# Sniffer = bitter?



## PeachyKeen (May 10, 2010)

Hi!

im a new hedgie owner and i had a few questions,
Peach *my hog* has bit my boyfriends hand once but he had just eaten chips, because she bite him does that mean she has potential to bite often? She also sniffs alot and im a bit scared shes going to bite me, am i just being nervous?
also how can i litter train her?


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

Hedgies will tend to bite if they smell something good on your hands, prime example would be your BF eating chips and then getting his hands near the hog. Typically if they start sniffing and concentrating on a smell, you can expect a nip, many may lick a little before too. It doesn't mean she'll be some crazy biter, its just something hedgehogs do when they smell something new and possibly tastey. Either wash your hands (or will his hands) or at least rub them clean on your clothing, most will say wash them.

As for litter training, there is always the chance she won't take to it, not all hedgies will take to the litter. From everything I've read the best way to do it is when she goes BM, pick it up and put it in the litter box. And when she takes a tinkle, you can put the paper towel in the box, as she'll associate the smell with a place to go to the bathroom.


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## Jaibee (Apr 5, 2010)

I have now had my hedgie LittleMai for just under two months. She is a biter. She will bite a lot. I found her really hard for the first month, but it's amazing how quickly you learn to get round it - I never put my hands near her face, unless I am holding food, then she is distracted by the food and my skin seems less enticing. I pick her up quickly from the sides to get her out, and I make sure I am always wearing long sleeves. So despite her desire for flesh, it just takes getting used to different ways of handing her and where she draws the line!! She is currently happily sat in my dressing gown pocket! Also, I have seem such a massive improvement with her since I stopped being so nervous about being bitten all the time, she seems a lot less jumpy now I am!

So I hope your hedgie is not a biter (it seems unlikely) - but if they are, it is really not the end of the world, you can still enjoy spending time together, its just takes being a little more careful.


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## PeachyKeen (May 10, 2010)

thanks for the reply's


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

My Vera is a nipper, she loves finger tips, but I think that's cause she was a 1 year old when I got her and never had mealworms from her previous family, I hand feed them to her, so now she thinks finger tips = mealworms.

The one thing I forgot to mention is, if you do end up dealing with a biter is, if they really do latch onto you, do not pull away, they'll just bite down harder (instincts I think for killing snakes).


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

its not recommended to hand feed treats, mealworms etc as it can lead to biting.


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## Sashalynn (Mar 23, 2010)

nikki said:


> its not recommended to hand feed treats, mealworms etc as it can lead to biting.


I haven't personally had any problems. Cyndaquil seems to know the difference between my fingers and his mealies. I hold them in my palm, he really seems to like the extra attention.


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

I can see with the right hedgehog personality where it'll led up to biting, and actually I stopped doing it about a week ago, I might give her one by hand but I let her go at the small bowl I bring them up in.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

If I tried to hand feed treats to my hedgie I know I'd loose a finger for sure lol He knows when he sees the plastic spork come out and will attack it before Im able to get them into the bowl


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## Sashalynn (Mar 23, 2010)

Just goes to show how different each hedgie personality is. I love reading and hearing about how different they all are. Probably just as much as I love showing off my little guy. He loves people and is very social.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

lol! you just helped us figure out why Cholla was trying to nibble on my husband's fingers last night! He had been eating Doritos! :lol:


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