# Getting Him Spoiled



## brittney083191 (Sep 20, 2014)

Good Morning! 
I have had Jude for a week now and he is still fussy. He would not eat anything for almost 3 days and wasnt drinking either. I gave the same food as the breeder. He wouldnt eat any fruit i tried all different kinds. I tried dry cat food i tried wetting his own food i finally got him to eat wet cat food. Now he will also eat blueberries. He wasnt drinking either so last night i tried putting in a couple drops of Gatorade in his water and switching from the water bottle thing to a small plate. The plate is empty so im hoping he drank it instead of just spilling it everywhere. How can i switch his food back not his normal food or should i just keep giving him this wet cat food? 

He also started itching about 2 days ago, im scared he could be allergic to the cat food or something. Maybe he is just getting dried skin? He is in aspen right now but im going to switch him to a fleece lining soon. 

I have taken him out every night for about an hour and he just hides in my robe until i put him back in his cage. He also will only come out of hiding in his cage if its pitch black. I tried to see what he was scratching with a flashlight and he still ran to hide. I can be patient with him but the breeder i got him from had him running all around and playing. I went there for 3 days before taking him home and he never balled up on me and would run all around my hands and my shoulders. Is he still just getting used to his new home? 

Sorry for all the questions. But thank you for your help


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## Prickerz (Sep 17, 2014)

Yes, he is still getting used to his new home! Any animal will take as long as they **** well please to adjust to a new environment. I know others have said their hedgehogs take months!
PLEASE don't give your hedgehog gatorade! That is hardly meant for human consumption and should never be given to another animal!
Add more water to the wet cat food if you are concerned. And try to put water in a small tupperware container. Take a marker, and mark the water levels on the outside of the container so you can measure how much is disappearing on a daily (or nightly) basis. plastic can be easily tipped, so you will need to get creative to find a way to prevent him from spilling it all over the place! I would use velcro or hot glue that can easily be removed from plastic after your experiment is over! 
Is there any quill loss or flaky patches of skin? Aspen shouldn't cause problems, but every animal is different... what bedding was he on at the breeder's?


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## brittney083191 (Sep 20, 2014)

i read somewhere else that it was ok to give him watered down gatorade because if he hasnt been drinking he would be severely dehydrated and that would help. But i will stop. There hasnt been any quill loss but i cant tell if there is flaky patches. Am i supposed to look on his belly or just around the quills? He is eating the wet cat food no problem i just wasnt sure how long its ok for him to eat that. Its the stuff in a can. He will not eat any kind of dry food even if i "wet" the dry food.


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## gracefulchaos01 (Mar 19, 2014)

I would avoid Gatorade at all costs. It is really only meant for people to start, second it is really only meant for people who sweat profusely and reduce their bodies reserves of salt and electrolytes. Finally, while it is good at replacing those lost items in people, it absolutely does not hydrate the body. Water is absolutely necessary for hydration. Water can be provided in moistened kibble or even canned wet food for cats and dogs. Or even through fruits and vegetables. But the best way to get water is simply to drink it.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

I would definitely buy a higher sided bowl for your little guy. This way less water is spilled and he has plenty to drink all night. 

Your little guy is definitely still adjusting. I would offer him both wet foods and his normal dry food. I would also stop trying to give him treats (fruit) or anything else until his stomach settles and he starts eating for you normally. 

You can try to crush his food to see if that will help him eat the kibble. You can also try to mix the crushed kibble and wet food. I would always leave a little dry food and wet food untouched while offering the two foods mixed in case he doesn't like it. 

As for flaky patches, check in between his quills and his bellies. However, don't be to alarmed if you see dry skin as it is very common with hedgehogs. Just keep an eye on him, if you start seeing him itching a lot, and I mean A LOT, he might have mites and need a vet appointment. However, your little guy is probably in the process of beginning to quill. He will have dryer skin and lose quills and might be crankier.

Also, all four of my hedgehogs sleep in my lap and that is really it. There are my movie buddies. :grin:


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## Stefanigrace (Sep 18, 2015)

That is wrong about the Gatorade. You can surely give hedgehogs and almost any animal Gatorade as long as it is watered down. 1 part water and 1 part Gatorade. I find that our hedgy prefers orange the most. HOWEVER, it cannot be made into a habit as they will prefer this over their water. They may stop drinking water altogether because of the sweet taste from the Gatorade, hedgys love sweet. Every once in a while of you see that they aren't drinking as much water as they normally do is okay. It's really a nice treat on top of their fruits and veggies. Best of luck!


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

This thread is over a year old, please check the date before posting. 

Where did you get the information that Gatorade is safe for hedgehogs?


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