# Can Hedgehogs Get Depressed?



## AlexWG (Jan 3, 2017)

Odd question I know, but I can't figure out what else may be causing my hedgehog not to be wheeling as much. Perhaps it's boredom and not depression? :-(

She is healthy according to the vet who I visited Monday, and they also trimmed her nails. The vet said she'd gained a small amount of weight though, and I believe it's due to her lack of activity.

I have been peeking in periodically throughout the night at my hog, and very often I locate her next to the wheel snoozing/chilling but not running on it. As far as I can tell the wheel is functioning properly (Carolina Storm Bucket Wheel) and it is cleaned daily with the same dish soap and hot water as always. I find I hear her wheeling after we bond, because she never poops or pees while bonding but chooses to do so on her wheel once returned to her enclosure. After that though, I realize, she isn't wheeling as much. I think because I acknowledged that she ran on the wheel A BIT, that she was wheeling throughout the night as well, but I now believe that is not the case as the wheel is much to clean in the morning.

Her cage is clean, it is at a steady 78-79 degrees at all times, proper light schedule and she is eating and drinking just fine.

I wonder if perhaps she is simply bored of running on the wheel? She has never shown interest in the enrichment activities I've attempted to provide for her in the past, such as tunnels/toys/hiding worms for her. 

Any suggestions folks? Please and thanks!


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## jamandbiscuits16 (Feb 5, 2015)

Might be in need of a bigger cage is the only thing that I can think? Not sure what your cage setup is like!Make sure she’s able to easily get into her wheel as well, if you have it in a litter box or anything.

My partner is a vet tech and I asked her about animals and depression. She said that all animals can get depressed, so it may be true for your hedgie. As long as you are spending time with her each night and doing your best to enrich her life, I wouldn’t worry too much. Her food might not be a good balance either - not giving her enough energy.


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## AlexWG (Jan 3, 2017)

jamandbiscuits16 said:


> Might be in need of a bigger cage is the only thing that I can think? Not sure what your cage setup is like!Make sure she's able to easily get into her wheel as well, if you have it in a litter box or anything.
> 
> My partner is a vet tech and I asked her about animals and depression. She said that all animals can get depressed, so it may be true for your hedgie. As long as you are spending time with her each night and doing your best to enrich her life, I wouldn't worry too much. Her food might not be a good balance either - not giving her enough energy.


I think there's plenty of space in her "cage". It's a cupboard, and I can sleep in it if I needed to and I'm 6'1 and 200lbs. I don't know the measurements of the cupboard but it's at least 6 feet long and probably 2 feet wide by my eye's guess. Her wheel is in one corner, and it's a Carolina Storm Bucket Wheel with the pan (which for the past two weeks has not been used because I thought maybe she had trouble getting in and out). Her food and water is at the exact opposite side. She has blankets, a hide out and cage liners. And like I said the temp and light schedule is very consistent.

I spend time with her every night, and have always tried to add enrichment things like approved toys from various threads on this forum.

She eats Fromm Game Bird cat food mixed with Fromm Salmon cat food now to balance the fat, and there is no grain in either food apparently. She has plenty of energy when she's out and about, just snoozes a bunch in her cage throughout the night but there is a fair amount of poop on the wheel, just I don't hear her going at it as much as she used to.

Anyhow, I'm going to keep trying things. Does anyone know the approved type of sand for them to roll around and be ridiculous in? I want to try it. For the moment I'm going to use some safe paper bedding in a shoe box to get her to dig, but won't be using the paper bedding as her actual bedding.

She enjoys toilet paper rolls, but how do I cut it so that she can play with it while I'm asleep and I don't have to worry about her getting stuck and injured?


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## AlexWG (Jan 3, 2017)

Just did a quick calculation, that's about 12 square feet of space for the hedgie. I think it's ok, but perhaps not? I don't remember the minimum.


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## AlexWG (Jan 3, 2017)

Ok so I've added more toys and a dig box to her cage. She seems to be intrigued by the dig box and the toy dump truck, I'll have to go get her more worms so I can stash them in the dig box and truck.

I've also been spying on her more, and she wedges herself against the wall and her wheel and snoozes there quite a bit throughout the night. This seems to be a pattern. What to do?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Sorry, I can't recall, how old is she? She might just be getting lazy as she gets older. :lol:


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## AlexWG (Jan 3, 2017)

Lilysmommy said:


> Sorry, I can't recall, how old is she? She might just be getting lazy as she gets older. :lol:


She's just over a year now. Oh she better not be getting lazy and porky! I'm gonna get her to do Hedge army training :lol:


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