# What's this weird pink growth around quill?



## 3141 (Mar 30, 2009)

Hello everyone--I'm new here and new to hedgehogs.

Mine has what looks like soft pink skin
encased around a quill on his back.
It doesn't resemble an ingrown quill
as it doesn't look like a bump on the surface
of his skin, or a pimple.
It's the same exact length of his other quills
and is basically the same size, it just looks like
it's wrapped in pink--almost like a skin tag or something.

He's not a baby and is not losing quills,
he's eating sleeping and messing his cage as normal.
His bedding is fleece, but browns and greens,
but the strange quill does look like pink fleece around it.

I didn't try to remove it or pull at it,
but I did brush my thumb against the quills
surrounding it, thinking it might dislodge 
if it was something just stuck in there,
but it didn't move.

I'll try to attach a photo, though I've never done that before.

Thank you for any advice and help.


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## 3141 (Mar 30, 2009)

I tried to add a photo but was unsuccessful--I'll try again to figure out how...


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Is the pink on the quill, or on the skin?

If it is on the quill, it may be the breeder's way of marking the hedgie, with nontoxic paint or nail polish. If so, it's nothing to worry about. It's quite common for the color to stick around for a while.

If it's on the skin and looks irritated, watch to see if gets any better within the next day or so. If not, it'd probably be best to get your little pricklebutt to the vet and have it checked out.


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## azyrios (Feb 2, 2009)

i can't seem to find a picture of it, but it is most likely pink paint. Ont he forums someones hedgehog has an aqua spot but i can't find it.


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## azyrios (Feb 2, 2009)

That is Ziggy, drpepperheather's hedgie.

Some breeders use paint to mark their hedgies for naming, Ziggy has an aqua spot. Your's most likely has a pink spot to classify it as a girl, or just to tell it apart from its kin.


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## 3141 (Mar 30, 2009)

Thank you for your responses.

I did see a few photos of paint on quills,
but this doesn't seem to be paint.
It's like a thicker quill, with skin around it--
I need to figure out how to post the picture...

Perhaps my husband can help me post the photo tonight.

Thank you!


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

The easiest way to post a pic would probably be make an account on an outside site (like photobucket) and it will provide you with different links to paste to share pictures. Or you can just post the direct link and we can click it to see the pictures. ^_^

(I never figured out how to attach a picture directly on here  )


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## 3141 (Mar 30, 2009)

My husband has attached a picture of the weird pink thing.

This is when it was wet. I gave the hedgehog a bath
and as soon as it got wet, it turned a darker pink,
and looked just like his tail and feet when wet.

And I took a closer look and it does not seem to be attached
to his skin, or growing out of his skin--it's just surrounding the quill itself.
I can see the very tip of the quill and also the very beginning of the quill
as it comes out of his back.

But it looks just like his skin.

Thanks again for any help--and should I just leave it alone,
remove the quill (though I wouldn't know how)
take him to a vet?

Thank you.[attachment=0:2zyjlcly]Pink Thing.JPG[/attachment:2zyjlcly]


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Well now that is odd! :shock: No clue here, I'm interested to see what the others think.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

The pictures she sent me it is fuzzy and looks as if the quill is encased in fuzz. Weird looking and odd that it is only one quill.


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## Vortex (Aug 28, 2008)

that is very weird looking...


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## sarahomnia (Feb 10, 2009)

If you can't gently peel it off of the quill then I would go to the vet.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Hmmm, perhaps your hedgie has taken to spearing miniature chili peppers with his quills? :lol: 


I also think, if you don't find out what it is, a vet would be best. They'd probably just remove the quill, and then examine it. :?


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## hedgieMate (Aug 28, 2008)

Since I haven't had much first-hand experience with hedgehog ailments (touch wood), I have no idea what this unusual "growth" is, and I haven't seen or heard of anything similar to this in the past 3+ years of my hedgie parenting. :?

The fact that bathing changed the colour makes me think it is attached to your hedgie's skin -maybe blood gushed into it changing the colour from pink to red? Did the colour change back to pink a few hours after the bath? My understanding is that hedgie's quills are like our hair but made up with multiple air compartments inside, so this "thing" can't be a quill if blood is gushing into it. Is it possible it's like a wart of some sort?

At any rate, I'm sorry I can't offer any answer to your question. I'm very curious as to what it is myself. Are you taking your hedgie to a vet to check this out? If so, please keep us posted on the diagnosis. I hope it's nothing serious... Good luck.


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## 3141 (Mar 30, 2009)

Thank you to everyone for your replies.

My husband and I were wondering just what "quills" were--
it's insightful to know that they're hair.

It does seem like a wart or something of that nature,
especially since it is so much like his tail.
It does turn a lighter pink when dry.
It does look like a little pepper!

I haven't taken him to a vet--have to find one in our area,
but I will certainly post the verdict when I know what it is.

Thanks again.


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## hedgieMate (Aug 28, 2008)

3141 said:


> My husband and I were wondering just what "quills" were--
> it's insightful to know that they're hair.


I knew I read a good article about their quills somewhere, so I looked into my bookmark holder and found it on none other than this very Hedgehog Central website!  I'm sure you and your husband will find the article very interesting [click on the line below to view the article].


_Those Amazing Quills_
As for the strange-looking "pepper" growing on your hedgie's back, I would take him to a vet for close examination so that you know what it is. It may be nothing, but it could also be something that requires an immediate treatment. Leaving it may cause it to rupture and get infected. So please do consider getting veterinary attention for your little one sooner than later. Good luck with your search for a hedgie-savvy vet! (I know it's not easy...)


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## iamdbf (Aug 28, 2008)

Though this is a kind of wild guess, it is an equally wierd case so... it may be some kind of uncommon illness and ur hedgie's immune system is trying to shut it out by incasing it???? i mean, if a virus got in an unusual spot, the idea that that it happened is and interesting concept.

maybe even a tumor touching the ball of the quill, preventing the quill from funtioning right .(maybe when ur hedgie attempts to spike up the base goes through damae from it).

i guess i'm just shooting in the dark, but i just had thoguht and its not like it will do any bad...

and possibly it involves a mutation? scince there are some hair/quills in the transition stage, hedgehogs are still goes through evelolution...

just another crazy idea.


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