# My hedgehog is scared of me. Am I doing something wrong?



## kpatable (May 18, 2015)

I've had my hedgehog for 4 or 5 months (and that's about how old he is, too), and, while he's been getting _slightly_ better, he still is really scared of my hands; he frantically runs away when I try to pick him up, he's always shaking when I hold him, he runs away from my hands even if I'm just putting food in his cage and he's in the vicinity. I'm worrying that I'm doing something wrong. I just want him to be happy, and I worry that he's distressed. He's eating and drinking and pooping and everything, and he uses his wheel throughout most nights. I get him out every night/day for around an hour. I try to pet him as much as he'll let me (which is very little), but I mostly just let him explore around where we're hanging out or take a nap beside my legs or wherever. Should I be actively touching him more? Less? Regardless of whether he likes me or not, I just don't want him to feel like he's trapped in a scary environment. I'm in the process of making his cage bigger (it's not all that big right now. Maybe 3 x 4 feet, max), so maybe that will help things? I'm just really worried about him, and I would greatly appreciate any help or advice anyone would be willing to give ;_;


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## Weston_Crafton (Jan 12, 2015)

Have you tried putting one of your shirts that you have worn for a few days in his cage so he can associate your smell with his home, where he feels safe? Maybe get him a play pin so you can set him on the floor in it and you can watch him. Feed him treats by hand, and make him feel like you are a good person to him and he will get better over time. It will take a while but he will get used to you. Be persistent about it. Don't give up on your hedgie  He needs you!


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## Aprinceton (Oct 27, 2014)

I don't know if this works, I'm sort of speculating, but... my cousin and I both picked out very similarly behaving hedgehogs at the breeder's-- they were both friendly and crawling all over us. My cousin takes her hedgehog out a lot and handles her a lot and her hedgehog is super friendly and hardly ever balls up anymore! Mine on the other hand... she is friendly (ish), but still hisses a LOT and balls up fairly often. I'm wondering if this is because I'm more careful with her and just let her sleep on me a lot instead of actually handling her for a long time? Last night I started holding her in just my hands a lot more and not letting her burrow away and hide quite so much. As I said, I don't know if it works yet, but maybe touch your hedgie more to get him used to it?


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## kpatable (May 18, 2015)

Weston_Crafton said:


> Have you tried putting one of your shirts that you have worn for a few days in his cage so he can associate your smell with his home, where he feels safe? Maybe get him a play pin so you can set him on the floor in it and you can watch him. Feed him treats by hand, and make him feel like you are a good person to him and he will get better over time. It will take a while but he will get used to you. Be persistent about it. Don't give up on your hedgie  He needs you!


I have been doing the shirt thing for a few weeks. I feel like it has helped him warm up to my body. But he still hates my hands. I do wear lotion a lot, though, now that I think of it. Maybe I should rub some of my lotion on a shirt I've worn and put it in his cage? x3 Idk. I'm just throwing out ideas :\



Aprinceton said:


> I don't know if this works, I'm sort of speculating, but... my cousin and I both picked out very similarly behaving hedgehogs at the breeder's-- they were both friendly and crawling all over us. My cousin takes her hedgehog out a lot and handles her a lot and her hedgehog is super friendly and hardly ever balls up anymore! Mine on the other hand... she is friendly (ish), but still hisses a LOT and balls up fairly often. I'm wondering if this is because I'm more careful with her and just let her sleep on me a lot instead of actually handling her for a long time? Last night I started holding her in just my hands a lot more and not letting her burrow away and hide quite so much. As I said, I don't know if it works yet, but maybe touch your hedgie more to get him used to it?


I would love to handle him more. It's been really hard for me to know when to push through what I sense is fear and keep handling him when he clearly doesn't want to be. Plus, I know he's tired during the day. Do you know if there's a certain amount of time I should aim to handle him?


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## The_Senator (Dec 31, 2013)

I think of half an hour a day as the minimum, and an hour is much better, especially for a hedgie that's still being socialized 

Also, 4-5 months is still in the beginning phase of your relationship as far as hedgies go. The timeframe with the little quilly ones can be kind of long ^_^


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## kpatable (May 18, 2015)

The_Senator said:


> I think of half an hour a day as the minimum, and an hour is much better, especially for a hedgie that's still being socialized
> 
> Also, 4-5 months is still in the beginning phase of your relationship as far as hedgies go. The timeframe with the little quilly ones can be kind of long ^_^


That makes me feel better. This forum in general has already made me feel better.


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## Ally's_Oliver (Feb 8, 2015)

If you ever binge on Netflix, or have movie nights, or binge read any thing like that when your sitting for hours at a time, bring hedgie with you and just let them sleep next to you. I think this is what really did it for me. I'd have my guy in sitting with me for four hours or so a few nights a month just sleeping and he really got used to my voice and my smell and my movement.


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## Weston_Crafton (Jan 12, 2015)

Ally's_Oliver said:


> If you ever binge on Netflix, or have movie nights, or binge read any thing like that when your sitting for hours at a time, bring hedgie with you and just let them sleep next to you. I think this is what really did it for me. I'd have my guy in sitting with me for four hours or so a few nights a month just sleeping and he really got used to my voice and my smell and my movement.


This is a good idea, I do the same thing with Rosey, and she loves just sleeping next to me. My door to my room is always closed, so my cats can't get in, since my cats seem to looooove my animals lol. I have a Ball Python, Crested Gecko, and my hedgie. So they all need social time and that's pretty much my life, so Rosey is a lot easier because she can just sit still and watch movies with me.


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## Beasty (Mar 15, 2015)

My beast was a rescue and was like that, I started handling her a lot touching her having my hands in her cage lifting her and letting her sniff me a lot I talk to her constantly and have her on my bed a lot, but I am always touching her. If she's on the foot of my bed, my feet are touching her, my legs, if she's close enough to touch I stroke her gently, so much contact has made her a lot more relaxed it took 2 months before she would even unroll for me. Today she will climb into my hands and even seems to miss me on long work days. Stay with it don't be scared, put your hog under your blankets where it'll feel safe and imprint on you scent and associate it with warm security. It'll get better.


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## kpatable (May 18, 2015)

Ally's_Oliver said:


> If you ever binge on Netflix, or have movie nights, or binge read any thing like that when your sitting for hours at a time, bring hedgie with you and just let them sleep next to you. I think this is what really did it for me. I'd have my guy in sitting with me for four hours or so a few nights a month just sleeping and he really got used to my voice and my smell and my movement.


That DOES sound like a really good idea! I probably need to start talking to him more :\ I think I need to work him up to being handled more, though, because I got him out for more than an hour one day and he was not having it XD


Beasty said:


> My beast was a rescue and was like that, I started handling her a lot touching her having my hands in her cage lifting her and letting her sniff me a lot I talk to her constantly and have her on my bed a lot, but I am always touching her. If she's on the foot of my bed, my feet are touching her, my legs, if she's close enough to touch I stroke her gently, so much contact has made her a lot more relaxed it took 2 months before she would even unroll for me. Today she will climb into my hands and even seems to miss me on long work days. Stay with it don't be scared, put your hog under your blankets where it'll feel safe and imprint on you scent and associate it with warm security. It'll get better.


How long did it take her to get that comfortable with you? How was she when you first started doing all of the handling? I tried handling him more one day, and I could tell it really scared him and distressed him, and I feel like it was too much at once. So far I've been trying to gently pet him at the end of handling time for as much time as he'll allow (which is less than a minute right now).


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## Beasty (Mar 15, 2015)

I found that if I took her all the way out of her cage and put her on the bed it relaxed her, I don't think she felt so trapped, she was the same way scared, shy, defensive when I started bringing her on my bed is when she started being less sketchy, I kept at it I pet her held her spoke to her as much as I could , several times a day and at night I let her tunnel and play in my covers and my quilt she finally realized I wasn't gonna hurt her, the day she snuggled up to me and took a nap was the turning point. I didn't set a time limit on how long I spent with her I just kept her with me as much as possible. Today I can pet and kiss her face in fact right now she is curled up behind my knees like a little cat. I know it's hard but pay attention to the signals. Try letting your hog play in your sheets they smell like you, they are warm and secure and will associate your scent with that. I sing silly songs to her and talk to her in a soft voice constantly. I just really loved her, was soft and gentle and persistent.


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## Beasty (Mar 15, 2015)

I also just kept touching her gently all the time, he will get used to it, at first I would talk to her soothing bounce and try to make that little hedgehog purr noise I always let her sniff me first as well. You're little guy will be fine just be soft confident and show him you won't hurt him. Will he take treats from you?


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## kpatable (May 18, 2015)

Beasty said:


> I found that if I took her all the way out of her cage and put her on the bed it relaxed her, I don't think she felt so trapped, she was the same way scared, shy, defensive when I started bringing her on my bed is when she started being less sketchy, I kept at it I pet her held her spoke to her as much as I could , several times a day and at night I let her tunnel and play in my covers and my quilt she finally realized I wasn't gonna hurt her, the day she snuggled up to me and took a nap was the turning point. I didn't set a time limit on how long I spent with her I just kept her with me as much as possible. Today I can pet and kiss her face in fact right now she is curled up behind my knees like a little cat. I know it's hard but pay attention to the signals. Try letting your hog play in your sheets they smell like you, they are warm and secure and will associate your scent with that. I sing silly songs to her and talk to her in a soft voice constantly. I just really loved her, was soft and gentle and persistent.


Wow, you sound really dedicated! I'm going to take a page from your book and spend as much time as possible with him. However, I do worry about letting him have enough sleep and time on his wheel. Do you think I should try to build up to getting him out multiple times a day? The last time I did that, he was not having it.


Beasty said:


> I also just kept touching her gently all the time, he will get used to it, at first I would talk to her soothing bounce and try to make that little hedgehog purr noise I always let her sniff me first as well. You're little guy will be fine just be soft confident and show him you won't hurt him. Will he take treats from you?


Yes, he will take treats from me. And the last time I gave him one, he ate out of my hand! I don't think I really realized it at the time, but that HAS to mean things are improving, right?


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## Beasty (Mar 15, 2015)

That's amazing I'm so happy for you keep up the good work before you know it he will be climbing into your hand because he wants to!


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