# Chewing his foot?!



## Tasha (Feb 24, 2009)

I was watching Henry the other night doing his usual ritual of 'enjoying himself'! When i looked closer though i noticed that he would alternate to chewing and what looks like cleaning one of his legs. He would then lick himself near the same leg, then go back to leg again. It was only the one leg he would chew on though.

Is this normal or is something wrong? Im booking him into the vets on monday to get one of his ears checked out (its got a small white patch on it and looks a bit 'lumpy'. The other ear is fine), could it be related?


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## hedgieMate (Aug 28, 2008)

Our Geoffrey does that every few nights. I guess that doesn't mean it's normal. :lol: But I've heard several other hedgie owners observing the same behaviour, so it's safe to assume it's more or less normal.

G cleans his back paws as if he is sucking on a pacifier. The action seems to relax him too. He curls up in a cushion cave and sometimes keeps at it for half an hour. When he is finished, we see bits and flakes of dried poop lying around, so I know for sure that's what he is doing. I highly doubt it has anything to do with your hedgie's ear issue (btw, the while patch on your hedgie's ear sounds like a fungal infection; keep us posted on the vet's diagnosis).


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## Hedgie17 (Aug 28, 2008)

i would say that you can compare hedgies sucking on their foot to babys sucking on their thumb


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## smhufflepuff (Aug 28, 2008)

Seems like a good idea to have the ear checked out.

As for the foot thing, mine sucks & nibbles at her feet too. It's ever so cute. Sometimes, while she's doing that, I hold her foot with the tip of my finger and she sucks on my finger for a little bit too


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## Tasha (Feb 24, 2009)

Thanks everyone, im glad its a good thing cause he does look cute and relaxed when doing it. I've attached a pic of him after being caught in the act!

I would love henry to suck my thumb, but we are still at the stage that if i tried to touch his leg like that he would probably huff and puff at me then move away!

I've also attached another pic of him as well just cause its a funny cute one of Henry. You can see his dodgy ear as well (What do you think? Im hoping to get an appointment tomorrow evening.)


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