# How long before skin clears up? (Now with a Picture!!)



## TheSmilingToast (Jan 7, 2010)

Hi, I gave Algy a dose of Revolution last Wednesday, and I was just curious how long it usually takes for the redness to go down. His sides are still pretty red...

Here are some pictures...



















I'm not just imagining the redness, am I?


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

*Re: How long before skin clears up?*

I'm not sure about this one, bump.


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## strawberryfields (Oct 3, 2009)

*Re: How long before skin clears up?*

It took Rocko about three days before the redness left his skin. He stopped scratching around the same time. It was a few weeks before he stopped losing quills, though.


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## Hedgiepets (Aug 21, 2008)

*Re: How long before skin clears up?*

What is the redness from? Have you tried giving him a bath?


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## TheSmilingToast (Jan 7, 2010)

*Re: How long before skin clears up?*

I thought it was from mites, so I bathed him, and then I gave him a dose of revolution. I just didn't know how long it took for it to go away. Could it be something else?


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## TheSmilingToast (Jan 7, 2010)

Do other things cause redness?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

He is red isn't he. Is he still scratching? Redness can be caused by scratching but if mites is the issue, the scratching should end after the first day or two. 

What type of bedding is he on? If shavings, or carefresh, I'd put him on liners. 

What type of heating do you use? A heating pad under the cage can cause low temperature burns. What is the temperature of his environment? If too warm their skin can be pinkish but usually all over. 

Red skin can also be caused by fungus or bacterial infections. Is his skin red all over or just around the quill line?


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## TheSmilingToast (Jan 7, 2010)

Nancy said:


> He is red isn't he. Is he still scratching? Redness can be caused by scratching but if mites is the issue, the scratching should end after the first day or two.
> 
> What type of bedding is he on? If shavings, or carefresh, I'd put him on liners.
> 
> ...


He scratches some still at night, but I don't really notice anything incessant, its not really alot.

He's on fleece liners, but when I got him he was on shavings, if that counts for anything...

I keep my room at around 72, and he has a heat emitter; the thermometer in his cage is a steady 73.

Its just the quill line...his back and his stomach are pale pink; huge difference =/

He's been red since I got him, as best as I can tell, but he never uncurled himself enough for long enough for me to see his skin very well in the first few days.

I've bathed him twice; once when I got him and once after he anointed himself pink with candy saliva (I did NOT feed him candy, my brother was on 'watch the hedgehog for two minutes' duty and let him eat one... -.-)

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but I gave him a dose of Revolution, and it was a night and day difference in his personality almost instantly...does that mean anything?

Also, one side seems to be a bit worse than the other.

And the place I got him from was...puppy-farmish at best; shavings; the place reeked; again if that has any relevance. He'll be 9 weeks old on Tuesday...

I don't want him to be uncomfortable, and his second Revolution dose is due in a week or so...

Thanks so much for your help, I'm really starting to be bothered by this whole thing.


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## rainbowcookie (Dec 21, 2009)

How about the laundry soap you use for his liners? We only use unscented kind on everything over here. My mom washed my sheets with a scented detergent she got once, and I dreamed of fire ants crawling all over me! I was covered in tiny red dots the next morning from an allergy to the scented detergent.

Any chance he has sensitive skin and is irritated by soap, perfume, etc? I know you are super careful with him, but I never thought much about fragrance irritating skin until it happened to me!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Laundry soap is a good suggestion. You can change it or you can try adding some vinegar to the rinse water. Vinegar will cut any soap residue. 

What did you use to bath him? Try using just plain water to ensure there is no residue of anything on him. 

After the dose of Revolution was the change in personality for the better? If so, they can be miserable with the mites and once they are gone the relax more. 

If there is something external such as laundry soap bothering his skin, the redder side could be the side he lays on the most. 

Try the water bath and vinegar rinsed liners and see if it helps.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

Poor hedgehog that looks so itchy and painful. You are not imagining the redness. 

I have allergic reactions like what rainbowcookie described as well it certainly is not fun. I hate being itchy.


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## TheSmilingToast (Jan 7, 2010)

I use 'All Free and Clear' for his liners, and I personally don't wear any sort of scented perfume or scent, my own soap is unscented...


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## rainbowcookie (Dec 21, 2009)

How about food allergies? Some animals are allergic to weird things. I don't know much about it, that's just my next guess.


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## TheSmilingToast (Jan 7, 2010)

rainbowcookie said:


> How about food allergies? Some animals are allergic to weird things. I don't know much about it, that's just my next guess.


I'm feeding him the CSFCLS -I had heard good things about it and the guy who sold him to me was feeding him a mix of that and Special Kitty cat food...I took out the Special Kitty though, because I read somewhere it hurt cats and I didn't want to chance it with Algy.

He sleeps under his liner, if that means anything, and he's stopped using his wheel recently. Its a flying saucer...

MEHHHH


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