# Need help: she's frantic, spastic, not sleeping



## AngelaH (Jul 24, 2012)

Wasn't sure if I should start a new thread so people see this or just keep going on the old thread, she is still having strange issues...

Here's the OP: http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/foru...eet-cuddley-suddenly-spastic-poppy-hissy.html
Basically she's not sleeping well, and acting very spastic and frantic. 
I can't get Thistle in to see a vet for a few days, but here is the update:

I had to leave town last weekend and didn't want to leave her with a sitter with the way she had been acting so I took her with. We stayed in a cabin for a group of other friends. While at the cabin she reverted back to my sweet friendly Thistle. She allowed 'strangers' to hold her and pet her, she sat at the table with me playing cards with a bunch of people she didn't know and just slept in my hand. She was very much her old self. I was so relieved that whatever was wrong had passed....

Well, we got back to my apartment Monday evening and when I pulled her out a few hours later for cuddles, she was freaking out again. Popping, hissing, shaking, running away from me, making lots of sudden jerks, just acting completely frantic. When I checked on her this morning, the cage was a complete disaster with everything overturned and moved around. I'll typically find her curled up sleeping and she was just awake and kind of shakey. Wheel was a huge mess, so I know she ran her heart out and typical amount of food was eaten.

So, it must be something about my apartment??? Nothing has changed. I don't have any air fresheners or new cleaning chemicals, so no new scents.

I just don't know what to do to help her. I've cried when I have her out because she's obviously very agitated by something and I can't figure out how to help her.


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## ajweekley (Aug 8, 2013)

When you were gone, did you take a different cage, or was she in her normal cage? 

Do you have other pets? Small children?

Does anyone in the house smoke, burn incense, use candles, etc?

How's the temperature? Was it cooler or warmer when you were at the cabin?


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## ajweekley (Aug 8, 2013)

Is there anything noisy in her room, like a fan that's running or fluorescent lights?


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## AngelaH (Jul 24, 2012)

Thanks for your response. No smokers, scented items, or children. At the cabin a friend had a dog there, but she had no reaction to it (which is typical for her, seems pretty indifferent to other animals). I brought her regular cage, wheel, fleece, etc. And at the cabin she was her normal cuddly relaxed self.

I'm so baffled what is bothering her at the house, I've had her for over a year, and nothing has changed suddenly. I've always had her in the living room, last night I moved her to the office to see if she settles down. I guess I won't know if that helped until I get home from work later. I'm in an apartment and share one common wall with a neighbor, but she's not against that wall. I'm wondering if there is something odd coming from there???


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## ajweekley (Aug 8, 2013)

That is really weird. I hope the room change helps. If not, maybe the vet will have some ideas. Poor girl.


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

This is a long shot, but is there any new construction going on in your neighborhood? There's a lot in my area and it gets super loud sometimes. Although I don't think it would explain a prolonged reaction like Thistle's having.

Does she still have diarrhea and is she showing any other physical problems/symptoms?


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## sklock65 (Jan 9, 2013)

I wonder if it could be some smell coming in through a vent or something that you don't even notice. They are so sensitive to smells it could be anything. I know when my boyfriend first gets home from work Henry raises his spikes as soon as he walks in the door. I happen to even agree that I smell the change but it's funny how aggitated it makes him. I'm not sure how you would even figure it out if that's the case...or what you'd be able to do about it. Maybe a different location for the cage to see if it helps??

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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

You said you live in an apartment - can you check around with neighbors and with your landlord to see if anyone has made recent changes? Check for scented items, cleaning solutions, and rodent deterrents - I'm especially thinking of rodent deterrents...I know there's ones that emit ultrasonic sounds and they give the kind of reaction that you're seeing from her. They might be weirded out that you're asking, but if you can figure it out, it'll be worth it for her.


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## sweetergrrrl (May 5, 2009)

I agree with the above posts. I'm a dog trainer and it is funny how sometimes the dogs start acting funny, but a few minutes later we (the doggy parent and I) will hear thunder or something that bothers the dog too. Animals are so sensitive to smells, sounds and lighting that we may not be picking up on something that they can sense. 

I would try different rooms until something works. When I had Brillo, I lived with 3 of my guy friends in a "community style" apartment. We all had our own rooms and bathrooms, but shared common areas i.e. living room and kitchen. Brillo liked it best in my bathroom because it was the warmest/darkest/quietest place in my room. It took a while of moving him around until he became his relaxed and happy self again.


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## AngelaH (Jul 24, 2012)

Thanks everyone for your help and support! Good news to report - after about 24 hours in the new location (the office) she was back to her sweet mellow cuddly self when I pulled her out yesterday evening. I was so relieved to have my baby back! So whatever had her so agitated and panicked is either gone, not in that room, or she's adjusted. Fingers (and quills) crossed that the problem is solved, but still totally baffled what caused the sudden multi-day freak out. 

I was also concerned there was a hidden rodent deterrent nearby, unfortunately the neighbor I share a common wall with doesn't speak English, so I was racking my brain on how to ask something like that. 

I did look up electronic rodent deterrents and read their range is only 25 feet if nothing (like walls) is in the way. But walls dampen it quite a bit from what I read. It says if you have a problem in cupboards to open the cupboard doors to let the sound get in, and those are thinner than a wall. I'm so paranoid now that someone has one close by, but seems like it won't do much through a wall anyway. The room she's in now has a few walls between her and the neighbor.


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## ajweekley (Aug 8, 2013)

I'm so glad she seems to be feeling better. Poor hoggie.


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

Strange, but I'm glad she's back to her old self!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Hopefully it's not that then...Whatever was going on, I'm glad she's feeling better in her new location, the poor girl! I'm relieved for both of you.  Hopefully it doesn't happen again! And let us know if you ever do figure out what was going on - might be good information for others in the future.


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## sklock65 (Jan 9, 2013)

Weird! I would assume the change of location was just what she needed. Hopefully that solves it for good &#128522;

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