# Our Baby Has Arived!



## moorea (Jun 25, 2011)

We got Dexter this past saturday. He is adorable! He'll be 8 weeks old this coming Saturday. He seems to be doing well. But I do have two questions.

1. Asside from the Inova cat food, I have tried feeding him several different treats. He loves the worms and crickets, but will not touch the bananas, strawberries or watermelon. Can he live on cat food, warms and crickets alone?

2. His wheel arrived Tuesday and he has no interest at all. I got the Carolina storm wheel. He loves to roll in the litter box (with yesterdays news litter) under the wheel, but can care less about the wheel. We have placed him on it and he jumps right off into the litter... Will he grow to like it ever?

This is Dexter!


----------



## ReginasMommy (Apr 13, 2011)

Oh. My. God.

Perfection.

That first picture... what a beautiful face!!! More pictures! More pictures!


----------



## ReginasMommy (Apr 13, 2011)

Oh, I got so caught up in his adorableness, I forgot to say congratulations!!!


----------



## Guest (Jul 14, 2011)

ZOMG half face is so cute half light half dark! He's young so give it time with the wheel some take a while to get what its for when the urge to move comes they will take to it normally. 

Fruits should be a treat here and there as well as veggies but not a primary food, keep trying while they are young they don't take to everything immediately. There's a fruit and veggie list on here somewhere. Keep trying along with some baby foods to see if Dex will take to any. Also becareful of too many treats at once if they are allergic you won't know to which its best to introduce one treat every few days this will also prevent upset tummies 

I could just nom that face Dex is so cute!


----------



## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

Congratulations on your beautiful baby! I love his coloring.  I, too, would like to see more pictures!

Cat food and insects is the average hedgehog diet, but several people on this website are switching things up and adding in more fruits and veggies (me included). This thread lists safe fruits and vegetables: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=60&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=fruit+and+veggie

There is speculation about the protein in cat food hurting hedgehogs livers/kidneys, which is the main reason why I've decided to cut down on kibble and increase fruits and veggies. Even if cat food is just fine, I look at it like better safe than sorry.

Just in case you haven't run across this info yet and plan on trying fruits and veggies, grapes can be toxic to hedgehogs and should never be fed (that includes raisins, too).

I know of a handful of people that make their own mix of food for their hedgehogs. Mixes can include baby food, meat (unseasoned cooked chicken, turkey, fish, etc), fruits & veggies, and even ground up kibble. This is a thread that I recently started with info about the best way to make my own mix: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12199

If you have any questions about food, just post in the Diet & Nutrition section of the site. Everyone is really helpful and you'll probably get answers in a couple hours.


----------



## firephoenixla (Sep 13, 2010)

hahaha, I love how he has one white-ear and one brown-ear sticking out on either side of his head! that is the cutest thing, and the little split blaze to match! very unique, congrats!


----------



## moorea (Jun 25, 2011)

Thanks we like him a bunch. We are new to hedgies so I did not realize he was unique, but I knew he was adorable.

I hope we are not giving him too much of the treats. We have only given around two to three worms and two to three crickets each night? Is that too much? He goes crazy over the worms and when they are gone he runs around the cage sniffing for more! We've been feeding the worms and crickets since saturday night and there does not seem to be any reaction, so I assume they are fine.

As for the fruits and vegies I read the post and have been trying a new one each evening. He has not as much as touched them. If he does touch one, then I will not move on to another to make sure there is no allergic reaction. From what was on the list I had bananas, strawberries and watermelon in the house. All have been a no go so far. Tonight I will try pears, if that does not work I will have to go to the store and buy different fruits from the list as the rest of the fruits on the list we do not have. I haven't even tried any veggies yet. I'd like to find one thing he will eat try it for a few days and make sure he is OK with it.

As for more photos... I will try again tonight, he moves around his cage so quickly they are hard to get (and he does not seem to like the flash)

*One more question. I know the day light should stay on for 12 hours while he naps so he does not think it is winter and tries to hibinate, but in the evening when the day light goes out, is it ok to have a dimmer light on while we play... Can he get too much light?*


----------



## Guest (Jul 15, 2011)

moorea said:


> Thanks we like him a bunch. We are new to hedgies so I did not realize he was unique, but I knew he was adorable.
> 
> I hope we are not giving him too much of the treats. We have only given around two to three worms and two to three crickets each night? Is that too much? He goes crazy over the worms and when they are gone he runs around the cage sniffing for more! We've been feeding the worms and crickets since saturday night and there does not seem to be any reaction, so I assume they are fine.
> 
> ...


That sounds fine he's young and needs the extra to grow, just use treats as bonding tools reward him when he unballs (Trust me quilling usually makes them grump) and when they use their litter box it helps a lot.

Light should be consistent mine is 7am light on 8pm light off. As for dimmer light that depends on the hedgehog some need pitch darkness to be really active others can handle some light you'll figure it out with time.

Lots of veggies like carrots you will want to soften up by steaming them  and keep at the fruit when they are young they don't always take to fruits, when he's more socialize rub the juices on his mouth it might entice him. Sometimes hedgehogs don't get that its food lol


----------



## moorea (Jun 25, 2011)

TWCOGAR said:


> That sounds fine he's young and needs the extra to grow, just use treats as bonding tools reward him when he unballs (Trust me quilling usually makes them grump) and when they use their litter box it helps a lot.
> 
> Light should be consistent mine is 7am light on 8pm light off. As for dimmer light that depends on the hedgehog some need pitch darkness to be really active others can handle some light you'll figure it out with time.
> 
> Lots of veggies like carrots you will want to soften up by steaming them  and keep at the fruit when they are young they don't always take to fruits, when he's more socialize rub the juices on his mouth it might entice him. Sometimes hedgehogs don't get that its food lol


That is interesting, he really hasn't balled up often. He ocassionally balls up like he is in the first photo with is head sticking out, but I have only seen him in a full ball (no head seen) once or twice! I haven't seen him grumpy at all!


----------



## moorea (Jun 25, 2011)

Forgot to include, he doesn't seem to mind the room light at night when we are 'playing' I have an actual 'day light bulb' over his cage from 6am to 6pm. At night when I go in I turn the room light on (it's a tad bit dimmer) and he doesn't seem to mind it. I am however going to get a dim night light instead the next time I head out!

Using the litter box does seem like a problem so far... it's his favorite place! He can spend hours rolling in there (and kicking out the litter)!


----------



## Guest (Jul 15, 2011)

moorea said:


> Forgot to include, he doesn't seem to mind the room light at night when we are 'playing' I have an actual 'day light bulb' over his cage from 6am to 6pm. At night when I go in I turn the room light on (it's a tad bit dimmer) and he doesn't seem to mind it. I am however going to get a dim night light instead the next time I head out!
> 
> Using the litter box does seem like a problem so far... it's his favorite place! He can spend hours rolling in there (and kicking out the litter)!


When they are litter they are poop machines! What kind of litter? you want to make sure its hedgehog safe some can get caught in the penis area and hurt boys if it has corn. Yesterday's new's is okay if they don't eat it lol. I went through a few before just going with paper towels cause my hedgehogs love to dig and burrow and roll in it instead of using it.

It'll take time to get to know the rights and wrongs for your hedgehogs personalities no worries


----------



## moorea (Jun 25, 2011)

I'm using Yesterdays News. It looks too big to get stuck anywhere! He is not eating it, I have been watching closely. He does like to roll in it, rub in it, nuzzle it.....


----------



## panda (May 23, 2011)

What a cute hedgehog! I just had to comment after seeing that adorable half and half face. Beautiful! Cant wait to see/hear more about him!


----------



## CanadienHedgie (Feb 4, 2011)

:shock: I want to steal him  He's sooo cute!


----------



## Guest (Jul 15, 2011)

CanadienHedgie said:


> :shock: I want to steal him  He's sooo cute!


Agreed that half and half face made me melt with cuteness overdose!


----------



## moorea (Jun 25, 2011)

Thanks all... Not much to report yet, but I will do so when he does something worth posting! I promise to add more pictures soon!

So does everyones hedgie pictures get this nice of reaction or is our Dexter really that cute? He looks adorable to me, but he is the first hedgehog I have ever seen in person, so I do not have anything to compare him too! All the hedgie photos I have seen on this forum are just as adorable!


----------



## DexterTheHog (May 22, 2011)

Eeeeee!! I love his nooooose!!!!!!
Welcome, other Dexter!!


----------



## shetland (Sep 2, 2008)

What a little angel. And that half face!


----------



## Jocelyn3113 (May 28, 2011)

:twisted: I can have him yes? :twisted: 
But in all seriousness wow he is adorable! Congrats on the new hedgie!


----------



## panda (May 23, 2011)

to answer your question, you are among hedgie lovers.. i think i speak for everyone when i say all hedgies are beautiful & i tend to go AWWWWW at all the picture posts on here! :lol: i personally have never seen a hedgehog on this site or in person with the half face coloration like yours though. From what I have seen hedgehogs all have something unique about their looks though, there are certain identification markers.


----------



## moorea (Jun 25, 2011)

DexterTheHog said:


> Eeeeee!! I love his nooooose!!!!!!
> Welcome, other Dexter!!


Didn't mean to be a name thief. I knew I saw a Dexter (or maybe more on this board while doing my research) But I did not name him. My daughter did and I don't think she has visited the board. I think itis pretty ironic to name him after the showtime serial killer and then fill his cage with peace signs!


----------



## shortnerdy (Jul 3, 2011)

That much adorable should be illegal lol. So beautiful. Can't wait for more pix


----------



## PJM (May 7, 2010)

What a little cuite!!! He's adorable!


----------



## hedgiegirl1214 (Jan 14, 2011)

So cute!!!!!!! He looks like a little Piggy.  I want to hug him.


----------



## moorea (Jun 25, 2011)

I've been wanting to hug him too, but he is very prickly! Everyone else in the house has taken to holding him, but I am still a little skitish about him. I love watching him, have no problem making sure his area is clean and he has everything he needs, I spend more time then anyone in the house checking his tempature etc. but I have not tackled actualy picking him up. PLEASE do not read this and think that Dexter isn't getting love, there are three other members in my household that are much braver then me!

It seems he has used his wheel! I did not see him do it, but when we came home this evening it was poopy! But this evenings attempt at a fruit was still unsucessful. Tomorrow I am going to try cherries! I forgot to buy baby food, any suggestions on flavors? He is stil CRAZY about the worms!


----------



## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

moorea said:


>


Oh my goodness! This is soooo adorable!!  

I love the nose and his coloring is gorgeous! :mrgreen:


----------

