# Adopted a 3 year old Hedgie.



## NathanielPatten (Apr 17, 2016)

Hi, I have posted a bit before but not to much. I got my first hedgehog Porridge back in March as a baby and haven't had much issues with her thanks to reading a lot on this site. So I know a fair deal about how hedgies act and all of that. 
Now recently I adopted a 3 year old Hedgie and named her meadowsweet. My friend talked his fiance into giving her to me as she did not take care of it. it spent 3 years totally neglected. They kept her in a living room by a TV with 3 small children that would play all day and would always wake her up to make her do things. They used ripped up toilet paper as bedding and only put enough to just barely cover the bottom of her cage, washed her with some no name small animal shampoo (which doesn't list ingredients so I threw it out). The poor thing has never had a wheel and a pretty small cage
My two questions are will she ever start to use her wheel at this age? I put a saucer wheel in her cage that I had laying around and she has hardly used it. Also, she is a really bad biter. I think she is terrified of everyone and everything.
So will I ever be able to tame her at this age? with such a poor quality of life? She is incredibly small that I worry every day if I should start syringe feeding her. the food they gave me is Halo dog food and the kibble is to big for her, So i crush it up with my Purina one into a powder so she can eat. She came to me so thin that I could see her spine,hipbones, and feel her ribs when I pick her up. 
Sorry for such a long post but want to explain everything I can about her and get feedback, thank you


----------



## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

The answer to your questions is maybe. Given enough time and patience I have seen hedgehogs turn around and become more trusting. She needs time to learn what this new life is about. To learn that there is a human who can be trusted. And to also learn that this life style is ok. 

You need to just give her time. Set a schedule of when you will handle her, when you will feed her, etc. I find this often helps with them as they learn when you will do things and that you will show up as they expect you to.


----------

