# How do you spend enough time with them?



## CritterHeaven (Feb 21, 2011)

The biggest challenge I have found since bringing Toffee (Mystique) home, is how to now divide time between Toffee and Truffle and make sure they both get suffiicient socializing. I have a fairly narrow window of opportunity to be with them since my entire household goes to bed fairly early.

Typically my daughter and I go in to the critter room around 8 pm, gently wake up the babies and spend time with them cuddling (Truffle), chasing (Toffee!) and feeding out treats. My husband though not as involved, will hold Truffle on his lap on a blanket while he watches TV in the other room. Between the three of us we can make it work usually. 

On the rare occassion when I work from home and have a bit of time, I will take one or the other out in their hedgie bag and have them sleep on my lap while I work at the computer during the day. I know some people do this quite a bit but I am still worried it disrupts their sleep pattern.

Anyway, I just really wondered how people managed to do this who have even more hedgies? How do you find time to handle and cuddle 3, 6, 8 whatever you have? I would love to hear other ideas as I want to make sure my guys are well socialized and that we have some quality bonding time with them.

They both seem to be getting more attached to all of us in their own special way. Toffee is far more outgoing but Truffle is getting much better as well.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Can't offer any advice, since I only have one hog myself. I just wanted to echo the interest in any answers given. I'd absolutely love to get a second hog when I move out and can afford it, but have wondered how to handle socializing of two or more. And I've always kind of wondered how the breeders do it, with so many hogs! :shock:


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

I have been wondering just how I am going to do this, as well. Snarf gets a LOT of attention now - more than he wants, I am sure. He spends his days out and about, with freedom thoughout the entire apartment, and we have at least an hour of cuddle time before I go to bed.

And in two weeks...that will change...YAY!! Pesto will be joining us and a new routine will have to be established. "Routine" <snort>...there's no routine where Snarf is concerned. :roll:

I will be working on this during the coming weeks and will, of course, be posting our progress. :mrgreen:


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## NoDivision (Aug 29, 2010)

I can already tell it is going to be tough with my two boys. I have to give Watson attention, stubbornly, even though he currently wants very little to do with me. 

And I have to give Sherlock lots of attention so he doesn't get the "jilted older sibling" complex XD


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I have wondered as well. Having 2 myself, and the potential for several more rehomes. 
At first, I thought hedgie-daddy would want one while I had the other, however, he really only wants to cuddle with them for a few minutes. Knowing myself as I do, I'm busy, busy, busy until about 7 ish. Then, I'll finally sit down, usually watch TV & unwind. At first, it was just Cholla from 7-9, then when we got Zoey, I split it 7-8 with one & 8-9 with the other. With summer, so far, I've noticed they aren't waking up until a little later. So now I have about 45 minutes a night with each one. I don't think I would personally want to go below 30 minutes, so that's why I've decided to try & stay around 4 hedgies. 

There are things I have thought of however, like if the hedgie is an explorer instead of a cuddler. You could have 2 out at the same time, one exploring, while the other is cuddling. If they are the same sex, I imagine it would be a little easier, especially if they were girls. I say that because I can imagine having 2 cuddlers out at the same time, one on each side of you. Absolutely can't do that now with 1 boy & 1 girl.

Personally, I can't get up much earlier than I do already. Mornings are set aside for a quick once over, wheel cleaning, fresh food & water, quick cuddle & a treat. No real quality time there. 

I'm looking forward to some helpful hints as well.


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## NoDivision (Aug 29, 2010)

What I'm thinking about doing is setting the playpen up every evening and having one little man running around in there while I cuddle with the other, and then switching. That way at least they will both me out and around me for the full time, if not in direct contact


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I have two but one is a girl and the other is a boy so it makes it a little more difficult because they can't be out at the same time. My daughter is too small to handle one on her own so I take the opportunity in the evenings after I'm done cooking and doing dishes to sit with her so she can interact too in a safe way. I alternate which one comes out in the evening time. Then when everyone is asleep I multitask and will run laundry and take the one that didn't come out earlier and play with them. This gives me an chance to relax and enjoy, I can watch a movie and hold one or read a good book. Then come morning time it begins again and I can get the looks for cleaning the cages and disturbing their beauty rest lol


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## CritterHeaven (Feb 21, 2011)

I have opposite genders too so it does make it a bit more of a challenge. What I REALLY wonder if how people who have 4 or 6 or 8 do it.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Or 20 or 25!!! With 15 babies...???!!!! :shock:


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## rivoli256 (Mar 1, 2009)

i suppose i could chime in, for whatever it may be worth...

i had 6 until recently...now 5...they are all boys at various ages. all are rehomes/rescues.

when i first expanded from 1 lone hog to 6 :shock: ...they all got along together, surprsingly. so a group playtime & mutlple hog snuggling (does that sound weird or what? :lol: ) was pretty easy. 

as they got more comfortable in their new home & older, certain hedgies would not play ball. Atticus, who just died recently, was the smallest of the bunch & the biggest bully - right up until he was not able to move at all. so he was always kept by himself & got plenty of human attention. i found what worked best was having his outside the cage time be on the sofa. he loved it & it afforded easy bonding. 

i have 2 Tweeds...they always get along & are happy to be together, so they are always out together, though are housed separately. never once have they scuffled. they sleep almost exlcusively. but love the time out. 

my heart patient Herman is very sweet & loves comany but drives the other hedgies nuts trying to snuggle & talk & sing. so, they have an old comforter they burrow around in...underneath that goes a fleece blankie. Herman hangs out on the fleece blankie, under the comforter. he always wanders to be closest to my 2 Tweeds...but he is not right next to them. they all know he is there & vice versa, but it generally stops his pleading for attention. though upon occasion, we find 3 little pricky balls sleeping together on the comforter...  sigh...he's determined. 

Mac really likes to roam so he gets taken out, snuggled for a few minutes until he is getting ready to jump out of your arms...then he goes to one of 2 desginated hedgie roaming areas, where he can wander around safely for as long as he likes.

they all get cuddle time...if they really want to explore though, they can explore. if they want to sleep, they can sleep. i make sure to listen to them.

me free-range guy is not at all a cuddler in his old age...he just wants to run around. or sleep in a corner somewhere. but i still pick him up & put him on the sofa with me - even if he goes & sleeps at the opposite end. he will come out & investiagte my toes or sniff around. he knows i am there & that he is with mom.

my parents help me out right now as i don't have everyone with me. & when they help, it is easier to get lots of human/hedgie time in. but when it is just me, i still make certain everyone gets time. i spend enough time reading or in front of the TV that there is no reason i can't spend time with all of them. they might huff if i need to get up or when i switch them out, but that is a very small price.

the other thing i do is if i am napping or lying down for more than a few minutes for some reason, i bring a hog with me. i have yet to meet one that doesn't like a couch or *LOVE* the bed. my dad will do this too! it's so cute. he will fall asleep on the floor with a hedgie on his chest & they can stay there, immobile, for a couple hours. (obvioulsy in a hedgie safe area!) 

i sound like a broken record but i have found that variety of experience - even if all they want to do is sleep...makes such a difference in their attitudes...my anti-social giant hissing spike ball is now outgoing & curious & silly. giving him room to be himself made all the difference. he was already getting affection & had a stable environment.

listen to them. they will communicate!


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

That's PERFECT Rivoli! The idea of multiple hog snuggling sounds like paradise! :lol: 
Although Atticus will always have a special place in my heart, I have to admit that I've just fallen in love with Herman. That he bothers the other hedgies because he wants to snuggle, talk & sing! I think he sounds like the most perfect hedgie of all time! :lol: 
I love how they all have their own personalities & you know them so well.
Wonderful job. I'm not jealous at all...


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## rivoli256 (Mar 1, 2009)

PJ, you make me blush!


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

:lol: Awww! But I don't say things I don't mean.  

(unless I'm kidding - but I don't flatter)


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