# How long do you handle your hedgy every day?



## rachiec9 (Apr 2, 2014)

Just curious as to how long you guys handle/play around with your hedgy every day, not sure if what I'm doing is correct or if I'm handling her enough yet


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## lilsurfergrlsp (Dec 13, 2013)

How often are you handling her? Do you handle her around the same time, so you build a routine with your hedgie baby? 

I handle mine anywhere from a half hour, to two hours. That includes having her out in her playpen, or letting her sleep either on me, or in her cozy sack, while I'm doing homework or watching TV or something.


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## rachiec9 (Apr 2, 2014)

I handle her for at least half an hour every day, but recently it has gotten hard to spend more time with her because she tends to go to the bathroom on me almost immediately now, I don't know if she just associates my sent with that but it's been happening often. Or she will go to the bathroom in her snuggle sack, but that is easy to take care of and I don't mind it.


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## lilsurfergrlsp (Dec 13, 2013)

That's enough time for her to be handled  however, babies poop a lot. When you build a routine with her, most likely you'll be able to tell when she will need to go to the bathroom. Another sign that babies need to potty, is when they get more squirmy and harder to hold. I can tell when my girl needs to potty because her little tail will go up, and she'll kinda freeze and just stare at me. :lol:

It helps to have a litter pan near you when handling her too, since you can just plop her in there when she's going to the bathroom. Have you tried potty training her yet?


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## rachiec9 (Apr 2, 2014)

I have been thinking about starting to potty train her now. What kind of litter do you suggest I buy? I'm reading mixed reviews online


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## lilsurfergrlsp (Dec 13, 2013)

I personally use paper towels. Sometimes I use toilet paper too. I usually double up the layer of paper towels in her litter pan, since it absorbs the pee/poo a little bit more and doesn't smell as much.

I think that's the best option, since it's cheap and easy to clean. But a lot of people use the cat litter called Yesterday's News, or Carefresh, or some other kind of paper bedding - something that absorbs easily. However, I've heard of hedgies trying to eat that kind of litter, or it being too dusty for them. I'm not sure though, since I've never had experience with them.


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## lilythehedgie (Sep 20, 2012)

I use these paper pellets for litter: http://www.petsmart.com/small-pet/b...s-rabbit-litter-zid36-520/cat-36-catid-600027 It's pretty much the same thing as Yesterday's News, but at my Petsmart (where I get the litter) it's cheaper to get this rather than Yesterday's News. But they both work fine


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## rodanthi (Feb 7, 2014)

I have heard that a lot of people remove the litter pan and let their hedgehog stay there for 5 minutes before handling them so they have a chance to toilet themselves.

The stuff about them freezing and staring at you is bang on, as well as their tails going up and the squirming. Hector also does a really funny little squat when he is preparing for a wee (have to scoop him up off the floor really quick then, haha).


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## Hannah (May 15, 2014)

I handle Kewpie for 30min~2hrs a day. She usually just gets in a comfy position and falls asleep in my lap or in her sack while I go on the computer or watch TV.

I keep her litter pan next to me, and if she suddenly goes from super sleepy to super squirmy, I plop her down in her litter pan and she does her business. I use Yesterday's News for her litter and it just took her taste to realize it wasn't food. I have a pretty shallow litter pan so I don't need to use too much litter every day, and I think the shallow depth reduces dust as well (not that it's dusty... never noticed it being dusty at all).


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