# HEDGEHOG BONDING TIME WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE



## Belie (Apr 24, 2013)

I was told for socializing my hedgie it was best for him to walk in my hands even if we was nervous. Because if I just let him sleep in a blanket in my lap it wouldn't help the bonding enough? But he always seems to get stressed walking in my hands and he wants to get down. So i feel like making him walk in my hands isn't good? I understand I can't just let him stay in the cage when he fuses but that's never an issue. 
I just feel bad making him walk back and forth in my hands when he clearly wants to get down and seems very nervous. Could we just bond by him sleeping in a cuddle sack against my side or in my lap?


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## shmurciakova (Sep 7, 2008)

Do you mean making him walk on your hands one over the other? No you don't have to do that at all. You can put him down on the couch and let him run around and explore at will(as long as you make sure he does not fall off).
You can give him the snuggle sack and let him go in there if he wants to hide. I would recommend just sitting down with him on your lap and see what he does. 
You can also make a room hedgie proof, meaning he cannot get stuck under anything or hide somewhere you cannot get him and then you can just turn him loose to run around and explore. You can also make a pee spot for him, like a small litter pan. Put some of his dirty litter in there and hopefully he will get the idea.
I guess whomever told you to make him "walk in your hands" was just trying to get you to handle him, but I don't think that is necessary. You will still be picking him up and walking from one room to the next. You don't have to force him to do that all the time.
You can do other things to stimulate him to be active....
Good luck,
Susan H.


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## Belie (Apr 24, 2013)

shmurciakova said:


> Do you mean making him walk on your hands one over the other? No you don't have to do that at all. You can put him down on the couch and let him run around and explore at will(as long as you make sure he does not fall off).
> You can give him the snuggle sack and let him go in there if he wants to hide. I would recommend just sitting down with him on your lap and see what he does.
> You can also make a room hedgie proof, meaning he cannot get stuck under anything or hide somewhere you cannot get him and then you can just turn him loose to run around and explore. You can also make a pee spot for him, like a small litter pan. Put some of his dirty litter in there and hopefully he will get the idea.
> I guess whomever told you to make him "walk in your hands" was just trying to get you to handle him, but I don't think that is necessary. You will still be picking him up and walking from one room to the next. You don't have to force him to do that all the time.
> ...


okay that makes me feel much better. My breeder told me I needed to make him walk on my hands one after the other to stimulate him. But my original plan was to let him do as he pleases around me (as long as it's safe of course) because if I place him on my lap and let him do what he wants he usually burrows between my arm and my side and sleeps.


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## shmurciakova (Sep 7, 2008)

Daisy usually does that too, but eventually she wakes up and when she does I try to let her loose in the office to run around or put her in her run around ball for a while. I also give her a bunch of meal worms and that usually gets her going! You Chai is very little still though and they do sleep ALOT. That's normal. I think for him to sleep on you is really good for bonding. If he is comfortable sleeping on you then he must know how much you care.  
You can also take him out of the cage earlier in the afternoon if you hear him out and about. One of my friends, who is a hedgie rescuer, takes them out around 5pm and then again at like 8pm.


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## JulieAnne (Sep 3, 2012)

Hedgehogs have different personalities. My Prim just wants to sleep when I have her out during the day. When I get her out in the evening and hedgie proof the room, I will usually sit in the middle of the floor with her but she just runs alllllll over the room, usually ignoring me. Unless I'm in her way. Then she takes her nose and nudges me out of the way lol. But for the most part, Prim just sleeps in a blanket or snuggle sack or sometimes under my shirt.


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## Belie (Apr 24, 2013)

shmurciakova said:


> Daisy usually does that too, but eventually she wakes up and when she does I try to let her loose in the office to run around or put her in her run around ball for a while. I also give her a bunch of meal worms and that usually gets her going! You Chai is very little still though and they do sleep ALOT. That's normal. I think for him to sleep on you is really good for bonding. If he is comfortable sleeping on you then he must know how much you care.
> You can also take him out of the cage earlier in the afternoon if you hear him out and about. One of my friends, who is a hedgie rescuer, takes them out around 5pm and then again at like 8pm.





JulieAnne said:


> Hedgehogs have different personalities. My Prim just wants to sleep when I have her out during the day. When I get her out in the evening and hedgie proof the room, I will usually sit in the middle of the floor with her but she just runs alllllll over the room, usually ignoring me. Unless I'm in her way. Then she takes her nose and nudges me out of the way lol. But for the most part, Prim just sleeps in a blanket or snuggle sack or sometimes under my shirt.


So to clarify it's okay for chai to just sleep on me or next to my side and this will be good bonding and allow him to continue being to social. He is very friendly by the way, he will huff sometimes and curl in a ball when I first wake him up or startle him. But otherwise he has a very calm temper even if mostly all he wants to do is cuddle.


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## JulieAnne (Sep 3, 2012)

Belie said:


> So to clarify it's okay for chai to just sleep on me or next to my side and this will be good bonding and allow him to continue being to social. He is very friendly by the way, he will huff sometimes and curl in a ball when I first wake him up or startle him. But otherwise he has a very calm temper even if mostly all he wants to do is cuddle.


Absolutely. I think that's what most people do here for bonding. The huffing when they first wake is completely normal. Seems to me like you have a very sweet, well socialized little hedgie!


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

Sleeping by your side is good and lets him feel safe with you. Other good bonding times are taking them out for a walk if it's warm enough or just carry him around your home in a bag or in your hands in a blanket. Holding him while you're walking around lets him get used to different movements and being handled in different ways. I think that's probably what your breeder was thinking when he/she recommended him walking over your hands, but forcing him to do that is not necessary. 

Also during bonding time you can try to handle him in different ways like hold his feet so he gets used to it and pet him in different places to see if he likes any of them (behind the ear, down his back, on his snout, on the skirt of his quills, on his belly etc). 

The most important thing though is just relax with him and enjoy the fact that he'll fall asleep snuggled into you. Don't stress that you're doing anything wrong or not doing enough, if he's sleeping on you he's comfortable with you and he's happy.


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## Belie (Apr 24, 2013)

Thank you to you all! Not only for easing my nerves on being horrified I wasn't being a good enough parent but also giveing me great advice on other fun bonding ideas  It helps so much! Chai and I both thank you <3


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