# Constantly panicking!



## marich4n (Dec 8, 2011)

I just got my hedgehog (Mickey) a week ago. He never comes out of his hut unless it is completely dark. Whenever I come near him, he starts hissing, popping and will quill up. As I pick him up, he squirms and tries to jump out of my grip. He will even defecate and urinate on me. Even while on my lap, he is eager to jump onto the floor. I have tried the following:
- Mealworms and other snacks: does not work on him, he will either be too panicked to recognize the food or he will chew on it then quickly spit it out. 
- Placing one of my old shirts inside his hut, which doesn't seem to affect anything. 
- I am constantly talking to him in a soft voice. 
- Stroking makes him even more afraid and increases hissing.
I can always hear the poor hedgehog's rapid heartbeats whenever I am handling him. This has been going on for the past 7 days. I'm really not sure how to fix this? Any helpful advice? I'm thinking of selling him if this continues on, I don't have the confidence to provide him a happy life


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## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

It's only been a week since he made a traumatic move.
Give him more time.
Just because he's angry doesn't mean its time to sell him.


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## marich4n (Dec 8, 2011)

Christemo said:


> It's only been a week since he made a traumatic move.
> Give him more time.
> Just because he's angry doesn't mean its time to sell him.


What can I do for him in the meantime?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

It's only been a week, which is only an eyeblink to a hedgie sometimes! Just take a deep breath. He's still getting used to his new surroundings in addition to you. Some of his behavior is perfectly natural. There's a lot of hedgies that refuse to come out on their own unless it's completely dark. That's just part of their personality sometimes. That doesn't mean you can't get him out anyway, but like you've found out, he may not be completely happy about that. There's ways you can make him more comfortable when you take him out though. Peeing and pooping on you when you get him out is also a natural thing. Most hedgehogs will go potty soon after waking, especially babies. Sometimes this will get better as they get older, sometimes it never changes. You can help decrease the chance by putting him in a litter box or putting him down somewhere where he can potty a few minutes after taking him out.

A few other questions for you...How old is he? Did you get him from a breeder, a pet store, or a previous owner? If he hasn't been handled much before you got him, he may just not know that human hands can be good. If he's never had mealworms before, he may not know how delicious they are (or he may not like him, but you can try other treats as well, like plain cooked chicken or turkey, or watermelon, which are all common hedgie favorites).

If he's a baby, he may be going through quilling. This is when they lose their baby quills and start growing in adult quills. It's very painful, as you can imagine, and most babies are VERY grumpy during the process. They also don't like their back touched much during this period, since it hurts.

When you get him out, some things that might help him relax is to keep the lights dim, if you can. Try holding him your lap in a blanket, either with him wrapped up in the blanket or just in your lap with the blanket over him. This might make him feel more secure and calm down a little. Just sit with him for awhile, and let him realize that you're not going to hurt him. Keep doing this every night, for a half hour to a couple hours, however long you want. If you keep a schedule, such as getting him out every night at 8 pm, he may start to expect you at this time and be less upset when you go to get him out. Handling him every night, he'll start to get used to having you hold him and realize that you don't mean him any harm.

Keep in mind that some hedgies won't warm up at all. It's hard to tell whether that's the case with him, because it's still very early. Just try to be patient with him and keep working with him regularly. The little steps that you guys might start making (him letting you see his face, getting to pet him, having him take a treat from you, sitting on your lap in the open) will be WELL worth the patience!

Edit: I forgot to add, even if he's not a baby and going through quilling, hold off on the stroking for a little while. Work your way up to that. Start with just having him on your lap with a blanket, then after he's calm with that, try putting a hand on him, and just resting it there. Go very slowly and watch his reactions for whether you're going too fast.


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

I agree with Christemo and lilysmommy
Don't forget hedgehogs are nocturnal they aren't going to come out when there is a light on. 
Bonding with hedgehogs takes time and patience. It could take months but in the long run it's worth it. 
Even if he doesn't come around some people on here can testify to enjoying/loving their grumpy hog just as much as anyone else.


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## CourtneyFaye (Jul 31, 2011)

He sounds like he could be an adventurer, not a cuddler. That would explain the eagerness to run away. Stella only cuddles if I wake her up in the middle of the day. If I take her out at night, she doesn't want to be held, she wants to explore. Hold off on the petting, most hedgehogs take it as an attack. Is he trying to anoint with the mealworms? When Stella anoints with food, she chews on it then spits it out and annoits. This may be a silly question, but did you wear the shirt for awhile, and then put it in the hut so it has your scent? What I think you should try is taking a fleece blanket, or your t-shirt, place him in it and set him on your lap. Sit in a dim room and try not to move or talk and let him sleep. That way he will associate your scent with sleeping and calmness. Don't give up on him! I have had Stella for 4 months and she still isn't totally relaxed with me. This is just one of the frustrations and joys (when they finally come around) of hedgehog ownership.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

What can you do for him? Continue to spend time with them, and get him on a routine. It can take a while for a hedgehog to learn what is going on and to learn to trust you. Getting a daily routine set helps a lot.

Some hedgehogs also hate to be "petted." Stroking of their quills completely ticks them off. Respect what he likes and dislikes. Sometimes you just have to learn how to interact with them the way they want to be interacted with.

Also keep in mind that his attitude may just be who he is. I have had a few that were very "head strong," and a challenge to work with. I have one now. I am still learning what I can do and what I cannot do with her. She's friendly and trusting, but more of a looking at hedgehog, she hates to have her quills stroked.


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## Hedgehogger (Dec 8, 2011)

Sounds just like my hedgie when I first got her! Do the blankie trick! Place the little guy into a "poo station" first for a few minutes to allow him to purge all his anxieties, then place him into a nice soft blankie and cover him up while cradling him. I was amazed how well this works!!!


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

i love my grouch  while it can be very frustrating and many times you will take one step forward and two steps back it is totally worth every second when they do the small things that start to show trust and bonding. stay calm, be patient, and be consistant with bonding efforts and eventually you will see some results even if they are small (i get stoked every time jeremiah puts down his visor so i can see his face because he's still unsure about the trust thing so he rarely shows his face and him showing it is him showing some trust)


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