# dying a hedgehog in annother color



## janick (Oct 20, 2015)

Hi! Halloween is comiing and I was asking myself if we can dye the spines of a hedgehog, for exemple blue, to make it look like sonic. If yes do you know if we need to use a specific type of Hair dye? how do we procede??? Thanks for answering me!!! <3


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## AlexandPersephone (Nov 14, 2014)

I'm a hairdresser and I understand the chemistry behind every type of hair dye- DO NOT EVER ATTEMPT TO PUT ANY HAIR COLOUR ON A HEDGEHOG. Their noses are very sensitive and even "vegetable based" dyes are extremely harmful to their sensitive systems. It won't even colour the spines. Hedgehogs are not toys do not treat them as such.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

When you do anything with a living creature of any kind, you need to do a risk/benefits thought process. 
Some things are so simple, they don't require this though process. Petting your dog is an example. Dogs generally enjoy it, and it doesn't put them at risk. 
Others aren't as clear cut. Most hedgehogs would rather be left alone. They get scared and defensive. We still handle them. The benefit is they are being accustomed to being handled so we can check them over for health reasons, we can trim their nails, we can pick them up and move them if it's needed. The benefit, outweighs the risk. 

Coloring your hedgehog, who benefits and how? It's not your hedgehog that receives any benefit. It's you. How do you benefit? You think it's cute or cool. No other benefit other than how he will look. 
Risks: in order to color him, you will probably be manhandling him for a bit. Possibly taking steps back in bonding as well as the psyiological responses his body experiences during fear and stress. Possibly consuming whatever you would color him with. 
Whatever you color him with might be on him well past christmas. The novelty would have worn off by then of having a blue hedgehog. 

Solutions to make everyone happy: depending on your hedgehogs color, you could possibly use anointing to your advantage. Do you have a light colored hedgehog that likes blueberries??? Hello sonic!!! If not, take a picture and do some editing. You get to see him blue with out any risks.


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## Draenog (Feb 27, 2012)

Why would you even do this... get a toy instead of a living animal.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Before doing anything to an animal ask yourself this...Does it benefit the animal in any way or is it just for my enjoyment? If it doesn't benefit the animal then don't do it, no matter what.


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## hedgehoggal (Oct 3, 2015)

Ask yourself some questions: Why do you want to do this? Who's enjoyment is this for? What could go wrong with this plan?
Weigh your cost and benefit. If you really think that your hedgehog looking "cool" is more important than his health and safety, you should not own a hedgehog.
I also understand that all of us have ideas that seem great at the moment, but are really not that safe in the end, and I understand that it may have happened to you. But remember: before asking the HHC community _how_ you could do something, ask yourself _why_ you would do it.


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## sjniazi (Jul 15, 2015)

I would reply a bit harshly, but I think you should PROBABLYYYYY consider the fact that hedgehog's skin are far too sensitive.

Also, instead of dyeing him, can't you just stitch up a loose little outfit (that doesn't press against his quills) or give him a band with blue ears? It would be cuter and not risky.


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## janick (Oct 20, 2015)

most of what you said i agree with. i just wanna know if we can dye the hedgehog without hurting him. I saw some people using coolaid... but i just wanna know more about it, because YES, i care about my animal and it's not because i wanna dye him that i don't care about him and maltreat him, it's the total contrary! i do this to know if we can dye him without hurting him and if i don't find a solution i just won't do it. it's as simple as that. oh, by the way, hateful comments about people that wanna dye their hedgehog and shouldn't have one becaus of that are rude. what do you get to write that? ''sigh'' whatever. so it looks like there is no way of dying a hedgehog without hurting him. but please if you hear a way to do it safely, tell me ok? thanks in advance!!!


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## janick (Oct 20, 2015)

Draenog said:


> Why would you even do this... get a toy instead of a living animal.


you know, i just wanna know stuff to prevent pain for him. if i can't do it, i won't. stop being hateful. my hedgehog's health is my priority, and i just wanna know if we can becaus halloween is coming and i would like to disguise him. if i can'y temporally dye his spine, then i won't do anything... i just wanna know. is it wrong to get aknowledgement??? don't think so. so shut up if you don't have something intelligent to say please.


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## janick (Oct 20, 2015)

sjniazi said:


> I would reply a bit harshly, but I think you should PROBABLYYYYY consider the fact that hedgehog's skin are far too sensitive.
> 
> Also, instead of dyeing him, can't you just stitch up a loose little outfit (that doesn't press against his quills) or give him a band with blue ears? It would be cuter and not risky.


yeah i think it'll be what i'll do because i went to know more about the topic and i haven't find answer and as i said before, my hedgehog's healt is my priority. thanks for the not hateful and instructive comment i really appreciate it!:lol:


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Of course your hedgehog's health is priority, or you wouldn't have asked first, right? So, somewhere on these forums, I think you can find a thread or two of hedgehogs that had been dyed before. 

I know of at least two hedgehogs in the past that I have read about being dyed that have stuck in my mind.

One was an albino that the owner was asking how to undye their quills.Supposedly the previously owner had told the new one that they had dyed the hedgehog with blue food coloring recently and it would wash out. It didn't. After many months (I want to say it had been 6 months already) the hedgehog still was tinted blue. You can only give so many bathes before you start to dry out their skin.

Another that I remember was spotted with different colors and again it was a "how do I undo this" type of thing.

There was no good answer for getting it out. Some have speculated that the coloring gets inside their quills and it takes ages for it to finally fade. Which made some of us wonder what the damage to the quills could be long term. The basic consensus is much like this thread though. Not worth the risk, and there are other ways to dress them up . Although, I think even dressing them up pisses many of them off. Who needs to dress up to look scary when you have sharp pointy quills and can make noises that sound scary .


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Another question to ask yourself, who are you trying to impress with this? We're you planning on taking him to visit trick out treaters, or taking him out? We're you planning on having him out and about for a Halloween party? 
All that would add extra unnecessary stress alone.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

The answer is no you can't dye his quills temporarily and you shouldn't do it even if you could. You said you haven't found an answer so this is the answer.


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## AlexandPersephone (Nov 14, 2014)

Okay so can I just explain something to you? 
Temporary colours- ex hair mascaras, tinted sprays, etc all work by creating a coating on human hair. They are non oxidative which means they don't use developer and don't penetrate the hair shaft. Hedgehogs don't have hair they have QUILLS. What hedgehogs have would be closer to a human nail in structure than actual hair. That means those products won't adhere they will stick to the hedgehog's skin. Also, hedgehogs are extremely sensitive to smell, have skin prone to dryness and tend to bite/lick things that are scented. It is beyond dangerous to use any type of product intended for hair on a hedgehog because its not for consumption. 
As for other products, such as food colouring- because quills are not hair whatever you manage to stain it with will stay there possibly forever. Do not attempt to alter your hedgehog's appearance other than nail clipping. It doesn't benefit the hedgehog in any way and will probably end up killing it or making it sick. Food colouring is still full of chemicals and it shouldn't even be used in food...


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