# turn for the worse



## AshBrah (Dec 21, 2011)

I have a 10 week old, I've had her since she was 7 weeks..
Even when she had first came home, she was very lovable and calm.
She never balled up, always slept on me, explored on me, ect.

I went on a small trip last weekend, I was only gone 2 nights..
(I had a family member give her food and water, they also kept her cage and wheel clean)
And I've come back to a hedgie who is always in a ball.
She doesn't hiss or click.. just is in a ball most of the time.
Could this be because of the 2 nights I was gone? 
How do I make this up to her?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Does she come out of the ball? Is she eating normally? Are you certain she isn't trying to hibernate?


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## AshBrah (Dec 21, 2011)

She does come out of the ball, she's sleeping on me as we speak, unballed.
She's a bit jumpy though- which she wasn't before.
The cage temp (also my room temp) is 74 degrees.
She's eating normalls, drinking normally, pooping normally and eating normally.

She just got over a URI though, but hasn't finished her rounds of meds yet.


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## JustOnePost (Dec 27, 2011)

Raise the temp slowly a degree or two especially if your hedgehog recently was diagnosed with a URI and the meds aren't finished 74 is a lower part of the spectrum try 75 to 76 don't raise temps too fast as this can also be harmful it must be a slow temp increase


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## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

Do you have a thermometer in her cage?


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## AshBrah (Dec 21, 2011)

I'll raise the temp a few degrees overnight 


She has a thermometer in her cage.. its a zilla thermometer, the sensor hangs from the top, halfway down into the cage, positioned over where she sleeps.
The temperature is always between 74 and 76, though I'll raise it to 76/77 overnight.


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## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

Are you just using the heat from the room or a CHE?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Also, do you have a regular 12 hour light schedule for her? Light can be a big thing with hibernation attempts too, especially in the winter when there's less natural light. If she does, is it at all possible that it got neglected while you were gone? Someone forgot to leave a light on or something? Same for temperature, sudden dips in the temperature can cause an attempt too.


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## AshBrah (Dec 21, 2011)

I don't really think its a hibernation attempt at all.. she is very active, no cold tummy, eating fine, pooping, playing.. all that is normal. She just seems more skiddish around me.

She has a light schedule, 7:30am to 8pm. I called my family every day at the times that her light goes on and off just to be sure, though they pretty much had it down.
Most of her heat comes naturally from the room, because my house is kept at 72 degrees, but since my room is upstairs and not above the garage, its almost always hanging around 75 degrees.


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## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

You'll still want to get a CHE and thermostat to keep it constant.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

It might just be her being upset at you being gone then. :lol: If that's the case, she'll get over it soon enough. She might also be quilling, though, or should be starting too, so that might be part of it as well. Just give her a few days to forgive you for leaving and be careful touching her back too much.


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## AshBrah (Dec 21, 2011)

It'd be kind of adorable if it is because she's mad at me.
My mom just got back from vacation and her youngest son (my half brother) who is 11 months,
Is mad with her. He won't even look at her xD
It's cute.

She has just finished quilling, though I know she will be starting again soon for her 12 week quilling. Poor girl.


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