# weird anxiety...



## azechman (Nov 10, 2009)

I just got my hedgie yesterday morning. She's been so good, not really afraid at all and very friendly. She escaped her cage twice last night, and I ended up staying awake all night :| My room's very warm and I had the lights on for her from 7 till 8:30 but I still feel like she's going to try to hibernate. I think I'm just being paranoid, but it's really stressing me out. I'm afraid I'm going to do something wrong and end up hurting/killing her. I've had that whole weird anxiety stomach knot all day and I really just want to cry. What the heck?! Why am I being so weird right now? Has this happened to anyone else? Sorry for the random rant, I just don't like feeling this way


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

lots of people fell like this when they get a new pet. Especially something sort of strange and different. You can also get those anxiety knots from excitement. Fear, love, anticipation all have the same physiological reaction so just take a deep breath and try to do something calming. You're definitely not alone in the worried hedgehog parent department. Read all the stickies in all the sections on this site and do your best. I'm sure everything will be fine.


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

Lack of sleep can also ramp up the emotions and stress. I've heard other people suggest keeping a hedgie in the bathtub JUST until the cage issue can be corrected. Is this a possibility for you? Lots of blankets, perhaps a heated snuggle safe disk as backup warmth, just so you can have her in a place she can't escape from until you can solve her escaping habit? Hang in there, you are trying and that is important.


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## mel2626 (Sep 28, 2009)

Hi there,

I just got my little one on Saturday and I'm the same way. I barely got any sleep the first night probably because I was so worried about her (what if she tries to hibernate, what if the heat lamp magically falls over onto her or her blankie and she gets burned, what if her temp fluctuates too much over night, and I wanted to make sure she explored and was happy). :shock: :? Ugh I've probably imagined every possible thing that could happen but then I realized- I guess it is just like having a new baby. I've watched 2 of my sisters and my nieces over the last 2 years and they went through the exact same thing with their human babies. I think with a hedgehog (at least for me) it's the excitement of something new, something I've wanted for so long and it's all so new to me. It's not like a cat or dog that I've had millions of over the years~ there's a whole new way of taking care of her. Just like with any new baby, you can prepare and research as much as possible, but when you actually have your baby, the parenting instincts kick in (you have to figure, if you didn't love your baby hedgie, you wouldn't worry so much!) But I think what you're feeling is completely normal and will subside a bit as time goes on. I try to play with Miss Muffet for a little bit before I go to bed each night so I feel more comfortable knowing that she got out and about and got some food/water and love from me and my fiance'!

Anyway, just wanted to say that you're not alone so hang in there!    I too was on the verge of crying but I think it is more of an "I can't believe I finally have my little hedgie" kind of thing! Also I think once you get her on lock-down at night (no more escape from Alcatraz for her) you'll feel so much better.

Hope all works out for you,

Melissa and Miss Muffet


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## azechman (Nov 10, 2009)

Thanks guys! I'm feeling much better today, probably because I actually slept decently. She didn't get out last night so I guess I did a good job of escape-proofing the cage from the little houdini :lol: She wasn't very active yesterday when I took her out to play (Probably because I kept waking her up when I was fixing her cage), and she pretty much slept all night, I did wake up 2 or 3 times and checked on her, so hopefully tonight she'll be well rested and ready for some playtime. I think once I see her being more active and running on her wheel again I'll be fine. Thanks for all the support, I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way sometimes.


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