# frustration...



## spastic_jedi (Nov 11, 2009)

My Hedgie was at the pet store for 5 months before I adopted him... he is SO ridiculously independent. I know it is normal for hedgies to be very shy but I don't even think he is shy.. I just think he is not interested in bonding with me... when I go to pick him up he crawls into his wheel and starts running... Maybe tomorrow I'll have better luck... he isnt grumpy or huffy... he is just busy in his own little running world. (Plus it is impossible to pick him up properly when he is in his wheel... which i think he knows lol so he goes in there knowing my chunky hands wont be able to reach around him.) This is normal right? for a hedgie to be just too busy to want to bond with you?

I love him none the less. even if these past two days he has been too busy running his marathon to let me snuggle him. :lol:


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

I sounds like he's just unconcerned with you. I've never heard of that before (usually they hiss or hide and won't wheel in front of people) but I don't think it's a cause for concern. If you want to have snuggle time try taking him out before he wakes up. That way he will probably just fall back asleep on you. If you can catch him before he goes on his wheel you can sit with him in a hedgehog proof room or playpen so that he can run and explore close to you (he may even end up crawling on you).


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## spastic_jedi (Nov 11, 2009)

Good Idea. I am planning on getting him a play pen. He just LOVES his wheel... its all he does... he doesn't care who is watching him.... my family comes into my room loud and stompy and I always expected him to scurrie away.. he just pokes his head out around from his wheel to see who it is... sniffs the new smell in the room and just continues running. I put my hands into the cage to let him explore them and offer them to him so i can pick him up and he sniffs them looks up and me.. and BAM back on the wheel running for hours. 

I think he is addicted to it.

Which might not be a bad thing right now.. he is a little over weight.
I definitely will try getting him before he wakes up tomorrow... tonight seems to be a bit of a lost cause... he is very much preoccupied with his running. :lol:


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## strawberryfields (Oct 3, 2009)

You're lucky you have a little one that will play in front of you.  Mine runs away full speed whenever I get too close to his cage while he's out and about. 

Anyway, it's the nature of a hedgehog to be pretty independent. Some are particularly affectionate and will come when called, or come out and want to be picked up when they hear you in the room. But most hedgehogs are happy to just do their own thing. Hedgehogs really aren't like cats, dogs, or even guinea pigs - They will seldom show particular interest in human contact. Lots of people post on the forum very excited the first time their hedgie seeks them out for affection or comfort instead of just using them as a thing to climb on, hehe. 

This isn't to say that hedgehogs are mean and antisocial, it's just that they are quite happy being solitary. Most everyone gets the "hedgehog glare of doom" when they first try to get their hedgie out of the cage, no matter how friendly the little guy is. :lol: They like to have their space. But it seems that you could just get him a playpen, like you said, and let him explore around in there. If you lay on the floor in the playpen, he'll likely come to you and start exploring you, too.


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## spastic_jedi (Nov 11, 2009)

Yeah, I feel really lucky that he'll play in front of me... he doesn't have any issues exploring his cage and playing with his toys when ANYONE is in the room. I've only had him about a week and a half and he's really warmed up to his surroundings... I suppose this shows that he somewhat trusts me right now since he'll play and such in front of me... I just don't think he is ready to become my buddy yet :lol: 

Once I get him a play pen I am sure he'll become more interested in playing with me


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