# PLEASE HELP! Inflamed, Swollen.



## katmus10 (Aug 20, 2012)

I got my hedgehog Shamus Elagabalus Black in June and he's always been really healthy, very sweet, and ridiculously awesome. Last night I prepared his food and sat it in his cage. He came out of his igloo and I immediately noticed that he was acting really strange, spaced out, and lethargic. He pretty much ignored his food and walked to the corner of his cage where he kept humping the air and leaning to the side and rolling into a half ball nibbling at what I thought was his foot. He seemed to be bothered by something and he didn't want to move too much. After checking out his feet and seeing nothing out of the ordinary I decided to lift him out of his cage to check his belly. . . sure enough where his "belly button" should be was red and pink very inflamed and swollen with two small white dots on it. He kept licking it and at first I was hoping he was just maybe having boy time but I woke up this morning and it looks the same if not worse. I'm making a vet appointment now but I would really like to have an idea of what's wrong. I love him very much and I'm sooooo worried.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

A vet visit is definitely needed asap...glad you're getting one made. I've never owned a male, so I can't really offer a whole lot of help...but a few suggestions - what kind of bedding do you have him on? Is it possible that something got caught in his sheath or injured him and has caused it to swell up? If you have him on fleece/fabric liners, that makes it much less likely, but I think I remember reading about someone whose boy got a hair wrapped around his penis, too. :? The only other thing I can think of is perhaps urinary tract infection or something similar - but you would've likely seen pink or red-tinged urine from that as well, I would think, before the swelling and such got so bad. Good luck and I hope you get him in soon...poor boy.  Please, let us know what the vet says.


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## katmus10 (Aug 20, 2012)

I've kept Shamus on fleece liners ever since I got him.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

He needs to see a vet Now. There are many possibilities. From an actual blockage or obstruction, to overactive boy time and he accidentally bit himself. But if he's already acting lethargic, it's an emergency and he needs to see a vet asap!


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## katmus10 (Aug 20, 2012)

I took Shamus out of his cage to spoon feed him (to make sure that he would eat something) and wait for him to go pee since I figured there'd be. . . complications. He didn't eat very much so I let him burrow under his blanket and waited. . . a few minutes later I heard him make this chirping sound which is what he does when he goes. I peeked in to make sure his pee was it's normal color, it was. Afterwards he came out and crawled into my lap. He was purring and snuffling around like his usual self. On a hunch I cupped him in my hands so that he'd roll into a half ball and when he began to kick his way out of it I checked the swollen area and sure enough it was back to normal. I can tell how relieved he is, he's running around his cage now, eating and making his happy sounds. . . The Vet wanted me to drop him off at the emergency clinic tomorrow so she could squeeze him in between a few other appointments but now she has nothing to examine. . . so I was wondering what everyone thinks I should do. I was planning to keep a close eye on him for the next few days to see if it occurs again and then go from there.


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## Shell (Aug 23, 2012)

Hi. Since it`s not a normal thing for that to happen, I would definately take him in for a check up ,with the photo you posted to show the vet. Just as a precaution as it could happen again and the next time the swelling may not go down. Also, since he was lethargic and acting strange it`s best to find out the reason for it. When I saw the photo I was really worried for him. That looked really sore. let us know how this lovely little man does. So glad to hear the swelling has subsided.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I agree with him seeing the vet. Although it has seems to have gone down, it may not have, but has simply retracted into the sheath and it may happen again. The picture, as well as being lethargic shows he needs to see the vet. Good luck.


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