# restless and not opening up!



## snugget1234 (Jun 20, 2012)

So I just bought a hedgehog (her name is Nugget) about a month ago and I believe she is only a few months old. I've been taking her out of her cage everyday for at least a short period to handle her and talk to her in an attempt for her to get to know me. While she is much better exploring and opening up than she was when I first got her, I believe her behavior is quite strange. She still does not put her quills down when she's around me and does not let me pet her. She also is very antsy most of the time and never stays on my lap. Every time I take her out of my cage and try to make her stay on my lap, she immediately gets off, explores a bit, then searches for a place where she can hide in a corner and does not want to be disturbed. Many times she even tries to bite me (when my hands don't smell like food) and huffs frantically when I try to touch her when she's hiding in her new corner spot that she has found. 

I'm not sure how to get her to open up to me. Will she ever let her quills down, let me pet her, and stay on my lap?


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## Guest (Jun 20, 2012)

hedgehogs have different personalities like people. some will cuddle and some prefers to run aaround and explore.

the biting and huffing though will take time ,some hedgehogs take longer to warm up then other, and some never do but you should keep trying. heres somethings that might help.

-make sure the lights are very dim almost dark when you take her out,and keep noise down 
-try getting a play pen and sitting in it with her and let her run around and crawl on you. 
-put a shirt youve worn over night in her cage for her to snuggle with so she associates your smell with something safe and cozy. 
-dont let her go back in her cage or stop touching her when she huffs , by leaving her alone when she does this will encourage the behavior. 
- have lots of treats bribery does sometimes work to bring them around. 

good luck hope she warms up


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

If she seems to want to snuggle and sleep more than explore when you take her out, and mainly looks for a place to hide, it's best to roll with it. Try holding her in a fleece blanket when you get her out, and let her be covered. She may feel safer, and it still counts as bonding/snuggle time even if she's just sleeping on you. As she gets more comfortable with being in your lap while covered, you can slowly start to handle her more under the blanket, petting her, resting your hand on her, etc. so you can have a bit more interaction.


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