# Losing Quills // Best time of day to handle?



## sdenney (Jul 13, 2011)

What causes a hedgehog to lose it's quills? I noticed on the way home, my hedgehog left behind a few quills in his carrier. Is this a sign of stress, perhaps? Or just normal behavior for most hedgies?

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For those who are still wondering if I have named him yet - I think I'm going to decide between Zuri (Swahili for beautiful) or Tungsten (photography term referring to light from regular room lamps and ceiling fixtures, not fluorescent).

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Also, I recall reading some things about messing up a hedgehogs "internal clock." Are they nocturnal or diurnal? Nocturnal meaning only up at night, and diurnal meaning up during both parts of the day. Most of the time it will be dark (after 9:30PM EST) when I interact with him, but for certain days where I can interact with him earlier in the day, would it be okay to interact with him or should I leave him alone? For example, it's 11:41AM EST right now. Is it too early to go put him in a fleece blanket and hold him for a bit, or do I want to try not to interact with him too much during the day? Is it really true that you can mess up their internal clocks, and is it easy to do?


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## DexterTheHog (May 22, 2011)

sdenney said:


> What causes a hedgehog to lose it's quills? I noticed on the way home, my hedgehog left behind a few quills in his carrier. Is this a sign of stress, perhaps? Or just normal behavior for most hedgies?


Depends on his age, he might be quilling. But a few lost quills here and there isn't much to worry about 



sdenney said:


> For those who are still wondering if I have named him yet - I think I'm going to decide between Zuri (Swahili for beautiful) or Tungsten (photography term referring to light from regular room lamps and ceiling fixtures, not fluorescent).


Tungsten!! Thats an adorable name 



sdenney said:


> Also, I recall reading some things about messing up a hedgehogs "internal clock." Are they nocturnal or diurnal? Nocturnal meaning only up at night, and diurnal meaning up during both parts of the day. Most of the time it will be dark (after 9:30PM EST) when I interact with him, but for certain days where I can interact with him earlier in the day, would it be okay to interact with him or should I leave him alone? For example, it's 11:41AM EST right now. Is it too early to go put him in a fleece blanket and hold him for a bit, or do I want to try not to interact with him too much during the day? Is it really true that you can mess up their internal clocks, and is it easy to do?


I take Dexter out during the day quite often and just let him sleep on my lap. As long as he's sleeping I think its fine (at least I do it and Dexter doesn't seem to mind). Also, if it's nice outside I let him out for about 15 minutes in the day time to roam around in the grass. On days like this I don't bug him until like 10:30pm (when I usually bug him at 9:30pm). So far he doesn't mind at all!


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## sdenney (Jul 13, 2011)

I really like Tungsten, too. It's different xD 

Thanks! Yeah I think it would be okay. I wrapped him up yesterday evening and he slept until after midnight before waking up. I want him to get used to having me hold him. I'll probably be on the computer for most of the day anyhow, so I won't be moving a lot and disturbing him.


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## DexterTheHog (May 22, 2011)

Sounds like a plan!
Dexter woke up at 12:00 too. I just kept waking Dexter up at 11:00, then after a while 10:00, then after a while of that 9:00 and now he wakes up on his own at 9:00-9:30


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