# How Do I Keep My Grumpy Hedgehog Happy & Content?



## PintoPrincess2

So as the Subject says I'm trying to figure out the best way to care for our GRUMPY hedgehog. She was born in Nov. 2010 but we did not purchase her until Mid February 2011. Given she was already a little older we figured the bonding process would take a little longer then normal. I guess you also should now she came pregnant ,through no fault of our own,and on March 4 , 2011 she gave birth to 3 beautiful babies and was a great mom. So we attributed her being grumpy at first to the new enviroment and unplanned pregnancy. She was awesome with the babies and she kept them until about 6 1/2 weeks with no aggression towards them, they are now almost 9 weeks, we kept 2. When we take her out she huffs and clicks a little bit, she doesn't really like to be pet and takes a little while to come out of her ball... whenever we or Clover, our other female ( her daughter) approach her she start huffing ( no clicking/popping). Could it be she is just a solitary hedgie and doesnt happen to like companionship? I know that I should still handle her but what is the best way to care for and pay attention to her while still keeping her happy in her solitary ways? She may not like us much but we love her grumpy or not  Thak goodness the babies are all good natured! They must have taken after their dad! Any ideas or experiences would be nice!


----------



## MissC

Snarf's pretty grumpy and shy and doesn't like to be petted unless he's in a hedgie bag...then we can rub, massage, pet to our heart's content...

Your time with her may have to be more cuddling than petting, maybe? Will she sleep near you? That's good social time, too: just letting her 'be' but near you. 

I changed the way I look at what constitutes a 'happy hedgie' and decided that, in Snarf's case, happy for him is being out of his cage more; roaming around the house and, as we recently discovered, he LOVES our bed - he risked life and limb to get into it on his own. 

I make a point of challenging him more: hiding crickets so he can hunt; changing little things in his environment (rocsk, plants) so he has to keep checking things out; this morning, when he was done wheeling, I moved him from his cage and put him in bed with us. He slept on Jamie for a few minutes but is now snuffling around by our feet...we're not allowed to touch him...but he seems very content to be in our bed and will stay here all day.

The difference has been amazing, really: he 'interacts' with us more: he now trots over to my hand to see what I'm doing in his cage; as soon as he hears me at 10pm, he starts doing laps to see where I've hidden crickets; he just seems more interested in everything in his life.

I'm having trouble describing how he's happier but he just is, ya know? :lol: He eats better and if he spends most of the day in our bed, he sleeps better (despite the same interruptions as before) and ends up wheeling earlier and for much longer.

Sorry...I have gone on and on...I have done many little things but the one big change was MY focus: i decided to change his environment rather than HIM. Feel free to PM me if you want specifics.


----------



## PintoPrincess2

That's a godd point; maybe thats why she's been grumpy; we haven't really let her be herself. We've tried to get her to be outgoing and cuddly in a sterotypical way; when really she is all of those things just in her own way. She is inquistive and loves checking things out so maybe a weekly readjustment of her cage deco would be good for her. I'm in process of trying new things in there with them. They dont hurt themself on the rocks? Crawling on them, slipping off or anything? I had a bunch of plastic fruits and veggies that we got for my husband neice ( Ill just replace them  ); there non toxic and they dont have pieces that can come apart as choking hazards, we just put them in today so we'll see how it goes. 
Thanks for the ideas!


----------



## MissC

Snarf hasn't had any issues with the rocks or plants. I make sure there's enough space between them to allow for little feet and I don't ever put crickets in hard to reach spots - hard to find but not hard to reach is my rule. 

Snarf seems to have issues with black/dark dishes so I make sure to use lighter colored rocks but that may just be a Snarf thing. :roll:


----------



## alexishorroh

I've been having a hard time with shotty, when a family emergency came up I had him with a babysitter, I had to take him back after a week because he was always stressed by the sitters kids and other animals (3 dogs one cat) I find he's happy in the tub or out of his cage but sometimes balls up and hisses at me when I move him or laugh when he's on my belly, its been tough getting to know eachother and bond but I will try your tips they sound promising, thanks a bunch. I have a curious husky that is 1 I have yet to find out how to make them used to eachother especially the dog milo. He always trys to get in his cage and sniff him but pricks his nose off the quills and refuses to understand why it hurts. I won't give up just yet. Tanks again.


----------



## Kissykisses

*Grumpy "prick"*

So I got Prick on February 6th, he was born on Christmas Day. He was quilling when I brought him home so I knew he'd be somewhat grumpy. Still held him in the evenings etc. Well I THINK he's done quilling, but I've noticed that he is still super grumpy (98% of the time). His cage is in my room next to my side of the bed, I have a heater on the floor closest to his habitat, so I don't die of heat stroke and he's still happy. He hisses at me allllll the time! If I pet him he jumps and hisses and balls up. Not ALL the time, but I think more than normal? I give him meal worms he's got a saucer and out of all the expensive beds I've got him, he loves the dang cardboard box that a drinking glass came out of. But the slightest move and he's hissing and jumping. I hold him every day, no matter how pissy he is 
But I'm just wondering if I'm doing something wrong? I see you said rocks and plants in a post from a few years ago, like live plants? Or aquarium type plants?? And they sell freeze dried crickets just like meal worms? Are meal worms enough or should I try crickets? I put some in his bowl, and then I stick some around his cage so he has to "find" them. I have a snuggle pouch, like I said, his grumpy ness is NOT from my lack of trying to bond with this booger!!! 
Yours hangs out IN your bed? What about shedding quills? Pooping?? I am SO wanting to try it but if I get pooped on IN bed imma be mad!  He already poop's all over me during cuddle time. And the shedding quills are NOT nice to roll over on or step on (cause while I doesn't sleep with me, I do let him hang out on top of the blankets with me for a bit, and I've missed a quill or two on the clean up! Any help is appreciated!!!!


----------



## Artemis-Ichiro

Kissykisses said:


> So I got Prick on February 6th, he was born on Christmas Day. He was quilling when I brought him home so I knew he'd be somewhat grumpy. Still held him in the evenings etc. Well I THINK he's done quilling, but I've noticed that he is still super grumpy (98% of the time). His cage is in my room next to my side of the bed, I have a heater on the floor closest to his habitat, so I don't die of heat stroke and he's still happy. He hisses at me allllll the time! If I pet him he jumps and hisses and balls up. Not ALL the time, but I think more than normal? I give him meal worms he's got a saucer and out of all the expensive beds I've got him, he loves the dang cardboard box that a drinking glass came out of. But the slightest move and he's hissing and jumping. I hold him every day, no matter how pissy he is
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> But I'm just wondering if I'm doing something wrong? I see you said rocks and plants in a post from a few years ago, like live plants? Or aquarium type plants?? And they sell freeze dried crickets just like meal worms? Are meal worms enough or should I try crickets? I put some in his bowl, and then I stick some around his cage so he has to "find" them. I have a snuggle pouch, like I said, his grumpy ness is NOT from my lack of trying to bond with this booger!!!
> Yours hangs out IN your bed? What about shedding quills? Pooping?? I am SO wanting to try it but if I get pooped on IN bed imma be mad!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He already poop's all over me during cuddle time. And the shedding quills are NOT nice to roll over on or step on (cause while I doesn't sleep with me, I do let him hang out on top of the blankets with me for a bit, and I've missed a quill or two on the clean up! Any help is appreciated!!!!


This is an old thread, you should start your own or it might get lost because people would try to answer the original post.


----------

