# Omg Please Help Me I'm Scared



## Tara (Mar 17, 2013)

I was walking past SquishMittens cage and I seen him half in and half out his hide away and that's not normal so I got a closer look and he was shaking really bad so I picked him up and he was ice cold. So the first thing I did was put him under my shirt but he won't stay still he is weak but still moving and then I grabbed his little heater and was holding him in front it. He kept trying to get away from that as well but I just let him walk along my hands while keeping him in front it. He is slowly warming up. 

WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? 
IM SCARED 
IS HE GOING TO DIE?? 
My boyfriend is leaving his college now to come home and check on him but I need to know what to do now!


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## Tara (Mar 17, 2013)

Could a warm bath help?


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## msredhead (Sep 28, 2012)

Slowly warm him up, if you have a spare fleece to wrap him in to keep him near you, try that. Will he accept treats or anything? If he's moving around he could have just been getting chilly. I know Auri will splat half way into her igloo sometimes. If his belly was cold though, just try to slowly warm him up because doing it too quickly can be bad for them, too. Does he tube at all? I would always freak when Auri did this, but I gave her a tube and off she went walking around. 

I'm sure a breeder will be around soon.

What was the temp of the cage reading? Between 73-76 is good, higher than 80 is bad, less than 72 is bad.

I wouldn't suggest putting him in water. When you take him out, it could just make him colder.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

DO NOT give him a bath, it will just chill him more. Put him in a blanket or bag and keep him under your shirt. Its the safest way to warm him up. What is the temperature in his cage?


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## Tara (Mar 17, 2013)

I don't know the exact temp because I haven't had a chance to find a thermometer for it. It was a little chilly in there though so I'm putting the heater in there for a while to warm it up fast. I'm planning on switching him from shavings to fleece bottom because the cage is glass so it gets cold quick if I'm not careful.


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## RondackHiker (Jan 21, 2013)

If you pop him under your shirt you can sort of tuck your shirt in and keep your arms around him so even if he wanders, he is on your belly. I'd also turn the heat up in your house or that room until you figure out if there's an issue with his heating set up. What set up do you have? Could there be a draft?


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## Tara (Mar 17, 2013)

I have a ceramic small heater .. I live with people so the temp in the house isn't my call but I try and keep the room itself toasty for him


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## DasIgelPoggie (Oct 21, 2010)

I live with people too, but you can't let your hedgie die because people don't want a warm house. If they don't want to keep the whole house that warm, that's fine, but get a Ceramic Heat Emitter for his cage, as well as a thermostat to attach to it and a thermometer. You NEED to keep him warm, it's just part of owning a hedgie. If you're unable to do that, then be prepared for him to die, domestic hedgies are not capable of hibernating safely.


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## msredhead (Sep 28, 2012)

Do you know what your house temperature is set at by chance? That will give you a rough estimate of what the cage temp is. Have someone go buy you a digital thermometer at walmart or target or something (both should have them) and put it on the cage (I have mine at the igloo's height - where she is). 

Let us know! Hoping the little one will be okay!


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## AngelaH (Jul 24, 2012)

Like everyone else is saying, definitely sounds like a hibernation attempt. Warm your baby up with your body heat. 
For the future you'll need to ensure the cage is staying warm enough. Here is the best resource for how to do that: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=4579

Also make sure he has enough light during the day, about 12 hours of light, not enough light can also trigger hibernation. And now that his body has attempted it once, he'll be more likely to try to hibernate again in the future.

Good luck and keep us posted! You and your quilly one are so lucky you caught him when you did, you may have found him dead otherwise


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## Tara (Mar 17, 2013)

I made him his favorite snack.. A boiled egg the yolk only.. But he ate is and had a bowel movement that looked healthy and he is moving around better. I am going to buy a thermometer and get some fleece to line his cage in..

Another question is his cage is glass is it ok to put heating pads under the cage to warm up the glass


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## Tara (Mar 17, 2013)

AngelaH said:


> Also make sure he has enough light during the day, about 12 hours of light, not enough light can also trigger hibernation.


I have a lamp I point straight into his cage from 7am to 8pm every day


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## msredhead (Sep 28, 2012)

I would suggest not using a glass cage - the ventilation is terrible in those unless there are proper holes. I'm glad he ate up the treats and seems to be doing better. Fleece is a great idea - the heating pad is okay, some people say it works, but you risk it getting too hot, and then that can be super dangerous for him, but honestly a ceramic heat emitter light setup with a temp regulator is the best if you can afford the 1 time cost for your little guy. 


Where are you located? I have an extra cage I can part with, but I'm in MN. See if you can find a wire cage big enough for the igloo/hideaway and the wheel.


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## msredhead (Sep 28, 2012)

Side note: Depending on how bright his room is that he's in, a light pointed at his cage might be a little much - I just open the shades for Ms. Auri


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## AngelaH (Jul 24, 2012)

So glad to hear he is coming around! While a wire cage and CHE heating set-up seem to be the preferred cage set-up (I use a Super Pets cage intended for guinea pigs, but many ppl make the C&C cages), if you can't afford to get all the stuff for a set up right now, there are heating pads intended for under glass aquariums, you can find them with the lizard stuff in pet stores. 
Here is an example: http://www.petco.com/product/6353/Zoo-M ... aters-6353


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## msredhead (Sep 28, 2012)

Thank you Angela, I had no personal experience with heating pads, so I'm glad someone who did could offer some help!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Don't use a reptile under tank heater for a hedgehog. They are too hot and can cause burns. There are small animal heating pads that wrapped in a towel under the tank should be okay. 

Tanks are not ideal so rather than spending money on something to use for the tank, why not just use a space heater for now and then get a better cage and work on a proper cage and heating setup.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

msredhead said:


> Side note: Depending on how bright his room is that he's in, a light pointed at his cage might be a little much - I just open the shades for Ms. Auri


Its not a good idea to depend on daylight, a couple of overcast days in a row can be enough to send some hedgies into hibernation. Its best and safest to use supplemental light. You don't have to direct the light right at the cage you can just have the lamp beside the cage.


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## reedwoman814 (Mar 4, 2013)

So glad you caught him when you did. Hopefully you can get the heating thing sorted fairly quickly. An idea for a quick and cheap heating option that would help right away is to warm some water and put it in a couple of plastic bottles and put them in his cage. Also, those cheap hand warmers that outdoorsy people use. You shake them and they get hot. Just put it in a sock and pop that in there near where he's sleeping. Those are super cheap and readily accessible and would give you immediate help while you figure out your next step. Good luck!


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