# New hedgie scared of everything



## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

Hi I'm new here and new to hedgehogs, always have had exotics though so I'm accustomed to animals. Anywho, I just got Sadie an albino whom I got off someone who has way too many animals and not caring for them as best they should be. So in a way I feel as though I rescued her. The previous owner said she hasn't had time to mess with her like she wanted because of sick family member so Sadie spent most of her life in a back room with other hedgies and is super shy. No matter what I do she doesn't like being touched or like seeing any movement and when any of this happens she of course goes into super ball mode and huffs and does all the defensive behavior. Although she does this, she's quick to come back out and start sniffing around, which to me, seems like a positive thing. This is the second day I've had her and I had her out with me for a little over an hr. I just layer there and watched a movie with her on my chest and she walked around and stuff but would curl and hiss pop and click if I moved at all. If I'm slow she will allow me to put my finger up to her nose, but as far as me putting my hand on her back or anywhere else, forget it! I don't know how old she is but she is a little bigger than a softball when completely curled. I plan on spending time with her daily and trying to get her use to things. I guess I just need some assurance that I'm not the only one who has dealt with this and that she's not completely ruined as far as this behavior. I'm not expecting this to be fixed 100% but at some point in her life I want to actually be able to know what it feels like to hold her without having quills stabbing me constantly. Thanks for any responses!


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## jholstein11 (Dec 13, 2012)

Okay... One- she's a prey animal so she's going to act like one. She's in a new place, everything smells different. Her instincts say be careful! Give her an old used thirst to snuggle in. She will quickly learn your smell as a source of comfort and safety.

Two- she hasn't had much interaction. Give her some time. Every hedgie is different. Some like to explore. Some, like mine, prefer to burrow in a shirt or snuggle sack and go to sleep. Give her that opportunity. Let her hide on you. There's nothing quite like a snoozing warm hedgie belly in your shoulder. 

She needs a little time and you need to find what makes her comfortable. She'll come around.


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## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

Yeah I'm sure the new place is affecting her as well, she was like this at the house I got her from too but yeah I get what you're saying. I put a shirt of mine in there last night and have one draped over her cage too. I really think she could care less considering right now she sleeping in the litter pan under her wheel lol that's where she ran to when I put her back after having her out. Haha there's NO way ill be having this one anywhere near my face or neck anytime soon! Not when if I cough, clear my throat, or move in bed to get comfy she balls up and stabs anything around her body lol. Thanks for the response!


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## jholstein11 (Dec 13, 2012)

I hear ya... A fleece blanket doubled up and her in it is a great way to let her snuggle without getting stabbed. It's what I do for my son, who loves the hog but is scared of the quills.


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## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

That's exactly what I did today and it works great. I guess since she doesn't know what it is and it's touching her she doesn't come out of her ball and just huffs while wrapped up. She just needs to get use to stuff, it just a bit disheartening that she's so scared over everything. We will work through it though, bath time is going to present a challenge though. Haven't been around many hedges so I don't know how much they are suppose to smell but she does stink,has dirty feet (when I'm able to see them) and has brown spots (poo I believe) on the middle section on some quills so I don't think she's ever been cleaned.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

that sounds about right for a rescue. Over time it will probably get better. She'll probably stop balling up so often but will probably still ball up sometimes. I learned to sit really really still. She'll probably also start to come out of her ball sooner. 

Don't be daunted by bath time, it's a good bonding tool. You can't do it too often but it needs to be done anyway so try it out and maybe it will help you bond a little. All you have to do is fill a tub, sink or container of some kind with lukewarm water (test it with your wrist or elbow, to make sure it's not too hot or too cold). For the first bath fill it up just enough that she'll be able to walk around (about 1" or 2") and put a blanket on the bottom for her to walk on. Then put her in, put her but first and she open up a little when she touches the water. Warm water alone will loosen a lot of poop. You can use a little Unscented oatmeal body wash (Aveno is popular) or you can filter some plain oatmeal into the water (strain it through a cloth or sock so there are not actual oatmeal chunks in the water). Make sure the bath area is warm, make sure you turn the water off before you put her in, and dry her completely before putting her in her cage. You can just let her sit in a towel on your lap until she is dry. 

I also found that my hedgehogs have all reacted different depending on the time of day I take them out. Usually a little more snuggly and sleepy in the day and more playful at night time. It all depends on the hedgehog though. You could try and experiment with taking her out at different times and see what works best for her and for you.


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## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

Yeah bath time may be the one thing that makes her come outta her shell so to speak. I'm excited for it and may do it tonight when she gets up. Thanks for all responses!


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## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

Just gave her a bath and it was great for her feet! Cleaned them right up! I did notice some of her nails are long and curling under which can't be good! Probably hurts her. I have no idea how I'm gonna trim them with her current behavior. Although when she was done with her bath I picked her up and she didn't curl at all prolly because she wanted the heck outta there even though she wasn't too frantic. She drying with me as I type and her bed stuff is in the washer


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

Awesome! you might find that you can clip the nails while she's in the bath water, that's what I had to do with my super grumpy guy. Also a vet will do it if you're really nervous or have too much trouble.


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## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

Had some good time with the scaredy cat last night  . Although still super scared and jumpy, she lets me slowly take my finger and rub her nose when she's halfway in her ball and then lets my rub under her chin and even lift up and bring her whole head up and out of her ball. For the first couple of min. of being out she always just tries to hide, but last night i tried to just keep her up and in my hand and work with her that way so hopefully progress was made. When she goes back in her cage she still runs and tries to hide qiuckly because of me as well as if i peak in the room while she's eating or wheeling but i'm confident she will calm down in a couple of months when she's use to everything. Also i'm slowly introducing her to a mix of Blue Buffalo Freedom indoor, and a Blue Buffalo Weight Management food, is this a good mix for her? she seems a bit pudgy and tear drop shaped, i plan on weighing her tonight, and i was told she 5 months old, but i don't know how 100% accurate that is. the lady told me she had already quilled, but i know this can happen multiple times in their lives.


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## jerseymike1126 (Jan 20, 2011)

I seen good grumpier, will probably get better when it gets more comfortable with you. Just keep up with bonding. A good trick is to put a tshirt of yours in the cage so it gets used to your scent


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## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

jerseymike1126 said:


> I seen good grumpier, will probably get better when it gets more comfortable with you. Just keep up with bonding. A good trick is to put a tshirt of yours in the cage so it gets used to your scent


It's been in her igloo since i got her  the igloo is big enough for to get in there and burrow in the shirt so hopefully this will assist in her getting use to me! thanks!


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## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

Got the bad nails clipped! Wasn't able to do them all but got the ones that were most curled via a foot bath  I'm going to experiment with taking her out to spend time with her later towards when she usually gets up and see if her temperament is different. Is taking them out to bond when are normally up what most people do?


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

Yes most people take their hedgehogs out in the late afternoon/evening when the hedgehog would be waking up anyway. All hedgehogs are different though some would naturally wake up earlier than others. My little guy gets up as early as 4:30pm some days and he only ever stays up until 1 or 2 am whereas my last hedgehog was only active very late at night, starting around 11pm or midnight.


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## jholstein11 (Dec 13, 2012)

I always take Mr. P out around 7:30 in the evening.


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## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

Him that's interesting. I've been getting mine out around 6pm or so and he's always in the igloo so it'll be interesting as to how it goes. Any answers to my previous question about the feed mix I'm using? Thanks ya'll


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## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

stayed up last night to try to bring her out when she gets up, but she never got up! yesterday morning i saw that she was burrowed inder the fleece of her cage and was in the same place when i peeked in this morning, so she's been in the same place since friday morning and there was no food eaten and she didn't drink anything. there was also no signs of wheeling (poop or pee). like i've said before, she has gotten up in the middle of the night so far since last Sat. but last night she never did. Since she didn't come out, i didn't bother waking her and thought i'd give her a break from me messing with her. Is this inactivity something i should be concerned about? i have a CHE on the cage on a thermostat and 2 digital thermometers that are reading ~75.6 and ~76.3 on each end of the cage about 2-3 inches off the floor of her cage. i touched her this morning to see if she was still alive and as soon as i made contact she huffed and puffed so i know she's still kickin


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

The foods both sound good, Blue Buffalo is a popular brand on here. Inactivity is definitely something to keep an eye on. She didn't eat anything at all? If she does that again tonight (make sure you're judging by weighing/counting/measuring the food, not just sight, so you can tell if she eats even a couple kibble), you may need to start syringe-feeding her, as they shouldn't go too long without food. The temperature sounds good, and that she responded to you is good. What's the light like? Does she have a regular light schedule giving her light 12-14 hours of the day? Is there any light that might have been bothering her last night and keeping her from coming out? Make sure she's got enough light during the day, no lights (even moonlight, streetlights, etc.) at night and see if she does better today. She might have just had a lazy night, but lack of eating/drinking is always something to watch closely.


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## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

I have a light on top that's on a timer 7am-8pm. I'm going to refresh food and water today and count kibble to see if she eats tonight. Debating whether to get her out tonight for bonding or not since I didn't get her out last night I don't want to lose whatever, if any, progress we have made. Today I got her out of the fleece and showed a fleece pouch I made for her. She went in for a couple min then got out and went into her smaller igloo. She seems to be walking normal, I threw mealworms down but she didint care at all about them. I guess I'll see in the morning if she's eating or not. As far as lights on at night, I'm out in the boondocks so no street lights but the porch light was on until we went to bed but when I was standing in her room in the dark, even though the porch light was on I couldn't see so I don't know how much that affected her at all. There's no way she could see that light while burrowed in the fleece and it would have been obvious if she came out, saw the light, and went back in.


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## Kpjenk21 (Feb 3, 2013)

Hey so last night she was up eating so i waited a couple min. and went back in and she was in her wheel. i got her out and put her on the bed and she explored a bunch and ate some treats, so i guess she just needed a night alone because she seems just fine now. it's only been a week since i've had her, and if she hasn't been messed with much and now that she's in a new place, she probably is still adjusting. glad everything is ok with her, now if i could only get her to stop sleeping under her fleece and in her igloo or bag! :roll:


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## jholstein11 (Dec 13, 2012)

it's been my expereince that they'll sleep where they want to sleep.

I provide a toasty warm snuggle cup, he sleeps in his litter box. I give him a snuggle sack to cuddle in, he sleeps under it. I give him an igloo with tons of shredded fleece to burrow in... he's fast asleep in a tube.

They're goobers, but we love them!


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