# Some help would be greatly appreciated



## Pikachu (Dec 6, 2013)

First and foremost, I would like to warn whomever might be reading that this will get very long. I'll try to break it up into sections for easier browsing and I apologize for my first post here being a novel. A wholehearted thanks to anyone that actually reads the full post.

INTRO
I am a 21 year old college student from South Dakota and I have a hedgehog that will be turning three years old this upcoming March. His name is Venice the Hedgehog. He is a salt & pepper colored African Pygmy. Venice is my first hedgehog and the only hedgehog that I've actually ever met. I'm told that he's got a rather social disposition for a hedgehog, but I've never actually seen any other hedgehogs to accurately compare him to. I got him as an 18 year old in my senior year of high school. I am now a college junior.

NORMAL LIFE
Since I got Venice, nearly three years ago, I've done much of the things the same. I've always used the same cage, the same bedding and the same food. His cage is a clear, plastic storage bin. The dimensions are a length of 31 inches, a height of 12 inches and a depth of 15 inches. It's a decent sized cage. I've always used Aspen shredded bedding, and the breeder I bought him from always used the same bedding as well. I've never had any problems with it, but I think it may be the cause of my current situation. Venice is incredibly active. I can never get him to sit still and he has a vested interest in climbing to the top of my head. Having said that, he loves my hair. He's always pawing and gnawing on it when he's out. As far as his life goes inside his cage, Venice has a running wheel that he uses often, a sleeping hut and hiding tunnel, food plate, water bottle, and ball that he pushes around. It's not uncommon for him to flip over his sleeping hut during the night and if he does so he'll burrow under the bedding and sleep under his running wheel until I flip over the hut to it's natural position. A year ago I thought his hut to be too small for him so I bought a tunnel made out of the same material, but he doesn't seem to like it much and always used the same hut. Recently I had to purchase him a new hut that he likes very much. It's really large and offers the same coverage of his old hut. I'll describe this more in detail later. As far as food goes, I've always fed him dry cat food and 3-5 mealworms. There's been a few times where I've had to change the type of cat food but I've always stuck with the same brand. He'll usually eat it even if the type is different. The mealworms have always been the exact same. There have also been a few nights where he'll eat less, sometimes significantly less and sometimes just a little less. There have also been periods where he'll eat little for a few nights in a row, but that was only when I first moved into campus. Naturally, my campus does not allow pets inside the dorms. I come home over the weekends to stay the night and I usually visit on mondays and wednesdays. This means that a few nights a week I'm not home at all and leave my brother to feed him.

WHAT'S WRONG
One night a few weeks ago, my brother forgot to feed my hedgehog, even though I asked him if he had. There have been nights where Venice will eat little, but there's been very, very few nights where he hasn't been fed. I always make sure he has food and my brother forgot only once. After this, Venice started flipping his sleeping hut every single night and I would come home to find he hadn't eaten anything and he would be laying awake on his side, with no other visible signs wrong with him. That night I went out and got a different kind of dry cat food, hoping that that was the problem. The next day he had eaten as normal but his eyes looked baggy or puffy. I thought it might be due to his lack of sleep and because of his hut-flipping I assumed that his sleeping hut might be dirty and that it might be uncomfortable for him. So, later that day, when I cleaned his wheel, plate, ball, and cage, I made sure to clean his sleeping hut as well. Unfortunately, the material it's made out of didn't like the water and it was ruined. That same night I made sure to buy a new hut very similar to the old, only much larger. That way he had a clean, larger hut to sleep in that he couldn't knock over. Afterwards he slept just fine, ate perfectly normally, and judging by the poop on his running wheel he was running just fine as well. Besides the puffy eyes he was perfectly normal. When I came home over Thanksgiving, I was distressed to see that he hadn't improved in the slightest. At night I had also heard him sneezing once or twice. I looked online and people said that hedgehogs have been known to randomly become allergic to aspen. Today I went and got Cleanfresh natural paper shaved bedding. This is only a temporary fix. I'm hoping to see some sort of improvement in his eyes and if there is I will seek out a better bedding option than aspen and cleanfresh (as I've read mixed opinions on it). When I find some break between my finals I'm going to try and read up on this fleece liner bedding I've heard about. I hope to use the Cleanfresh no longer than a week. Today I also gave him a bath. This leads to my next few issues. I can't describe it well, but his ear has some sort of thing on it. It's not a cut or scab or anything. It's just a little thing that's a slightly darker shade than his ear. It's been there since the end of summer, and since my hamsters always had this same thing with their ears I thought nothing of it. (Note: My hamsters all lived an average of 3 years. With one living as long as 5.) I cannot provide any pictures at the moment as I'm back on campus, but I will try to get some the second I get home next. The final issue is with a quill. I gave him a bath the same as normal and afterwards he seemed much better. But when I dried him off with a handtowel, a single quill was left with the towel. I searched the bath water for any other quills and found nothing. The single quill is less than the diameter of a penny in length. I know that this might signify mites, but he's shown no other signs of quill loss other than this one. Since I got him his new hut he's been eating and running perfectly normally. His attitude hasn't changed at all.

TODAY
As stated earlier, I cleaned out his cage today and gave him a bath. Instead of Aspen I used paper shavings instead as bedding. Before I placed him back in his cage, he seemed to be doing much better. His eyes didn't look perfectly normal but they definitely looked a little better than before. He went to his hut and slept very soundly, more so than he had the last while. I'll be stopping home every single night these upcoming weeks to check for any improvements. If I see none after a few days, I'll seek out a vet for him.

Again, I'm sorry for the novel, but I'm just very distressed at the moment so I felt the need to explain the whole situation as well as I could.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I can't say much on the ear thing since I guess I can't picture what you're describing. Pictures once you can get them would definitely help with that.

I wouldn't worry about the quill - mites usually mean they lose quite a few quills, and they'll scratch a lot, frantically. Most hedgehogs lose quills occasionally, some up to a few a day, which is natural. I would guess it was just something like that. If you haven't noticed him losing quills before, he may just not lose many, or you could miss them with his bedding.

Regarding the bedding, I'd definitely try changing to fleece or something to see if it improves his eyes further. He could've had a reaction to the aspen pop up, and with the paper, if it's dusty, it could be continuing to irritate them. If you have time, all you really need to do is stop by a store like Walmart (or a fabric store) and buy a yard of fleece (or just a fleece blanket). You can cut it to fit the bottom of the bin - with fleece you don't need to sew since it won't unravel & produce threads that get caught around legs, so a single layer can work in a pinch. I would do so as soon as you can though, to see if it helps with his eyes. If it doesn't, and his eyes remain puffy, I'd get him into the vet soon. 

Let us know if you manage to get some fleece & if it helps. Also, welcome to the forum!  I hope your little Venice goes back to normal soon...animals can have the worst timing sometimes! And good luck on your finals, I've got mine coming up soon as well.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

1. Extremely minimal quill loss.

1 quill? No worries. They shed occasionally.

2. Not eating (now resolved)

If you ever find yourself in a situation where he doesn't eat again, bribe him with treats, syringe-feed ground kibble & baby food, anything to keep him eating. Hedgehogs go downhill super-fast without eating, and when they stop, they can also stop getting hungry so they don't re-start eating!

3. Puffy eyes

Switching to a dust-free bedding does seem like the fastest, easiest thing to check. Fleece bedding is literally just a chunk of fleece cut to size (the size of the base of the cage). You can get it at fabric stores, or chop up a fleece blanket from a thrift store or super-mega-store. Wash fleece bedding with unscented detergent and a bit of white vinegar (removes urine smells). Wash before first use -- fabric smells funny straight from the store.

4. Ear

Any chance it's just goop on his ear? Try wiping at it with a damp cloth? Photos when you can!

5. Other questions:
Welcome to the forum! When things are less stressful, you might find this book awesome for filling in information that you didn't know you didn't know.

Does he have regular heat and regular lighting (12-14 hours light, 10-12 dark)? Lack of either can lead to reduced activity, and even if he was fine as a baby, some hedgehogs get more sensitive as they grow older.

And, quick check: his wheel is solid-surface, no where for tiny toes or feet to get caught?

Edit: Lilysmommy, this time you beat me! Clearly, we can tell who loiters on the board, waiting for the distress call of a hedgie in need.


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## Pikachu (Dec 6, 2013)

I cannot say enough how much your timely replies have eased my stress. The quill loss being no big deal is especially relieving. 

I will venture to Walmart straight away tomorrow after classes and buy fleece and the proper detergent. 

His wheel has no gaps at all but it does have tiny ledges or bumps on it. I don't imagine it would do any worse than stub his toe a little, unless stubbed toes are an issue, in which case I can also go get a smooth surface one. 

Expect photos of everything by this time tomorrow.

And again, thank you so very much! I spent so much time today caring for my hedgehog that I actually haven't done any of my mountain of homework yet. But now I can work through the night with some peace of mind. Thank you both.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Sounds like you have a comfort wheel. All good, don't think about that particular question again. Now, on to homework!


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## GoodandPlenty (Feb 4, 2012)

I agree with the others that changing to fleece bedding might be a good idea. It may make no difference, but knowing that is a big piece of information. It may make a big difference; could be your hedgie has simply become sensitive. That happens to people too; no allergies ever and all of a sudden a low tolerance for smoke, particulates, and the like develops.
...................................................

-- three years old --

Has he ever been to a vet? He might have a couple of years left. That said, he's quickly heading toward being on the old side and a complete check-up might answer some questions and advance your knowledge for others.

A full blood panel to check all the markers for hedgehogs might be a good idea.

It's possible that his eyes are starting to 'wear out' from age.

If they have never been cleaned, the ears may be dirty and need cleaning. The vet would need to do this. Sophie's ears are in perfect condition from the outside, but at a bit over a year old she got a vet visit and an ear cleaning was needed. It was a very minor thing, but not something that I could have any awareness of.


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## Pikachu (Dec 6, 2013)

I've got the pictures. Just trying to figure out how to upload...


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## Pikachu (Dec 6, 2013)

I apologize as this will be a long post...

Since he was calm enough, I actually stood next to the cage and took pictures through the wall of the cage. That's why some will look a little faded or blurred. I wanted to catch him as naturally as possible as he actually hates the camera when outside. :/

 ^In that image, you can see his right eye. His other eye is slightly worse than this one. The ear with the goop on it isn't visible from this angle but it's actually quite small.

^That's as close as I could get to a head-on image. I was sitting at the edge of the cage. 
 ^He went to get a drink. I took this one above the cage so it's not as faded as the ones I took through the wall.
 ^Feeling content after eating he went back to his hut.

 ^As a comparison, that's one of the very first pictures I ever took of him.

That's the best candid shots I could get tonight. I'll try to get better ones tomorrow if I can get him to relax outside of his cage with the camera rolling. (He really hates the thing!)


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## Pikachu (Dec 6, 2013)

Nobody has replied within the week... I'll update it anyways.

I used the paper shavings for a short while. It might have been wishful thinking, but I think he's looking better. I got some clear pics this time.









That eye is the one that was originally worse than the other. They look about the same now. 
















He wasn't sure about the fleece at first but I think he'll be ok with it.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I could've sworn I'd replied to this...I'm sorry you got no replies from your previous post!

I think I agree, the eyes do look better - not as red. They do still look a bit swollen to me though...I think if it were me, I might take him in to the vet for a look, just in case. But I tend to be on the paranoid side, and I'm not the most experienced with health issues - so if you want to wait for a second opinion on whether they're still too swollen or not, that wouldn't hurt either. Thank you for the update though, despite the lack of response before! Glad to see he's doing okay with the fleece.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

I can't tell if his eyes are swollen or not. They look good to me, but you're the one who can see him nose-to-nose!

How about the ear? Did whatever it was clear up/wash off/etc, or is it still an outstanding problem?

Have I mentioned what a handsome lad he is? He's got such inquisitive posturing.


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## Pikachu (Dec 6, 2013)

Thank you so much for replying. Since switching to the fleece liner, I've noticed this morning that he's lost another 2 quills. I don't think it's mites since he's not loosing a lot of then at once, but I think it's thinning out on his forehead and behind his ears. 
Here's what I think is happening: 
I got him a new hut about a month ago now. With his old hut, he would push it up with his head, but it was also smaller. With this new one, he pushes it all around the cage from underneath it. I think his quills might be getting caught and that's why he's lost the few on his head. Looking at the things left behind on liner, there's pieces or shavings of the basket hut all over. Also, on one of the quills there's this white stuff. It's not hair and it looks kinda like acne puss (a gross but true comparison, sorry). 

Also, can someone give me a price range on how much a vet visit could cost? I need to know if I have to borrow some from my parents (college student...) but I will absolutely make sure he gets a visit.

Edit: thanks for the compliment. The funny thing is, I don't see the thing on his ear anymore. It was there all summer but the second I ask about it, it's gone. 
I'll let him know you said he's handsome!


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Vet visits for exotics are pricey. It'll depend on your region, though. In Canada, a basic visit is $100, with even more for any lab tests. In the US, it seems to be all over the place -- someone even posted that their vet has a $30 base-rate (and I almost died of envy).

Even more irritating, some places are good with hedgehogs, and others are worse than useless. It's a good idea to check out the list of vets on the review section, read up about them on Yelp, and even call them for a mini-interview to decide if they're worth the time & money or not.

It'd be a good idea to do research now on your local vets so you have an idea and can start saving up a bit of money for a vet-fund, since even if you decide you don't need the visit yet, you will in future years as your little guy gets older. It may be worthwhile to check out pet health insurance if it's easier to pay a few bucks a month than to keep a dedicated savings fund for him -- we don't have any insurance that covers hedgehogs in Canada, so I haven't investigated the US version much.

I have no idea what the puss would be. Do you see anything that looks infected at the base of any of his quills? Hedgehogs do sometimes get ingrown quills, which like ingrown hairs on humans, can get infected. 

Shedding a few quills is really not a big deal. Getting bald spots would be. Keeping in mind that hedgehogs have a natural bald spot on their heads forming a reverse-mohawk, and bare patches behind their ears, does it look like it's thinning? Or is it so hard to tell that it could be a paranoid-parent moment?


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## Pikachu (Dec 6, 2013)

Probably paranoid-parent moment. 
Although he's definitely rubbing his head against the top of the hut. There's little flakes of something on the liner and I think it might be skin. But that could also be paranoia. 
Let's see... That would be 3 quills within 2 weeks. Would it be a good idea to change his hut? I still have the old one, although it's smaller than this newer one.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

You're still talking about so few quills, it's not a big deal at all. He will naturally shed them.

He seems like he fits the current hut better. I haven't used that style before -- the natural fibre wouldn't have lasted when my little guy was a total baby peeing everywhere, and I'm a bit obsessive about being able to wipe everything down with vinegar-water. It clearly works for you and your small friend, though, so I'd just stick with it.


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## Pikachu (Dec 6, 2013)

You know what? I think I just might be going crazy at this point. I woke at 6 am this morning, as normal, and he was running in his wheel. I leaned my head over his cage to look for quills (there were none that I saw) and instead of running away or huffing he just stayed on the wheel and watched me. He kept trying to sniff my hair, and I think he forgot he was on his wheel, because he got no where as he tried to get closer to me. 
Anyways, his head looked fine. I couldn't see where the quills would've shed, it didn't look thin, his eyes were wide open (despite the slight puffiness) and he still had all of his teeth and an emptied food bowl. If anything, he just seems more social than normal. Which might be due to all of the extra love and compassion I've been showing.
I'm gonna call some vets in a few mins and check what they say.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Pikachu said:


> I think I just might be going crazy at this point..


AHAHAHAHA! Yup. That's hedgehogs: driving us all into poop-examining, hyper-paranoid helicopter parents stalking their every move. I hope things are all better, and that this incident just gave you the preparation and resources in advance of a true emergency.


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## Pikachu (Dec 6, 2013)

Well I set up a vet visit. It'll be about $40 they said. Plus whatever medicine costs, if needed.


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## Pikachu (Dec 6, 2013)

So I just got back from the vet. He kept say how good Venice was the whole time. He didn't need any relaxation medicines or anything to help and Venice was quite social. It turns out that Venice does indeed have mites but the vet said that it's not a matter of IF a hedgehog gets mites, but rather WHEN. All in all, he kept exclaiming how social and friendly Venice was and that I should keep doing what it is I've been doing. 
I got a funny syringe thing and some medicine that I'm suppose to put .5 cc on his back once a week for about 2 months. 

Thank you all for your help and I'll try to update with news as things go along.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Perfect! Sounds like he's doing to topical Revolution treatment, that's ideal. Mites really are no big deal -- they do happen to everyone eventually. 

That does sound like a pretty high dosage; you might want to double-check that the vet meant 0.5 cc and not 0.05cc. Usual frequency is once every 2-4 weeks for 3-4 total doses; doing it more frequently for longer just means you'll be totally certain everything is taken care of quickly.

A few tips for using Revolution:
- you'll want to clean/disinfect the cage on at least the first few treatment days. I rub down all plastics with a mix of white vinegar in water. For the straw sleeping hut, you could try either freezing it or heating it (toss it in the dryer)? Replace all bedding.

- Revolution is alcohol-based. This means it evaporates quickly once open, so store it sealed and somewhere cool & dark. A ziplock baggie holding the container of medicine in the back of the fridge works wonderfully.

- The medication absorbs through the skin, and spreads best if the skin is a bit oily. Aim for between the shoulders (where little hedgehog can't reach easily) and avoid bathing the day before, of, or after treatment. Footbaths are fine, just not a full bath cleaning between his shoulders.


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## Pikachu (Dec 6, 2013)

I had this long intricate post but it didn't go through for some reason. :/

Honestly, I'm a little anxious to give him the medicine because I want him to get better as soon as possible. I can't imagine it's fun for him. 
But I'll have to wait until Thursday, the vet and the bottle says once a week, .05cc of Ivomec 1%. I forgot the exact decimal, I just remembered it was the first 5 on the syringe. 

Also, I can't get mites too can I? I did mention he likes to play in my hair...


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## Haley (Nov 18, 2013)

So.

There are various kinds of mites, the more common ones don't bother people. There is one type of mite that people can get, but normally only very young children, the elderly, or people who have immune issues need to be careful. 

That said, you might get a random bite here or there. Nothing to worry about.


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Your comment is probably lost in moderation. It happens to me sometimes, I don't know why.

Your vet gave you topical Ivomec, also known as Ivermectin. When injected, it's potentially really, really bad because some hedgehogs have an escalating allergic reaction that can even lead to death. Fight hard for your little hedgehog to get alternate treatment if the vet ever wants to use injectable Ivomec or Ivermectin.

However, from the archives the risk is way lower with topical application. Everything I said before about topical application of Revolution still holds true. I don't know if there are any other risks or instructions for using Ivomec topically that aren't also true for Revolution.

I've only had to deal with mites once, but I noticed a substantial drop in itching in the first 48 hours after an application.


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