# Getting back on good terms with my hedgehog



## c_weiler (Dec 11, 2008)

I am currently enrolled in college and living in residence where I can not bring my hedgehog,
We used to have a great relationship for about 3 years, and it was perfect until about 3 weeks ago, everytime I came home from school it was like I never left, nothing had changed, all of a sudden when I left for 5 days again, which is no longer than usual as I only saw her on weekends for 8 months, she no longer enjoys my company.

I can no longer take her out of her cage, she will not come out of her ball until placed back into her cage, she sticks up her quills at the sight of me which is unusual for her aswell.

I have tried take her out for hours everytime Im home and nothing has seemed to work, its like my hedgehog has forgotten about me or moved on!

What are some things I can try?


Thanks!


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## Kitsune (Mar 14, 2012)

Is she healthy? Can the people (I'm guessing your parent?) taking care of her now handle her? A change in temperament might mean she's in pain.

If she's fine, wear a t-shirt all day or sleep in it and put it in her house for her to sleep in. She'll re-associate your smell with safety and comfort.
Also, you could try to get her to come around with lots of mealies. That's what I did when my little guy used to get huffy.


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

With a sudden personality change like that, it very well could be a health related issue. A vet visit wouldn't hurt.  

If the vet says she is A-OK, I'd recommend thinking back to anything that could have changed (the laundry detergent you wash your clothes with, lotions, a new animal introduced to the house). Things that seem very inconsequential to us can be huge upsets to our hedgies.

I also remember someone posting a while back about their hedgehog becoming extremely anti-social after the owners had some construction work done on their house.

Sometimes the most far-fetched ideas can be what's causing a change like the one you described. Think hard!


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

I agree a sudden change means something is up.
a) health issues? hows her weight, temperature, food intake, poop?
b) social issue? is she being socialized while you're away?

Ditto on the t-shirt thought. Each time you come home, you can throw a new 'you-smelling' shirt into her cage (this way you only need 2, & she always has a 'fresh' you smell)


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## c_weiler (Dec 11, 2008)

Well a good friend of my Dad is a vet and although he knows little about hedgehogs, he said everything appears okay.
There has been no weight loss, possibly a little weight gain if anything.
My parents and family have never been able to go near the hedgehog, the movement terrifies her, I was the only one who never scared her.

The only time she ever enjoys my company is for about 10-20 minutes after letting her swim in the bath, although oven mitts are still necessary when handling lately


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## dooneygirl09 (Jan 22, 2012)

What's the purpose of the glove? Is she trying to bite? If she's not, I'd ditch the glove. If she is, I'd go a little slower than you are now. Wearing the gloves covers up your natural smell. You could try a bonding bag. You could always start the process all over again (bonding).


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## coribelle (Jan 20, 2012)

Usually using gloves kind of takes the bonding backwards a little bit, as they can't smell you or get used to the way hands feel on them. It might be better to use a blanket to hold her (we just use a big piece of fleece), and that way she has somewhere she can burrow around and you can still touch her, etc  hedgie bags work great too, though I don't like to use them as much because to get your little one out you have to stick your hand in there blindly, and you can't peek on them like you could with a blanket hahah


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Coribelle, what I always do is just turn the bag semi-upside-down (not with the opening straight down, but angled downward) to have Archimedes roll/slide out into my hand, onto the bed, whatever. It's nice and gentle for him and doesn't get me quilled for reaching my hand in, lol.


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## c_weiler (Dec 11, 2008)

Thanks everyone, the purpose of the glove is because it has become impossible to pick her up when she refuses to comes out of a ball and has all of her quills sticking up, the last time I tried, she was calm at first and then the quills stuck up in my hand and I started to bleed


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