# Can I have any opinions?... Or ideas?



## JJStefaniec (Nov 27, 2012)

I tried posting this in my other forum and all I got was negitive feedback about how I'm being unreasonable and should put my hedgehog second or attempt to move her. They don't know anything about hedgehogs and tell me it doesn't matter if I don't spend time with her for a few weeks. (I know better then that) So I just got upset at 90% of their responses.

I wasn't going to post this here but you guys actually understand about the hedgehog.


So my boyfriend agreed to housesit for his cousin and her husband before we knew the details... Of course I'm not pleased.

So she is leaving from the dec 21-jan1, so 11 days.

So even though they live like 40-60 mins away by bus I was think oh ok, So I can bus down there once a day feed the cats, play with them, clean the litter box, make sure everything is alright and come home, maybe spends 2-3 hours a day at their place every day. That was the impression I was given.

Her and her her husband got the impression that we'd be staying there the whole time. ...ugh...

They told us we could just bring the hedgehog along and move our cage there. I just got her three and a half weeks ago and have finally started bonding with her, she barely came out of her cage until the end of the second week because I assume she was stressed out a lot. And now she's finally settling in. I don't want to uproot her and have her get all stressed out again. Not for only 11 days. Maybe if I had had her for a few months.
If we spend all our time there then I can't spend time trying to bond with the hedgehog and it's a really important time to do it (which they didn't get, I can't ignore her for 11 days)

his cousin wants the cats fed twice a day... 7am and 5pm, though she said it doesn't have to be exact.
I've had two cats and we've only ever fed them once a day plus treats... Same with my friends cat, and all the other people I've known we've only fed them once a day. Which means I HAVE to basically spend all day there or spend close to 3 hours a day bussing.

They're place is really nice, and big but I don't want to sleep there cause I cannot sleep somewhere that is not my own house, I'd have to take sleeping pills.

And I guess at last we aren't getting paid whatsoever... I though it was going to be popping by once a day by bus which I was ok with, but ugh.

She offered us use of her car which means a little bit of free gas and it's better on gas then our truck.

And I don't want to buy seperate food for their place...


So far the only solutions I can think of are:
-I stay at home with the hedgehog and the boyfriend goes back and forth, but he's working and whatnot. Also he can drive, I cannot
-I stay there since I'm not doing a lot or working and my boyfriend said he whould absolutely spend a hour with the hedgehog per day and take care of her
-we both spend our time out there but come back to our house every night to feed and water the hedgehog, hold her a little bit and sleep, but spend a lot on gas (I would pick this if we were getting paid)
- We stay out there the whole time and just come by our house to feed/water the hedgehog... I don't want to do this.
-My original idea of what was going to happen and go down once a day and check on everything and come back, but it means the cats would only get fed once a day, but... I know how she feels about her cats though cause I spoil my hedgehog. I'm torn though cause the cats aren't even friendly.

And they already gave us the keys, and it's probably too late for them to get anyone else for next friday. Plus my boyfriend refuses to go back on his word.

The other other idea I can come up with is me getting my own petsitter but I just don't think that's fair. and we aren't getting paid, so I can't pay anyone. and it's hard to get someone over the holidays.

I know it seems odd that I don't want to petsit/housesit but the cats are kinda mean and even though I'm a cat person I'd rather just have my hedgehog and stay at home.

-ugh


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## nyaraa (Nov 28, 2012)

Your right with not wanting to leave your hedgehog alone for 11 days. I'm a new hedgie owner and been making wonderful progress with a rescued hedgehog; getting him to know, recognize, and trust me. Yet I neglected to handle sonic for 1 day  and the next day he was definitely less receptive to me, alot more huffier and grumpier.

If I was in your situation, I would go over and feed the cats during the day (like you originally planned on doing) and have the boyfriend go over and feed the cats at night. It was his idea to agree to the pet sitting without getting detailed info, and he doesn't want to go back on his word or even explain the situation to his cousin and try to get paid a little, since its more of a hassle then you guys originally planned. So I personally think he should be alright with a little inconvenience to him and his schedule, and have him feed the cats at night, thus keeping his word. 

A hedgehog is an exotic pet, and has special needs/handling requirements. So hopefully your boyfriend will be willing to work with you to come to a solution where he gets to keep his word and doesn't put the hedgehog second.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

If you are using the same cage I don't really think it would be too much stress on your hedgehog to take her with you. You are the same person, your hedgehog will be in the same cage, so that is largely the same environment for her. If you can provide for her other needs like heat, lighting and food (and bring a few jars of water from your place if you think their water will taste different) then it should be fine. 

It's not ideal and I am the first one to tell people not to get a hedgehog right before going away but this sounds like something that you were not expecting and can't really be avoided. I know that it's not what you planned or expected and that is stressful for you but it sounds like just going and staying there is the path of least resistance. If you and your boyfriend are going to be stressed about going back and forth for house/pet sitting it's going to be stressful for your hedgehog too. If you just go there, you'll be able to relax in the time you would have spent traveling. 

If you bring your own bath stuff, and all your normal cage cleaning supplies the smells will not be that different. It wouldn't really be different than moving the hedgehog cage to a different room which people do all the time for various reasons (I did it twice in the first month with my hedgehog). 11 days is long enough for you all to settle into a pet sitting routine and relax a little. 

The only worry I would have is now the cats will react to being locked out of a room, especially while there are people in it. I suggest is talking to your boyfriend's cousin about how the cats will react to being locked out of a room that people are in. Some cats are more social and curious than others and would take it badly if not let into the room that the humans are hanging out in (and by take it badly I mean peeing on the door frame, whining incessantly, and pooping out in the open). If these cats are not like that and will mostly amuse themselves/each other then you are all set to go there, set up your hedgehog in a room blocked from the cats, hole up in there with her and snuggle her until the New Year. Animals are very resilient and she will do just fine as long as her cage stays the same. Just remember that if you're stressed she will be so you really need to believe me when I say it will be fine. 

If you decide to go I hope you have a nice time and if not I hope you remember that you did not commit to this, if you decide that your boyfriend needs to honour this commitment on his own then that would be perfectly reasonable of you. Good Luck


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## JJStefaniec (Nov 27, 2012)

nyaraa said:


> Your right with not wanting to leave your hedgehog alone for 11 days. I'm a new hedgie owner and been making wonderful progress with a rescued hedgehog; getting him to know, recognize, and trust me. Yet I neglected to handle sonic for 1 day  and the next day he was definitely less receptive to me, alot more huffier and grumpier.
> 
> If I was in your situation, I would go over and feed the cats during the day (like you originally planned on doing) and have the boyfriend go over and feed the cats at night. It was his idea to agree to the pet sitting without getting detailed info, and he doesn't want to go back on his word or even explain the situation to his cousin and try to get paid a little, since its more of a hassle then you guys originally planned. So I personally think he should be alright with a little inconvenience to him and his schedule, and have him feed the cats at night, thus keeping his word.
> 
> A hedgehog is an exotic pet, and has special needs/handling requirements. So hopefully your boyfriend will be willing to work with you to come to a solution where he gets to keep his word and doesn't put the hedgehog second.


I really like this idea, it might have to be different right around christmas, but it isn't bad. It wasn't really him who said the those things about the hedgehog it was my ignorent online friends, they all told me it was no different and to not worry about my hedgie :-/. He does understand a lot about the hedgehog care as we both rescearched for months. I'm probably going to ask them for about 50 to help cover gas or food cuase it's a lot to ask someone to do it for free around the holidays.



hedgielover said:


> If you are using the same cage I don't really think it would be too much stress on your hedgehog to take her with you. You are the same person, your hedgehog will be in the same cage, so that is largely the same environment for her. If you can provide for her other needs like heat, lighting and food (and bring a few jars of water from your place if you think their water will taste different) then it should be fine.
> 
> It's not ideal and I am the first one to tell people not to get a hedgehog right before going away but this sounds like something that you were not expecting and can't really be avoided. I know that it's not what you planned or expected and that is stressful for you but it sounds like just going and staying there is the path of least resistance. If you and your boyfriend are going to be stressed about going back and forth for house/pet sitting it's going to be stressful for your hedgehog too. If you just go there, you'll be able to relax in the time you would have spent traveling.
> 
> ...


She already told me that we can't close the doors because the cats will scratch, except for the bathroom doors. So this is what I worry about. So I can't lock them out of the room with the hedgie. I could put him on the second floor instead of a bedroom on the third but then we'd have to heat the entire room to 24 (I don't have a CHE setup here I heat my livingroom) And I don't know if they would get upset if their heating bill went up (its a biiig room).

Also I have a lid on the cage but it can be lifted easily. _You think the cats would be able to get in?_ If they were that dumb..

I wouldn't be so resilient to it if we didn't have to carry the hedgehog cage up two flights of their brand new home risking marking up the walls. Plus we had to take the door at our place off the hinges to get the cage in. It is a 2x3 C&C cage, with a stand and I realllly don't want to take it apart.

I dunno. I'm very torn and I have a bunch of other stress going on today so all I've been doing is being grumpier then a angry hedgehog all day. And I just needed to ask someone for advice and my other forum was treating the hedgehog like a hamster and it was driving me crazy, I actually cried.

It just seems like so much work to bring EVERYTHING over for only (not even a full 11 days, it's more like 9) Plus as I said, I don't drive so if my boyfriend was at work I'd be stuck in the outskirts of my city in a extremely unfamiliar area. It means unless my boyfriend was there to drive me or I wanted to take a 2 hour round trip ride on the bus I couldn't visit anyone in town. At the holidays none the less, I'm not a huge fan of christmas but it's my school break.

I really think that I'll talk to her about maybe giving us some compensation just because it is so inconvienent.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

Your hedgehog cage does sound like a hard set up to move. Now that I know the cats can't be locked out of his room I would not suggest bringing him. A different environment is one thing but having to suddenly contend with cats hanging around your cage is something completely different. Some hedgehogs would not care at all but it would really stress others out a lot. 

It sounds like you are so stressed about trying to make this work for everyone when really what they are asking is sort of unreasonable. They should have asked a neighbour or hired a pet sitter. They are asking you to come from far away and stay at their house without giving you the means necessary to care for your own animals while you are there. Explain to them how difficult it would be for you to stay there, and tell them all of your concerns about how much travel time it will be to go twice a day. They might be willing to figure something else out. Nyaraa's solution about having you and your boyfriend both go once a day is a good one but I still think you should discuss the difficulties with his cousins so that they really understand what they are asking of you. You never know they might have a backup house sitter. They could also buy one of those automatic feeders (it the cats are on dry food) so that you don't have to come at the time of the feedings and instead just go to check on them. (7am seems really early to travel over there).


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## eskye (Oct 5, 2012)

Try getting a large sterilite bin (10-15$). I use those when I take my reptiles up to another state.

I have 80+ reptiles as well as other things and my two hogs, everything goes into sterilite bins for easy transport and keeping during my single winter month up north. Usually if an environment looks the same and smells the same, the animal will not be as stressed. I'd take out fleece or whatever smells like the safe cage. It really shouldn't set you back too much in progress - my own just moved bins and have not shown the slightest worry so far.

If you're that worried, I think it's best you just take the hog with you. It's a better option and you'll be able to spend more time bonding and less time worrying at the other place, and the bin placement shouldn't be a huge deal. Pros of taking outweigh the cons, in my opinion.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

If you go the bin route it would probably fit in the bathroom (even if you have to keep it in the bathtub), that way you can keep the door closed. And it would be easier to heat a bathroom because it is smaller. My only concern is keeping the cats away from the cage. Because your hedgehog is so new to you and she's not used to cats it just seems to me like it would be too much stress for her to have the cats hanging around the cage or trying to sit on it, or get into it etc.


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## eskye (Oct 5, 2012)

Ah, with a sterilite bin it is incredibly easy to cut a large hole in the top and along the sides and hot glue some mesh down. It should provide adequate ventilation and safety from cats or other animals. Leave a space open for a wheel, most bins aren't tall enough for one. Sterilite is still the easiest route - I can set up a new bin with hot glued mesh (can use screen door mesh, 10$ for a huge roll) within ten minutes.


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## SpiritWolves1 (Apr 5, 2012)

Ive had cats since I was 3, and when we went away all we did was fill a huge bucket with food and a huge bowl with water. They were fine for 2 weeks like that, and they were outside cats. Well sort of, they had a huge outside pen they had to be in because our farm had another property on it and their dog killed cats. So sorry but I'd cheat and do that, go over every few days to check things out then go home. Feeding cats 2 times a day, how silly, our barn cats get a dog food bowl every week and a half so they have to go and hunt once in a while ( their afraid of my dog since we moved -.-) and that's works fine for them, they actually could loose some weight if they needed too, but it's winter so they keep the fat packed on. Idk I definetly wouldn't take hedgehog with me, my hogsaare social and all but it's not fun to move cages around and definetly not easy. I would as I mentioned earlier, cheat.


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## JJStefaniec (Nov 27, 2012)

hedgielover said:


> Your hedgehog cage does sound like a hard set up to move. Now that I know the cats can't be locked out of his room I would not suggest bringing him. A different environment is one thing but having to suddenly contend with cats hanging around your cage is something completely different. Some hedgehogs would not care at all but it would really stress others out a lot.
> 
> It sounds like you are so stressed about trying to make this work for everyone when really what they are asking is sort of unreasonable. They should have asked a neighbour or hired a pet sitter. They are asking you to come from far away and stay at their house without giving you the means necessary to care for your own animals while you are there. Explain to them how difficult it would be for you to stay there, and tell them all of your concerns about how much travel time it will be to go twice a day. They might be willing to figure something else out. Nyaraa's solution about having you and your boyfriend both go once a day is a good one but I still think you should discuss the difficulties with his cousins so that they really understand what they are asking of you. You never know they might have a backup house sitter. They could also buy one of those automatic feeders (it the cats are on dry food) so that you don't have to come at the time of the feedings and instead just go to check on them. (7am seems really early to travel over there).


I'm hoping to do this, they assumed we'd be living there and when I might stay a couple night if we don't end up staying there the whole time so we'll probably let them know like "I don't think we'll be able to sleep there every night just because of christmas and we have to work too" I think she's worried about someone breaking into the place (her car was broken into in the summer) even though it's a really nice neighbourhood.

Both my boyfriend and I generally take the road of least resistance with people meaning we usually don't voice our concerns. So it's really hard for either of us to say anything plus she's so nice, and I don't think she meant to stress us out, she probably though it's be fun for us (their place is waaay bigger than ours and nicer) and she'd lend us her car.

I just really think it's a comuinication thing.



eskye said:


> Try getting a large sterilite bin (10-15$). I use those when I take my reptiles up to another state.
> 
> I have 80+ reptiles as well as other things and my two hogs, everything goes into sterilite bins for easy transport and keeping during my single winter month up north. Usually if an environment looks the same and smells the same, the animal will not be as stressed. I'd take out fleece or whatever smells like the safe cage. It really shouldn't set you back too much in progress - my own just moved bins and have not shown the slightest worry so far.
> 
> If you're that worried, I think it's best you just take the hog with you. It's a better option and you'll be able to spend more time bonding and less time worrying at the other place, and the bin placement shouldn't be a huge deal. Pros of taking outweigh the cons, in my opinion.


I never thought of that, the only problem is with after we are done petsitting we would have absolutely nowhere to store this other bin (we've already maxed out our storage which is a corner of a shed. So we'd probably have to get rid of it after.

hedgielover mentioned the bathtub and got me thinking, other then moving her cage, I would think my best option would just be setting her up in the bathtub, she's never been in mine since she get's bathed in the sink. I could put fleece on the bottom and there's be room for her wheel and everything. and the slick sides means she can't get out.
Of course I'd have to take her out when we showered or needed a bath but that could be snuggle time then with my boyfriend and I.

I'm trying to weigh all my options here though.



SpiritWolves1 said:


> Ive had cats since I was 3, and when we went away all we did was fill a huge bucket with food and a huge bowl with water. They were fine for 2 weeks like that, and they were outside cats. Well sort of, they had a huge outside pen they had to be in because our farm had another property on it and their dog killed cats. So sorry but I'd cheat and do that, go over every few days to check things out then go home. Feeding cats 2 times a day, how silly, our barn cats get a dog food bowl every week and a half so they have to go and hunt once in a while ( their afraid of my dog since we moved -.-) and that's works fine for them, they actually could loose some weight if they needed too, but it's winter so they keep the fat packed on. Idk I definetly wouldn't take hedgehog with me, my hogsaare social and all but it's not fun to move cages around and definetly not easy. I would as I mentioned earlier, cheat.


This is what I think. While if I had a cat I would spoil them for sure, unless I actually had a house sitter and was paying them I would only expect someone over once a day.

This is the route I would first first and formost and visit once a day but my boyfriend is not on board with that because it's disrespectful. :|


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I think it's too much to expect someone to go 40-60 minutes away each day. Can they not find someone closer, a neighbour or someone who can feed and check on the cats each day?


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## pickles17 (Feb 18, 2012)

I would just bring your hedgehog with you. I don't think it would be too upsetting to transport them, I have transported mine many times when I would spend weekends over at my parents house and it was never really too disturbing for the hedgehog. 

As for the cats, I don't think it will be all that necessary to lock them out of the room (maybe, depending). I personally have two cats that don't bother with the hedgehog cage. I don't think they would try to take the lid of the cage off, but of course you'd be at the house anyway right? Or you could always use the bin idea. Perhaps if you're worried you could introduce the cats to the hedgehog, after they see they are a prickly bunch of grumpy they usually don't want anything to do with it. 
I think this would be the easiest of solutions, as going back and forth sounds like a huge pain. I'd just make it work, and explain to the people that if they want you to stay at their house that you'll have to hike the heat up a bit for your hedgehog. 

And for the record, I'm one of those people who feed my cats twice a day. Wet in the morning, dry in the evening  lol!!


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## JJStefaniec (Nov 27, 2012)

Thanks Nancy. I understand that she loves her cats very much but she knows how far away we live too, I have a feeling she was having trouble getting someone as they just moved into a different area. I wanted to ask them to see if there was anyone else but as I said before my boyfriend doesn't want to go back on his word, it's basically lose-lose any which way for me here.



> I would just bring your hedgehog with you. I don't think it would be too upsetting to transport them, I have transported mine many times when I would spend weekends over at my parents house and it was never really too disturbing for the hedgehog.
> 
> As for the cats, I don't think it will be all that necessary to lock them out of the room (maybe, depending). I personally have two cats that don't bother with the hedgehog cage. I don't think they would try to take the lid of the cage off, but of course you'd be at the house anyway right? Or you could always use the bin idea. Perhaps if you're worried you could introduce the cats to the hedgehog, after they see they are a prickly bunch of grumpy they usually don't want anything to do with it.
> I think this would be the easiest of solutions, as going back and forth sounds like a huge pain. I'd just make it work, and explain to the people that if they want you to stay at their house that you'll have to hike the heat up a bit for your hedgehog.
> ...


We fed my cat kibble as a treat but we'd only feed them one can (fairly good size can) in the morning, they'd eat some and come back for the rest at night, but every kitty is different 

The biggest reason I'm worried about moving her is she's only been with me for 3 and 1/2 weeks. My cute little baby  
And she's been slowly dropping weight (235 now down to 221) so it's worrying me, I'm in the middle of trying to add more kitten kibble to her diet, so I'm worried about her stressing out and not eating. She's already so small.

What we decided to do is ask her husband to help my boyfriend move the cage from the truck to the room on the third floor when we get there and when we leave. That's my biggest worry, marking up their walls with this huge cage (2x3 with a stand). And hopefully the cats won't bother her when we are there. And he is also going to ask for some money to cover transportation. (50-100 for gas and food, 75 would make me happy while 50 is a little low) I don't think they are hurting for money so I don't feel bad about asking for it.

I also didn't realize how far away she lived until we went there to have dinner and got the keys. 

There will still probably be one or two nights were my boyfriend works in the evening and then works and the the next day so he'll have to stay at our place while I'm there so we will spend a bit of time apart.

I'm still not pleased about the whole thing, I wish I didn't have to do it but my boyfriend is being stubborn and saying that it's for 'family'.

Oh well, relationships take a lot of give and take, and I'm giving this to him now. I think I'll get him to agree for next year we'll go to the zoo like I wanted to do this winter. I have only ever been to a zoo once before and that was last year.

Good Luck wishes from you guys?

I'm hoping to get Tansy onto a higher fat diet cause she needs to put on a little weight, she's a wheel MANIC and I don't want the stress of moving to affect her much. So that's what I'm hoping for.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I agree with Nancy, its a lot to ask. If you decide to still do it I would say twice a day isnt going to be able to happen. Cats can do fine with once a day. If they argue or the boyfriend disagrees then Id let him worry about it since he agreed. Dont let yourself get stressed, theyre going to have a fun time and not right to have all this on u.


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