# Pawing?



## horge (Sep 24, 2010)

Is pawing behavior common with hogs? What does/can it mean?

Our hedgehog "Ouchie" (just over a year old) has developed a habit of pawing at us
(our fingers, wrists, toes, w/e) and then just waiting for a bit: as in, we let her run 
round the living room or garden for half an hour, and when inevitably she runs by us, 
she pauses, paws at us, waits a few secs, then runs again; or whenever we reach our 
hands into her bin. It's not for food, as she's done it a few times while in the middle 
of her meal, when I reach in to replace her water. 

It's two or three very light taps with one forepaw or the other, then resting the paw in 
place for a bit.

Is this normal, or (don't laugh) is she trying to communicate a need of help with a 
problem (the way my dog once did, when I was a kid)? I haven't seen any signs of 
distress in ouchie's skin, eyes, mouth, feet, nor in her stool. I'd like to dismiss it as 
just ouchie's poor eyesight: that she's just using her paws to gauge distance to us... 
but I can't shake the memory of my dog's behavior before it started declining rapidly
and then died. 

Thanks.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

Maybe she is hoping to find an insect dispensing button on you lol :lol:


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## SquiggyTheHedgie (Jul 26, 2011)

Hissy-Fit-Hazel said:


> Maybe she is hoping to find an insect dispensing button on you lol


 :lol: Maybe she thinks that if she acts cute it will get her treats. Would totally work if she did that to me


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## horge (Sep 24, 2010)

You don't think it's a sign of something more serious then?


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## SquiggyTheHedgie (Jul 26, 2011)

If there hasn't been any major change in her habits I'm sure its just a cute quirk. Is she eating the same as usual? Drinking enough water? Nothing different in her poo? Has she stopped wheeling or being active?
Maybe she wants you to pick her up when she paws you. A year old is a bit early to be having age problems.


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## Nebular (Dec 28, 2010)

Is she covered up or in a bag/snuggle sack when she does this? Norman does this regularly when he's in his igloo or covered up and snuggling on my chest to try and dig up a little more material to make himself comfortable. Could be that's all she's trying to do.


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## horge (Sep 24, 2010)

SquiggyTheHedgie said:


> If there hasn't been any major change in her habits I'm sure its just a cute quirk. Is she eating the same as usual? Drinking enough water? Nothing different in her poo? Has she stopped wheeling or being active?
> Maybe she wants you to pick her up when she paws you. A year old is a bit early to be having age problems.


No major changes. 
You may be onto something with the wanting to be picked up, lol...



Nebular said:


> Is she covered up or in a bag/snuggle sack when she does this? Norman does this regularly when he's in his igloo or covered up and snuggling on my chest to try and dig up a little more material to make himself comfortable. Could be that's all she's trying to do.


She's typically walking/running when she stops to paw at me or my wife.
It's also not a clawing motion, but more of light taps, then keeping her
paw on us for a sec or so. When Ouchie digs, she really DIGS...

Thanks.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I was thinking something similar and that it may be a cute quirk she does since her eating and everything hasn't changed. It seems like a very deliberate action so she may be hoping to get something like a treat, picked up or maybe it's her cute way of saying "I'm here" before she makes another lap


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## SquiggyTheHedgie (Jul 26, 2011)

Lol Do you pick her up or anything when she paws you? Perhaps she's learned that being cute gets her cuddles


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2011)

Never really seen it in hedgehogs but I lived around cats for so long and to this day I think cats are the masters of training the owner they get you without ever realizing it.

I've had four cats who would paw or nudge you slightly and itout think about it you'd pet or pick them up.

It sounds like your hedgehog is just saying hey its me I am awesome so play with me, cuddle with me, and give me mealies XD


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## Daleo (Jun 1, 2011)

I know dwarf hamsters do this in self defense. It's like telling the opponent to back off, but with a hedgehog, I don't think they would do this. They would just ball up... Maybe just a form of playing?


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## Nebular (Dec 28, 2010)

Maybe the patting is a small reward to show that she's proud to see that you're being good human slaves and staying put so she can climb back up for affection and/or snacks when she's done running around. They're great at training people.


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

jakob does this when he wants picked up or wants to be closer to me even if he is as close as he can possibly be without being inside of my skin lol. he's a daddys boy though and won't let me out of his site if i move he follows me every where and has to be right next to me or on me at all times when he is out of his cage. i've tried putting him in an empty room to let him run and play(still supervised of course) and sat across the room to watch him and he wouldn't play. he immediately runs over to me and burys himself in me or paws at me and looks at me all cute like daddy pick me up pick me up like a little 2 year old. maybe she's like that


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## SquiggyTheHedgie (Jul 26, 2011)

shawnwk1 said:


> he immediately runs over to me and burys himself in me or paws at me and looks at me all cute like daddy pick me up pick me up like a little 2 year old


:lol: That sounds totally adorable!! The only time Squiggy paws at me is when he wants to get out of his bath :roll: which is pretty much as soon as he touches water


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