# My Hedgehog isn't eating or drinking, any advice?



## opie161 (Oct 4, 2012)

I have a 1 and half year old hedgehog that I've owned for about a year- she stopped eating and drinking on Sunday. I took her to the vet yesterday, who put her on an antibiotic (Albon) for possible bacterial issues. Her weight hasn't changed according to the scale, but I feel like she might be a little lighter. Maybe I'm just a worried mom  The vet is not a specialist in hedgehogs, but said that there were no definite signs of illness when she looked her over. (I have to drive a couple hours away to meet with my specialist vet so I'm trying to hold off until I think it's a severe enough problem.)

Honestly, she has been as perky and active as ever (friendly, loves her wheel and toilet paper tube) but acts completely disinterested in her food and water. She is a VERY picky eater and I could never get her to eat anything other than her organic cat food. I tried some other brands plus meat and veggies, but she has snubbed them all. I keep a heating pad on a low setting to make sure that she does not get cold, and her temperature overall seems fine. 

Right now I've been force feeding her turkey baby food and water a couple times a day to keep her strength up, which she is taking without much issue. I do keep her food elevated on a ramp in her cage, but she never had a problem climbing up to eat it. I usually give her a 1/4 cup of kibble and fresh water at night which she finishes most of by morning, up until recently of course. 

Last week (before she stopped eating) she was constipated for a couple days, but a warm bath and some coaxing got rid of the issue. I don't think these are related, but you never know. Her poop is normal now. 

I am still waiting to see if the medicine does it's work, but does anyone have any advice? Any guesses to what might be wrong with her? Food I should try?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

If she is eating other things you are giving her, perhaps the kibble has gotten too difficult for her to crunch. You can try adding a bit of water to her food to soften it and see if that helps. How old is the food? Perhaps it has gone stale. I'd also put her food on the same level just in case the ramp and level has become an issue for her.


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