagine. The rain doesn't help any, believe me. It just pushes all the allergens down into my breathing space! If those allergies don't keep me from planting flowers and loving the smell of cut grass, I won't let a little itchy palms keep me from bonding with my hedgie!
> 
> How much time is too much time spent handling? I don't want to stress him out any.


I think as long as they are getting plenty of sleep, I think you can have them out for most of the night until it is time for them to do their own thing. The most time I've spent with Kashi is 3 hours or so. When I have him out for longer periods, I leave him in his cuddle sack on my desk, next to my laptop while I'm doing work or something. This way he gets to sleep and eat when he wants, and he isn't being poked and prodded by me XD I still will pet him for half an hour to an hour, but no more than that usually


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## CinderSmoke (Jun 6, 2011)

[quote="shaelikestaquitos
I think as long as they are getting plenty of sleep, I think you can have them out for most of the night until it is time for them to do their own thing. The most time I've spent with Kashi is 3 hours or so. When I have him out for longer periods, I leave him in his cuddle sack on my desk, next to my laptop while I'm doing work or something. This way he gets to sleep and eat when he wants, and he isn't being poked and prodded by me XD I still will pet him for half an hour to an hour, but no more than that usually [/quote]

Thank you for your input! That gives me a good idea of how long i can hold/handle him without harming him or our budding relationship.


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## CinderSmoke (Jun 6, 2011)

BTW........... @Hedgieonboard: I forgot to thank you for the compliment on Jeremiah's bag. The purse was my Mom's (God rest her soul), and one of the few things of hers that I have. I think she would be pleased/humored to know that I use it for a hedgehog. She was an animal lover too.


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