# Some of the strange things my hedgehog does



## Thundercub (Jun 23, 2014)

Hello folks.

I've had TC about 2 months now and I've noticed some strange behaviours (well, strange to me) and so I thought I would share. 

I don't believe any are things to be worried about, just typical hedgehog randomness, but if any of you see this as well it might be reassuring to know that it's not just your / my hedgehog!

Happy or sad? – I have read about and apparently this means the hedgie is happy. Most of the time when I'm handling TC, she chirps (it’s definitely not a squeal) and it always makes me pleased. However as soon as I put her down she runs and hides as if the whole experience has been a nightmare. 
Happy then hiding - Odd rating of 5/10.

Litter tray – I used to use cat litter in the tray beneath TC’s wheel but she started eating that (an Odd rating of 6/10) so I now simply put a clean cloth in the tray each day. However every night TC will pull the cloth out, chew it, then anoint herself. 
Loving the taste of her bathroom – Odd rating of 8/10

Freezing – this isn’t too odd I suppose, I know that hedgies do this as a natural reaction to stop predators seeing them in the wild. However if something happens that startles TC, she’ll freeze no matter what she’s doing. I’ve seen her just stop running while on her wheel (it continues spinning with comedy results) or stop mid chew (she sits with her mouth open like the bad joke eel. It’s flippin’ hilarious). 
Taking survival to the extreme – Odd rating of 4/10

Sudden sniffing – I’m lucky that TC will regularly sit in my hand quite happily. I stroke her side and now and then she’ll even fall asleep. It’s cute. However sometimes she’ll have been sitting there for 15 or 20 mins and then suddenly her nose goes into overdrive and she’s up on her legs sniffing like mad (the same kind of sniffing as when she’s scoping out a treat). The sniffing is cute, but it’s intense and I can never work out what she’s suddenly got a whiff of. Once this happens she’s super active and won’t sit still.
Going all Whitney Houston – Odd rating of 7/10

Climbing the wall – I’ve set up a playpen at the end of a room where TC can roam about at will. She regularly tries to climb the flat, vertical, plasterboard wall. It’s about 10 feet tall. 
Unrealistic escape ambitions – Odd rating of 5/10

In the corner – when she’s spooked, she’ll sometimes run into a corner and sit there, facing the corner. Again I’m sure it’s linked to some natural self preservation technique. But she forgets that her butt is sticking right out there and just because she can’t see me, doesn’t mean I can’t see her!
Failed hiding attempt – Odd rating of 4/10

If she gets up to anything else weird, I’ll let you know!


----------



## elaines (Feb 18, 2014)

*Hedgehogs are weird*

My hedgehog Ginger has exhibited almost all of these behaviors (or similar) at one point or another so I wouldn't be too worried. Hedgehogs are weird 

My only suggestion would be to put clean shavings under the wheel each night instead of a cloth. Hedgehogs seem to have a weird texture fetish when it comes to anything even slightly fuzzy and will sink their little teeth right in. I currently have a Carolina Storm Wheel (absolutely the best wheel, bar none) and it came with what I call a poop pan which is actually just a Glad plastic dish. I fill it up every night with fresh shavings from around the pen and have never had any problems with her eating it. It also keeps the cage extremely clean.

I would also remove the litter if she's eating it, both for the chemicals and the fact she could choke.

And while we're swapping weird hedgie stories: in my hedgie's cage I put a little stuffed porcupine in there in the corner of the cage just for fun. She spent the first week completely avoiding it, the second week attacking it, and now she flips it over and drags it by the head into the opening to her hut lol.

Good luck with your hedgie


----------

