# Hedgehog Won't Unball



## thedudeman (Oct 9, 2015)

Hi,
I'm not a new hedgehog owner, but I recently got a new hedgie, Raiden. His previous owners seemed to know nothing about hedgehogs (in fact, he was their son's, who only got him because of Sonic, and upon realizing that real hedgehogs are nothing like Sonic, lost interest). They improperly fed him, left him in a tote with no wheel, toys, etc., gave him newspaper to sleep and walk on, and handled him exclusively with gloves (not to mention that he seemed like they never bathed him, and his skin looks it came from a psoriasis commercial). He's also definitely overweight.
So anyway, I realize he is going to be a challenge to bond with (through no fault of his own), but, after noticing that he has not been drinking any water, I uncovered Raiden to check up on him. He was asleep, so I gently woke him up, and for the most part, he woke rather peacefully. However, before I could check to make sure he wasn't dehydrate, he balled up (it's worth noting that interestingly enough, he made absolutely no noise when doing so, not even a hiss), and has been this way nearing an hour. I've picked him up and have been holding him on my lap, but he is firm. 

Obviously, I'm concerned, I am just wondering if that concern is justified. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

My initial thought is, how warm is he? What is the temperature in his cage? 

Cold hedgehogs, who are starting to attempt hibernation will ball up, sometimes quite tightly and often make no sound at all when doing so. They may even seem more peaceful initially as they are sluggish.

Check the temperature of his cage. If you can, try to get your hand on his tummy. If his tummy is cool, you need to warm him up. To do that, hold him against your body to slowly raise his body temperature.


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