# Yep, i was right HEDGIE 911!!!!!!



## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

So, if you followed my other thread, i got a "rehome" hedgie off of CL

mind you here is the EXACT posting "I need a home for my Hedghog I just dont have time to work with her like she needs, Come with cage, water bottle a small homing fee of $70.00 and i have a male also for $65.00 Comes with the same." when i got there, the male (which i had wanted) was sold--he did not tell me this, so i got the female.

well... he is a feeder breeder of mice/rats/rabbits. i did not know this

and, the hedgie looked offwhite/black spots. i ran out of the house pretty much, with this poor hedgehog, and went home. when i got home. turns out, hedgie is an albino and was FILTHY!!!! also had fleas everywhere!! so i gave it a flea bath OUTSIDE (its very warm right now and sorry i was NOT bringing it in the house covered in fleas) after the bath i held it untill it dried and treated with revolution. the poor thing was sneezing up a storm, so i called my vet and got an emergency apt (thank god my vet is open till 10) and i JUST got home.
*
vet admited he has not treated alot of hedgehogs, put her on CLAVAMOX-8MG BID she is 498g-- does this sound right???? *

also--how do i get her to take this??? i heard of injecting crickets? does that work well?????

o..... what did i get myself into!! im calling animal cruelty on this place btw, i am just so disgusted....

_i also treated both my cat and dog with revolution since they were on day 23 since last treatment, and i will buy more revolution and treat all 12 of my rats tommorow-- i totally didnt even think of it when i was at the vet i was just so upset, i still have the left overs from the hedgie but its only enough to treat 3 rats. _

I NEED GUIDANCE!!!


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

That's awful  I'm so sorry to hear that you and your hedgie are having a hard time!

I don't have much experience with medicine because I've never had to feed my hedgie meds.
I'm sure someone more experienced will jump in and help you!

All I can say is good luck and that I will be here to help in any way I can!


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

pictures!!--taken by my 5 year old daughter so sorry if they are blurry/out of frame

picture when we got home in the travel cage (everything was tossed, bin is sitting outside with bleach water for overnight)









Bath--look at the filthy water!! you can see dead fleas too









rinse and bath again-- see the fleas????









drying off-- i bet she feels soooo much better! she is so evil lol but i bet she does not feel good at all









also if clavamox is not a good antibiotic, can someone please give me a chart to print out? or a book or something of other suitable meds

thanks!!


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## shealynn87 (Jun 6, 2010)

I'm so glad you were able to save this little girl! I can't believe that black spot on her back was all dirt and flees! :shock: Hopefully she will figure out soon you are making her life significantly better! If the these people you got her from were into breeding, is there any chance she is pregnant? :?


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

shealynn87 said:


> I'm so glad you were able to save this little girl! I can't believe that black spot on her back was all dirt and flees! :shock: Hopefully she will figure out soon you are making her life significantly better! If the these people you got her from were into breeding, is there any chance she is pregnant? :?


i *think* they only bred feeders like mice/rats/rabbits but i am not sure. i hope to GOD she isnt pregnant, because she is not in any shape to carry babies, poor girl 

this just makes me soooooo ANGRY :evil: :evil: how DARE you keep pets like that??? let alone SELL them! i hope animal services does something about it, but since it is all "Feeder" type animals, i doubt they will 

*how long is hedgehog gestation?? *

WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO!!!


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## shealynn87 (Jun 6, 2010)

from what I have read somewhere between35 to58 days. I agree I'm glad you are reporting them!


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## shealynn87 (Jun 6, 2010)

sorry make that 30-40 days finding conflicting info! There are many breeders thatare very helpful on here that I'm sure will give you much better information  this is a great forum for solid info!


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

well i guess its good she is on clavamox--since that is a pretty safe AB for *most* pregnant animals-- tho i am still new to hedgehogs  

i really hope some breeders chime in as well.


im off to bed for the night. i hope the poor girl does okay out in the breezeway. i know its somewhat cruel of me-- but i really do NOT want her in my house until i give the revolution some time to work. she has a sleeping bag tho, and it IS summer, so i am thinking she will be OK


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Maybe you should add a hot water bottle just in case as well.


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

Deep breath, indeed its not the fairy tale start you wanted, but you've done a really good thing getting this girl out of the horrid place she was in. You have all of us here on HHC to help you with everything, and your vet sounds like he's got a generally good idea, might look up a few others and just ask around, find someone with maybe more experience.

55 Days is what you count out for baby watch, as said generally 35 days is the usual but hogs have been known to stay preggers for up to 55. Be prepared, basically if she is going to have babies, you need a quiet spot she can chill in the house without being disturbed, read up in the breeders section, and I'm sure one of the breeders here can give you information. But it might not happen, even if she was kept with the male, though I'll admit slim chance. My Hester was kept with her brother all her life and managed not to get mated, so it does happen.

From the pictures you posted she looks like she is doing alright, minus the dirt and fleas. That is horrid how she doesn't even look like an albino in the first picture, and then she just gets whiter and whiter. She's gotta be feeling better just from being cleaned.

What did the doctor give you in Clavamox? There is a pill form, and a liquid form. I've tried to research it and I'm not an expert at all but the only info I found in my own research was 0.1mg of the liquid stuff being given twice a day to a hedgehog, no weight specified. I don't think Clavamox is overly harsh medicine and seems to work well at least with felines, again, not an expert.

Picture wise though, she seems to be a good weight and she's got nice body lines, there doesn't seem to be any bald spots on her, so I get the feeling she might do well. Just stay strong and stay the course.

Just make sure she is in a 73'F to 78'F degree range with no drafts on her.


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## Sela (Apr 10, 2010)

My god, those people are monsters! The poor baby, she was so dirty, and all those fleas...ugh, disgusting. You're right to report them, and you were certainly right to get the poor girl out of there. She needs someone like you to take care of her and get her healthy again, I feel so sorry for the poor little thing.

I can't really offer you any advice because I've never been through this, but I'm sure it must be hard for you. Puffers is right, though, you're doing very well so far, and if you keep on the way you've been going, she'll be right again in no time.

With the conditions you describe, I have to wonder if they bred her with their male a lot to get babies to sell. It's sick, and a horrible thought, but always a possibility.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

That was so great you rescued her, I can't believe how dirty she was. Sounds like you are doing good the only thing I wouldn't suggest her being outside even if the Summer. It's just too hard to control the temperature which would have to be around 75 with no drafts and even if in a breezeway the sun can shine in and make it super hot at different parts of the day. Unexpected storms are also something summer brings and even if a breezeway is covered you can still get wet if the wind blows. Just had to say because it made me nervous when I heard this but don't want to come off offensive because I think its so great what you are doing 
Good luck with everything and can't wait to see more updates on how much she will improve being taken good care of now


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

I've used clavamox for my dogs,goats and cats and it worked great but i've never used it with a hedgie. My vet usually gives baytrill but far as I know clavamox will work. Hopefully Nancy will be on shortly,she's the best  .


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

Puffers315 said:


> Deep breath, indeed its not the fairy tale start you wanted, but you've done a really good thing getting this girl out of the horrid place she was in. You have all of us here on HHC to help you with everything, and your vet sounds like he's got a generally good idea, might look up a few others and just ask around, find someone with maybe more experience.
> 
> 55 Days is what you count out for baby watch, as said generally 35 days is the usual but hogs have been known to stay preggers for up to 55. Be prepared, basically if she is going to have babies, you need a quiet spot she can chill in the house without being disturbed, read up in the breeders section, and I'm sure one of the breeders here can give you information. But it might not happen, even if she was kept with the male, though I'll admit slim chance. My Hester was kept with her brother all her life and managed not to get mated, so it does happen.
> 
> ...


thank you  i did bring her inside last night, just by the kitchen door, because it was supposed to get down to 63. i did watch her come out of her sleeping bag, get a drink, and eat some food, so that is a good sign. i do think that she is either partially or fully blind, as i can sit and stare at her and she doesnt ball up, but if i make a noise, she quickly does.

she is on clavamox for some sneezing. he couldnt get a good listen to her lungs cuz she kept hissing at us, so its some what just precautionary. she IS on .12 cc twice a day tho, so hopefully the dosage is close to being right.

there are no bald spots that i can see either, and her skin is a nice pink. im going to give her a few days and then hose her down in the sink to get the dead bugs off (i see a few in her quills still, i did bathe her in dawn to kill the adults, and tried to get most of them out with a toothbrush, but i didnt want to scrub her for EVER because she was quite stressed-- i did apply revolution to kill any adults i did not get, and the eggs tho, so the buggies should be gone).

i AM glad i got her the heck out of there, poor animals  i called the animal humane services phone number this morning, and after i told them the story, and offered pictures, they said they would call me back :shock: WTH? if it was dogs or cats they would be ALLL over it, but since its rats mice rabbits, and 1 or 2 hedgehogs, they dont seem to care. i will call back tommorow tho, thats for sure.


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

Hedgieonboard said:


> That was so great you rescued her, I can't believe how dirty she was. Sounds like you are doing good the only thing I wouldn't suggest her being outside even if the Summer. It's just too hard to control the temperature which would have to be around 75 with no drafts and even if in a breezeway the sun can shine in and make it super hot at different parts of the day. Unexpected storms are also something summer brings and even if a breezeway is covered you can still get wet if the wind blows. Just had to say because it made me nervous when I heard this but don't want to come off offensive because I think its so great what you are doing
> Good luck with everything and can't wait to see more updates on how much she will improve being taken good care of now


oh and trust me, i didnt WANT to keep her in the breezeway, but i also didnt want fleas in my house, i was only keeping her out there untill she was treated, and the adults started to die so they could not jump on my other animals. i have 12 rats, 1 dog, 1 cat, and 2 kids that do NOT need fleas lol. and she had a TON of fleas. the dawn killed a bunch of them, and i had to keep dumping the water and putting fresh in because they were floating everywhere. it was so gross!!!! :evil:

she will most definatly be a family pet, and she has a place in our family room set up with a lamp and heater.


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## Olympia (Aug 4, 2010)

That poor girl is so lucky to have you, in what horrifying conditions she must have been kept to be so filthy! Some humans are just horrible. Why get pets if you're not gonna take proper care of them? :evil: At least she seems to not be in too bad a shape.


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## shealynn87 (Jun 6, 2010)

If you are going to give her another bath you might want to consider making it an oatmeal bath to sooth her skin. Since she had such horrible flees she is sure to have lots of bites and the oatmeal should help make it itch less.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

shealynn87 said:


> If you are going to give her another bath you might want to consider making it an oatmeal bath to sooth her skin. Since she had such horrible flees she is sure to have lots of bites and the oatmeal should help make it itch less.


That's a great idea  Aveno oatmeal will soothe her skin and help with the dryness that the dawn will create.


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

LarryT said:


> shealynn87 said:
> 
> 
> > If you are going to give her another bath you might want to consider making it an oatmeal bath to sooth her skin. Since she had such horrible flees she is sure to have lots of bites and the oatmeal should help make it itch less.
> ...


i already got the aveeno soothing baby wash and flax seed oil  i DID research before getting her, i just wasnt quite prepared for this :shock:


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## tie-dye hedgie (Dec 19, 2009)

Wow, this really was a hedgie 911! :shock: I am so glad she is with you now! I hope those people at the animal services will call back soon and actually do something about that "breeder." :roll: 
How is she doing this morning? 
She has a good home now and when she calms down, gets to know your voice, she will hopefully realize that you are a good owner and let you hold her!


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

Poor darling! I'm so glad that you got her. I also can't believe how dirty she was. Congrats on the rescue & I hope that there will be many wonderful times ahead for you both. 
By the way, what is a "feeder breeder of mice/rats/rabbits"? Does that mean he bred them to be eaten by other animals? Silly question, but I don't have a clue.


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## hercsmom (Jul 6, 2010)

I'm so sorry to hear about the conditions your new girl was in, but thank god you got to her when you did!

As for the medicine, Hercules happened to love his when he was on it (vet gave him banana flavored amoxicillin), but a friend of mine injected mealies with the meds for her girl then fed them to her hedgie. She had great success with this one. Let us know how it goes!


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

Thanks for all your help! she is doing OK today. she did eat some, and drink. i put her medicine inside a cricket because i could not figure out how i would inject it into a tiny mealworm lol, and she did eat the cricket  (yay for can-o-crickets!!)

one thing that is concerning me, is she hasnt pooped yet. is that normal? how often to hedgies normally poop?

she hisses everytime i talk to her, but if im quite and sit by her cage, she will un-ball and go eat/drink.

i have her set up in the spare bathroom for now with the door closed, she has her heater and her lamp and fresh food and water, and she is CLEAN! so she is much better off than she was 24 hours ago  thanks for all your support. i hope that she does learn that i mean her no harm, and she will be safe and loved here. she is sooo darn cute!! i love her little face


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## tie-dye hedgie (Dec 19, 2009)

Hedgies should poop every night. She might be constipated.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

tie-dye hedgie said:


> Hedgies should poop every night. She might be constipated.


If she is canned pumkin is good for that. There has been a shortage of it in most areas however


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## tie-dye hedgie (Dec 19, 2009)

LarryT said:


> tie-dye hedgie said:
> 
> 
> > Hedgies should poop every night. She might be constipated.
> ...


Earthfare has their own organic canned pumpkin for sale still.


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

ill look for some of that today. i need to go grocery shopping in a few minutes anyway lol.

i got her some grapenuts as well, i heard that is good for them and has alot of fiber. should i sprinkle some of those in her food??


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

mccauleywent said:


> i got her some grapenuts as well, i heard that is good for them and has alot of fiber. should i sprinkle some of those in her food??


They're good but I would wait and let her get settled in before adding them to her diet.


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## tie-dye hedgie (Dec 19, 2009)

While you're at the grocery store, see if you can find canned pumpkin. It will help with her constipation.

What are grapenuts, isn't that a cereal? :lol:


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

tie-dye hedgie said:


> While you're at the grocery store, see if you can find canned pumpkin. It will help with her constipation.
> 
> What are grapenuts, isn't that a cereal? :lol:


yeah, its a cereal lol, there was an online book thing that someone gave me the link to on here.. and they said grapenuts are a good source of fiber for hedgehogs... lol maybe not??


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## tie-dye hedgie (Dec 19, 2009)

Oh okay! Well, as Larry said, just wait a while till she gets settled and try them as a treat first.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

mccauleywent said:


> tie-dye hedgie said:
> 
> 
> > While you're at the grocery store, see if you can find canned pumpkin. It will help with her constipation.
> ...


They are a good source of fiber,i've feed them plenty of times. Just a sprinkle in with the food several times a week. Now i've switched to the gerber baby rice cereal.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I also use gerber baby rice cereal. I tried using Grape Nuts with Lily and she wasn't really eating any of it anyway. She'll eat her food same as usual though, when I put flaxseed oil and baby cereal on it.


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

well she pooped!! so thats good! i moved her into our extra bathroom downstairs so that i can keep it at 78-80 (i heard higher temp is better for sick hedgies) and she was up and about last night around 11, eating, drinking, waddling. she kind of waddles, not very gracefull is that normal? lol. i also watched her "annoint" herself and get all foamy and gross haha! she still scratches a bit, but i think its just dry skin now, i definatly dont see anything crawling on her anymore, and her skin is clear and pink


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

SHE LIKES US SHE REALLY LIKES US!!!

i decided to clean her cage after work (to get rid of the dead fleas that have fallen off) and i put her in a towel and handed her to my fiancee to hold while i cleaned her bin, and she un balled and licked all over his arm!! and then she "annointed" herself and licked him some more!! he said it was "Cute, gross, and sticky" lol!! i dont think she is blind after all, but she probably doesnt see very well.

im so happy 

PETBLVD gave me a shipping confirmation yesterday, and then today i got an email saying it was on back order!!! :roll: so i canceled my order with them, and ordered http://www.petco.com/product/106066/PET ... SiteSearch
which is the exact same size as the deluxe my first home XL i ordered, but 20 bucks cheaper and free shipping!!!  i also picked up a gray big igloo from petco (i wanted to pick the color) and ordered 2 more "girly" hedgie bags since the ones i have right now are more boyish  her wheel shipped yesterday i believe, so she will be all set in her cage  she wont take the cricket (injected with antibiotics) from our hand, but if you drop it in front of her, shell eat it right up


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I'm glad she's doing so well now! She's so lucky that you guys picked her up. It sounds like you'll be a great home for this little girl.


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## tie-dye hedgie (Dec 19, 2009)

That's wonderful news! Thanks for the update!


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## Sela (Apr 10, 2010)

Sounds to me like someone is going to be spoiled. <3


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

So glad that she's doing better. I'm sure she can already tell that she's had a change for the better. Good job & keep up updated. Love to hear the stories. And see pictures.


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

thanks guys  her carolina storm wheel came today, man that thing is HUGE im very impressed  i cannot wait till her huge cage comes so i can put it in there!! once i get everything set up, ill take pictures


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## mccauleywent (Jun 30, 2010)

CAGE CAME! it is huge! for anyone looking for a huge cheap cage, i would defiantly recommend the petco guinea pig cage. it is 40x21 and was only $60 shipped to my house 

i ordered some new bags and a igloo liner for her, and as soon as i get them i will post pictures of Zee's new home 

here are the items i ordered for her 

















they should be shipped tommorow, i cant wait to get them!

i put her wheel in yesterday, she didnt run on it yet, but hopefully she will get the hang of it.

i also started giving her about 75% 9 lives (what she was on) with 25% NB pea and duck mixed with chicken soup for the cat loves soul. i dont mind keeping a little of the 9 lives in (as her "junk" food) but she really needs to get off of it as a base food.

she is still very itchy, and there is no way that she can have fleas or mites anymore, as she was treated with revolution. do you think i could give her a oatmeal bath and put some flax oil on her? or will that affect the revolution?


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