# Hedgie not comfortable playing out of his cage yet



## mommacude (Apr 15, 2014)

I'm wondering about something. Winston was born on 3/1 so he's almost 3 months old. We have two big bins, one with a wheel so he gets plenty of exercise at night. But, he won't ever run when we see him (I hear this is normal) however the poopiness lets us know he's running.

We get him out at about 8-9pm to play for a bit. He definitely likes my son best and lets him pet him on the nose and forehead. Doesn't like me as much but that could change.

The one thing I'm wishing for is that he would maybe feel comfortable running around a little more with us in the room. If we let him out he will have a treat and then go into the PVC pipe and hide. Sometimes when my son is holding him he'll crawl up and snuggle with his neck. But, he doesn't ever want to run around he just seems too scared.

he stays in my son's room, but my son usually sleeps in his sister's room. Since there is a small TV in there I decided to leave the TV on very quiet, to get him used to the sound for when my son decides to sleep in his room again. There was nothing on the wheel this morning so I guess he just say in his igloo scared all night. 

Any suggestions? I know a lot of this is normal hedgie behavior, I just want to do all I can to make him comfortable. Should I keep the TV on for a few nights so he gets used to it?

Oh, also we brought him into a large bathroom last night so he could maybe run a little more without fear of pooping on the floor (it's tile and cleans up) but he went under the cabinet, found a piece of cat littler, licked it, and anointed himself, then stayed there. (I need to sweep next time. . .I didn't realize what he was licking until it was gone)


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## TikkiLink (Dec 4, 2013)

Some hedgehogs just seem to like to cuddle rather than explore when you get them out. Mine is like that. I had this nice big playpen for mine and everything, and she will have nothing of it. Instead she just wants to cuddle and hide in blankets. That behavior may never change-- you just have a cuddler!

As for the TV, your hedgehog probably didn't run if you left the TV on all night because of the light. Often light like that at night will cause them to refuse to be active and disturb their day/night cycle. Noise from the TV can add to it too. My hedgehog will not come out and run even in low light, and even if I cover her cage to block out the light, if she hears me talking or making too much noise she will not come out until it's very quiet.


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## mommacude (Apr 15, 2014)

OK. . . well then cuddling is fine! We go with the flow.

As for the TV, I'm not sure how we are going to solve that problem because my son needs the TV on to sleep. I wonder if there is a way to block the light from that side of the room. It's a small TV; I hoped it wouldn't bug him too much. Bummer.


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## mommacude (Apr 15, 2014)

As for covering the cage . . . I guess we can't do that either since we have CHE on them. Maybe my son will have to have his iPad on the bed instead of the TV over head. Maybe that would be less troublesome. I know my kids shouldn't have TV on at night and that's another conversation. Dad still has to have one on to sleep, so he's not interested in enforcing that one. And, if we ever were to turn off the TV we'd have to have a night light anyway. I need to figure out something. . . .


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## jmluedke (May 3, 2014)

Mine wants to run all over and hide and dosent want to cuddle  so enjoy those cuddles lol


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## mommacude (Apr 15, 2014)

Good point! I just want to be sure he's happy.


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## TikkiLink (Dec 4, 2013)

One way you might be able to cover the cage even with CHEs is to cut holes in a dark colored material where the CHEs are and drape it over the cage. I've heard of people cutting the holes so that they are an inch or so wider than the lamps all the way around so that the lamps don't touch the blanket. This is something I still need to do myself, because throwing multiple blankets up around the lamps when I need a cover is a huge pain! That's what I can think of that might be the easiest solution for everyone, because of how sensitive some hedgies are even to very dim light-- especially flickering lights that come from a tv or device playing something. It still may not help enough if your hedgehog ends up being bothered by noise though.


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## mommacude (Apr 15, 2014)

Thanks. I'll try that!!


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## CoffeeKat (Jan 15, 2014)

One way to "cover" a che setup is to build a tent around the cage with tri-fold poster boards, the display boards that kids use to illustrate their science fair projects. Depending on size of your setup, 2 to 4 of these should work fin e. Then drape a sheet or light blanket over the top to keep light out.


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## mommacude (Apr 15, 2014)

Thank you! I was thinking about how to tent it. I was thinking long sticks at each corner but your idea sounds good too. I need to picture that.


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## CoffeeKat (Jan 15, 2014)

Will try to post some pictures later..."try" being the operative word


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## mommacude (Apr 15, 2014)

I think I've got it. I'd only need the cardboard on one side the other is against the wall. Then high enough so blanket diesbt touch CHE. Brilliant! I'm gong to try tonight to see if he's bothered by sound or only light. I'm guessing light because tv from living room can b heard from in there.


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## CoffeeKat (Jan 15, 2014)

http://smile.amazon.com/Darice-36-Inch-by-48-Inch-Project-Display-Board/dp/B004GXBYTI/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1400785619&sr=1-1&keywords=project+board

This is what I was talking about. Can also buy these at Hobby Lobby, WalMart, probably JoAnn a d Michaels


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## mommacude (Apr 15, 2014)

CoffeeKat said:


> http://smile.amazon.com/Darice-36-I...&qid=1400785619&sr=1-1&keywords=project+board
> 
> This is what I was talking about. Can also buy these at Hobby Lobby, WalMart, probably JoAnn a d Michaels


Yes. . . I have kids in school so I've seen them at a few places. Thanks SO MUCH! I was stressing a little about how I was ever going to get my son to sleep in his room and also let Winston feel OK to come out and run!


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## rodanthi (Feb 7, 2014)

You might also eventually find (long shot but whatever) that your son learns to sleep with the hedgehog running, if it is sound your son needs to sleep, more than light. Hector has been in my room for a couple of months now and I find it harder to sleep when I am away for a night and I can't listen to him running.

And yeah not being very active out with you guys is most likely his personality, but it could be his age too. At 3 months he is still young and may still want to sleep a lot. For the most part, Hector sleeps on me 9pm - 11pm, and has no interest in play time. But now and again, when the light is low, he gets a little more perked up at 11, and if I put him down he wants to go exploring the corridor outside my room. Not often, but I keep an eye on him, since if he goes exploring it has to be on his terms.


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## mommacude (Apr 15, 2014)

rodanthi said:


> You might also eventually find (long shot but whatever) that your son learns to sleep with the hedgehog running, if it is sound your son needs to sleep, more than light. Hector has been in my room for a couple of months now and I find it harder to sleep when I am away for a night and I can't listen to him running.
> 
> And yeah not being very active out with you guys is most likely his personality, but it could be his age too. At 3 months he is still young and may still want to sleep a lot. For the most part, Hector sleeps on me 9pm - 11pm, and has no interest in play time. But now and again, when the light is low, he gets a little more perked up at 11, and if I put him down he wants to go exploring the corridor outside my room. Not often, but I keep an eye on him, since if he goes exploring it has to be on his terms.


That would be nice. Both of my kids are used to the tv on. They won't even sleep over with friends whose parents make them sleep with no lights. That's a whole other forum I suppose!!


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