# Dry skin flax spray?



## CourtneyLA (Jun 20, 2014)

Nina has really dry skin and I've just noticed (the weather has changed so I think that has something to do with it). I don't want to soak her down since it's a little chilly out. Would it still work to put a capsule of flax oil in a small spray bottle and spray down her quills?

Also: she hasn't been using her wheel. Could that be from the dry skin? She has been eating, drinking, sleeping, and going to the bathroom like normal


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## David147 (Mar 6, 2015)

The shampoo you used could actually have made her dry skin worse. The only shampoo you should use on hedgehogs is Aveeno oatmeal baby shampoo. You can also add oatmeal directly to the warm water for a less expensive way to help the itchiness. Try taking a cupful of flax seed or vitamin E oil, pouring it into a glass of warm water and pouring over your hedgehogs back. It will help reintroduce the oils she needs. If you got her from a Pet Store, I would recommend going to a vet to get her tested for mites. Pet Stores are a good place for hedgehogs to pick these up. If it is mites, ask for revolution for kittens/puppies as it is safer.


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## CourtneyLA (Jun 20, 2014)

That's the only kind of shampoo I use for her, and I know about adding to food and the rinse, thanks though 

I'm saying I don't want to rinse her down because it's too chilly outside to do that all the time, I don't want her to catch a cold from an unnecessary wet down. I do keep her cuddled up on me until she's dry, but she tends to get cranky because she doesn't like it lol.

I got her from a breeder in August so it's for sure not mites, definitely dry skin (it's gone away a bit on its own). Thanks though!

And for anyone wondering I did end up adding a cap of flax oil to a small makeup spray bottle and spraying her lightly with that, she actually liked it quite a bit lol.


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## MomLady (Aug 14, 2010)

You can also put a few drops of the flaxseed oil ON her food. That's another way to "moisturize" them. Usually they don't notice the taste and my Nara seemed to prefer it.


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## CourtneyLA (Jun 20, 2014)

I'll have to do that, thanks! Can you do that every day as a preventative measure too or just every once in a while?


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## MomLady (Aug 14, 2010)

I put just a drop of flaxseed on her food just about every day. I used the capsules and just pricked a hole in it and dropped a few drops on her food.

I used to make her meatballs and I put ground flaxseed meal in that as well. 

Hedgies have such dry skin! :-?


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## Lil'Pepper1 (Jan 4, 2016)

Is it fine to use virgin flax seed spray oil? Sorry I haven't had my hedgehog for to long and I also don't want to give her a bath because its chilly.  Please help!


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