# Belly



## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

Help! My hedgies belly keeps getting cool. I have the temp in the room set as to what was advised. I'm afraid to go higher so she doesn't get hot. Help


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

OK, need specific information in order to possibly be able to help.

Do you have a thermometer in the cage? 
What temperature is the cage?
Exactly how are you heating your cage? 
What is the lighting schedule?

In the meantime there is a sticky on hibernation that will possibly be of some help.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

I have a heat lamp. She has an open cage but it's about 78-80 Degrees. Lighting I usually get her out a few hours of the day but she curls up under a blanket or In a little pouch I made for her


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Heat lamp? Does it emit light or is it a che? Do you have a thermostat to control the heat? How about a thermometer in the cage? Is the temperature consistently the same throughout the whole cage and all day/night?
Lighting, is she getting 12-14 hours of light every day? It doesn't matter if she hides from it.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

Yes getting 12-14 hours. It just emits heat. The temp is constant unless I take her to a different room but I try to keep her warm if in a cooler environment
I do not have a thermometer since temp is constant and the cage it's open


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Do you have a thermostat set to control the che?


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

It has a little dial from high to low and it's on the highest


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Depending on cage size you may need another che running to properly heat the cage.
You also need a thermometer to make sure it's working properly and consistently through the night and the whole cage. 
One problem with a hibernation attempt is they can continue to attempt it unless you avoid it. Usually they need a bit higher temperature after attempting to hibernate. 
Is she showing any other signs of something being wrong like unsteadiness, runny nose, sneezing, changes in appetite or bathroom issues?


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

She hasn't gone to the bathroom yet since she's been asleep but other than that no. She's been fine.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

She pooped in her bath water and it looked a little squishy is that okay since its in water


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Usually squishy in the water bowl is OK. All that being said, it sounds like she needs a heating upgrade. Thermometer is a must, and like I said, additional che might be needed. 
The more open a cage is, the drafty they can be.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

This is the set up. My room is at least 80. It's the hottest room in the house.


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

I see your problem. That lamp is too small. For that size of cage you need at least the 8.5 in lamp. And it will help to have it centered over the cage. 

Just a side note, I didn't notice a wheel in the cage. Was it just out at the time of the picture?


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

I have a hamster ball I put her in she didn't like the wheel.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

My room is 82-83 it's super warm. That's the size i was recommended with my room temp. How ever a different part of the house is 73. Should I just leave her in my room?


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

You really, really, (and i'm going to stress this further) _really_ need a thermometer in that cage. Hogs don't normally need 80+ degrees to be warm enough. I know your room temperature says it's that hot, but that cage probably isn't. And it's on the floor. Heat rises. Which means the floor is cooler than the rest of the room. And frankly, on top of that heat lamp being way too small to heat that cage, that cage looks too small. But I'd rather focus on getting the temperature sorted first. I thought you mentioned having a thermostat, but I don't see it in that picture and I don't see a probe in the cage. Am I just missing it? If you don't have one, you need one. Without a thermostat to control that lamps temperature it's a fire hazard.

This is what I would do: Get a larger lamp. You can use the same bulb so long as you're using a CHE bulb, but get at least the 8.5 inch dome. That's going to more evenly heat that cage. Get a thermometer and if you don't have one get a thermostat. This is absolute needed to have happened yesterday priority number one.

Next, get that hedgehog a wheel. I'm not sure how you determined that she doesn't like the wheel, but you can't leave her alone in that cage without one. Hedgehogs run. It's what they do. They can't run like they need to in that tiny space, but they can do it on a wheel. If it was just that she wasn't using it, you may have had one that was too small in there, or you may have not given her enough time to figure out how to use it. Most take to it right away, but some need time. She also may have been using it and you simply weren't aware of it. So please, for the love of your hedgehog, get her an appropriate wheel asap.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

Okay 1 you don't need to be rude. 2 I have a thermometer but it broke and her cage temp matches my room maybe 1 degree lower. And I'm not sure what probe you're talking about. And as for the wheel. I've had her for a month and that wheel hasn't been touched. I'm awake during the evening to when she would be awake and she won't go on it. So I removed it. She prefers her ball. And also who are you to say her cage is too small. She has room to run. Her cage is bigger than it looks. My heating lamp was the biggest I could find near me


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

I'm sorry if you feel I'm being rude. However, I don't feel that I am being rude. I am being very clear and very direct. It's essential to be very very clear when talking about heating because a misunderstanding can result in a house fire.

Digital thermometers and thermostats have probes attached to them. They go in the cage itself while the actual equipment will remain outside of the cage. Here's an example: https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Digi...469670474&sr=1-5&keywords=digital+thermometer
That wire ends in kind of a little plastic plug looking thing. That's the probe, it's what is actually reading the temp. A thermostat will have basically the same thing on it. That's what tells it that it's time to turn the lamp on or off.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals. They're aren't just awake in the evenings. They are up basically all night. So while you're asleep, you're hedgehog is wide awake doing hedgehog things. So, it's extremely possible that your hedgehog was using that wheel and you would have had no idea. What size wheel did you have? Like I said, it may have just been too small and getting a larger one may help. Also, what kind was it? That may make a difference too.

The absolute minimum size for a hedgehog cage is 4 square feet. What are the dimensions of your cage? That doesn't look like it's that big. And really, 4 square feet is outdated and really should be larger. I'm not making things up to make you feel bad, I'm letting you know what deficiencies your set up has so you can correct them. My concern is your hedgehog being happy, healthy and safe. It happens a lot that someone will get a hedgehog from a "breeder" that tells them what to do, but that "breeder" really didn't know what they were talking about. And eventually they wind up here because they have a problem and then find out how wrong the info they got was. It's not your fault you got bad info, but it's on you what you do about it now. I know you want what's best for your baby, so I'm helping you by letting you know what needs to happen to give him the best possible life.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

I got her from a pet store. I also have a safety on my wall outlets to prevent fires that is why I was not concerned with the lamp the lamps plug in itself has something in it that prevents fires or anything as well.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

My hedgehog is quite little that is why I only have a smaller lamp. She will stay that small as to why I have it. Also she stays warm in her cage or my room. It's only if I take her into the colder area of the house


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

No, I don't think you're understanding my concern. If there is no thermostat the lamp just remains on all the time. Which means it get extremely hot. Hot enough to set things on fire. I'm not concerned about an electrical fire. I'm worried about that lamp being constantly on with nothing to control how hot it should get. That's just bad for anything living underneath it. But more importantly if anything touches it while it's that hot it could easily start a fire.


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

Your hedgehogs size has literally nothing to do with how large the lamp should be. You need to heat the whole space she lives in evenly. The size of the lamp needs to be appropriate for the size of the cage, not the size of the hedgehog.


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## Artemis-Ichiro (Jan 22, 2016)

Adding to this:

1. Hedgehogs are not reptiles, they don't sit under the lamp to warm up, they need warm air throughout the cage. 

2. Shinny is not being rude, is worried about the wellbeing of your pet and you (if there is a fire you are in trouble)

3. Everything Shinny has said is correct, unfortunately, there are people like you who are very stubborn and don't take advise well so I don't think there's anything else can say to you to make you change your mind or understand what the problems are and sadly, you will be live is when your poor mistreated pet dies. 

4. Yes, before you say it, I am being rude, see the difference? Shinny was trying to help you and your hedgehog, I'm telling you the truth, you are neglecting a living creature that you are responsible for. How sad.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

I've never owned a hedgehog before I don't know any of these things. I'm going on based on what my friends have had experience with and what I was told by the pet store. Nor do I have enough money right now. I'm trying to work towards a different cage and lamp. But as I can see you are a rude person. I am taking what she has told me into consideration you on the other hand need to leave. To the other person being helpful thank you


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## Artemis-Ichiro (Jan 22, 2016)

Now you can see the difference between helpful and rude so stop calling out people who are trying to help you. Seems like
You are a young person and that is also hard to deal with because we were all young and thought we knew better than anyone else. 
Unfortunately, pet stores are the worst places to get pets and to take advise from since they usually know nothing about the animals they sell while people on this forum have experience and and hands on knowledge. 
Instead of fighting everything you are told, try to work with us so we can help you better. 

You need to fix the heating problem first as Shinny told you, you also need to find a way to get money to keep your pet in optimal conditions, figure out how to fix the size of the cage and you need to put the wheel back in, they really need their wheel. 

You also need to start saving to keep a veterinarian fund because since they are exotic animals when they get sick it can get pretty expensive, in my area a wellness checkup is about $70 and they are prone to getting sick and it's not fair to not to provide vet care to a sick pet. 

Do you have any other questions that we can help you with?


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

Oh and shinny since you've been helpful. I've got one more question. I've read about trying to avoid keeping water out of their face. She likes to stick her nose in the water during bath time. What is the outcome of water gets in her nose


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

I'm only 18. I've only had fish as a pet so this is new to me. A wellness check up near me is 40$. My vet is called blooming paws. She seems to be happy even with her condition. I just don't know how to tell if she's stressed or not


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## Artemis-Ichiro (Jan 22, 2016)

Water in the nose can cause an URI (upper respiratory infection( you need to keep the head out of the water. If they get one they need antibiotics and obviously a vet visit and if untreated it can turn into pneumonia which can be deadly.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

What are signs of that


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

All heating elements used for a hedgehog must be used with a thermostat to control the temperature. If you have something that just has a hi to low setting that is a rheostat and aren't safe to use with hedgehogs. Heating elements need to heat the entire cage so need to be centered in the cage and have a lamp fixture that is big enough to spread the heat to all corners of the cage. 

Hedgehog, especially pet store hedgehogs, can take a month or two to get used to a wheel. Even if yours hasn't used the wheel in the past it still needs to be in the cage all the time. 

Pet stores are the worst place to take advice from concerning hedgehogs. Most recommend things that are not appropriate or even dangerous to hedgehogs. Pets stores are there to sell things, the more they sell the happier they are. That's why they sell crap like hedgehog food, which can actually be dangerous to hedgehogs depending on the brand. 

For answers to basic questions, such as the signs of a URI, you can use the search feature as there are a lot of threads that have already answered that question.

The people that have answered you here, all the people, have been trying to help you give your hedgehog the healthiest life possible. They are speaking from experience and from concern of the well being of your hedgehog. If they seem rude it's because you're ignoring the advice that has been given to you. You came here for help and then are ignoring the help that has been given. That is rude. 

You can't tell if her cage set up is good or not by saying "she seems happy". It's like saying "my dog is tied up and ignored all day but she seems happy so that's ok". There are basic requirements to owning a hedgehog and some of those are a cage that is a minimum of 4 square feet, regardless of the size of the hedgehog, a proper heating set up, a wheel, and proper food and vet care. These are not options or just someone's opinion but basic requirements for a healthy life. You are the one responsible for making sure all these needs are met.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

In a nutshell, when you get a cold you technically have a URI or an upper respiratory infection. So it will present with the same types of symptoms. Now, you need to understand this very clearly. It will not clear up like a cold will for you or I. It won't go away on its own. If your hedgehog has symptoms of a cold they MUST be seen by a vet and start treatment. 
Now, second issue. When you ask for help, questioning or even disagreeing with the advice given one thing. The more respectful you are, the more likely someone is to help. It's very easy for a person to say, this member doesn't listen to any advice given or has an attitude, I won't put much effort into them. Some of us have more experience than others. Some of us have had hedgehogs for almost as long as you've been alive, some maybe more. By having an attitude and getting defensive, you are potentially doing a disservice to your hedgehog. Just something to keep in mind.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

I have a little sleeping bag pouch in her cage for her along with a little hut. Does she need both or will 1 work at a time


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

One will work, however, it won't solve any issue that has been raised as far as the husbandry goes.


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## Katie830 (Jul 24, 2016)

I understand. I just didn't want too many things inside at once


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

For now, I would seriously focus on what's been addressed. 
Heating- all the equipment that's been suggested
Wheel- solid bottom (one piece), proper size, in the cage
Proper cage size- 4sq feet minimum. Solid floor.

Everything else isn't that important in the long run.


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