# Ears



## Lemon (May 14, 2009)

I'm a new hedgie mom. Someone surrendered their hedgehog to the animal shelter where I work and I've always wanted one, so I took her in about a week ago. Since then, I have read that they can get fungus on their ears. Lemon's ears look a little funny to me, but I am unsure what normal hedgie ears look like. I was wondering if someone might be able to post a picture of a close-up of their hedgie's ears? Also, any advice on what to watch out for would be wonderful. 

Thank you!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Yes they can get fungus but usually rough or tattered edges is a dirt and dry skin build up. To
remove the buildup, rub her ears nightly with vasaline, human mom nipple cream, bag balm, vit E oil, flax seed oil or jojoba oil. Make sure whatever you use does not have a scent. After rubbing it on for a few days, the gunk should start to pull off.

Here's some normal ears.

http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l...ric related/?action=view&current=Peaches3.jpg

http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l...ic related/?action=view&current=Truffles3.jpg

http://s98.photobucket.com/albums/l...ated/?action=view&current=20081205Tessie4.jpg


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Hehe, those are cute Nancy. 

Here is one of Inky's ear:
http://inkyhedgie.webs.com/apps/photos/ ... d=15760265


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## Lemon (May 14, 2009)

Thank you guys so much! Her ears definitely look tattered and not smooth on the edges like yours. 

She has a vet appointment today. I'm also thinking she might have mites. Poor girl! I'll post an update when I find out.

Thanks again!


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## basmati (Feb 13, 2009)

Very cute pics! I found this thread, with pics of other hedgies very helpful, for comparing ears, eyes, claw length, ect. especially being new to all of this.

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=636


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## Yer_Daddy (May 6, 2009)

Flash had ears that were all crusty, yellowish, flaky, and nasty looking. It seemed like even some chunks were missing.

I brought him to the vet and he was treated for mites with ivermectin. It's been a month and his ears look 2000% better. I discussed the dangers of ivermectin with my vet before she used it and she assured me she knew how to use it. 

His last injection is this monday


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## Lemon (May 14, 2009)

The vet I saw today didn't know what she was doing. :::sigh::: She wasn't sure if Lemon had mites so she gave her Revolution just in case. She said she's not sure if she has a fungal infection going on with her ears, so she is doing a culture. I don't think its mites with her ears, though, given what Yer_Daddy said his hedgie's symptoms were. Her ears look like inky's (color-wise), but they are tattered looking around the edges. Given that I have no history on her, do you think it could be from an old infection that was left untreated and then finally was treated? I had read that if the fungus is left untreated it will eat away at the ears and permanently damage them. Any thoughts? 

Oh, and I am finding a new vet for her that knows about hedgehogs. I felt like I knew more about them than she did. :|


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## Shelbys Mom (Mar 27, 2009)

Shelby's ear's were tattered and had the crusty yellow stuff on them when I got her. And I started putting Vitamin E or Lanolin on them. 
Now most of it is gone and she has cute little rounded ear's again!

I thought her ears would always look tattered but it went away. she just has a small place that's a little bit longer on each of her ear's now.
Just rub a little on her ear's each day and the crusty stuff should come off and her ear's should start looking more rounded. It may take a little time.

If you look at the bottom of her ear in the attached pic. her ear's looked like that all over when she first came home.


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## Lemon (May 14, 2009)

Hm... She doesn't have the yellow which makes me think that it could possibly be from an old and now cleared up infection or mites. 

These pictures are really helpful. Thank you all! Its hard to find pictures like this with google image search.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

With vets, it can be hard to find one that is knowledgeable about hedgehogs. You might consider seeing if she's willing to learn more about them, perhaps research them herself. If she is, you could stay with her if you feel comfortable with doing so. It is hard to tell whether a hedgehog has mites though, unless they're bad enough to be clearly visible. Even skin tests can come out false negative because if you don't scrape where the mites are, the test comes out negative. But if you can find a vet near you that has more experience with hedgies, that would be nice.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Some hedgehogs the gunk is yellowish, others it's dark brown or black. My Peaches who is in one of the photos I posted, had to have her ears rubbed weekly or she would start to get gunk buildup. Some get it really easily, others never.


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## Lemon (May 14, 2009)

Nancy said:


> Some hedgehogs the gunk is yellowish, others it's dark brown or black. My Peaches who is in one of the photos I posted, had to have her ears rubbed weekly or she would start to get gunk buildup. Some get it really easily, others never.


Ah ha! Good to know!!!

Looks like, no matter what the outcome of the fungus the consensus is rub the ears! I will definitely be doing that.

You guys rock! Thanks


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