# Quality of Life Question... Is he even happy at all?



## lilchris28 (Mar 4, 2012)

Ok, so most of you probably remember Wesley, the hedgehog I rescued who was being kept in a plastic ice cream tub. I'm wondering what kind of quality of life he has. He is always in hiding, he doesn't run on his wheel anymore, any time I walk in the room he starts hissing, and I haven't seen his face for 2 months because he's always balled up. I don't mind that he's acting like that because I know the situation he came from, but I feel like I can't take care of him properly. I can't trim his nails or give him a good bath or anything. I keep having to take him to the vet to be sedated to get his nails done (well, I've done that twice). What kind of quality of life does he have? Is he just living in terror all the time? He's still eating and drinking normally, and the vet says nothing is wrong with him medically. Should I maybe try to give him to a more experienced hedgehog person? I agree with you now. I don't think I was ready for him yet. I needed more hedgie experience under my belt. I just want to do what right for my little guy, even if that means giving him up.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I'm not sure that a hedgie experienced person would really do anything more than what you could do. The single biggest thing (IMO) necessary in taking care of hedgies, especially frightened/defensive ones is just patience. Can you describe more of what you do for bonding time and what you've tried so far to get him used to you? Perhaps there's more that you could try before thinking about giving him up. 

If you honestly don't feel that you have the ability to get through to him though, then I admire you for being willing to find him a more suitable home, and I hope that you'll think about getting another hedgehog that might be easier for you to enjoy. Rescues can be such a hard situation, especially for a first time owning that particular animal. But no matter what happens with Wesley, you at least did him a GREAT service by getting him out of the situation he was in before, and giving him a chance at a much better life.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

I just wanna say kudos for realizing you may need help and asking for it. Kelsey already said the important stuff. 
I wanted to add that you can try contacting the hedgehog welfare society to see if they could direct you to someone local who has experience with rescuing. Having a nice long one on one phone conversation can be better than posting online as you can sort out the areas of problem and ways to improve much quicker. 

Good luck and keep us updated! Just remember that you already did a wonderful thing by rescuing him in the first place.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

I want to say that I've taken in older rescues that have never been handled, some come around, others never do. I had one that I had for almost 4 years, she was 1 when I got her and had not been picked up since she was a baby. She was one of the huffiest hedgies I've ever seen. After having her for 3 years with no improvement she started opening up more....would peek her head out when I fed her...I even got to hold her a few times without her balling up and actually could pat her face. 

Just remember that now your hedgie has a nice home, room to play, good food and love. Even if it doesn't seem like he knows it, he does know you love him and can feel that. He's safe now, something he wasn't before.

Oh and I have one from a breeder that was handled daily, and gives my rescue a run for her money on who can be the grumpiest and most huffy...lol


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## lilchris28 (Mar 4, 2012)

I get him out at least every three days. I constantly keep a shirt that I've slept in in his cage with him. Everything three days, I change it out. He's in a Super Pet X Large cage with a CHE bulb. Temp stays between 75-77 all the time. He has one of the wheels I believe his name is Larry makes. Normal stool and eating/drinking.

As for what I do to bond with him is I put him in bed next to me and he sits there and hisses the whole time. I've tried holding him, but he honestly has made my hands bleed, believe it or not, after 10 minutes of him hissing and puffing while I was holding him. Leather gloves haven't really helped. He was doing well for a while and taking mealies from me, but now he just stays tightly balled up. I worry mainly about not being able to trim his nails, bathe him, or inspect him AT ALL. I always check my animals for bumps, abcesses, wounds, etc. and I can't do that with him.


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## HedgieGirl519 (Oct 21, 2011)

I don't know if it'd help or not (some hedgehog just don't want to be held or touched) but you are supposed to be handling him every day for at least 30 minutes. IMO, 30 minutes is not enough. I shoot for 1 hour a day, minimum. I'd imagine that the shirt doesn't smell like you after a couple days, I change that every day. You also aren't supposed to use gloves, the hedgehog can't get your scent if you have them. Try sleeping with a piece of fleece, and holding him with that  If you use the fleece he won't be able to poke your hands.


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## HedgieGirl519 (Oct 21, 2011)

If you put him in shallow water, he won't ball up and his nails will be soft. Have you tried that?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I agree, it might help if you start getting him out every day. A fleece blanket is a great way to let him hide while you have him out, and protect your hands and lap. It still counts as bonding time, even if he's hidden in a blanket or sleeping. He's still getting your scent, and still getting shown that nothing bad happens when you get him out. He might be more comfortable being covered up rather than out in the open in your hands. It might still take awhile. But if you continue getting him out every night, he might start to relax a bit while he's covered up in your lap.


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## lilchris28 (Mar 4, 2012)

I use to get him out everyday until it seemed like he was getting worse with me doing that. And he still quills me through gloves, and definitely fleece, even if it's 5 layers thick. And believe it or not, he DOES ball up in the water and then snorts and sneezes when he breathes it in. I have tried everything that everyone has listed. I've even looked on you tube for proper handling techniques. I've never had this much trouble getting an animal to like me. It's kind of always been my thing... Most people hate me, but the animals always love me... except for Wesley.


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## HedgieGirl519 (Oct 21, 2011)

YouTube is terrible for advice. I wouldn't look there. Most people with hedgehogs on YouTube haven't done research. 

I really don't see how you can still be poked through fleece if it is very thick... :? 

But, not all hedgehogs want to be handled. If that is his personality, then that can't be changed.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Yep, I've had a few who ball up even in water and hold their breath till they have to take a gasp of breath and then back to holding it until the next gasp. They are the challenging ones.

Fleece does not prevent quill pokes at all. Flannel, corduroy or denim work far better. A baby receiving blanket folded will work better.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

You seem to be doing what you can. However, have you tried holding him in a snuggle bag? Or covering him with a blanket while he sits next to you?

I have one currently that sounds a lot like yours. He initially would sit and not only hiss, but click and pop at you the entire time. He is also aggressive about his defensiveness. If he sees skin near him he will pop and shove his quills at you to ensure that you get hurt. My hands are pretty numb to quills, but he still manages to make it hurt. Ollie also curls up to any noise in the room. I've actually seem him scare himself, to the point where he curls up and clicks. I once watched a mealworm crawl near him and he snapped shut and started clicking at it. 

Defensive hedgehogs can be very hard on us. We want so much for them to say hey this place is great, I love it here, and all we get is quill pokes in return. 

Would he do better with a more experienced person? Maybe. And he may do worse. Sometimes bouncing to yet another new home can make them even less trusting.

You said he isn't running on his wheel. When was the last time he had his nails done? If his nails are getting long again, it could cause him to not use the wheel. Sadly, having to take him into the vet to have them done is going to make keeping them trimmed hard.. Also.. do you have him on a schedule? I have found that the defensive ones will do better if you do things daily at the exact same time. Take him out daily at the same time, for the same length of time and sit quietly with him. I tend to watch television so that I don't move much. Give him food and water just before turning off the lights at the same time daily. they start to learn when to expect things, and sometimes that helps them to know when to expect that they are safe and going to be alone.


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