# Masturbation??



## fosteliss

My male hedgehog Sonic (original right?) has started doing a weird behavior....

He like tucks under and if I look under him I can see his wiener poking out onto his chin...

I hope I don't get banned or something because of posting this question cuz it really is a legitimate question.

I hope Sonic isn't sick or something....


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## PixiesExoticHedgies

It's normal behavior for many male hedgies. 
So if you ever pick him up and his tummy is wet, you'll know what he's been doing.


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## sebian

I remember picking up Damian whilst he was in the middle of... well. I don't know who was more embarrassed!  :lol:


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## Melissa

I have 5 males and they all do it differently! Some hump the air, some go down and do it them selves I have one that HAS to be in his tissue box another in his litter box and another that uses his stuffed animal.

No worries your hedgie is completely normal..

-Sebian- I some how catch Aero everyday doing his business by picking him up! He changes how he does it so often I cant keep up. Now that he has had surgery and cant have a wheel or anything else that may cause him to pop his stitches, he is doing it more often than now. Boys will be boys :roll:


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## LizardGirl

Perfectly normal... Inky quite prefers the couch:

(Hopes I'm not banned for this either- I'll remove it if it's inappropriate :lol: )


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## Gnarly

:lol: at Inky being caught on camera. That picture is hilarious.


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## PixiesExoticHedgies

*LG: * it appears that we may have the exact same couch....at least it's the same fabric.

*Maybe he's just 'dancing' to the tunes of Boogie Boogie Hedgehog! *


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## r_k_chic47

It seems like the ONLY time I've ever seen Pepper do it is while I'm holding him :? I'm hoping that he's just more relaxed when im holding him and that he doesnt get turned on by me :? now THAT would be creepy :lol:


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## numothehedgehog

Hahah yeah its normal

WOW INKY :lol:


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## LizardGirl

LOL... I turn around for a second, and he's up and at 'em. Boys will be boys... :roll:

*Of course* he's just dancing! Couldn't you tell?


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## sebian

My eyes! :lol: Inky will pose for the camera ANY TIME it's hilarious. That little boy has no shame :lol:


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## smhufflepuff

fosteliss said:


> Here's a youtube video of someone who recorded their hedgehog doing the gesture:


Good gosh; that looks huge! Is that normal size for a male hedgie?


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## Tristen

:shock: LG that couch looks just like mine too...

For the sake of being on topic I've never caught Pokey doing such a thing although this isn't the first topic I've seen about it.


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## LizardGirl

> LG that couch looks just like mine too...





> LG: it appears that we may have the exact same couch....at least it's the same fabric.


LOL, I can guarantee that it is not yours. :lol: Inky has claimed it!


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## jayberrylee

My hedgie Fabio does the same thing, when i first got him he rolled on his side to do his boy thing. I think all boy hedgies do it its just how boys are.


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## JessAOII

How old are they when they start this? Our baby is only a few months old.


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## HedgieNewbie

Ha yeah. I was just laying there on my bed and had my hedgie columbus in his little bed next to me, and I look down to quite a surprise his erm. thing staring me right in the face. :? I was like whoaa budy please keep it under you k? Yeah for some reason my guy has taken to doing this while outside of his cage. hmf. :roll:


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## payge

one of mine...does it EVERY time he is out of his house...  on my lap...on my shirt.. the first time i saw it i was rather upset..i didnt realize how...ummm...big they were that they could lick them...sorry it that is to much for anyone...
and i think i have the same couch also!!! except mine definitely has been claimed by both hedgie and Liam.


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## ten_ten

How often do they do this?


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## LarryT

ten_ten said:


> How often do they do this?


 Only your hedgie will know :lol: :mrgreen:


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## FiaSpice

Not only boys do that, I cought Litchi once liking herself and she was really pissed off I poke in her hedgiebag "Mom, please knock before opening, I want some privacy!"


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## AAdict

:lol: oh I have had a right giggle reading all of your stories - I have 3 boys - one is very shy and I havent seenanything with him YET guaranteed it wont be long and the other 2........WELL!!!! One takes great delight in licking himself and I have made the mistake of going to get him out in the middle and one night I thought he was having a fit and panicked - nearly fell out of bed to get to him quickly but NOPE he was just having fun with his toy mousie :lol: and my middle boy he is just the worst - I only have to call him to get him up but his favouritest trick of all times at the moment is to rub himself as he is getting up have a quick nibble and then coming to run towards me back arched and on FULL display :shock: he also rubs himself in his play pen and randomly pleasures himself when exploring :lol: men!!! cant do anything with them :lol: 

Love Inky's piccie too - hahaha thats great - caught in the act!!!


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## HixVAC

Yea back on this topic (wondering if its maybe why my hedgie gets angry at me at times but then other times is more than happy to hang out normally)

Anyone know about what age they start doing such things?

Cause thus far I havnt seen "it" but I havnt really tried to check for obvious reasons

Dexters currently 2 months 1 week old so idk


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## spritecann

Tweasal just did his thing in front of me & my bf for the first time and it is so funny and random, we took him out to play and he pooped ran around pooped and did his thing lol funny little guy =]


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## Hedgieonboard

I know this is off topic but I love your signature Spritecann


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## spritecann

Hedgieonboard said:


> I know this is off topic but I love your signature Spritecann


thanks =]


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## emilymarieasb

Wait...are you all sure that they can really masturbate? I mean, humans do it as a means of pleasure, something fun to do. Creatures, other than humans, have to have sex because when they are going through a cycle(females) something in their brain tells them to do this. Almost as if they are doing it as a means of survival(I can't really give you the scientific reason, as I forgot it) to keep the population in exsistance. They don't really have a sense of how 'fun' sex is, it's something they were made to do.
So, with that said, masturbation is a form a self pleasure that humans do for fun, so-to-speak, so I'm confused on wether a male hedgehog is really 'masturbating' or just cleaning themselves. I know that I have walked in on my dog Miki licking himself, like how you all are describing these hedgehogs doing, but he was only giving himself a 'bath', and I believe that's what these male hedgehogs are doing.
Now, as for the male hedgehogs who are humping stuffed animals or what have you, I believe that, because I have a friend whos' chihuahua does that, but it's only around when his testosterone levels are higher, and females do this as well when they are going through a cycle. It's all because they want to relieve(or get rid of rather) that annoying 'must have sex' feeling. 
Sorry to get all technical with everyone :roll:


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## spritecann

im sure most people will agree that animals have that drive and to them its a survival thing not fun thing to do but i think its kinda funny and corky thing they do


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## emilymarieasb

spritecann said:


> im sure most people will agree that animals have that drive and to them its a survival thing not fun thing to do but i think its kinda funny and corky thing they do


But, aren't they just cleaning themselves? That's where it gets kind of iffy. Either way, I saw the video and it is pretty funny, not gonna lie


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## nikki

no they aren't just cleaning themselves, they ejaculate which wouldn't happen if it was just a grooming issue.


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## emilymarieasb

nikki said:


> no they aren't just cleaning themselves, they ejaculate which wouldn't happen if it was just a grooming issue.


Hmm, for real? I mean, someone mentioned one having a wet belly when they picked it up, and that could have just been saliva. 
I just think it's strange and I can't wrap my head around it. 
This will have to be brought up to my vet class.


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## nikki

believe me itsn not saliva...its sticky, thick and is hard when it dries..its also almost impossible to get out of their fur. I am an EMT as well as a Vet Tech..i know the difference between saliva and semen.


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## emilymarieasb

Hmmm, I still find it hard to believe(although, I'm not doubting what you are saying).

In my years of experience with animals, this is new. I have never heard(nor seen) as animal have this kind of behaviour. Must be what the whole gang is doing these days!


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## nikki

Its not anything new in the animal kingdom and many animals do this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_sexual_behaviour


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## Nancy

Masturbation is nothing new in the animal kingdom. Being in a vet class I'm amazed you have not heard of it.


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## Hedgieonboard

I definately know its true, I've only had my hedgie for a little over a month and I'm for sure thats what he is doing and not grooming, and I do his laundry and it really couldn't be anything else lol


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## LizardGirl

It is absolutely true and extremely common in all sorts of animals all over the world.

I know we have gotten complaints from this topic getting too descriptive, but I just have to say that any animal completely unsheathed, twitching, and licking/chewing is far different than a "hey I think I'll groom my belly". Hedgies don't lick to keep clean.


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## LizardGirl

If you are under 18 how would you be in vet school?


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## nikki

if the complaints of being to descriptive were related to my posts..i apologize.


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## LizardGirl

Nope Nikki you're good. 

Some past threads have had reported posts from some people being a little picky about how "inappropriate" the subject was.


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## nikki

Thanks LG


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## Hedgieonboard

I didn't see anything wrong with your post either Nikki  Its all part of owning a male hedgehog


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## Nancy

Nothing inappropriate that I could see. 

The person doing the complaining is a former member who was banned some time ago due to inappropriate posts and behaviour. Obviously the nitpicking about other peoples posts is supposed to be some sort of statement. :roll:


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## cutietexan

haha nice call LG, how can you be in vet school under 18?


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## jopenguin

I definitely think this post is necessary. None of the hedgie books or web sites I looked at delved into this situation


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## spritecann

Hedgieonboard said:


> I do his laundry and it really couldn't be anything else lol


haha love it, sounds like having a teenage son and knowing what he's up to lol


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## GrumpyGus

cutietexan said:


> haha nice call LG, how can you be in vet school under 18?


Just wanted to point out that you can be under 18 and have post-secondary education. My younger sister was 17 for the first semester of her first year of University (having a birthday in December). So it is entirely possible to be taking a vet tech program in college when you are 17 years of age, even if this is not the case here.


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## LizardGirl

> Just wanted to point out that you can be under 18 and have post-secondary education. My younger sister was 17 for the first semester of her first year of University (having a birthday in December). So it is entirely possible to be taking a vet tech program in college when you are 17 years of age, even if this is not the case here.


Oh yes, of course it's possible to be taking college classes under 18. I was taking AP classes my freshman year of high school.

It just didn't seem realistic by age, maturity level, and knowledge that this member was already in vet school.


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## nikki

it takes 2 years of University before you can be accepted to Vet school...which is what she said, not vet tech...


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## Nancy

LizardGirl said:


> It just didn't seem realistic by age, maturity level, and knowledge that this member was already in vet school.
Click to expand...

Exactly my thoughts.


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## emilymarieasb

LizardGirl said:


> Just wanted to point out that you can be under 18 and have post-secondary education. My younger sister was 17 for the first semester of her first year of University (having a birthday in December). So it is entirely possible to be taking a vet tech program in college when you are 17 years of age, even if this is not the case here.
> 
> 
> 
> Oh yes, of course it's possible to be taking college classes under 18. I was taking AP classes my freshman year of high school.
> 
> It just didn't seem realistic by age, maturity level, and knowledge that this member was already in vet school.
Click to expand...

Um, LG, I'm sorry, but for me not being a part of this forum for what, not even 3 months, you are already judging my knowledge what my 'maturity level' is like?
My knowledge towards exotics is quite frankley limited, so it's a given that my knowledge towards hedgehogs is quite oblivious.
I am extremely knowledgeable when it comes to dogs, cats, birds, and other common household pets. Your firsthand judgment on my knowledge(without knowing me) is false. 
I also finished high-school early and I am enrolled in OSU. Yes, I am a college student, and will be 17 next June(I know, I'm super young). 
I assume you are much older, which means that my level of knowledge is going to 
be much lower than yours(maybe by some subjects) as everyone's is different. 
Also, Just because I didn't realize that animals can 'masturbate', doesn't make me, well, dumb. I asked my instructor about that same subject and we had a class discussion on it. There are some things in the animal world that I don't focus on, like an animal masturbating.

And as someone else stated, no, I'm not in vet-school at the moment, as all of my classes basically consist of physics, statistics, as well as basic college science classes. I'm enrolled in OSU's pre-veterinary program, which basically prepares me for my beginning enrollment of OSU's Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Oh, I am also currently taking evening classes at Meridian Technology's veterinary technician program which gives me extra college credit, so I can ultimately get into some of OSU's honor classes.

Sorry to give you all my education history, but it seems that you all are interested in it, even though it ultimatly isn't any of your business (I tried to put that as bluntly as possible, without making it sound, erm, biatchy).


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## LizardGirl

> Um, LG, I'm sorry, but for me not being a part of this forum for what, not even 3 months, you are already judging my knowledge what my 'maturity level' is like?
> My knowledge towards exotics is quite frankley limited, so it's a given that my knowledge towards hedgehogs is quite oblivious.
> I am extremely knowledgeable when it comes to dogs, cats, birds, and other common household pets. Your firsthand judgment on my knowledge(without knowing me) is false.
> I also finished high-school early and I am enrolled in OSU. Yes, I am a college student, and will be 17 next June(I know, I'm super young).
> I assume you are much older, which means that my level of knowledge is going to
> be much lower than yours(maybe by some subjects) as everyone's is different.
> Also, Just because I didn't realize that animals can 'masturbate', doesn't make me, well, dumb. I asked my instructor about that same subject and we had a class discussion on it. There are some things in the animal world that I don't focus on, like an animal masturbating.
> 
> And as someone else stated, no, I'm not in vet-school at the moment, as all of my classes basically consist of physics, statistics, as well as basic college science classes. I'm enrolled in OSU's pre-veterinary program, which basically prepares me for my beginning enrollment of OSU's Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
> 
> Oh, I am also currently taking evening classes at Meridian Technology's veterinary technician program which gives me extra college credit, so I can ultimately get into some of OSU's honor classes.
> 
> Sorry to give you all my education history, but it seems that you all are interested in it, even though it ultimatly isn't any of your business (I tried to put that as bluntly as possible, without making it sound, erm, biatchy).


I'm sorry if you feel I have misjudged you. I said I didn't expect you were already in vet school, and that was true. I never said you weren't knowledgeable in other areas or unsuccessful in your education in any way.


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## emilymarieasb

LizardGirl said:


> Um, LG, I'm sorry, but for me not being a part of this forum for what, not even 3 months, you are already judging my knowledge what my 'maturity level' is like?
> My knowledge towards exotics is quite frankley limited, so it's a given that my knowledge towards hedgehogs is quite oblivious.
> I am extremely knowledgeable when it comes to dogs, cats, birds, and other common household pets. Your firsthand judgment on my knowledge(without knowing me) is false.
> I also finished high-school early and I am enrolled in OSU. Yes, I am a college student, and will be 17 next June(I know, I'm super young).
> I assume you are much older, which means that my level of knowledge is going to
> be much lower than yours(maybe by some subjects) as everyone's is different.
> Also, Just because I didn't realize that animals can 'masturbate', doesn't make me, well, dumb. I asked my instructor about that same subject and we had a class discussion on it. There are some things in the animal world that I don't focus on, like an animal masturbating.
> 
> And as someone else stated, no, I'm not in vet-school at the moment, as all of my classes basically consist of physics, statistics, as well as basic college science classes. I'm enrolled in OSU's pre-veterinary program, which basically prepares me for my beginning enrollment of OSU's Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
> 
> Oh, I am also currently taking evening classes at Meridian Technology's veterinary technician program which gives me extra college credit, so I can ultimately get into some of OSU's honor classes.
> 
> Sorry to give you all my education history, but it seems that you all are interested in it, even though it ultimatly isn't any of your business (I tried to put that as bluntly as possible, without making it sound, erm, biatchy).
> 
> 
> 
> I'm sorry if you feel I have misjudged you. I said I didn't expect you were already in vet school, and that was true. I never said you weren't knowledgeable in other areas or unsuccessful in your education in any way.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm just very defensive when it comes to that subject in my life. Sorry, I didn't mean to single you out, LG. 
Most people hear how old I am when I'm in class and start talking to me like I'm a baby (they're kidding, of course) and it just drives me nuts!
There seems to be quite a few 16 years olds on here actually. It's very surprising. All the other forums I get on always bash the young ones and make them leave (non intentionally, but their actions make them leave), and it's really upsetting.
I think it's great that you all don't single them out!


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## cutietexan

well im only 13. thats probably got to be a close record for youngest on here


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## emilymarieasb

cutietexan said:


> well im only 13. thats probably got to be a close record for youngest on here


Awh, I remember when I was 13 (3 and a half years ago, lol)! I hope everyone is nice tou you


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## cutietexan

ha, yeah. too late


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## emilymarieasb

cutietexan said:


> ha, yeah. too late


Seriously? There are people on here who disrespect you?


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## ILOVElily

yeah well i am twelve so ha!,lol 
anyway i have my own hedgehog which i was savin up for and i got her 2 of sept. ya , ya i am young so what i am very responsible and i did 1 year of research be4 actually getting my first hedgie so dont freak out. i am used to her quills. i dont get shocked when she quills me and then drop her , no way1 i have bled from her quills and i was fine.
any way lily IS a girl she has had hoglets be4 but yet some times i find her lickin down there :lol: can females masturbate aswell??? :| :?: :?: :?:


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## cutietexan

same here. you have NO idea how much research it took before i could actually get theo a few months ago. and yeah, there are people on here that talk to me like im a baby. but i dunno, i guess you have to get used to it.


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## ILOVElily

i prefer to just not say my age ... saves me trouble hehe :lol:


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## Zania

Hey, my little Boris is having some troubles, when he masturbates he gets the shaving stuck in his sheath (?). I'm not entirely sure of the proper name. But I've read that it can cause irritation and sometimes infection, so now I'm pretty worried. I gave him a warm bath the first time it happened since I wasn't sure what to do. I'm considering changing his bedding into something I little less prone to getting stuck to his belly and such, but I'm not entirely sure what the best one to use is. Also is there anything else I can do for my little dude? I can't imagine it being comfortable for him and he really doesn't enjoy bathes all that much. Help would be much appreciated!

thanks


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## Hedgierrt

Henry used to let it all hang out in the warm tub during a bath, his son Bolt is secretive, he gets "sticky fur" on his chest from dried....um....you know. His brother Oscar does the deed when in a ball.

Boys WILL be boys ROFL  :lol: :roll:


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## hedgielover

Zania said:


> Hey, my little Boris is having some troubles, when he masturbates he gets the shaving stuck in his sheath (?). I'm not entirely sure of the proper name. But I've read that it can cause irritation and sometimes infection, so now I'm pretty worried. I gave him a warm bath the first time it happened since I wasn't sure what to do. I'm considering changing his bedding into something I little less prone to getting stuck to his belly and such, but I'm not entirely sure what the best one to use is. Also is there anything else I can do for my little dude? I can't imagine it being comfortable for him and he really doesn't enjoy bathes all that much. Help would be much appreciated!
> 
> thanks


No you're right it's probably not comfortable and not good for him. Most people on the forum use fleece liners instead of loose bedding material especially for males specifically because of this issue and the issue of things being stuck in the urethra.

There are lots of threads about where to get liners and how to make them. (fleece from any fabric store cut to size, light colours are best to see changes in pee and poop).

I don't know what else you can do besides keeping an eye on the area and making sure it doesn't happen anymore.


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## Hedgieonboard

I have a boy hedgehog and use fleece liners like mentioned above. It's great because when he decides to stretch or drag himself on the ground when stretching nothing gets caught no where. One of the major reasons for me choosing this to begin with is that I read an old newletter from an archive when researching and seen a pic and read a story about a rescue that had gotten stuff stuck and ended badly. So when I seen ppl post about about things that had a potential to cause this I made sure not to have it in there. What I settled on and was able to sleep at night with it being in the cage is: Fleece liners and every other cloth service is fleece, pvc/plastic for the tube and cake cover wheel and folded papertowel for the bathroom area. Now I don't worry as much when I'm sleeping because I know there is nothing to get stuck anywhere and nothing that will snag on his foot.


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## emeko

*eyes Beckett*

Well now I'm a bit worried about my boy's erm... masculinity? Do I have the only male hedgie that uhm... doesn't masturbate lol? In two and a half years of having him in my room with me, I have never once seen this, or any evidence of it (such as the described dried semen or wet belly).

Latent hedgie?


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## Nancy

I've had a few boys that rarely showed any of that activity. Some are very discrete but leave the evidence in their bag. Others, just don't seem to do it.


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## Stephanie76

-- I am posting on this thread because I am assuming that my little boy is now starting to do this and not being so discrete about it... :roll: 


Again, this is pure assumption and I would like to see if I can get confirmation as to what I *think* I am seeing here..

My little boy.. hrm... how to phrase this... "wags his butt" .. if that makes sense. When I get him out for play time and place him out in the open on our living room floor..He starts exploring and then stops.. and moves just the lower-half of his body (from the mid-tummy down to the tail) to the side a few times and then carries on exploring..

Is ... this... applicable to this thread? 

*edit on grammar


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## Hedgieonboard

It does sound like thats what he's doing and I know what you mean with the wags his butt lol Mine will do this but he also likes to randomly walk around and drag himself on stuff too, or stretching out and dragging. I tell him, you know Im right here right lmao.


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## viochic

Hi,

I'm new, and I hate for my first question to be about this, but...

I got Gunther a couple of weeks ago. We're getting along ok, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Yesterday night and all through today he's been absolutely horrid though. He won't uncurl for ANYTHING- not even zucchini, which is like mealies for him- and anyway, I finally got him to uncurl, and noticed a dark spot on his 'wee-wee' , and thought he had stuff stuck! He let me (eventually) get close enough, and I was able to slowly pull a little piece out. He flinched, so I know it was painful, but I think there's some left. I just gave him a bath 2 days ago... should I try another bath? Or will that dry out his skin/not do anything to help this particular situation? 

Anyway, yay first posts! Sorry if I said anything... um, inappropriate.


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## Immortalia

I would suggest a vet visit IMMEDIATELY!!!!

Someone here had a boy who eventually bit it OFF, because something must have annoyed him. 
So I say vet, and get that looked at and taken care of.

What sort of litter are you using? That's one main culprit, or perhaps something the previous owner used/did?


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## Nancy

I too suggest a vet visit to make certain there is nothing left in there and that there is no infection. 

If you don't already, I suggest putting him on liners so there is no risk of it happening again. 

Poor little guy.


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## harasblas

I haven't seen my Brillo "pleasure himself" but I did want to add... 
When Brillo was quilling I took him out of his cage and he wasn't going into a ball. I thought that was weird and when I flipped him on his back I noticed he had a quill stuck in his you know what! I had my husband take it out right away but eeeesh that was scary!  And I'm sure very painful for our little man! 
So if anyone has quilling boys...you may want to check every once and awhile to make sure.


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## Nancy

I've had that happen with babies too. A couple of times my Yuri has had one stuck in his anus.


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## viochic

oh my that's horrible! I'll be sure to check on Gunther when he starts quilling again...

And update!! Gunther is A-ok. The vet squeezed us in today, and he said I did a fine job for such a new mom! 

Thanks for the advice


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## Nancy

That's great. Glad he is okay.


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## i<3hedgies

cutietexan said:


> well im only 13. thats probably got to be a close record for youngest on here


haha yeah but I'm 12 well I mean I just turned 12....


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## ap0226

Hi, I'm glad I found this topic here, because the first time I saw Keoki do this, I thought he was having massive stomach pains or something. I do have a question though. Lately, it seems like he has a different 'method' & I just wanna make sure it's normal. He starts off with his head tucked under & the butt clenching thing but then he suddenly rolls into a tight ball, FALLS OVER, & keeps clenching his body (5 or 6 times), like spasms. THEN, he pokes his head back out & lays there for a while like he's exhausted. I'm wondering..could he possibly be climaxing when he rolls & falls over? It's kinda scary to see, the first time he did this I was terrified but when He unrolled, he just yawned, laid there for a while then got up as if nothing happened. LOL. The first time I witnessed this new 'technique' was when I changed up his cage. He was exploring then he just stopped & did this. It freaked me out when he fell over in a tight ball. Just wanna make sure it's normal.


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## LizardGirl

Sounds like he is just enjoying himself, very much so. :lol:


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## Puffers315

As a person of the male gender, I'll just say yeah, sounds about right, heh.


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## luckyboots125

> I haven't seen my Brillo "pleasure himself" but I did want to add...
> When Brillo was quilling I took him out of his cage and he wasn't going into a ball. I thought that was weird and when I flipped him on his back I noticed he had a quill stuck in his you know what! I had my husband take it out right away but eeeesh that was scary!  And I'm sure very painful for our little man!
> So if anyone has quilling boys...you may want to check every once and awhile to make sure.


That is awful! About a year ago my Butch Cassidy got kitty litter stuck in his privates (it was non-clumping, too - if anyone has a boy hedgehog, be careful...they'll stick it in -anything-). Fortunately my boyfriend was a real champ and "helped" the little guy along so we could get it out.


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## EdgieHedgie

Is it possible for them to become aggressive when this is going on? I've only had him for a few weeks, but he was so sweet... And then he bit me. And it was only after he bit me that I noticed him doing it.


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## lacey.McGowen

Will they do it if in a cage with a female?


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## Lilysmommy

This is a pretty old thread, it's better to just ask a question in a new thread than to pull up one from several years ago. 

That said, I would guess they'd be more interested in mating with the female than masturbating. Males shouldn't be housed with a female unless you're intending to breed & you are doing so properly - money for vet bills, pedigrees of both hedgehogs (and checked for genetic issues), have done plenty of research, etc.


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## lilbare

I have to say that I am glad that I do not have a male. I deal with my birds have Fun on their perchs or my shoulder all the time I do not need a hedgehog doing it too.  It is always good to know that they do in case I have come across it and wondering what in the world is going on  thank you


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## *hogwild*

So glad I haven't caught my boy in the act. That would be incredibly awkward....I didn't realize hedgies were so enthusiastic about this!

Just to comment on the biological side of it: I would think all mammals participate in this behavior. Chimps, rodents, etc., etc. Yes, mating is highly instinctual for breeding purposes, but they wouldn't continue to....um, _practice_ if it were not immediately rewarding and gratifying. I don't think they understand what it is they are doing exactly they just know it's enjoyable so they do it.

Edit: didn't realize this was an ancient thread. Oopsies.


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