# HUGE biting problem



## josie oak (Aug 2, 2012)

my hedgie pumpkin has been biting and nibbling since i got him, and i keep trying the methods suggested everywhere (blowing on face, rubbing alcohol on a q-tip, pushing back at him with my finger) and none of it has worked. just short while ago i held my finger out to him, and he bit and grabbed on-but this time it wasn't the usual biting, holding on for a few seconds, and letting go. he bit-HARD-and held on for TWENTY MINUTES, putting more and more pressure on, and it hurt so bad i cried. i had to stay still for as long as i could, and he finally let go, only to go right on to biting the side of my finger, just as hard, and i was finally able to yank free. my finger is bleeding and swelling up and i have NO idea why he would go this far, and i'm nearly at my wit's end. i'm not mean to him, i treat him with as much love as i possibly can, and after this, i feel like he hates me. i wasn't holding him or touching him anywhere, so i couldn't have caused him pain.


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## Sunshiner (May 12, 2010)

Hm, has he/she been rescued or bought at a pet store? This could be a cause. Definitely don't stick your finger out to your hedgie. I don't know if you can do anything else. They bite if they want, or to protect. Don't use lotions or perfume/cologne either.


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## painball54 (Aug 2, 2012)

Well; if he bites and won't let go, support him underneath and got to the sink and rush some luke warm water on his face (correct my if i'm wrong). I have just been blowing lightly on my Milo's face if he nibbles ever since i got him. I believe, though; that he bites onto the blanket to help burrow. Maybe your should try to get a small squirt bottle and just squirt a small squirt at his face (don't be really mean though0 just enough to tell him/her that this is not nice and not to do it. This is what i would do but there are different ways on doin this. I havn't had a big biting problem before, I'm mostly goin off of research and some experience.


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## painball54 (Aug 2, 2012)

I meant go to a sink...not got to a sink.


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## Pawlove (Sep 16, 2010)

if he's new than it's maybe that he had been treated badly by other hands before, and perhaps accidently taught that biting can make people leave him alone. 

If he bites again try to push a bit instead of pulling and see if he'll let go. Or blow gently like said on above post. But it's better to not give him a chance to even bite. Handle him with a blanket, preferably something you had use and have your scent on it. You can put something like that in his cage too so he'll be used to your scent.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

Don't use water, running or spray bottle. You could end up getting water in the hedgie's nose, and then end up getting a URI, which would need antibiotics to treat, and must be treated quickly or else it could turn into pneumonia and end up being fatal. 

Some hedgehogs are just biters. A few members have had those. Just keep skin away from their face. Don't purposely give them flesh to bite. Sometimes, it's to tell their owner something, and sometimes, they are merely biters and like to bite skin. Just keep fingers away from your hedgies face from now on.


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## DasIgelPoggie (Oct 21, 2010)

I have a rescue that's a fear-biter, and he will likely always bite. It sucks, but I have just learned to handle him without presenting him with the opportunity to bite. Handle him in one of your old shirts if you need to, and work up to holding him with bare hands again (I've had to work up to it as well, no shame in not wanting any more scars!!). We've had some progress with our little guy, but it's taken three months to get him to that point. It helps that he isn't feeling as sick anymore, but he also is learning that I am a safe person. I don't give hi any reason to be scared of me (no blowing in his face, no yelling at him for biting, etc.), even when he bites. I just sit there and wait for him to let go. I know that this is easier said than done-- hedgie teeth hurt, especially when they start wiggling their jaw to sink them in deeper, but if you give him a reason to be afraid and bite, he'll do it more. Talk to him a ton and get him used to your voice, as well, that has helped our dude. Honestly, though, have realistic expectations of your hedgie-- find joy in the small "wins" of every day. Some days, the "win" will be that he didn't bite the t-shirt you handled him in. Other days, the "win" is that he's doing well with litter training. Find all the reasons you love him.  I know it is difficult, but hang in there.


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## Viki (Jul 10, 2012)

I have had Willow for almost 2 months and her biting has improved a lot! She has bitten me so badly that I probably should have went and got stitches. I was starting to feel very sad about the situation since my last hedgehog Bean never did anything like that. I was reading on this site that if you hold your hedgehog in a fleece blanket they will bite that instead of you. Recently Willow has sniffed my finger a couple times and that was it, she use to just bite me really hard with no warning. I have also stuck her on the floor to run the house while I watched her and she only stays on or hides in her blanket. Good luck with your biting issues. It can be very discouraging but hang in there. Hedgehogs are like any animal and will bite. Of course there are reasons like smells, grumpy, internal issues, hungry, feels threatened or uncomfortable, exploring territory, quilling or some unfortunately are just biters. I think Willow is going to be a biter but that fleece blanket does wonders. She lets me kiss her, pet her, push her quills around to look at her skin ect. Don't give up, these things take time!


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