# Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome??



## QuilliumHedginold (Mar 22, 2012)

Hi. I am an old/new hedgehog owner. I had hedgehogs several years ago, but it has been several years since I have had one. I just recently had one given to me by a friend. He is a 1 year old male APH. When I got him he was obese, but he didn't eat much food. I have had him for a little over a month. He has slowly quit eating completely. I have been syringe feeding him "gruel" made from hedgehog food. He will eat some of it, but not a lot. He is now 272 grams. When I got him he was well above 500 grams. I didn't weigh him when I got him but I wish I had. He is very skinny now and is very wobbly when he walks. I feel like it is Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome, but I also feel like it could possibly be that he is just weak from not eating. I had ready that when they stop eating fatty liver disease was an issue so I have started syringe feeding him. He has a heating pad under his cage so I know he is not to cold. Does anyone have any suggestions. I would like to take him to a vet but there are NONE around me. Any suggestions would be a huge help! Thanks!!


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## coribelle (Jan 20, 2012)

The one thing that I would be concerned about is that the gruel you are making is made out of hedgehog food. Do you mean cat food, or are you feeding him commercial hedgehog food? If the latter, that is probably the first thing that you should take care of, as most have no nutritional value whatsoever. I would switch to a nice high quality cat food and try to start feeding that. If he still doesn't eat, lots of people recommend Hills A/D food, which helps a lot for gaining weight and strength. 
If he is just wobbly when he walks, that sounds more like weakness from not eating than WHS. It also could be an indication of hibernation, which may be the cause of all your problems to begin with, from the lack of appetite to the wobbly gait. What temperature do you keep the cage at? Do you have a lighting source? These are all very important things to consider, especially in a situation like this one.


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

If he's lost half of his body weight, he needs to get to the vet right away. Call all vets in your area and ask them if they are willing to see a hedgehog. Even if you can't find one with hedgehog experience, he still needs to see some kind of vet. Where did your friend take him? That would seem like the most logical solution since they would have his records. He needs to see someone right away. Call a vet tomorrow and tell them that he needs to get in right away. That much weight loss is a HUGE HUGE concern. Some people drive 2 hours to see an exotic vet for their hedgie. That little guy REALLY needs to be seen right away. I don't know anything about WHS, but almost 50 percent of his body weight is a huge concern. Keep him warm. You could even keep the cage in the high 70's, 77-79 or so. Syringing is very important. Get to the vet FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. Hope your little guy gets better. I just can't stress the vet visit enough. It is very important. Please get him in somewhere.


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## QuilliumHedginold (Mar 22, 2012)

Cori,
Thanks for your reply. He is eating 2 different kinds of Hedgehog food. One is a pelleted variety that is called Sun Seed Subscription Vita formula (37% protein) and the other is shaped like cat food and is called 8-in-1 Ultra Blend Select hedgehog food. He also eats Nutro Max cat food. I don't really care for Science Diet dog food, so I think that if I do decide to get a prescription diet dog food for him I would get Royal Canin. 

I have also read that hibernation is deadly for APHs. Is there a way to keep him from doing this?

I am not sure what the temperature is in the cage. I will check and see. 

I am not sure what you mean by a lighting source? Is that like a lamp? I do not have a lamp on him. 


Rainy:

I am not sure where she took him. I live over an hour from her, and I am sure she went somewhere in the city. I am debating on letting her take him back for now. If she can get him into her vet that would be for the best. He appears fine other than being wobbly and not eating. He doesn't seem sick, can roll up in a ball. He is steadily staying at 272 grams. As a said before, he was OBESE when I got him, so some of the weigh loss was good. He still drinks normally. Our vets know nothing about hedgehogs. I can guarantee you they have never seen one. I feel like they would do him more harm than good. I will call my friend in the morning and see what she wants to do. If she doesn't want to take him back I will be trying to find a vet I guess. 

Thanks!


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Hedgehogs need a consistent temperature in the mid/high 70s. It's really important to have a heat source and a thermometer within the cage to keep track of the temperature. A heating pad isn't enough because it doesn't heat the air within the cage. A source of light (usually a lamp on a timer) is necessary to give them a consistent 12-14 hours of light; daylight isn't sufficient.

This doesn't sound like WHS. It sounds like he's very weak and lethargic from malnutrition. It's likely that not having a heat and light system in place is contributing to him not eating much.

Are you sure he was obese when you got him? Hedgehogs come in a variety of sizes, and 500g is in the middle range in terms of weight. They also have different body types, and some are just more 'big boned'. Indicators of obesity are the inability to roll up fully into a ball and fat/chunky legs.


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## QuilliumHedginold (Mar 22, 2012)

The air in the room his is in is kept at 75 degrees, plus he has a heating pad so the heat isn't the issue then. The light is on during the day, he is sleeping. At night when I turn it off he gets up and wanders around his cage. Even now he gets up and wanders around. 

I am positive he was obese. He couldn't even roll up in a ball properly. It was kind of odd because he didn't eat much then either. It is almost like a thyroid issue, though I don't know if they can even have thyroid issues...


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Sunseed hedgehog food only has 7% fat if I remember right which isn't enough for a hedgie to survive on, and 8 in 1 food is not good either. Go to any vet and get some Hills A/D, its a canned food that is very high in nutrients, mix it with a bit of water and sryinge feed it. It sounds like your hedgie is starving to death and he needs to see a vet ASAP.


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## QuilliumHedginold (Mar 22, 2012)

I took him to the vet and it wasn't wobbly hedgehog syndrome nor was he starving to death. He had fatty liver disease that he had had before I got him. FLD is irreversible and he had to be euthinized  He was extremely obese when I got him, that is why he got the disease. 

I wasn't sure I wanted another, but I was contacted by a lady who needed to find a home for her super friendly female as she got a new apartment and could not keep her. She had to find a home for her ASAP or euthinize her. I said of course I would take her. I am picking her up tomorrow. So excited!


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## connorshogs (Mar 24, 2011)

A hedgehog with WHS womb not stop eating at all unless it can't walk to the dish.


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