# How loud are they?



## cheldy (Nov 20, 2011)

I just got a male hedgie today, and I find it's sniffling to be louder than I expected. About as loud as a large dog sniffing the ground, to make a comparison. Is it possible that he has caught a cold? It gets louder when I wake him up, but I suppose that's just him hissing. 
I'm a little confused about the sounds he makes. I read somewhere that the males tend to hiss louder, is it true?


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

My hedgehog has never sniffed so loud that it could be compared to a dog.
I would suggest a vet visit, just to rule out the possibility of an upper respiratory infection.

There is no difference between males and females in how loud they hiss, from what I know.


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## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

I would do a vet visit ASAP. My girl is loud, but not enough to be compared to a dog. Could have a URI. Where did you get him from?


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

When my hedgie was new she made all kinds of noises if I even went near her cage....possible he is just very nervous still but best to get it checked out if you think an URI is possible. Aside from hissing & popping (oh and spitting lol) mine makes a low grumbly-purr type of noise when she is freaked out which is really different from her feel-safe purr.


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## cheldy (Nov 20, 2011)

Thanks for the advice, I am going to wait a couple of days until I get her to the vet, as he is stressed from the road and I want to see if there's anything else wrong with him. I got the hedgie from a breeder that lives about 400 km away, and a friend of his came to my town and delivered him. 
I'm just surprised that the hissing is not as short as I expected. I thought they hiss for a second, pop, then if you don't back up hiss once more etc. But his hissing lasts about three to five seconds, and it surprises me that a creature so little can make such a noise. I expected the sniffing to only be heard if I put my ear up to it.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

The seem to be able to make noise until they feel the intruder as gone away or is not offending them  Just hearing me in the room was enough for mine to start up in the first while lol. Even now if she is disturbed by the TV/ vacuum or whatever I am doing while she is snoozing she will let me know and I can hear that quite easily ha. You should not be able to hear normal breathing sounds at a distance (or even close up) for sure tho!


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## SaltAndExtraPepper (Mar 4, 2011)

What you are hearing is probably what most people call "Huffing" it is one of the most common sounds hedgehogs make to express themselves. When I first introduce my friends to Carlos they often ask "Is he sneezing?" or "Why is he breathing so loud?" When they actually sniff to take in a scent, it is as quiet as any other healthy animal. But when they are huffing they just wanna sound tough, and it can be pretty loud! I do not think it is something to be concerned with as many hedgehogs are nervous in a new home and tend to huff a lot.

If it sounds like this, when you skip to 11 seconds, or to 23 seconds, or to 35 seconds into the video, that is huffing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOTWmfvV ... ideo_title

Or in this video, he makes a very loud, short, odd huffing sound and he seems to be telling off my webcam when you skip to 1:55 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icbkaFmu ... ure=relmfu

But if he were to make odd sounds constantly all the time, even when sleeping, that kind of wheezing might be a health concern. Otherwise he is just being talkative. If you are still concerned about the noises he makes, perhaps you should consider recording a video so we can hear it for ourselves!


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

LOL cute videos....video makes it SO much easier to explain sounds!


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## cheldy (Nov 20, 2011)

He does seem to be huffling, and other than that, when he sniffs my hand for example, I can't hear anything. But I heard him making some sounds as he drank water. Not sure if he huffed to get me to back off, as I was sitting right beside him and maybe he was feeling intimidated. 
If I take him in my hand, he's ok, but if I put my hand in the cage he'll come near me, start to lick my hand, then run towards me with his quills up, like he's saying "Oh, it's you. Get out of here!" 
Is it normal for him to sleep in the open? This morning when I checked on him he was laying in the middle of the cage, sleeping, not balled up at all. The temperature in the room is 26 degrees Celsius. He hasn't walked around the cage this morning, just stretched towards the food bowl, ate a bit then sort of went back to sleep? Is he trying to hibernate? The breeder told me to keep him somewhere dark, to not stress him out, and I put his cage in a part of the room where there's little light.

I'll borrow a camera and film him tonight.


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

Can you describe the sound he's making when drinking? My guys kind of make noise when drinking, nothing loud, just the general sound of them lapping up the water out of their food dish, its enough to know someone is awake and drinking since I keep the front of my cage covered at night.

Hedgehogs can be territorial about their cage, which may be why he reacts differently between holding him outside the cage, and when you have your hand in the cage. Since he's new, he's also a touch nervous towards you. Over time as you build trust with him, this may change.

I'm not sure about sleeping out in the open? Is this how he sleeps all day, or is it mainly during the evening/mornings? Both my guys retreat to their houses come morning, but per say my girl Hester sleeps out in the open at night. Is he just laying there, or is he laying in a "splat" position, best described as him laying on his stomach with his legs out?

26'C should be a good temperature, its at the high end of the "operational temperature" as I call it, anything below 22.7'C is too cold, and for some hogs anything above 25.5'C can sometimes be too warm, depending on the hedgehog. If he's "splatting" as described above, it might be a touch warm for him, as splatting is a sign of being too warm (can also be a sign of being content though too).

Does he act lethargic (slowish, sluggish movement)? Hibernation attempts usually make them act like this. The two main causes of hibernation is lack of light and or low temperatures. We know the temperature should be good, if not on the warm side, but lightning is another question.

Hedgehogs require a light source during the day, it helps regulate their internal clock as if they sense short days due to lack of light (much light winter), it can trigger hibernation attempts. You do not need a special light, a regular desk lamp or the room light being on is just fine. This light should be on for 10 to 12 hours a day, during the daylight hours (don't depend on sunlight). For example my lighting system runs from 9am to 9pm.

I also always note that darkness can be a factor at night. Some hedgehogs can be sensitive about light during the night hours (their active time). It depends on the hedgehog, some might not mind a low wattage light or the glow from your TV/computer screen, but there have been hogs known not to be active due to even the little green light on a computer. I have both kinds, my girl doesn't mind light from the TV/computer, my boy must have utter darkness, otherwise he stays in his house (except to eat and potty).

Hope that helps.


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## cheldy (Nov 20, 2011)

When he drinks water, it's the same sound as when he puffs at me, only quieter, and with a barely noticeable whistling to it. I only heard it when he drank water this morning, yesterday he didn't make it. 
He slept like that only last night, apparently, now he's hidden under his blanket. But he was laying in the splat position you described.
As far as I saw last night and this morning, after he woke up he went straight for the food bowl, then ate, huffed at me for a bit, but did not walk around or anything, sniffed the air for a few minutes then went back to sleep. Yesterday I didn't turn on the light, I thought it would make him more stressed. And from where his cage is, he can't see the light of the computer/tv.
This morning I squeezed a hand under him, and his belly was not cold, but not warm either, slightly cooler than my hand's temperature I guess. Should I take him out during the day to warm him up? (in my lap while I sit at the computer, for example)


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## CourtneyFaye (Jul 31, 2011)

Is the noise continuous while drinking or is it jus short bursts? Some times when my girl is drinking she will get water up her noise and sneeze a bit to get it out. Do you think that's what could be happening?


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## cheldy (Nov 20, 2011)

I think that's what happened, combined with the fact that I he was in defense mode. Last night I took him out of his cage, and he cuddled with me for about an hour, sniffing my hand and licking it, he was so sweet!W
hen I gave him my hairband to play with, he first licked it, like he does with my finger then bit down on it HARD. Thank god it wasn't my finger :roll:


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