# Do hedgehogs go through a teen phase?



## chris-chris (Feb 21, 2013)

This may seem an odd question, but my hedgehog is usually very kind, never puts his quills up. Just a very content hedgepig. I left for a week to go to Flordia and left him with my mother who I have already had sit for my hog and they got along fine. When I came back all seemed well I bathed him and he was content happy to snuggle with me. Next day he seemed very agressive, he would puff up every time I came near him he'd hiss and pop when ever I tried to hold him. He was born in may so it's been about seven months. 
Could he be going through a phase? Perhaps temp changes. I'm not to sure any suggestions are welcome.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Always possible he's had a delayed reaction to being upset about you being gone. But sudden temperament changes should be watched closely since they can sometimes be a sign that something's wrong. Check him all over for anything out of the ordinary (a quill poking him, any strange lumps/bumps, skin looking weird, etc.), and keep an eye out for anything else unusual like eating/drinking less, less activity, sudden weight changes, etc.

Edit: Also check for anything different in the environment. New people, pets, smells, anything new on you, something that might have scared him, etc.


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## chris-chris (Feb 21, 2013)

I have waited a week, checked for anything odd and while he has been eating normally, drinking, running all the usually amount his behavior has not changed. He's moving normally, and hes perfectly fine being on his own, he loved playing with his tubes and what not but when it comes to spending time with me he just balls up and pops... I have not had anything new in my house so I'm not sure what it is.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

You're still handling him, so he's getting used to your smell again?

Any chance of an anti-rodent supersonic deterrent device anywhere nearby? New cleaning chemicals, laundry detergents, soaps, lotions?


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## chris-chris (Feb 21, 2013)

Yes, not as much as usual with school and all but as much as I can. I haven't changed soaps yet and as far as I know no new detergents. I've switched both detergents and soaps before and it never bothered him.


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