# Scared hedgie momma O.O



## ZoëAnn (Jan 23, 2011)

I've always been afraid Harrison would be a biter. He's never bit me once in the month and a half I've had him, but today he nipped my brother's finger.
Have any of your hedgehogs just bit once? Is there any way I can make sure he doesn't again?
I'm hoping this was just a moment of fear and he'll never do it again, but what do you think?
He also just pulled away and gave Harrison to me when he bit him, was that ok, or should we have done something else?
Zoë


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Yes, I've had many that would only nip when I wasn't paying attention to what they wanted or if fingers smelled like something interesting.


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## abrowndog (Nov 26, 2010)

My hoglet has bitten us three times. Once, I had just finished eating a banana, another time, I had put on some shea butter lotion (which smells YUM!) and the third was when I was syringe feeding her antibiotics so I really can't blame her for any.

She has also attacked and annointed on me several times and it took me a few episodes to figure it out. I am an AVON lady and have some amazing bubble baths. I try and take a hot soak at least twice a week. After I am all warmed up, it's time for tummy time. She seems to prefer the apple cinnamon, peppermint and warm vanilla cream. Weird.

:lol:


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

Did he lick before the nip? Sylvie used to lick as a warning that she was about to bit. It worked well since I had the time to get my fingers out of the way and could use it as a warning if someone else was holding her.

Annabell doesn't have that warning unfortunately. She snifs a little bit and then goes in for the chomp. I started putting kibble in her snuggle toque with her, and between that and getting older, she seems to have stopped the biting (*knock on wood*)


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## EryBee (May 23, 2010)

I've only been bitten twice by my hedgie; the first was when he was going through a particularly grumpy stage and he just nipped out of annoyance that I was holding him. The second was only because he got carried away licking and was completely without any kind of malicious intent. He also bit my mom and my boyfriend once, which I am pretty sure was because he was scared and didn't know what to do. Overall, he is a very sweet and mild little critter. He has mellowed out with age, too.


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

I've posted a few times about how Liam is a biter - if you're foolish enough to leave your fingers in front of his mouth for more than a couple of seconds, there is a 99.99999% chance that he will bite. Most of the time it's just a harmless little nip, but sometimes it's the full-on hedgie CHOMP, latching on and drawing blood, which hurts like crazy. He never bites out of malice, and he'll never actively seek out fingers to bite, and he's really sweet otherwise, so I've just accepted it as his thing. 

Anyway, here's hoping your Harrison will NOT be this way. :lol: 

Like other people have said, he might have smelled something good, or just been a little nervous. I wouldn't worry too much about it. If it keeps happening, you can try and figure out what's triggering it and then stop it. (Or, if you're me, throw up your hands! :roll: )


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## Olympia (Aug 4, 2010)

I've had both my hedgies for over a year and each has bitten me only once. Clémentine bit me at the vet's. She'd been in my hands for long minutes on her back while the vet was examining her and she bit me immediately after that while I had her back in my arms. It was just a nip, she didn't bite very hard, she was clearly letting me know she was not happy to have been on her back so long. She also has bitten me through my sweater one time but she wasn't trying to hurt me, I had spilled some salad dressing on myself and had forgotten to change. She just wanted a taste.

Zoé bit me while I was holding her foot trying to clip her nails. That was kind of my fault, I held it much longer then I usually do, I was pushing my luck.  She didn't bite very hard, she just wanted me to let go of her foot.


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## wheeluh_boy (Feb 1, 2011)

i'm more or less in the same boat with cylaura.

Even though I'm constantly aware of what his been in or on my hands (for smell)..Leo will still chomp my fingertips. I believe he's associated hands with treats or food, even though I've been conciously trying to put food and treats in his bowl when he's not looking or hiding.

He seems to like to bite shiny things as well. He goes for my girlfriends' fingertips, the matchbox cars we've given him, and he's even attacked the buttons on my shirt once.

Chances are, if Leo wants to bite you, it's going to happen. You've gotta be REAL quick to stop him. lol


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

> He seems to like to bite shiny things as well. He goes for my girlfriends' fingertips, the matchbox cars we've given him, and he's even attacked the buttons on my shirt once.


Liam loves shiny things too! He always goes after my necklaces with beads on them when I wear them. Little magpie. :roll:


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## Ophelia (Dec 10, 2010)

I've been bitten three times by my girl. First time was our very first meeting, so I'm sure it was a "Oh, this is new!" type of thing. The other two times were when I just held her too long. I know she has her reasons so it doesn't really upset me, and it doesn't even really hurt anymore.  and even though she bit me for holding her too long, I still held on to her and put her down when I was ready.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I've never gotten bitten but I have watched things they have bitten and every time its an exploratory nip when introduced with a new smell. My girl hedgie bit my cell phone when I first got her and has bitten other things the first time introduced like her water bowl, pvc pipe, carpet, curtains, socks ect. If your brother doesn't handle her she may have been reacting to a new scent.


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