# WORRIED - HOG NOT EATING!



## Quinnie Pooh (Nov 25, 2010)

My 5 month old hedgehog has almost stopped eating kibble for the second night! She isn't wheeling as she usually does, and doesn't seem to be drinking as much as usual.

She had a bit of banana last night and she doesn't seem to be lethargic or sick when I handle her.

I saw that she had one large poop in her cage tonight after I took her out for some cuddle time. What could be causing this and what should I do!!!

I just read that I should start syringe feeding right away, but she's not all that tame yet, so i can't imagine that I could get anything down her throat!

Please could anyone help me figure out what to do! Is this normal at all!!!!

Thank you!!!

Quinnie's Mommy


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## pooka dotted (Jan 5, 2011)

Have you changed anything in her environment? (Food, heat, water?) Did you get her recently? Could she be stressed out from a recent change? Is she warm enough in her cage?


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

Was the poop normal? Normal consistency and color?

What's the temperature in her cage?

Is she sneezing/licking her nose consistently?

When you say she has almost stopped, that means she is eating less but still eating?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Exactly how many kibble is she eating per day? 

First thought is always temperature and/or lighting. Bump up the temperature degree or two and make sure she is getting 12-14 hours of light per day. 

How old is the bag of food? Food goes stale after being open a month or two and some of them are very particular. Try a new bag of food.

Have you tried giving her a separate dish with some dampened kibble. If she is having mouth issues, it could be difficult for her to crunch the kibble. By chance could she have a kibble caught in the roof of her mouth?

Try leaving some loose kibble in bed with her. Sometimes they will eat in bed. 

If temperature, lighting and the food issue is all okay, I suggest a vet visit to check her mouth.


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## Quinnie Pooh (Nov 25, 2010)

Thank you for all the suggestions!

Nancy: I have a constant 74 + degrees in her cage, and I noticed that she will choose to sleep under more layers of fleece or less, sometimes. So she must be self-monitoring her temp.

When I got home for lunch, she had eaten about 5 kibbles which is unusual since it was daylight. The dampened kibble is a great idea. I'm going to leave some out tonight. She has been eating again, but only about 20 percent of what she usually does.

I've had her for just a couple of months, and she has always been a very shy hedgie. I don't often get to see her face, so I can't figure out how I could look in her mouth. Any suggestions?

susanaproenca: Her poop looks normal, but she did make a really large one the morning after I noticed she wasn't eating. Do they get constipated?

She isn't sneezing or licking her nose, what would that indicate? 

pookadotted: She's had the same environment since she came home with me over two months ago. 

Since I posted I went out and got some Boost, syringes, Pedialyte and a weigh scale. I already had a heating pad for her if she chooses to use it. I haven't started syringe feeding her yet, because she is still eating a bit. There is only one vet in my town that has ever handled hedgehogs, and he is not experienced with them, but I will give him a try if this goes on for too long, or she starts to lose weight. She is drinking water again and peeing, and she is still pooping, but not as much as in the past.

My breeder thought that it might be a new quilling session starting. She has been quilling like crazy since I got her, but I haven't noticed loose quills lately, so that could be it. She said that the quills are bigger each time, so it gets more painful for them, and this could cause her to not eat and sleep through the night.

Usually, when I take her out to cuddle, once she settles down, her quills are completely flat and relaxed. The past two days, when I take her out, her quills never go completely flat, which is unusual. 

Tonight I gave her a warm bath in Aveeno, and that seemed to relax her. 

Thank you so much for all your support! I didn't have time to reply until now, but you will never know how reasurring it is to have this forum with such great people on it!


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## Quinnie Pooh (Nov 25, 2010)

pooka dotted said:


> Have you changed anything in her environment? (Food, heat, water?) Did you get her recently? Could she be stressed out from a recent change? Is she warm enough in her cage?


Pookadotted, I just noticed you live in Kamloops too! Are you a breeder? I had to drive to Maple Ridge and back through a snowstorm to get my Quinnie!

Do you have a vet here? I was told the doctor on Summit Drive Clinic by 7-11 was the one to go to. Dr. Hunter, I think?

So glad to know there's expert advice so close by!

Susan


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Quinnie Pooh said:


> Since I posted I went out and got some Boost, syringes, Pedialyte and a weigh scale. I already had a heating pad for her if she chooses to use it. I haven't started syringe feeding her yet, because she is still eating a bit. There is only one vet in my town that has ever handled hedgehogs, and he is not experienced with them, but I will give him a try if this goes on for too long, or she starts to lose weight. She is drinking water again and peeing, and she is still pooping, but not as much as in the past.


I would hold off on the Boost and Pedialyte. I don't think that's stuff's good for hedgies. I think when they say 'syringe-feed' they mean either a specific vet-recommended formula and/or baby food/crushed and moistened kibble.

I've never had to syringe-feed...I'm sure in a couple hours Nancy or someone will be back to help.

Hang in there! Part of their job is to look adorable and part of their job is to age us with worry before our time.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Boost and Pedialite is fine for them. Just no chocolate Boost. 

74 may or may not be comfortable for her and there can be minor temperature fluctuations that we don't notice but some of them are sensitive to. For example, if there is a draft when the furnace comes on. Or say hedgie is fine at 74 but that is the borderline temp for that particular hedgehog and 73.8 is too cool. Our Emma was that sensitive. 

They need to have the temperature warm enough when they are up and active. Unfortunately, they are up and active at night when we often turn down our thermostats. All the warm bedding in the world won't compensate if the rest of the cage is not quite as warm as they need.

Sometimes if the temperature is just slightly not warm enough it will put them off their food and activity a bit but not be enough to make them lethargic or cool feeling.


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

Quinnie Pooh said:


> susanaproenca: Her poop looks normal, but she did make a really large one the morning after I noticed she wasn't eating. Do they get constipated?
> 
> She isn't sneezing or licking her nose, what would that indicate?


They can get constipated but it doesn't sound like she is. If it does happen though, you can offer her some unseasoned canned plain pumpkin. If it's recurring you might want to think about increasing the amount of fiber in her diet.

Sneezing and nose licking may indicate a upper respiratory infection or an allergy. Sick hedgehogs will eat less or stop eating.

If she's quilling you will be able to see the new quills coming out of her skin.


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## Quinnie Pooh (Nov 25, 2010)

Thank you again to everyone for their support - both moral and advice! 

Quinnie is doing much better, back running again, eating her kibble and drinking a lot! She definitely started quilling again. She sure does quill often! I think this is her third cycle and she's under 6 months.

I didn't know you could see the new quills! I will have a close look tonight.

Now I will have to visit the behaviour thread to find out why sometimes she runs like a banshee to get away from me, even when she doesn't seem to be frightened. And then when I return her to her cage, she runs around her cage like she's in a bad mood! 

And here I thought hedgehogs were low-maintenance pets! Hah!


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

Quinnie Pooh said:


> Thank you again to everyone for their support - both moral and advice!
> 
> Quinnie is doing much better, back running again, eating her kibble and drinking a lot! She definitely started quilling again. She sure does quill often! I think this is her third cycle and she's under 6 months.
> 
> ...


Both my hedgies will try to run away from us when they need to pee/poop. Just something to think about


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## Quinnie Pooh (Nov 25, 2010)

susanaproenca said:


> Quinnie Pooh said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you again to everyone for their support - both moral and advice!
> ...


You are so right!

I wake her up and play with her around 7 pm. She's usually still a bit groggy and cuddles under her blankie on my lap. But then she wakes up and tries to take off, almost leaping out of my hand when I try to pick her up.

I wish I had read your post earlier and I would have save myself doing an extra load of laundry. When a hedgie gots to go, she gots to go now! Who can blame her after holding it all day.

Pretty sweet to have a pet that is desperate NOT to pee on you!


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

Quinnie Pooh said:


> Pretty sweet to have a pet that is desperate NOT to pee on you!


I agree! Every time one of my hedgies pees or poops on me I blame myself for not having noticed the obvious signs that they needed to go!


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## Quilled1 (Dec 29, 2010)

My hedgie runs from me too. She doesn't ball up any more or raise her quills when she sniffs me (unless I've interrupted her sleep during the day) but she will back away and then RUN FOR THE HILLS!


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