# HEDGEHOG IS COLD AND HAS MUSHY STOOLS. PLEASE HELP ASAP



## Snuggles9495 (Jul 19, 2011)

Hi,
My little hedgehog is cold to the touch and has been having some mushy stools.
He has been on the same food and has never had any problems like this before.
I put him in a warm bath to bring his temp up and he looks alot better now. There are no changes in his appetite.
He was born on memorial day this year.
He is not skinny and is a little more on the chubby side, he has always been very healthy.
I have had about 4 hedgehogs in my life time and I have never had any problems like this.
He has been losing some quills, But I think thats normal at this age to be shedding some quills?
He is a very nice hedgehog and not at all grumpy.
I am just worried about my little Snuggles.
If you all could respond asap that would be much appreciated!
Thanks,
Lauren. :!:


----------



## Guest (Aug 21, 2011)

Sounds like a hibernation attempt to me, I don't' have personal experience but raising the temperature in your hedgehogs cage could help. Also using warm water to wake her up probably isn't the best idea as water scares hedgehogs and they could easily drown a heating pad or your own body heat would be more suitable.

Mushy Poop can be based on the diet you're feeding you hedgehog and if you post that we might have an idea.

I would take her to a vet after a hibernation attempt most people syringe feed their hedgehog with nutrients to jump start their weak immune system


----------



## Snuggles9495 (Jul 19, 2011)

He is not sleepy, I didn't put him in the water to wake him up, I put him in it to raise his temperature cause he was cold and it was a small amount too and I was watching him very carefully. I also do not have a heating pad so that is why I had to put him in a small amount of warm water. The warm water seemed to help alot. the room he is in is very warm and not at all cold, so it can't be the temperature. Thanks for your attempt to help though!


----------



## Guest (Aug 21, 2011)

Snuggles9495 said:


> He is not sleepy, I didn't put him in the water to wake him up, I put him in it to raise his temperature cause he was cold and it was a small amount too and I was watching him very carefully. I also do not have a heating pad so that is why I had to put him in a small amount of warm water. The warm water seemed to help alot. the room he is in is very warm and not at all cold, so it can't be the temperature. Thanks for your attempt to help though!


Event if their belly is cold pressing them to your body is a bit safe and less stressful but aside I would get a vet visit for your hedgehog if the poop has been like that for awhile it may be diet related but since you didn't respond to that portion am assuming you don't think so and the best bet is to get a vet to look your hedgehog over if for nothing else but peace of mind


----------



## Snuggles9495 (Jul 19, 2011)

He has never been the type to not like baths, it may sound weird but he really enjoys them.
Is there anything I can ad to his food to make his stools more solid?


----------



## Guest (Aug 21, 2011)

Snuggles9495 said:


> He has never been the type to not like baths, it may sound weird but he really enjoys them.
> Is there anything I can ad to his food to make his stools more solid?


Not likely if his stools aren't firm and mushy and they didn't used to be it could be he is sick or something he is eating is causing it in the first place. I am not expert on it but commonly stool continues to be an issue of concern for a period of time the best option is a vet visit.

Someone else might be able to offer a alternative


----------



## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Putting a hedgie in water to warm them up is a bad idea, a wet or even slightly damp hedgie will get cold alot faster than one that wasn't wet. The best way to warm a hedgie up is to put them under your shirt against your skin. 

What's the temperature in the room? even if it feels warm to you it could be to cold for this particular hedgehog, some need warmer temperatures than others. You need to use a thermometer to check the temperature and make sure that its at the very least 73*F in the cage, and quite possibly even warmer. A hedgehog that is sick will be cold too so you really should take it to the vet especially with mushy stools. It could very well have some type of intestinal infection. How old is the hedgie? sorry I'm in Canada and I don't know when memorial day is in the US.


----------



## Guest (Aug 21, 2011)

nikki said:


> Putting a hedgie in water to warm them up is a bad idea, a wet or even slightly damp hedgie will get cold alot faster than one that wasn't wet. The best way to warm a hedgie up is to put them under your shirt against your skin.
> 
> What's the temperature in the room? even if it feels warm to you it could be to cold for this particular hedgehog, some need warmer temperatures than others. You need to use a thermometer to check the temperature and make sure that its at the very least 73*F in the cage, and quite possibly even warmer. A hedgehog that is sick will be cold too so you really should take it to the vet especially with mushy stools. It could very well have some type of intestinal infection. How old is the hedgie? sorry I'm in Canada and I don't know when memorial day is in the US.


2 months and 3 weeks roughly since Memorial day May 30th, 2011


----------



## connorshogs (Mar 24, 2011)

I agree with Nikky I have had this happen before and the two ways I've done it was how she said and also I used a human heating pad under the cage with a hut over it untill warmed up. You never want to warm them up to fast it will send them into shock good luck


----------



## Snuggles9495 (Jul 19, 2011)

Hello all,
Snuggles is feeling better!
He is looking great and feels warm to the touch and his droppings are looking normal.
I don't know what caused him to get like that but at least he is better!!
Thanks for all the help and advice


----------



## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

Glad he is doing better. Another thing that could possible be a contributing factor is lighting. Do you leave an overhead light on for him during the day, they need 12-14 hours of light and overhead lighting is the only thing that is really consistent enough. Also the temperature is a very big thing also like suggestions above.


----------



## newfie_nurse (Apr 28, 2011)

I Agree with everyone it sounds like a hibernation attempt and if your hedgie is cold do not use warm water. Glad to hear it worked all the same. 

But be aware if this is a hibernation attempt your hedgie will probably try again with in the next week or so. So make sure your cage is optimally heated and that you have a heating pad on stand by.


----------

