# Question: 11 week old hedgie losing quills. [PLEASE HELP!!!]



## itslindsay (Feb 10, 2010)

I recently made a topic concerning my fairly new hedgehog losing a few quills when i got him home. He'd been kind of itchy, scratching some and he lost a few quills... Someone suggested giving him an aveeno bath to soothe his itch because he could be getting used to the fleece liner of the cage since the breeder used shavings and they sometimes get itchy when switched over to fleece from shavings.

I didn't realize how serious he was with his loss of quills. Every time i get him out i find several tiny quills on my bed [after having him crawl around] and I even see then on his fleece liner in the cage and i pick them out so he doesn't get hurt. He's an Algerian snowflake, although i've only found ONE banded quill and the rest were all white quills. He hasn't lost a single big quill... they're all just really small quills, so i'm wondering if he could still be quilling since he's so young. Although, I wasn't sure if he should still be losing baby quills at 10-11 weeks of age.

Please give me whatever advice you may have or your knowledge of experience.
If you have any other questions about what the quills are like or how he's acting & etc then just ask and i'll explain further.

I just really want to know if it's mites or if he could still be quilling or what...

Thank you!!!

Edit: Also, i forgot to mention that his nose hasn't been wet like I know it's supposed to be [similar to a cat]--which makes me nervous and worried that he's sick. It's wet every now and then, but usually it's just dry.


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## smhufflepuff (Aug 28, 2008)

If you're only finding tiny quills and it appears all the big ones are staying put, I would say that's a result of normal quilling. I know the boards and info sites talk about "8 weeks," but it's definitely not limited just to the 8th week of life. I don't have my notes with me at the moment, but I think my hedgie quilled for about a month or two starting around 8 weeks. 

If, on top of the quilling, he's scratching a lot and his skin is looking red/inflamed, it could very well be the case that the poor little fella is quilling AND has mites.

But your note that the big quills are staying put really makes me think he's quilling. And, yes, that oatmeal bath might help with the ouchy feeling your little one is going through.


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## itslindsay (Feb 10, 2010)

okay, thank you! it probably is just quilling then... i do hope so.
i didn't know about the 8 week quilling. he scratches every now and then... he's not constantly itchy and his skin isn't red or inflamed... so maybe you're right.
i'm just always worrying/overthinking everything!

i really appreciate the help.
he'll probably get an oatmeal bath today. :]


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