# How long does quilling normally last?



## zombiesatenine (Jan 9, 2012)

I read somewhere that it lasts a month, but that doesn't seem right. If they quill at 6 weeks and then 9 weeks that's like as soon as he stops quilling he starts again..

Also, I know you aren't suppose to bathe them too much, but I hear that bathing them when they're quilling helps. How often is too often when they're quilling?


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Quilling can last well over a month depending on the hedgehog. The 6/9/12 weeks is just a guideline for when it tends to be more focused (more quills dropping, more grumpiness from new ones coming in) but it's highly variable. Some hedgehogs will have distinct periods of quilling around those times, with fewer quills and less grumpiness in between, and for others it just continues through until 12 weeks or longer. (For one of my boys, Archimedes, it started at 6-7 weeks and finally tapered off at around 15-16 weeks. 15 was when his mood drastically improved and by around 16 he was pretty much done.)

When they're quilling you can bathe them every few days if it seems to soothe the soreness. I've bathed some of our quilling babies every 1-2 days at some points. You run the risk of dry skin, but in my experience, that's really more an issue with hedgehogs that already have dry skin issues - bathing can exacerbate that, or at least not help it. A little flaxseed oil in the rinse water should be plenty to prevent that, or a few spritzes of something like humilac or sunshine factor (topical sprays for dry skin) every few days will help prevent it also.


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