# Long Haired Human Seeks Absolution



## Alastrina (Sep 18, 2009)

*sigh* I feel like a terrible hedgie parent because of what I found wrapped around my little hedgie boy's foot two days ago... one of my hairs. Two of his toes were bound by the single strand, and once I managed to remove it I saw a deep crease in his foot pad, so I know it was tight.

I thank my lucky stars I got the urge to check on him earlier in the day than I usually do, because I have no idea how long he had this hair on his foot during the night. I kept apologizing to him as I worked it free, then gave him a foot bath and bribed him with mealies to let me see it one more time to apply some polysporin to the affected toes.

Every bit of his bedding gets checked for my hairs (which are over 3 foot long at their best) after it comes out of the wash, and again before use. This is the first time this has happened since I have had him, but it scared me to death and Charley has been pampered, coddled, and under more frequent watch ever since that morning.

If other users here have longer hair, is there anything I haven't done (sweeping, vacuuming, manual inspection of bedding) that I could do to keep my hairs away from Charley?

~Katie


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I'm glad everything turned out okay and that his toes and foot wasn't permanently injured.  I don't know what the solution is to keeping hairs away. I find some fleeces seem to be hair magnets, others not so much. 

I've been extremely lucky and it is luck that none of mine have had a hair or thread do any damage. I've found hairs and threads numerous times but thankfully they have never been wrapped tightly.


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## GiveToHairy (Jul 24, 2010)

Unless you want a hog in a plastic bubble I think you're doing great. My hairs shorter, about foot and half at most but I shed like crazy so I know how you feel. I think your doing everything you can. 

Imagine out in the wild what they must get trapped in!! You are doing great in my opinion. Do your best (which you are) to make sure it doesn't happen and to quote Harry Potter - CONSTANT VIGILANCE - so you catch it like you did when it does happen.

Don't beat yourself up


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## Kenzi (Aug 29, 2010)

I am not sure if this is a particular reason, but I use fleece liners, and I've found that some fleece has much more static than others (which is like a magnet for hair). I dont know any particular brands or names, but the fleece I got from walmart is really thin and very staticy. 

The fleece I got from hobby lobby is hit or miss. Some has virtually none, others cling to itself quite a bit. 

From joann fabric- not staticy at all. 

In general, I've found than thinner fleece = more static. also, straight from the dryer usually has more static too (If I let it sit for a day or two, it usually is more manageable).

I know that they make anti-static sprays, but I doubt its hedgie safe (mine had kind of an industrial odor which I'm sure a hedgie wouldn't like). 

P.S. I don't think 'staticy' is a word... But it gets the point across 

This might not pertain to managing hair... But it's a general precaution that could save a limb or toe I suppose.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

I have such a problem with this because when I hold Quigley he makes a bee-line for my head and tries to dig in my hair. He ends up with long strands of hair weaved into his quills and it's hard to get it all pulled off of him. I know that I miss a strand or two some of the time. I try to pull my hair back in a pony-tail when I'm doing hedgehog chores so that loose strands do not fall into the laundry or cage. It's never going to be perfect but it sounds like you are doing a good job already.


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## Alastrina (Sep 18, 2009)

@ Kenzi : I think I've noticed the thicker fleece is less attractive for hair... the cheapie blankets I got from the dollar store tend to have hair stuck on them out of the dryer, but the liners I've made out of thicker fleece from Han**** Fabrics don't...

I have made some liners with fleece bottoms and cotton tops, and the hair doesn't attract to the cotton AT ALL, just slides right off....

@ hedgielover : I try to put mine up in a bun, but whenever I take it down, there's hair on the scrunchie and it'll fall to the floor... I try not to mess with my hair outside of the bathroom so all the hair stays in one place, but I think it's a toss up who drops more hairs, me or my dog >_>

@ GiveToHairy : Hehe, plastic bubble ^_^

@ Nancy: Thank you!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I agree with Kenzi on Walmart fleece. I bought it a few times many years ago and found it to be full of static, pilly, and everything clung to it. Not impressive at all and price wise, it was no big deal either.


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## GiveToHairy (Jul 24, 2010)

The only other thing I can suggest is wasteful but I don't reuse a liner. Sam is good. He is litter trained so i only have to change the actual line once a week sometimes even two (I just shake it out to remove loose quills/food crumbs). From trying to re-use fleece liners at the beginning I noticed they picked up the most hair from the washing process - basket, down to basement, washer, drier. I just use them once hair doesn't get in the cage.

Or there is always the Demi/Spears look - shaved head.

Good luck!


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

GiveToHairy said:


> The only other thing I can suggest is wasteful but I don't reuse a liner. Sam is good. He is litter trained so i only have to change the actual line once a week sometimes even two (I just shake it out to remove loose quills/food crumbs). From trying to re-use fleece liners at the beginning I noticed they picked up the most hair from the washing process - basket, down to basement, washer, drier. I just use them once hair doesn't get in the cage.
> 
> Or there is always the Demi/Spears look - shaved head.
> 
> Good luck!


One of the reasons to use fleece is that it is reusable. Why not just run one of those sticky rollers over it? Hair can get on your hedgehog while you are handling anyway.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I have really long hair too and it does seem that it has the ability to get everywhere even with constant vacumming. I've noticed the same thing with certain fleeces. I had bought some fleece blankets on sale awhile back and they did not turn out well. After a few washings I noticed the same things as some of the other members with a lot of pilling, hair sticking and they started feeling yucky, can not remember the name of them but it was from a Dollar Store. Certain Walmart Fleeces have done it too. I've had some good luck with Han****s and JoAnns but even then hairs still have a way of finding their way everywhere. You're a good owner and it's just one of those things that can happen and its good that you are very attentive to him


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## Alastrina (Sep 18, 2009)

I'm gonna have to tell Charley that, he seems to be tolerating my increased attention only because I've been spacing out his nightly mealies over the course of the day as bribes to let me see his feet ^_^

@ GiveToHairy : Ya, I don't think I'll be tossing any of the liners I make, not only b/c of it being a waste, but it also takes me several hours to make a liner and matching blankies, etc so it's not good on multiple levels. I'd rather wash it then have to make another one...


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## GiveToHairy (Jul 24, 2010)

I understand. Esp. since you put so much effort in. I just buy whatever is the right texture and is on sale at JoAnn's. I just never cared for the way fleece doesnt' feel the same after you wash it and I don't like using soaps/softeners on things for Sam. Noises don't bother him but he is big on smells. He will lick/foam/bite when people with perfume, lotion, strong deodorant or detergent smell hold him. 

PS: I like Charley's picture. It almost says, "see mom, no hairs on my feet. leave me alone!"


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## Alastrina (Sep 18, 2009)

I sew my liners with the top layer being fleece or flannel or cotton, then 2 layers of flannel to absorb liquids, and then another layer of fleece/flannel/cotton, so they're more or less reversible too, probably why they take so long. ^_^

My husband recently got a new tattoo on his back, and I would help rub some lotion on it from time to time; once I used Johnsons Baby Lotion and Charley wouldn't come near me till I washed it off! I have fairly dry skin myself, so I've taken to using Aveeno baby lotions, they're really good and completely odorless.

I tend to use All Free & Clear detergent for all of my laundry, so there are no smells, and I don't bother with fabric softner on the loads of Charley's things b/c he doesn't seem to mind either way and I'd rather skip it then upset him with a funky smell...

I think I know where the hair might have come from, and will be taking extra precautions. I've discovered that Charley vastly prefers to take his baths and footie baths in my bathtub, and there's usually at least one hair lurking near the tub, so he may have gotten it on him then. When I bathe him in the sink or in the small basin I bought for that purpose he's very wriggly and afraid, but in the bathtub he'll just walk from the deeper end to the shallow and back again calm as can be.


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## Karine =^_^= (Nov 12, 2010)

I just thought of a simple solution: braid your hair! :lol:


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## Alastrina (Sep 18, 2009)

Thank you for the suggestion, my hair has been about this length for over 10 years, braiding does help keep it out of the way, but doesn't prevent it from falling out.

~Katie


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Don't feel bad. Snarf is new to us and still won't unroll in my hands. I attempted to apply Bag Balm last night (THAT went over well :roll: ) and this morning...you can imagine: goopy ears/quills + long hair...I pulled 4 loooooong ones out of his quills. I vacuum and check his fleece and would love to check his feet one day...<sigh>...I'm not even sure if he HAS feet. It took three days to establish the existence of his nose.

You do what you can do, right?


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## ChristinaP (Mar 5, 2009)

I doubt that the problem is because you have long hair. I think short hairs would probably be just as much of a problem, if not more so, because they’re harder to keep tied back/more likely to slip out.
Anyway, it’s just one of those things. You’re obviously being very careful, so don’t feel guilty for a freak accident. The important thing is that your baby is fine.  
Does your hair get very much static? Even if the fleece is static-free your hair might not be, especially at this time of year. I find the best thing for that is to use a very small amount of some kind of oil (not enough to make your hair look greasy, just enough rubbed between your hands to make your palms shiny, then run it through the length of your hair). Depending on your hair type, sweet almond oil, camellia oil, jojoba oil, olive oil (if the smell isn’t too strong for you), and coconut oil are good. As far as I know, none of those are dangerous for hedgies. I think I’ve used all of those on ours at some point for dry ears/skin, except possibly coconut oil. It’s really good for your hair, too (speaking as someone with hair down to my bum).
Come to think of it, since you can’t use static sprays on hedgie liners maybe you could use a small amount of oil (one with a long/stable shelf life, such as jojoba or vitamin E oil so that it doesn’t go rancid in the cage) on those as well. I haven’t tried this myself, so I don’t know how well it would work, but it’s a thought.
That is a really cute photo of your little man, by the way!


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

ChristinaP said:


> As far as I know, none of those are dangerous for hedgies. I think I've used all of those on ours at some point for dry ears/skin, except possibly coconut oil. It's really good for your hair, too (speaking as someone with hair down to my bum).
> Come to think of it, since you can't use static sprays on hedgie liners maybe you could use a small amount of oil (one with a long/stable shelf life, such as jojoba or vitamin E oil so that it doesn't go rancid in the cage) on those as well. I haven't tried this myself, so I don't know how well it would work, but it's a thought.
> That is a really cute photo of your little man, by the way!


Sorry...I'm kinda hijacking here...but...speaking of oil...since my little guy has yet to uncurl and his skin is falking like crazy (we see the vet next week). Could I use a spray bottle to verrrrry carefully spray flax seed (or whichever) oil on his back?

You sound like an oil expert, ChristinaP.


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

Petco sells these rubber thingies... um... like gloves almost, for when you shower and groom a shedding dog. i don't have a shedding dog, but it works great for manually cleaning fabric surfaces. menial work, but hey.


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## Alastrina (Sep 18, 2009)

Christina,

That's not a half-bad idea really, and I think most of those oils are ok for hedgies to come into contact with.

Fracturedcircle,

I use a lint roller, but those mitts sound like a much more economical way to do it since I can reuse the mitt... Thanks for the tip! ^_^

MissC,

You shouldn't have to put the oil in a spray bottle, I think it'd clog the mechanism after a bit. I give my little boy flax seed oil rinses by taking a capsule and puncturing it and squeezing the contents into the water. Then I take a small cup and pour the water over his back. Others here just puncture the capsule and drop a little of the oil straight on their backs between their shoulders.

Since your little one won't unroll I'm not sure which method would work best for you. Offhand I'd say the water b/c hedgies will uncurl in the bath, but if you haven't had him long this might be stress best avoided...

~Katie


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## ChristinaP (Mar 5, 2009)

MissC said:


> Sorry...I'm kinda hijacking here...but...speaking of oil...since my little guy has yet to uncurl and his skin is falking like crazy (we see the vet next week). Could I use a spray bottle to verrrrry carefully spray flax seed (or whichever) oil on his back?
> 
> You sound like an oil expert, ChristinaP.


LOL! You probably could, but I usually just pour a little on them or use a dropper. 

ETA: If it's _extremely _flakey it could be a fungal infection, which is treatable with something like griseofulvin.


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## bobmorton (Nov 19, 2010)

Well, same here. I have a very long hair.


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