# Too much stress?



## nicole92 (Dec 21, 2015)

Hello, after a recommendation on here to remove my hedgehogs heating pad, I took it out and cleaned/rearranged his cage this morning. He has a ceramic heat emitter in the cage and the temp is currently at 75 but can vary between 73 and 77 depending on time of day, I wrap blankets around it at night to keep it from dropping to 73 at night since I know that is when he is most active. However, since the change, I have noticed he is much grumpier than he has ever been - j have even heard him huff just when I walk past his cage without even touching him. He has never been very grumpy before. He is fine if I take him out- grumpy at first but then will get over it and play- but seems to be on edge in his cage. Like I said he has no more heating pad under his sleep house which he used to have but he is burrowing in his bedding instead. He is eating, drinking, going to the bathroom like normal. Could his change in attitude be stress over the changes to his cage? Should I replace the heating pad if it is causing him stress? Will this behavior go away as he gets used to his new cage set up?
Thanks!


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

It sounds like he's mad because of the changes. Since he's eating, drinking and eliminating normally I would just keep a eye on him for the next couple of day. I had a girl that would have a temper tantrum when ever I changed anything in her cage.


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## Leeloosmommy (Oct 14, 2015)

I would say that he didn't liked his cage cleaned. Maybe his smell may not be there anymore and he is afraid because of that. I would not put back the heat pad as it can result in burn.
http://epinedamour.jimdo.com/avec-quoi-chauffer/
On that lynk, there is a picture of feets that have been burn... So for me it is a BIG NO for the heating pads...


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## shinydistraction (Jul 6, 2014)

Agh, that poor baby. I wish I could read the page!


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## Charlotte.the.hedgehog (Nov 15, 2015)

One thing I have noticed about Charlotte is that she is VERY routine based. When I first got her I rearranged her cage every couple days thinking I was providing enrichment for her. All it did was piss her off and stress her out. Now after her cage is cleaned everything goes back EXACTLY where it was before or she gets very upset, the last time I changed things it bothered her enough I got stress poops the entire next day. Every hedgie is different, but if you have a type A hedgie like mine, probably best to keep things as consistent as possible.


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## nicole92 (Dec 21, 2015)

thank you everyone for your help. i will assume he is just upset about the move and keep an eye on him - he is definitely still doing everything else normal just a little extra grumpy lately.
i have also noticed that he is burrowing under his sleep house now (which i know is normal) but continues to scratch after hitting the bottom of his cage and is just scratching away at the hard plastic (he has kaytee my first guinea pig home with wire top and plastic bottom). he just keeps scratching at it until he eventually gives up and goes to sleep. should i be worried about him sleeping on the plastic and not his bedding - i know plastic can be cold - and is this much scratching normal? thanks!


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