# Biting and cage behavior



## Litch (Sep 4, 2008)

Ive noticed that Prick huffs and Puffs when I pick him up and contuies to for any where between 15 seconds and 2 minutes before he explores my hand. I can have him out for a good 15 minutes just holding him in a wash rag and he wont hiss or click, just try to explore. How ever when I set him back down in his cage he flares up the second I put his blanket over him.

Another thing ive noticed is that when he finds a new scent he does a bit more then nibble, he tried to take a small bite. So far he has gotten me twice and my brothers friend once. My brothers friend had a red mark on her hand where she got nipped. 

The nips were more out of curiosity then harmful it seems. Is there any way to teach Prick to be a bit more gentler when he is curious? And does any one else have the same cage issue? IE fine when they are out but not when they are put back?


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## Melissa (Sep 19, 2008)

Why are you putting a blanket over him? When hedgehogs cant see what is touching them they tend to quill up. Is it possible for you to just put him in his cage and leave him to his business.

They "biting" at a new scent is most likely the begining part of him starting to annoint. If its not a finger tip it wont hurt for him to bite. Let him bite and see if he starts to tug at it and start to annoint. Then have a ball watching.

I personally dont believe you can "train" a hedgehog. Set a rountine yes. But not really to train the to do something that they dont naturally do. If you dont want to get bit.. dont put your bady parts by his mouth.


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## r_k_chic47 (Aug 28, 2008)

I've been bitten by Pepper a couple times too - I know it wasn't out of anger, though, because he licked my finger first and then bit. I guess they smelled yummy :lol: But I don't think you can really teach a hedgehog what's acceptable to bite and what's not. I don't know if they're colorblind or not (I'm guessing they are), but I don't think they'll know the difference between a yummy-smelling finger and a piece of chicken  So all you can really do is what melissa said - keep your fingers away from his mouth.


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## Melissa (Sep 19, 2008)

Also helps if you have long nails! Aero always goes for the nails and mine are too long he cant catch skin!


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## r_k_chic47 (Aug 28, 2008)

I never thought of that but it's a good idea! Although I don't think I'm going to grow my nails out really long just for that reason :lol:


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## padawanslacker (Oct 24, 2008)

All the stuff you mention sounds pretty normal to me, Litch, especially if your hedgehog is still young or new to your home. "Curiosity biting" is annoying, but in my experience it eventually fades--unless you pick up your hedgehog with something tasty like cheese-puff dust on your fingers! Then all bets are off. Keeping your fingers away from a hedgehog's mouth until s/he gets used to your smell is probably a good idea.

I've also never had a hedgehog who liked being woken up. Even when they like spending time out of their cage, they seem to get irritated by the transition from one place to another. Someone on this board recommended letting a hedgehog wake up gradually--wait a few minutes after waking them and let them trundle around the cage, take a drink, poo, etc., and _then_ take them out. This sounds reasonable, but Spirit's reaction was "meh." 

Indiana used to prefer being placed in a Sterilite bin for a few minutes after he'd woken up. Maybe that setting allowed him to fully wake up and figure out what was going on before I started doing stuff like lifting him 5 or 6 times his body length off the ground. (Imagine being cradled in the hands of a giant, 4 stories in the air!)

Spirit tolerates transitions better if I can get her to step onto my hand first, rather than having me just scoop her up. It probably makes her feel more secure and in control when she makes the first move. Still, sometimes she's not going to step anywhere, and I just have to pick her up, whether she feels ready or not. Then she hisses at me until she figures she's done. I suspect it's just a hedgehog thing.


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## Litch (Sep 4, 2008)

well I started to wake him up and then give him at least 30 seconds or so before I picked him up and he seems a little better. I have been keeping my hands away from his mouth. I need to get velcro because he likes to toss his dishes and liter tray around at night. I was going to get ready to walk my girlfriend home when I looked into Pricks cage only to see him sleeping with the liter box on his head.


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## casemac (Dec 16, 2008)

Sneezy bites when he is getting ready for a nap- he just wants to move things around to make himself more comfortable, but he doesent realize that he is hurting us. He also bites if he is stuck- like climbing up my sleeve- i think its just how he grabs things because he cant with his little paws!


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