# Jumpy when quills are touched. Any way to desensitize her?



## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

Milly is a very good little girl. She hasn't bit me or even balled up in months and she loves when I rub her nose/forehead/cheeks. She has gotten a bit used to me touching her tummy. All in all, she is very socialized and handles bonding time and meeting new people very well.

But she absolutely hates having her quills touched! She used to only be jumpy about me touching the area where her quills meet her fur, but now... if I touch any quills other than her visor quills, she huffs and pops. She hates it. 

Have any of you dealt with a hog who hates having their quills touched? I'm really looking for personal experience on this, as I have tried some obvious things - making sure to start petting her up by her head so she knows that it's me touching her, using a piece of fleece to pet her (I am allergic to her, so I can only tolerate her popping and sticking me with her quills for a couple minutes), petting her more when I'm giving her a bath to try to get her used to it, etc.

It really isn't a big deal and I understand this may just be a personality quirk, but I want to pet my baby girl!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Some of them simply hate to have their quills touched. Sometimes petting them in a bag helps. Have you tried giving her a little massage? There is a sweet spot that is usually middle of the back between their shoulder blades or a bit lower. Start by using one finger and rub in a circular motion. Doing it will she is in a bag or covered with a cloth works best if she decides to be a bit quilly. Most hedgehogs relax despite themselves when we rub the right spot.


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

Thanks Nancy! I will keep trying, and I'll definitely look for that spot on her back. It has also crossed my mind that her skin might be a bit more sensitive since it is dry, despite my attempts to thwart that with a humidifier, Booster 2x a week and flax seed oil on her food! 

I know she likes it when I pet her face because she gets sleepy and struggles to keep her eyes open. She actually bumps her nose under my finger sometimes, the way a dog does to your arm, when she wants me to pet her. :lol: She likes attention when she's in the mood for it, so I kind of wonder if the dry skin has something to do with not liking her quills touched. Luckily she has an owner who won't give up without a fight.


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## cthom (Nov 15, 2011)

Dini hates haveing his visor quills touched, everytime i do he hisses and spikes up.
but he sure dose love chin pets :shock: 
i should try that massagey thing to...


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## shetland (Sep 2, 2008)

Any progress with Milly?


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

Not really, Shetland. I've tried to find the "sweet spot" on her back, but she gets agitated when my fingers go past her ears. It's strange because she really enjoys when I pet her from her nose up to her visor quills. I've been putting a piece of fleece over her and petting her that way, but she is so jumpy and huffy when it comes to her back. I genuinely think it scares her when her quills are touched. :? Obviously that makes it even harder for me to continue trying to get her used to it because her being afraid is just going to hinder the bonding process. *Sigh*


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

Don't know if this will help at all or not, but Pepper doesn't really like to be touched. So whenever I give her mealies, I will use the opportunity to pet her. She's gotten much less jumpy. Still doesn't like to be touched. If nothing else, I'm hoping to associate being petted with other good things like treats. I'm gonna have to look for that sweet spot...


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

PJM said:


> Don't know if this will help at all or not, but Pepper doesn't really like to be touched. So whenever I give her mealies, I will use the opportunity to pet her. She's gotten much less jumpy. Still doesn't like to be touched. If nothing else, I'm hoping to associate being petted with other good things like treats. I'm gonna have to look for that sweet spot...


I did the same thing with Kashi  Trying to do the same with Po' Boy... except... well, he won't even accept treats out in the open :roll:


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

My main problem with trying to get her to associate petting with treats is that really my only option as far as treats go is to use her regular kibble. We have found the perfect balance of kibble to maintain her weight, so I only give her one meal worm every other day. And Milly is not interested in kibble if it's not in her food bowl. :roll:


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## hedgehoggie88 (Apr 7, 2012)

the only thing mine likes is her kibble i offer her treats but she doesn't like them. Anyway, what i have been doing to get pepper used to being touched without getting pricked is using a tooth brush to pet her, she has gotten a LOT better about being touched.


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