# My hedgie is in hibernation I think



## nicholasi (Aug 5, 2009)

So it just started getting very cold in the house, and for the past week or two I haven't seen my hedgie really get up, but every morning her food is gone so she's getting up to eat. She's been sleeping in a tube and I haven't been able to get her out, I can see her breathing but she's not hissing or anything, and I just remembered that they can hibernate. 

If she wants to hibernate, should I let her? I just put a blanket on her cage to hope the temp would go up. Should I buy a heat lamp? Is it okay to let her hibernate?

I tried searching hibernate on the forums and not much came up, so sorry if this has been here before


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

You need to warm her up right now! Hibernation can be fatal for domesticated hedgehogs. The best way is to put her against your skin, under your shirt and let her warm up slowly. This is a life threatening emergency. You need to keep the temp in her cage at about 74-76*F and it has to stay at the temp all the time. If she gets cold again she will try to hibernate again and every time it happens it lowers her immune system and is more dangerous.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

Listen to Nikki.
If she hibernates, & you don't do anything, she will die.

After you have warmed her up - you need to get a heating unit & thermometer or she will keep doing it.


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

Indeed hibernation is a very bad and many times fatal thing, as PJM said, listen to Nikki, she's got the experience and knowledge. If its getting that cold in the cage, you'll want to invest in a heating system for her, or crank the heat in the house. Its three pieces, a Ceramic Heat Bulb (100 watt or so), a 10 inch Heat Lamp with Ceramic Socket (where the bulb screws in) and a Thermostat.

This thread has all the details.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=4579


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## nicholasi (Aug 5, 2009)

Thank you


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

Also, after she's warmed up, during the next few days you might want to watch closely for any signs of sickness. Hibernation lowers their immune system, so watch her closely and bring her to the vet if you need to.


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