# The Quilling Process???



## amyyy (Jan 7, 2011)

How long did it take your hedgehog to get through the quilling process? 

Stue is 7 weeks old and his personality has totally changed! I feel so bad for him! I know they quill at 4,6,9 and 12 weeks. So my question is once they start quilling at 6 wks, how long does it take them before they start feeling themselves again? A few days? I read a month but I didn't want to believe it! 

I would like to know your experiences.

Thanks,


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## Kristie (Jan 4, 2011)

spunk, my hedgehog, only went through the process for a week. i suppose it could depend, but a month seems long...hopefully yours won't take that long.
remember, when they are quilling, they do NOT like to be petted. it hurts.


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## I<3Hejji (Aug 29, 2010)

I got Hejji at 10 weeks so I don't know about the 6-week quill, but I got him during his 9 week quilling and it seemed like he only had a day or two before starting his 12-week quilling. It was stressful because he was my first hedgehog and he was so uncomfortable from quilling. I recommend lots of patience, soothing aveeno oatmeal baths (we did weekly until learning it should be maximum 2x a month due to how much baths can dry out their skin), and letting Stue just cuddle with you unless he seems to want to play more. Once quilling is over you will get to see the true personality of your hedgehog (Hejji went from biting and huffing to being the sweetest hedgehog who loves to be pet!). To help you bond with Stue you could put t-shirts you have worn in his cage, I think this helped Hejji bond with us when he wanted nothing to do with us!

Good luck! Just know it won't last forever


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## Kenzi (Aug 29, 2010)

With Mila (now 5 months old) I got her the day before she turned 6 weeks. She was a quill-shedding machine for quite a while. Each phase lasted a few weeks (I think) so she pretty much rolled into the next phase. Poor girl is quite the grump. I think that I made the mistake of not handling her enough, because I was worried about adding to her discomfort. With Mila, she was shedding her baby white quills when I got her, and was growing in her darker quills. Her next phase was shedding her dark quills and growing in (9/10) pure white/cream quills. She is a snowflake.

Ebba is 9 weeks old. She shed her baby white quills and grew in her dark quills mostly before I got her. (I don't see as many baby white quills with her). Now she is shedding the dark quills like crazy and growing in dark banded and pure white/cream quills too. Its too early to say (I think) but I am pretty sure she'll be a snowflake too. (about 6/10 quills are pure white so far).

Ebba is very social though and loves interaction. Mila never was very happy about being handled. Ebba's breeder was amazing and took lots of time to interact with the hoglets, plus Ebba had special health needs at 5 days old, so she is exceptionally sweet and used to being handled. Also, Ebba's mom is very friendly, so I think there are multiple factors explaining her personality.


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