# change in temperament



## Virtual_Rachel (Mar 23, 2012)

Hi,

I've had Holly since last Oct - she had her first birthday last Friday. She is the most amazingly laid-back, cheerful creature - let's anyone hold her, never puffs, etc etc. 

I went away from Sunday until Wednesday this week, leaving her in the care of some friendly neighbours. Got back last night and she has been unbelievably huffy and grumpy. She got really cross last night - never seen her like it - she was puffing away, her whole body jerking with the huffs. She is less huffy today, is sitting on me (I work from home and she often sits/sleeps on me during the day), but when I stroke her forehead (something she usually likes/tolerates), she is huffing at me.

Any idea of what might be causing this change in temperament? 

She was running away on her wheel last night and ate her food, so I can't see any obvious health cause. She's never met a boy hedgehog, so definitely no baby Hollys on the way! :lol: 

Also, I don't think it can be because her schedule's out of whack - I've left her before with people who haven't had her out during the day, but she's always settled back into our normal routine without any problem.

Of course she might just be resentful towards me for going away on holiday over her birthday weekend, while she was stuck in her cage as usual! :lol: 

Thanks in advance


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

It's probably the change in schedule and strangers being around her thats made her more defensive. The neighbours would have had different scents on them and hedgies are sensitive to scents. 

And if you think in prey shoes, that different scent could easily be a predator or something.  cause you know the whole world is out to eat them 

Give her time, just keep doing what you have been and back to how it was. She'll come around again.


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## Virtual_Rachel (Mar 23, 2012)

Immortalia said:


> It's probably the change in schedule and strangers being around her thats made her more defensive. The neighbours would have had different scents on them and hedgies are sensitive to scents.
> 
> And if you think in prey shoes, that different scent could easily be a predator or something.  cause you know the whole world is out to eat them
> 
> Give her time, just keep doing what you have been and back to how it was. She'll come around again.


Thanks for your thoughts.

Yes, I know, everyone's a predator to her, even though she's never met an actual predator! (She met my 17.5 year old cat at my parents', who I think was more scared of Holly than the other way round!  )

I hope that's what it is. The reason I'm concerned though is that she's had other people look after her before when I've been away, i.e. mainly my boyfriend, and my parents once, and it's always just washed over her. She knows my partner's smell well, but not so acquainted with my parents, yet she didn't seem to care when left in their charge. She travels with me to stay at my parents' occasionally (involving about 6 hours travelling), and that never bothers her. And she's always meeting my friends and never seems to care about their new smells, but then perhaps that's because I'm around...?

Hopefully you're right - it was to do with being looked after by strange smelling people without me. She's having another puffing fit again now, triggered by nothing


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## Virtual_Rachel (Mar 23, 2012)

Quick update - think Holly's change in personality was simply down to...can you believe it... a different hand cream I had on! I had a tiny bottle from a hotel that I'd been wearing while away, and she has been in a funny mood since my return. I had carried on wearing it, thinking I'd use it up |(not realising it was upsetting the hog), and she continued to be huffy and grumpy, with the occasional attempt to lick my hands. I caught on today, and tried waving the cream bottle in her nose, and she tried to bite it, while concurrently huffing at it. Anyway, to cut a long story short, washing my hands didn't work, but a shower and going out this evening (and not using that cream) seems to have done the trick, and she has, since I've been home, been her usual self. I can stroke her forehead with no defensive huffs and jerking body movements. Phew!!! My lovely affectionate Holly seems to have returned!

It's so odd - I have worn different hand creams and perfumes etc since having her and none have elicited such an angry/scared (or any!) response from her. There was obviously something in the smell of this one...

So let this be a lesson to other hog owners - be careful of what 'scents' you put on, and if your hog suddenly changes personality, it could simply be because of the smell you have on you...


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## Tabi (Jun 24, 2012)

Thats so funny! ATTACK THE HAND CREAM! :lol:


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Glad it's nothing more serious!

Yeah, hedgies can be very particular, and they have ways of letting us know. Our boy Archimedes started with a pair of wide (4-5") low bowls for food/water. We now use smaller (2.5") mini ramekins for everyone, and a month or two ago I switched Archimedes to one of the new ones to take up less space in his cage. He stopped eating for two days, and as soon as I put his normal bowl back, he started eating again. Okay, Archimedes, point made! XD


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## Virtual_Rachel (Mar 23, 2012)

Tabi said:


> Thats so funny! ATTACK THE HAND CREAM! :lol:


Haha yes, exactly! I should take a video of her attacking the bottle lid! *Grr, evil predator hand cream*! :lol:


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## Virtual_Rachel (Mar 23, 2012)

moxieberry said:


> Glad it's nothing more serious!
> 
> Yeah, hedgies can be very particular, and they have ways of letting us know. Our boy Archimedes started with a pair of wide (4-5") low bowls for food/water. We now use smaller (2.5") mini ramekins for everyone, and a month or two ago I switched Archimedes to one of the new ones to take up less space in his cage. He stopped eating for two days, and as soon as I put his normal bowl back, he started eating again. Okay, Archimedes, point made! XD


Definitely! After my last post, I tried out the 'evil' bottle on her again and she gave it a good biting, then had a puff. I figured that was the cause and tried washing my hands, putting on my usual cream, but that didn't work. It wasn't till I'd showered and been out and come back that she seemed to return to normal... ~She has been fine since - back to snoozing on me, letting me rub her belly, forehead, prickles etc. Lovely to have my Holly back, just can't believe she's been so grumpy and different over one particular hand cream!


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## shmurciakova (Sep 7, 2008)

My old hedgehog used to freak out about ANY hand cream! That is a beautiful picture by the way...


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## Virtual_Rachel (Mar 23, 2012)

shmurciakova said:


> My old hedgehog used to freak out about ANY hand cream! That is a beautiful picture by the way...


Oh no, you must have had dry hands! It's peculiar that Holly only had an issue with this one. She doesn't care about any others, or perfumes, or if you smell of dog or cat...

Thanks  . I don't know how to reduce the size of it though!


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## Sar-uh (Sep 6, 2011)

Hoggies are so funny about scent. Even though Petunia is equally familiar with both me and my husband, she still licks his hands rapidly (like they do before getting ready to CHOMP) as though he's a new smell. I can hold her no problem, but she really wants to bite him. We always wash our hands with the same soap before handling her. I tell him it's because he's simply irresistible :lol: 

Another quirky thing she does: I sometimes take her outside onto our apartment's balcony (no yard, sadly... maybe someday) and sit her in the lawn chair. She anoints with this canvas chair every single time! It's a guarantee! :roll: So if I ever need some footage of her anointing, I know what to do!


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