# Hedgehog Acting Very Strange-Help!



## slock (Dec 2, 2013)

I have a male hedgehog, estimated to be about 2.5 years old (I adopted him from another family). I have been witnessing a distinct change in his behavior almost every time I handle him. When I try to pet or hold him, he will now often flinch, pop, and huff wildly, sometimes falling over in the process. He also scratches himself with his hindlegs when he goes into these episodes. It is very worrysome and upsetting. He did not always act like this. 

What else is weird is that he ONLY started behaving this way after his first trip to the vet back in July (2013). He was placed under a sedative at the vet for an exam when he had a foot injury. After I picked him up from the vet, he was exhibiting this same behavior, but I only thought it was some of the side effects from the sedative and that it would soon wear off. But he is still showing some of this weird behavior today. Fortunately, he does calm down when I bathe him, but otherwise, he has become increasingly difficult with this behavior. 

Aside from him acting like this, he appears and acts normal otherwise. He is running on his wheel every night, eating and drinking normally, pooping and peeing normally.


Please tell me how I can address this behavior. And do you possibly think it is health related?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Being upset when you handle or pet him as well as the scratching makes me wonder if there's a skin issue that's bothering him. Especially if he calms down after being bathed... It sounds like his skin might be oversensitive or something? Does anything look different about it, like a different texture, color, extra flaky, maybe a bit more red, anything like that? Does he scratch when he's left alone, or only after you try to touch him? Does it matter where you touch him - like, does he seem less sensitive anywhere or particularly sensitive anywhere?

You could also try calling the vet and let him know the symptoms, and see if there's any side effects to any medication or the sedation he received.

Edit: Also, I deleted your other topic - you only need to post in one forum.


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## slock (Dec 2, 2013)

I have noticed no problems with his skin, he appears to look completely healthy. He occasionally scratches himself when he's alone, but it is not excessive scratching. Is mites still as possibility even if he has never been around any other hedgehogs? Or do you think he couldve picked up mites at the vet?


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## peace.love.meeko (Aug 21, 2012)

It's not impossible that he could have picked up mice from the vet's office. They sadly, just like any other doctors office, are not as clean as you could like to think they are. It would definitely explain the fits of scratching. Maybe have him checked at another vet just to see. Other than that, maybe someone handled him a bit rough at the vet and made him scared. It's sad but it happens. Was he ever out of your view? Did you have to leave him there over night? Maybe you just need to reestablish your bond too. It sounds crazy, but my female hedgie held a sort of grudge against me when I had to leave her in the care of my mom because I was in the hospital. My male missed me, but my mom said he adjusted as she's handled both of them before. But my female, still being fairly young, refused to come out of her blankets for my mom and would only come out to eat and drink when everything was absolutely silent (so usually when she thought everyone went to bed and she could only hear my male getting up). When I came back home, I had to give her extra attention because she acted very similar and it was almost as if she was mad I abandoned her. My mom had even tried meal worms which she never says no to and she was simply mad that I wasn't there. If I hadn't come home when I did I was going to have my mom sneak her into the hospital to see me lol. Anyway, just some thoughts.


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