# New owner with a few questions for the experts here!



## Court (Jun 7, 2011)

Before getting my new hedgie I did months of research to make sure that I would be as prepared as possible and that I could provide a good home for my new baby. However, I've realized you can do all the reading in the world, but each hedgehog is unique and no two experiences are going to be exactly alike. That being said, I'd still like some advice and would like to ask a few questions and felt this was the place to go.

1) When I visited the breeder, another customer was handling a 6-week old while I was handling my 7 week old baby. My hedgehog was definitely larger than hers! Do they grow -that- much in a week, or is mine just perhaps a little larger/the other hedgie a little smaller than average?

2) I had no trouble handling my hedgie (nameless, as of right now. I am deciding on what name suits her best after getting to know her better) at the breeder. I let her rest and acclimate the first night and handled her the second night without problems. She was slightly huffy at first, but no popping and hardly any jumping. She explored my bed and was fine with me picking her up. This lasted for two days.

3) I was out of town for one night and did not handle her that night. The next night, she was much more huffy/agitated and rolled into a full ball. She also popped at me. At this point I am picking her up with a t-shirt that smells like me and then handling her with my bare hands after I get her out of her cage. This night, she stayed in her sleeping bag for much longer than the previous two nights and, after finally coming out to explore, she did NOT want me picking her up at all! Is missing one night of bonding time this early in the game that crucial? Or ---

3a) I am fairly certain she is quilling. She has fleece liners and I find a good number of quills scattered about her cage and in her igloo. Perhaps the shy behavior is a combination of missing one night and the quilling? Also, I do not want to put her in more discomfort by picking her up, so does having her out with me in her sleeping bag and letting her explore when she wants to count as bonding/socialization as well? I want to do whatever I can to help her get through quilling/help her get used to me. If there is anything else I can do, please share!

4) I have not been bitten, but I did experience something else sort of painful -- I had her in my hands and she decided to ball up. I didn't get my hands flat in time, and the tips of a few fingers got closed in the very edge her ball! Very uncomfortable. It wasn't difficult to gently pull them out, but it definitely wasn't a pleasant experience. Any tips on how to avoid this again? 

5) Another, totally unrelated topic-- I have noticed that most of her quills are white banded with black and then noticed some that are all white. I thought that perhaps her new quills will be all white, but then I noticed that she is losing banded quills and all white quills. Are all quills not the same color to begin with? She isn't pinto at all. 

6) Last but not least (sorry for the novel!) How many meal worms a day is okay? I have given her two today. I waited a week to make sure she was eating her kibble and drinking normally before introducing meal worms. She discovered that she REALLY likes them today but I don't want to give her too many. 

And I think those are all the questions that have popped into my mind over the past week. Thank you in advance for the help!


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## CritterHeaven (Feb 21, 2011)

Welcome and congratulations on your first hedgie. First, I am not an expert. I have only had my hediges a few months. But I will answer a few of your questions and hopefully others will chime in as well.
- Hedgies come in all shapes and sizes so it may be that yours is on the bigger side and the other on the smaller side. But I also found wiht one of mine that she grew VERY rapidly right after I got her, between the 6th and 7th week. 
- IF she is quilling, it is likely painful to be handled. That may be part of why she is more grumpy. And she is also not yet settled in. Continue to bring her out, having her out with you in her bag or exploring does count. Whatever works. But avoid touching her quills for now as she may be quite uncomfortable.
- I try to keep my hand sort of flat under my hedgies when I hold them. And have my fingers come out on one side. My daughter had the same thing happen as you and I know it was painful.
- I believe her quills can be of a different pattern when they come back in. Most breeders will not say her color is completely determined until her adult quills are in later on.
- 2 or 3 mealworms are probably enough. It depends upon how heavy she gets. They are quite fatty and will not help any hedgie who is overweight. But since yours is young that should not be a worry for a bit. If you can manage, feeding her crickets as well would be a good idea.


Last but not least, enjoy her. Keep spending time with her and eventually she will come around!


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## panda (May 23, 2011)

I have to agree that having them roll up your fingers with them does sting, my Norma has done that a couple times, she is also quilling, & it also started not long after bringing her home. i would say the slightly more crabby attitude is normal, my hedgie has been slightly different as well. you want to be assured it is quilling and not mites, if you look at the skin where the quills are coming from you can search and see if there are new quills poking through. also, quilling and cause dry skin.. oatmeal baths are great for that, as well as a small amount of olive oil in bath water.. shea butter can be used on dry ears too. 
:]


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## Court (Jun 7, 2011)

Thanks for the help/advice.  Anyone here likely knows more than I do, so I welcome any suggestions. I have noticed new quills poking in this afternoon so I am pretty sure that it is quilling and not mites. I have given her a couple foot baths but not a full out bath yet. I plan on doing so soon, but I read that a bath can also be stressful to a new hedgie so I am waiting another week or so, I think. She is much more her friendly self after her foot baths, though. Maybe it is because I'm the one to rescue her from the water! I'll keep getting her out in the evening to sit with me while I watch TV and hope she gets through her quilling quickly.


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## panda (May 23, 2011)

Many of us on the site are just as new to hedgie life as you are, but experience makes you smarter! Sounds like you're going to be an awesome mommy. i will say too though if your hedgies skin is dry or if you see your hedgie itching a lot then i wouldnt worry about going ahead to give an oatmeal or olive oil baths.. it will sooth dry itchy skin. my Norma started quilling soon after i got her and i dont think she hates me for the baths.


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

Hello and welcome to HHC! Everyone before me has given you the best advice: be patient, keep handling her, and more than likely she will settle down and come around. You sound like you're doing a great job!

But to answer your 'unrelated topic' question: yes, hedgies can have white as well as banded quills and not have a pinto pattern. My hedgie has white quills sprinkled in with his banded ones, but no real pattern to it. I think if your hedgie has over 30% white quills (how one would know how many is 30%, I have no idea, I'm certainly not going to count!) they are considered to be a 'snowflake'. As CritterHeaven said though, you cannot completely determine her pattern until she has gone through all of her quilling stages.


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## Galvon (Sep 20, 2010)

Welcome to HHC 

Congrats on your new hedgie! I think in terms of handling everyone here has given you great advice. The quilling, the new environment, and all the new smells can make for a huffy hedgie so I wouldn't worry too much. Sandslash was huffy for months before I got him settled in.

I wouldn't worry much about the size thing either. Sandy is a runt. The vet said he's the smallest adult hedgie she's ever seen :shock: and kept asking if I was sure he wasn't younger. It doesn't seem to hinder him at all except that he has extra attitude to make up for his size. So I think size is quite variable just as it is with humans  

Good luck!


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## llaethog (Apr 16, 2015)

help! my 8 month old hedgehog has bugs on him, they are not fleas, they are dark and smaller than a pin head. anyone know what they are and what I can do


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Please start a new thread to ask questions on, the two you've commented on are 4 years old. It's less confusing for people if you start your own.  If you don't know how, just go to a forum section (such as the Health section) and there will be a "New Thread" button in the upper left hand corner.

But to answer your question, your hedgehog has mites and needs to be treated to get rid of them. Make sure you ONLY use Revolution for this - in the UK, it's called Stronghold, not sure about other countries. Ivermectin is also used sometimes and should NOT be used - it has caused hedgehog deaths before. Revolution is safe to use & very difficult to overdose. You can get it from your vet.

If you have any wood in your hedgehog's cage, you will need to throw it out since mites can burrow into it. Clean the cage daily until your hedgehog has received a couple doses of Revolution.


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