# Not eating as much, but still running around lots



## wonger (Sep 25, 2013)

Hi everyone,

My 6 month old hedgehog is eating less at night and is starting to lose weight. He was eating about 10g a night, now he is eating about 3-5g. Was weighing about 230g, not about 205-210. He still has the energy and runs around all night. He used to always be excited to eat when I put the food in front of his face (always had food, just I try to entice him to eat sometimes my putting it directly in front). Is it time for another vet call?..

Thanks,


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Is the change in eating amounts a sudden one or gradual? It's not unusual for hedgehogs to start eating less as they get older, but it's generally gradual, and I'm not sure it would go by that much...but I'm not positive on that. A sudden drop to half of their usual amount of food would be concerning to me. Does he seem to have any trouble with eating, anything that might indicate a mouth problem? Can you try giving him a choice between his normal dry food and some dampened kibble or wet food to see if he'll eat more of the soft?

What are the fat percentages of your food? If it was a gradual change and seems like it might just be his new normal amount, he may need higher fat/calorie food in order to keep weight on as an avid runner.


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## wonger (Sep 25, 2013)

Thanks for the response Kelsey! It happened over about a week to 2 weeks span. Around Xmas I bought a new lamp to bump the heat to about 28C lol. I thought maybe it was too hot so earlier this week I dropped the temperature back to about 23 to 24(temp prior). He has no problem with eating the food, it is just hard trying to get him to eat it!

I am using Blue Buffalo Weight control(9% fat) and Wellness Complete Health(17% fat), totaling protein around 30%. I notice that he has been licking his lips lately, dont think it is his nose and no discharge. 

I tried syringe feeding broken kibble with water, but he just spits it out when I feed him it lol. Maybe he doesn't like the food anymore? I split the original bags into smaller bag and vacuum seal and freeze the food to try keeping it as fresh as possible. Maybe the food has gone stale? My other hedgehog(3 months) has no problem eating it (eats ~10 to 15g of kibble and ~5 to 10 g of baby food in a day!)


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## Tongue_Flicker (Jun 11, 2013)

Males do tend to thin up way more faster than females do. I used to have the same issue with my hyperactive male. You mentioned he is 6 months old. You sure he's not just quilling? Quilling can drastically change a hedgehog's appetite, behavior and physical activities


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## wonger (Sep 25, 2013)

I do think he is quilling, it seems to have been happening for almost 3 weeks to a month thou lol. Has been losing quills daily(5to10), but consistently growing new ones. Just a little more concerned that his weight has decreased from ~230 to today of 205. The vet wanted to do a biopsy(?) if he keeps losing weight. She said that at his age, he should be gaining weight instead of losing weight.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Does he eat anything else? Mealworms? Canned food? If yes, is he eating those consistently still?

It is possible that he may be more finicky about his kibble than your other hedgehog. I have had hedgehogs he started to eat less, and lose weight before anyone else decided a kibble was beyond their standards. Once a fresh bag was offered, they resumed eating.

I don't understand the biopsy thing though. What is she planning to biopsy?


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## Tongue_Flicker (Jun 11, 2013)

Lol at the biopsy..

Try giving him an oatmeal bath. Sometimes, hedgies get their appetites up after taking a bath. If he eats mealies try increasing the amount throughtout the day not abruptly, to add up to his body fat. Try offering some fresh, juicy fruits and boiled/scrambled eggs to him as well


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## wonger (Sep 25, 2013)

Ya he still eats meals worms fine. I give him about 5 a day. The only food other than nibbles that he will eat is been and broth baby food. Have tried vegetables and eggs/chicken forever and he won't eat lol. I did open a new vacuum sealed bag and tried feeding him that but it didn't appeal much. I will go buy a brand new bag and try that. 

Ya.. I'm pretty sure she said biopsy. Lol. Something about removing a piece of skin(?) lol.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Removing a piece of skin would be a biopsy. I just don't understand how testing his skin is going to deal with weight issues. Is this the hedgehog who has crustiness in his quills? If it is, then I could see taking a sample from the affected area to test to determine the nature of the crustiness (bacterial, fungal, cancerous, etc) if the normal treatment paths don't work. But I am having a hard time figuring out what she thinks is going on that a biopsy of skin would determine for a weight issue. She's got got me quite curious now.

Hopefully a new bag will resolve things. Otherwise, and I know you have visited the vet a lot, I would suggest another veterinary visit. I'd have his mouth thoroughly checked out. I know you said he can eat hard food, but sometimes if they have a loose tooth or an abscess that isn't bad yet, but bad enough that it can cause just enough discomfort that the only symptom we see is a decrease in hard foods.


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## wonger (Sep 25, 2013)

This is the hedgehog that had bald spots on his sides and bent/broken quills. I think she feels a biopsy is the next step because I have treated him for everything else already lol.. I gave him clavamox since my other hedgie was being treated with it, revolution, and did a fungal culture. His sides have not healed up and she felt that it was not mites(due to revolution treatment and no spreading/soreness). Maybe she thinks everything related? I did mention that I dropped him, but this was after mentioning biopsy. He curled up when landed, shows no pain, poop looks fine and seems normal so dont think he was hurt(month ago)

I'll try a new bag of food later today and monitor him for a bit. Hopefully it is just a phase or something simple lol


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## wonger (Sep 25, 2013)

I didn't have a chance to buy new food yesterday, but this morning I noticed that he ate 11 g. Maybe he was going through a phase? Or maybe trying to get him to eat more through syringe feeding motivated him to eat more? Who knows exactly lol.

I'll provide another update n a bit. Hopefully nothing bad to report lol


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

That is great news. We will keep our quills crossed that he will continue to eat.


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