# new owner..super scared.



## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

when i got the hedgehog it was very nice quills all laid back and everything.. i get him home and now shes just sitting there. she moves but she doesnt zip around. breathing fast then sometimes slow and wants to sleep. didnt start making noises at me till today. i havent gotten a CHE yet as i plan today. i tried keeping the temperature around 75. her belly isnt hot but it isnt nice cold...kinda warm. no swollen paws bad thing is its memorial day and pretty much everything is closed down. i think she may have mites to. i saw her scratching this morning and she has a small patch of broken quills where i guess shes been scratcihng right behind her head. i tried the black shirt thing but i didnt see anything move around. im not sure if its just dry skin or mites. 

im really nervous thats she is suffering. should i just leave her alone for a few days and let her get used to the environment..this is my third post about similar topics but i need some guidance please. 

sorry for all the posts im just really really concerned.


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## Maeg8 (Apr 28, 2011)

No expert here, just a newbie, but I can say that my hedgie's tummy is never hot. As long as she's warm, she's fine. If she's a baby, she's going to sleep alot and if brand new, to a new home, she's going to hide and be cautious. Nova's breathing speeds up and slows down as she is or isn't aware of me. If she knows I'm there, she breathes fast ( she's still scared of me), and if she doesn't know I'm there, it's slow and even. Is she gasping audibly or just changing pace? Mine doesn't do anything I'd call zipping around. She checks things out slowly and moves at a relaxed pace. She boots it on her wheel, but that's about it. Baby hedgies sleep.. a lot. My baby's up for maybe 6 hours, on an off and I've had her for two weeks now. Her poop is still green and stuff. They take a while to adjust, just kind of let her be for a while! If she does have mites, she can wait out the day, just give her an oatmeal bath. By broken quills, do you mean that they're kind of laying like they're coming off or snapped in two? The experts will be by soon and I'm sure have more to say, but there's my two cents. If you're really worried, there's probably an emergency hours vet near you.


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## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

the lady i got her from said she was 6 months old or a year i cant remember. ill have to ask but im pretty sure it was a -/+ 6 months. 
some quills are broken in 2 and some all the way off. 
its not a very big patch. but stll concerns me.
what kind of oatmeal bath? also i read vitamin e oil as well? after the bath? 
i had put an old shirt of mine in there with her.
im going to buy a wheel today as the previous owner did not have one nor a CHE. 
does anyone recommend anything i can to help keep her warm until i can get everything? 
i can get the CHE and the lamp no problem i just would have to order the thermostat from amazon. I plan on getting a digital thermometer as well today. i have a heating pad as well but idk how that would work without a thermometer present. 
also does anyone have a ball park estimate of what it might cost for the vet, scrape and treatment of mites if thats what it is? i was just curious.

edit: like you said she is very cautious and slow to check things out. when i messed with her yesterday it she was very alert and attentive..but her owner was there as well..so idk. 
i guess im being to cautious? maybe mistaking be lethargic as just being cautious her self.


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## Maeg8 (Apr 28, 2011)

She'll still take a while to adjust. The human heating pad, does it have a low setting? You could try leaving it on there and feeling it in 10-15 mins to see if it gets too, too hot. Make sure to place it under the cage or under the fleece liner. Not directly in the cage. Keep cords back, all that good stuff. You don't need vitamin e, just oatmeal ( quick, or whatever, just not the kind with all of the sugar and stuff). Take about 1/4 cup and throw it into a blender until it's a fine, fine powder. You can test to see if it's ready if you place about 1/2 teaspoon into a small glass of water. If the water becomes cloudy and feels cooling and silky, you've got it. If you've just got floating chunks, not done yet. Then use it like bubble bath. Don't fill the bath above a few inches. Baths tend to kind of freak them out, so hold off until later. Broken quills, I don't know what causes that. Experts will be able to help. I've heard something about $100 for a mite scrape. You can always ask and most vets have payment plans if money's tight.


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## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

so shes calming down some..she self anointed with my bed post today...that is crazy ive seen her do it twice now yesterday it was the hand soap my girlfriend had on. 

ive noticed shes more alert so your right i guess about giving her her space. 

its confirmed that she does have mites..i saw a little bugger myself finally. i knew i wasnt crazy so all those lost quillls was and is from mites. also her right ear looked a little rough after looking close at it. 

tomorrow i will call the vet and make an appointment..heres the part where im prolly gonna get flamed but nothing i can do about it. 

i live in GA and i know they are illegal here but i still have one. it was better me taking it than the person who was suppose to. anyway how would that work with me living in ga and have to take the hedgehog to fl...btw I live on the border of ga/fl so the nearest vet is 35 mins away. 
i was told that if they will not treat her i can give it back to her no problem..i dont want that though.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

Before writing anything I just want to say that by me answering I'm not condoning anything one way or another. 

Your question about the vet: I don't think they will give you a hard time about seeing the hedgie since its legal to have them in FL but there would be a risk if you got pulled over for something. 

If what the hedgie has is mites make sure you get Revolution to treat them with and do not let them give Invermectin. Revolution will clear the mites up quickly, there is threads on dosage and such to compare with the instructions given to you by the vets. You'll want to keep the cage very clean and make sure there is no wood or anything that is hard to sanitize that would harbor the mites while you are treating.


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## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

Called the vet this morning and got an appt at 5. I told the lady I specifically wanted revolution (its like 15 bucks) and she said there's also some spray stuff yoy put on the bedding once you clean.everything good. 
My question is I'm 100% positive its mites. I saw them on the hog and me after handling her.willi have to get a skin scrape or just the check up and meds? 

Should I be aware of anything before I go in? With check up and revolution its about 70 buckswhich I thought was cheap.but this a very good animal hospital..its in the vet thread if I'm not mistaken. 

Hopefully getting rid of the.mites.will bring.her around.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Chances are that your vet will want to do a skin scraping or at least stick some tape to collect a sample and examine it under a microscope anyway. Most want to verify what they are seeing with such a test. Whether or not the vet charges for it, it up the to vet. I've had some charge and some that didn't.


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## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

Back from vet...worse than I expected ...very bad case of mites..(wouldn't give me revolution.he gave me this stuff I mix with water and spray.) I trust him though. He is very knowledgeable about hedgehogs. She also.has a uti which I got some antibiotics for. He told me to hand and water feed with this stuff called ad.....

I hope she pulls through..I'm really glad I got her when I did...she could have been dead by now.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I've never heard of a mite treatment that's mixed with water so hopefully someone else may know. Usually no matter how bad the mites are Revolution is used so I'm not sure. Hopefully she will make a quick recovery and be back to herself in no time.


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## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

Oh also the vet was worried cause she sways when she walks but he thinks its cause of her not eating/drinking and uti/mites.....I really hope its not whs.

How often should I feed/water her? I was told 2cc of a/d though I just didn't know how many times a day.


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## rivoli256 (Mar 1, 2009)

i would try to feed *at least* 5 times a day & would try to get more that 2ccs per feeding. the general rule is 1cc = 1 hour. so for 2 ccs of food, you would be feeding every 2 hours. when my little guy was sick recently, i fed him 5 times a day: 7 am, noon, 4:30, 8:30, midnight or 1 am. & i fed him as much as he would eat. i always made sure he got 5 ccs. sometimes he would take 10 or even 15 ccs. sometimes 5 ccs were a challenge. he had a much different problem (advanced WHS) & could not eat at all on his own. but it is better to be proactive & get nutrition into her. you can also use baby food. i suggest organic (Earth's Best, Sprout, Ella's Kitchen) but that's just my own thing. look for high quality baby food with no preservatives. you can feed several different types so she is not eating the same thing every time. this may encourage her to eat more. her electrolytes are probably off as well. you can make your own electrolyte solution or you can use PediaLyte or electrolyte water to help restore the electolyte balance. 

sending many good vibes your way.


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## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

she also weights exactly 400g is that big for a female around 7 months? 

thanks for that. i work from 7-3 so ill have to adjust the feedings..
maybe its the cat food i have for her...its blue buffalo mature...it came with her. and some perina crap...i havent fed her teh perina ill prolly give it to my actually cats. i always have fresh food for her so. maybe try switching the cat food?

she is never to full to eat a mealworm though. she maybe be sick but when she sees a mealworm she doesnt play. which i guess is a good sign though.

also i have trouble getting her to drink water from her bottle.. i have it the lowest it can be but i hardly ever see the water go down. but if i take the water bottle and hold it up to her. she will drink until she cant like shes dehydrated. should i try putting water in a bowl and see? i hate to think she goes thirsty cause she doesnt know where the water bottle is? 

the only thing that really scares me is that wobble she does..i hope its just from her being sick and weak vs that latter. 

hopefully she will return to normal though i dont know what thats like. i just want her to be healthy and happy.


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## rivoli256 (Mar 1, 2009)

hedgies come in all shapes & sizes. 

definitely give her a water dish...pronto! she is probably very dehydrated. any small ceramic or glass bowl will do for now. you can also syringe water into her & i would suggest that as well. dehydration can make any issues she has much worse so you want to get on top of it. your vet can give her sub-Q fluids too if she doesn't get better.

you don't have to keep the schedule i kept. i was just giving it as an example!  i work too - i am just lucky enough to live somewhat close to my job so i could go home to feed him his lunch! if you work 7-3, try to shoot for a big feeding at 7 & one right when you get home. then i would break the evening up into more frequent smaller ones & then one larger one before you go to bed.

it is good that she still loves her mealies! don't hold back on them right now. 

her tummy may get upset...when you can, get some probiotic powder to add into her food. it will help. (i am a huge probiotic fan...i feed it to all my hedgies every day!) BeneBac is relatively inexpensive, easy to find, comes in powder (or gel if you need to get concentrated doses in), & seems to be very palatable. 

please keep us updated. i know how stressful it is.


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## Olympia (Aug 4, 2010)

I'm sending you and your baby good thoughts, I hope she gets better.


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## Maeg8 (Apr 28, 2011)

You're doing a good job, having her looked at by a vet and knowing how to care for her. Keep it up and I really hope she gets well and there are no further complications.


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

snarebum said:


> when i got the hedgehog it was very nice quills all laid back and everything.. i get him home and now shes just sitting there. she moves but she doesnt zip around. breathing fast then sometimes slow and wants to sleep. didnt start making noises at me till today. i havent gotten a CHE yet as i plan today. i tried keeping the temperature around 75. her belly isnt hot but it isnt nice cold...kinda warm. no swollen paws bad thing is its memorial day and pretty much everything is closed down. i think she may have mites to. i saw her scratching this morning and she has a small patch of broken quills where i guess shes been scratcihng right behind her head. i tried the black shirt thing but i didnt see anything move around. im not sure if its just dry skin or mites.
> 
> im really nervous thats she is suffering. should i just leave her alone for a few days and let her get used to the environment..this is my third post about similar topics but i need some guidance please.
> 
> sorry for all the posts im just really really concerned.


Hehe sounds like my lil guy when i brought him home! Leave him there and drop a mealie or two in his cage. Leave him be for now maybe buy an igloo of some sort so he feels secure (cuz he thinks hes hidden) buy a CHE! it will help! I live in FL so i dont have 1 bcuz of the climate. Also we keep our house at 46 degrees F (idk y but most people hate heat, i hate cold!) my cage is always at 75 - 78 degrees. I would take him to the vet soon to see if he has mites, he might be quilling, but hedgies suffer with dry skin. i give my hedgie oil on his skin the rinse off with water only if its just dry skin. Let him be he'll come around


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## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

Today she seems better. The antibiotics are working for her uti. Her skin looks better after.one spray. She ate 5cc of food and she pooped solid! I'm very proud of her. Idk if its because she's weak or what but she has warmed up to me these few days. Even if I have to spend 500 she's worth every penny. I've wanted a hedgehog since I played my eyes on sonic. You guys are the best here at the forums. Ill keep posting updates. 

The money I had planned for che and thermostat went to vet. I figured I could sweat for a few days with the heat turned up.


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## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

also since she has mites. i can feel them on me. is there anything i can buy so they will die but also not kill my hedgie if she wants to roam and stuff? they are driving me crazy....if i put some revolution on beside my ears and butt will they go away ( SARCASM) lol. 

but seriously like a spray i can get like at petsmart/petco or even walmart?


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

snarebum said:


> also since she has mites. i can feel them on me. is there anything i can buy so they will die but also not kill my hedgie if she wants to roam and stuff? they are driving me crazy....if i put some revolution on beside my ears and butt will they go away ( SARCASM) lol.
> 
> but seriously like a spray i can get like at petsmart/petco or even walmart?


I would call your vet and ask! they know best!


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

snarebum said:


> she also weights exactly 400g is that big for a female around 7 months?
> 
> thanks for that. i work from 7-3 so ill have to adjust the feedings..
> maybe its the cat food i have for her...its blue buffalo mature...it came with her. and some perina crap...i havent fed her teh perina ill prolly give it to my actually cats. i always have fresh food for her so. maybe try switching the cat food?
> ...


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## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

I have potentially good news. This morning I was woken up by a noise and I looked and it was my hedgie running on her wheel like there's no tomorrow! This is the first time she has been on it. She loves it! I'm glad she is showing signs of improvimg


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## TeddysMommy (Apr 24, 2011)

snarebum said:


> I have potentially good news. This morning I was woken up by a noise and I looked and it was my hedgie running on her wheel like there's no tomorrow! This is the first time she has been on it. She loves it! I'm glad she is showing signs of improvimg


Im so happy also I read that hes eating blue buffalo! Its one of the best foods there are I feed mine the Blue Buffalo Basics Turkey and rice formula its for sensative tummies with a limited ingrediant formula so no upset tummies! Are you gradually changing his diet or all at once?


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## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

so this morning after being woke up from her running on her wheel. i watched her for a few minutes and laid back down. she stopped so i looked up and saw her in her food bowl... slowly i crept over there to check things out and sure enough. she was eating her blue buffalo! last night i put 10-15 pieces and this morning there are only a few left. and i noticed the water in her bowl hand went down so im guessing she is eating and drinking. my question should i still continue to hand feed/water her? 

also since having her ive became itchy all over idk what thats from but im going to the doctor today to have it looked at. well its not so much itchy as it feelsl like my skin is crawling.

ill post back after the doctor...hopefully its not serious to where i have to get rid of the hedgehog...


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I'm so glad she's doing better!! YAY!
Sorry I can't help with your other questions.


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## snarebum (May 29, 2011)

So according to the Dr. I've been so stressed out over her all this itching and stuff is me being nervous and stressed out.


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