# Bored of wheeling or something wrong?



## KingKnuckles (Dec 27, 2013)

Knuckles has two over head CHE that keep his cage around 78, he's a fan of the warmer temp. He has a light source on a timer and his CHE are on a thermostat control (and there's a separate digital probe thermometer). I know his heat and light are on par with what they ought to be, but the last few nights he hasn't seemed himself. He's eating his cat food (wellness adult indoor), his crickets and meal worms, and drinking plenty; however, he hasn't been running like usual. 

He has a Carolina storm bucket wheel and, typically he straight up destroys it with poop every night. I'm a complete insomniac so I check on him through the night. I always catch him wheeling, he'll hop off greet me with his nose and go back to wheeling. The last 3 nights I've walked in to check on him and he's laying down in the middle of his cage sleeping. I've read some threads about people saying their hedgehog takes a break from wheeling, could that be the case? Or should I be worried? I'm not completely positive on his age since he was a rescue, but I'm leaning towards 1-1/2 to 2 years old. 

Any input would be greatly appreciated. The last time he stopped wheeling it was because he came down with a URI. That was shortly after I got him and I think it was due to his poor living conditions. He hasn't been sneezing, eyes are clear, nose is clear, and appetite hasn't changed.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

I think my hedgehog is a classic diva when it comes to being out-of-sorts without telling me what he wants changed, so I've got a lot of practice with this now!

Things to check:
1. Are his nails in need of a trim? My guy progressively declines how much he runs, then stops entirely if I get behind in my manicure/pedicure duties.

2. Any chance of a new extraneous light source bothering him? My little friend always struck me as rather immune to light as he happily plays with us in dim conditions, but I recently discovered his months-long wheeling-strike was because a building security light was bothering him through closed blinds! New LED lights in the room, a computer or tv monitor being left on, or other seemingly-minor light disruption.

3. Any other environmental changes? New smells, new sounds?

4. Temperature-check his cage, make sure that a CHE isn't dying and producing less heat? Do it at night, too, when you're doing your insomnia-checks, see if the temperature is dropping overnight. If it's stable, you can always try bumping it up a degree or two, see if he's feeling more cranky about temperature as he ages.

5. How's his wheel? Could it be loose and wobbly (fixed by tightening)? Did you change its tilt by mistake during cleaning? Is the wheel surface getting warped and need replacing?

6. Continue to keep an eye out for any other behavioural or physical changes. Time to go into full-paranoid mode!

If all else comes up normal, then maybe he's just taking a break.


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## KingKnuckles (Dec 27, 2013)

Thanks for the suggestions, Annie&Tibbers!

I know for a fact his nails are trimmed and manicured. He has a spa day once a week. Skin and ears oiled, nails trimmed, and spot cleaning his fur because someone decides to enjoy is royal wee, wee. :roll:

Wheel and heating elements are spot on. I think you might be on to something with an outside light. A neighbor recently installed an incredibly bright light in their backyard. I'll check tonight to see if it's on/bothering him. 

Today, he was incredibly grumpy, spastic couldn't get comfortable, jumping around. It's rare for him to act like that. Typically, he lays on me and falls asleep while I pet him or rub his tummy. Talk about paranoid. If I can't figure out what's going on I'm making an appointment Monday with his vet. It's going to be a long weekend. Oh how they love to make us worry.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

An easy way to check if the light is bothering him is to drape his cage with a curtain for the night, see if he runs. (Be careful to keep CHEs clear to avoid a fire hazard; I've done it by creating a blanket-fort using chairs before!) If that helps, and the blinds aren't enough and/or the neighbour won't put their light on a timer, you can pick up some blackout curtains.

If he keeps showing signs of discomfort, check him over for any hidden ingrown quills, thread or hair tangled around toes, anything that could be causing pain. With his uncertain age, he might be doing his 1-year adult-quilling and getting a few new quills in?

I'm pretty sure hedgehogs are born with an innate knowledge of when a vet will be unavailable for the greatest length of time.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

"and he's laying down in the middle of his cage sleeping." is what would concern me. Typically when they don't wheel, they still maintain their normal sleeping spot. Often, sleeping in the open is a sign of illness. 

If sleeping in the middle of the cage is new behaviour for him, he needs to be checked out and it's good you are making an appointment for him. 

In the meantime, is there anything else unusual? How is he eating? Count his kibble so you have an accurate number. Is he pooping and urinating normally? When he is up and active is he walking and behaving normally?


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## KingKnuckles (Dec 27, 2013)

Annie&Tibbers,
I'll keep the curtain idea in mind. It ought to be easy enough to pull it off the way his cage is set up. 

I'm not sure about the quills. He's usually fine with me petting them and wiggling fingers around the base, but he wouldn't let me get near them today. The adult quilling is a possibility. 

Nancy,
I've seen him fall asleep in his wheel because he's a maniac and stretch out and nap behind his wheel at times. So laying in the open for him isn't super abnormal. I've had him for a year so I know his habits pretty well. Eating, drinking, bowels, urination all normal. Kibble bowl has been empty as well as his treats. Walking is normal, I've checked to make sure there's no hairs or threads on him. 

I'm starting to wonder if he doesn't have a case of mites. He hasn't had any quill loss, but he was itching more than usual and wouldn't let me near them. I know it's not dry skin because he gets flax seed oil and a rubdown weekly. Just seemed like he couldn't quite get comfortable. 

I'll be checking on him tonight. If necessary I'll take him to the vet tomorrow just to be on the safe side. He's an important fella.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Mites are usually identified by "frantic" scratching, but when my little guy had mites while quilling, the way I figured it out is that he seemed just totally, utterly miserable. It's irresponsible personification on my part, but it's like he was so tormented he just gave up and didn't even care anymore. I admit, when I read:


> Today, he was incredibly grumpy, spastic couldn't get comfortable, jumping around.


my first thought was mites, but then I didn't mention it because you hadn't said anything about scratching. You can try to check for mites by rubbing him down with a black/dark cloth, then looking at that cloth under bright light to see if any of the white specks move, but that doesn't always work. (It didn't for my little guy.)

If you do go to a vet to treat for mites, make sure they use a topical medication called Revolution. It's difficult to overdose, and has minimal side-effects, so it's no big deal to treat for mites just-in-case. If they're unfamiliar with using it for hedgehogs, they need to use the kitten/cat strength medication, and the normal by-weight dosing. Do NOT let them inject Ivermectin, as it is easy to overdose and hedgehogs have had fatal reactions to it in the past. Depending on the vet, you may need to argue pretty ferociously to protect your tiny friend.


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## KingKnuckles (Dec 27, 2013)

I'm pretty sure he just likes to make me worry. He seemed his typical self last night. Wheeling, cleared his food, and pooped up a storm. Tonight, he's active eating and running. Perhaps he was just being a grump. Either way I'm going to keep an eye on him. He's been shaking his quills a little more often and scratching a bit. I noticed when he was out his belly fur seemed like it was shedding a bit. 

I tried the mite test but I couldn't make anything out. I've read about the revolution and his vet is really open to input so I might see if he can be treated just in case. Regardless he's due for a yearly check up. 

Thanks so much for all the input though!


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

He heard it was a long weekend, and figured he had to get in early to ensure he'd monopolize your attentions. Glad to hear he's back to running; I hope he keeps it up!


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## Purple1365 (Nov 6, 2014)

Tiffany and Oliver

Oliver just know started doing this and I don't know if this is normally with hedgehogs I took him out and like he started bringing his butt in and out and then brought his head underneath him by like his private part so is that normal for males to do or no


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## Purple1365 (Nov 6, 2014)

Tiffany and Oliver 

Ok so I just took out Oliver and I don't know if this is normal or not for a male hedgehog but he was bringing his butt back and forth and then he brought his down there by his private area can someone tell me if this is normal for a male hedgehog to do this or no cause I'm really concerned


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Sounds like he's just having some "boy time". Next time you might want to start your own thread instead of adding on to an old one.


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