# Concerned



## caramelcarebr (Aug 31, 2010)

Came home tonight from work and found Amelia "sleeping" in her litter tray. She was awake and just laying there, not balled up or anything. I lifted the litter tray out of the cage to look at her and she seems very sluggish/slow. It's very unlike her. Usually she'd be really excited and curious once out of her cage. I put the litter pan on my bed near an open window to let her sniff the fresh air and she crawled out of the pan and is now laying next to one of my body pillows, not balled up with her eye half open. I feel like something is wrong and I'm worried.. What should I do? The only things out of ordinary that happened today were as follows: 
I gave her a mealworm for the first time. 
She got under my nightstand and was sniffing around under it for a bit and chewed on the carpet and then anointed herself. (Is it possible she ingested something bad from chewing the carpet??)
I cleaned her cage today. I used Johnson's baby soap and a little bit of anti-bacterial windex on her wheel/pvc pipe but rinsed everything very well. This is the second time I've cleaned it with these things and I take special care to rinse everything very well.

Any advice?

Update: Now she's sleeping in yet another abnormal unusual place. Out in the open, not underneath anything..

Edit: Pics added








Weird laying there with eye half open.








New unusual sleeping spot. 1st weird spot was out in the open in her litter pan. At least in this spot she's balled up. Before she was laying out flat. It's not hot in my room....


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

My first question is, what is the room temperature, and is her belly cold? If her belly is cold, then you need to get her warmed up before he attempts to hibernate. They need to be kept between 73'F and 78'F air temperature wise if you haven't read that. I ponder since you opened a window, but don't know where you are (its cold up here in New York State).

I'm a little concerned with Johnson's baby soap and anti-bacterial windex, most people try and stay away from chemical based cleaners. A 50-50 mix of vinegar and water works really well, kind of smelly for a little but cleans everything good.


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## caramelcarebr (Aug 31, 2010)

It's not cold in my room, nor too warm. It's probably 75ish. I'm a bit south of you, in MD. She didn't feel cold when I picked her up. The reason I used Johnson's is because it's gentle and doesn't have any harsh chemicals but I used a bit of windex for her wheel since it was so poopy/smelly. I know most don't use household cleaning products but I figured if I rinsed them well enough, it shouldn't be a problem. And I used the same things last time and had no strange occurrences. She seems to be breathing normally in her sleep. Could I just be overreacting and she's just sleepy? Idk..can't shake the feeling something's wrong.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

You say that it's "probably 75ish". Do you have a thermometer?
Even though you may feel that it's warm enough, if you have a/c on, it may actually be colder than you think. Recently, one of the members here bought a thermometer because their hedgie kept hibernating, and it turns out that it was only 69F. 

Careful with putting her next to an open window. Drafts can cause a chill, and if she's already acting different, the last thing you want to do is give her an URI by putting her by an open window. 

It is also possible that it was TOO hot and she was going into Estivation, which is a form of "hibernating" with the same symptoms, but only happens when they are overheated.

Which means, it is REALLY important that you know the EXACT temperature of her cage, otherwise, hibernation seems like the most likely culprit. 

The shampoo is bad to use because of the strong scent, and the fact that shampoo is very drying, and can make their skin worse.

If you really MUST use a household product to clean, I would think that dish soap is better than windex. I find windex to be very strong chemical smelling.


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## caramelcarebr (Aug 31, 2010)

My household is very stingy and our "a/c" is set to like 78. I usually am sweating in my room, it never get's cold. Helps that my room is the hottest room in the house and even if it's 75-77 everywhere else, it's always at least 3-4 degrees warmer in my room.
It's 64' outside and I only opened the window quick to see if the smells of outside perked her up and it seemed to temporarily. So I said 75ish because I doubt we have the heat cycle running and since it's a bit colder out, the air hasn't needed to come on. So 78 minus a few degrees. If anything I'm thinking it's maybe more of the 'too hot' reaction and that's why she's sleeping out in the open and not bundled up and also more flat and not in a ball? What temperature would you says is TOO hot?

I'll also be using just warm water and a mild soap from now on, just in case.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

A thermometer is a must have.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Yep, you must get an accurate digital thermometer. You can't go by what it feels like to you. 

Has she been eating and drinking well? What about poop and urine output? 

Do not use any type of cleaners on her wheel or cage. Vinegar is great and is non toxic.


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## Sela (Apr 10, 2010)

Immortalia: >> That was probably me, right? (By the way, I feel the need to tell everyone that Quillamina has not attempted to hibernate once since we started using the space heater. Her house is at a constant 23-24 C, and she's nice and warm when she comes out for cuddle time. Thanks so much for helping me out with that, guys. <3)

To the OP: It often feels warmer to us than it actually is, hedgehogs are verrry temperature-sensitive, so while it may feel okay to us, it may be too hot or too cold for them. Space heaters are great for keeping their houses warm, but you have to be sure not to turn it up too high, and also not leave it on when you leave the house.


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## caramelcarebr (Aug 31, 2010)

All is well. And trust me, it's never cooler or warmer than I think it is. My ac in the house upstairs is set to 78, meaning the ac doesn't come on unless it's hotter than that, not colder. And even so, once I step into my room from the rest of the house, it's a lot warmer in my room (my room get's the most sun-time). So it's probably 80 in my room during the day and closer to the 78 like the rest of the upstairs at night. The difference between 80 and below 70 is very significant and I'd def. notice just because I myself would feel comfortable/relieved and not be sweating like I have in my room all summer. So I will worry about a space heater and thermometer once the temperature really starts to drop in the fall/winter. But for now my house is plenty hot, trust me.

As for Amelia, she's been eating/drinking/pooing/peeing just fine and is in tip-top shape. I think last night, honestly, was me overreacting and she was just very tired. When I woke up this morning her wheel was poopified and her food and water was gone and I went to sleep really late around 4am. So she must just have an extra late-night schedule. She also had 3 mealies today. Anyway, thanks for the advice guys, I will def be buying a spray bottle and mixing it with vinegar and water.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

caramelcarebr said:


> When I woke up this morning her wheel was poopified and her food and water was gone and I went to sleep really late around 4am.


When you say that the food and water were gone, you don't mean completely gone, right?
Most people here put extra kibbles so that we know they've had their fill. For example, I know Kashi eats between 25-30 kibbles, so I put around 40, just to make sure that he has extra if he is extra hungry. Sometimes I'll wake up and there will only be one or two kibbles left. As with the water, it should be the same.


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## caramelcarebr (Aug 31, 2010)

Haha, no, not completely gone! Just enough gone for me to notice she ate and drank!


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

caramelcarebr said:


> Haha, no, not completely gone! Just enough gone for me to notice she ate and drank!


Alright, good ^-^ Glad to know you're doing things right 
I'd still suggest a thermometer just in case though 
Also sometimes they'll be more active in warmer temps, so maybe your hedgie likes it warmer.
I've noticed an increase in Kashi's activity since I've had his cage around 78 degrees (before it used to be around 73 or so in my room... dangerously cool, I know :/)


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## HedgeMom (Nov 7, 2008)

Is she getting 14 hours of light every day? The overcast/cloudy weather can trigger a hibernation attempt if you are not providing enough light.


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