# Handling my new hedgie



## Veebs84 (Sep 6, 2018)

Hi all, 

I brought my Marjorie home yesterday! i left her to settle yesterday, and her breeder was handling her for at least 30 mins daily. 

I've read conflicting advice about how long to leave her before handling. 
What have people found is a good way of starting to have her feel safe and bonded with me? 

Thanks!


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## Ria (Aug 30, 2018)

When I got Holly home, I didnt put her in her cage right away, I sat with her and cuddled her for about 30mins before putting her and a old sock turned into a ball with my scent in her cage. I then left her for a good 24 hours to get used to her new cage and came in a couple times to check on her and talk to her.

If she had yesterday and last night I’d say you could probably handle her tonight. For at least 30 mins. Then put her back to explore her cage.


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## divamallorca (Sep 13, 2018)

These animals need time and you can not determine an exact one. Like humans, everyone has their times. Give it a few days and approach it little by little.


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## angryfugu (Jun 19, 2014)

It looks like it's been a few days since your post so it should definitely be fine to start handling her. As the other poster said, doing this little by little is a good strategy while keeping something with your scent (tshirt, socks, etc.) in the cage during the off-time will help the process along. 

Even passive bonding time is effective. For example, you could put her in a fleece blanket on your lap while you watch a movie and just let her chill. Some get snuggle sacks with a strap to carry the hedgie with them around the house while they do chores. 

It's definitely a process, but the most important thing in the beginning is sticking with a regular routine and being consistent. She'll eventually come around.


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## Veebs84 (Sep 6, 2018)

Thanks all, 

I think she hates me  She was so friendly with her breeder and i understand she had lots of time with him, but all i get is hisses. 

Ive been picking her up and settling her on my lap with a fleece square as its the only way she will let me pick her up  I've given her a t-shirt (cut up) thats smells like me in her cage and she snuggles in it. She will eat from hy hand if i offer her something while on my lap but she seriously seems to hate me  

I'm super gentle and quiet around her. She also sleeps much more than with her breeder - She doesn't come out until about 9-10pm. I get home from work around 7 pm, so I get that she is just adjusting to routine and 'light times'. 

I know she is eating, and toiletting, she is using her wheel and looks like she is playing in her cage as toys all moved around and I've seen her at it! But i just want to make friends with her  

any ideas? xx Thanks to everyone that has replied xx


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## Ria (Aug 30, 2018)

She seems to be bonding slowly.
What bedding do you use ?? Maybe you could try using that to protect your hands when picking her up ??
Theres also the option of gloves, which will probably be better, and less scary.
Also if your waking her up the hissing could just be because shes grumpy because your waking her up
I dont think shes grumpy. Give her time. Some hedgehogs take longer to adjust and get used to people than others.
Keep to the routine, trying picking her up in other ways. You can also try talking to her so she knows your voice. I think shes just taking extra long to get used to everything.
Make sure you have something else with your scent, you should change it weekly to keep your scent in the cage for a while until shes settled this will definatly help. 

Other than that I can think of much else you can do, just be patient she’ll adjust and soon love you. And as said in the other posts be slow


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## PeppersMum (Aug 8, 2018)

Hi just to keep you motivated here’s my story ! I got my hedgie in July , and I thought he hated me too at first, always hissing and growling even though he’s been fine with the breeder, but stick at it and you’ll slowly see results. 

The first time I really noticed that he knew who I was, was when I took him over to my friends house to see 4 of my friends and no matter who he got placed with he constantly kept running back to me and snuggling up to me to hide from them scary strangers. Made me feel great ! 

Don’t feel disheartened pepper my hedgie is so hissy it’s unreal, one day he will hiss constantly from the moment I wake him and put him back in his cage, then the next day he will be fine, the odd hiss but exploring and trying to crawl all over me.

Keep at it and handle your hedgie daily, even when you’re tired after work it really does matter ! When I’m tired and don’t feel up for an hours worth of handling I simply place pepper under my duvet in bed with me and he usually goes to sleep by my legs and I’ll feel him shuffling around every now and then, he usually plays tug of war with my pyjama bottom strings too 😂 but that’s classed as bonding and it’s good on those tired night where you just want to sit in bed and watch a film without trying to chase a hissy hedgie around! 

Good luck with your hedgie


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## Veebs84 (Sep 6, 2018)

Thanks so much everyone! I'm persevering but still getting a lot of hissing! 
When I pick her up I have been scooping her up with a square of fleece - its the only way I can as she balls herself up and hisses. I've tried letting her settle, using fleece with my scent , or offering her a treat as a pick her up but its not happening! I pick her up and then she will settle and chill after 5-10 minutes but tends to just burry herself in the fleece or my top and go back to sleep! She will take food from my hand, and will walk into my hands occasionally but mostly i still think she hates me


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## Ria (Aug 30, 2018)

I’m sure she doesnt hate you. She just hates being woken up. Try getting gloves and picking her up properly without the fleece. Also the more nervous you seem about picking her up the more she will spike up in defence, the more relaxed and confident you seem the less they spike up. 

If she only spikes up when you woke her up and not when you pick her up during play/bonding time then I’m sure its not that she doesnt love you.


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## Veebs84 (Sep 6, 2018)

I've tried with gloves and she got more cross! I feel happier picking her up with the fleece squares i think - I have several and sleep with one, then put in it her cage to try and give her my scent. I really want to pick her up with my hands - I've tried but she gets SO Hissy and balls out straight away. I spend ages talking to her so she gets my voice, and she will take food from my hand but I felt so bad - I just want her to like me!


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## Ria (Aug 30, 2018)

I think marjorie is one of those hedgehogs that takes a while to bond.
I’ve had holly for 3 months and 2 days, she huffs about being woken up, the first time I heard her really angry was when I first got her home, then the second time someone came into my room makeing really loud noises and she got sooooo angry at that. And the thrid was at the vet.
My vet was super shocked at how much Holly had bonded to me said it takes most people a year to get to the stage me and Holly are on.

When I first got Holly home I was using fleece blankets to pick her up. But she seemed to be really scared of this. So then I brought leather gloves and picked her up that way, and she was grumpy of course but she didnt curl up much. And now I can pick her up bare handed.
Though we only had this problem in her cage outside her cage shes always been fine with me picking her up.


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