# Do older hogs slow down their activity levels?



## KathyTNY (Jan 21, 2011)

Tiggy is a retired Momma - I was given her by a family tired of hedgehogs so I have no sure idea how old she is but I am pretty sure she is at least three. She is a little overweight (she came that way and I have been working on getting her slimmed down) and she has a wonderful CSW which she loves......... up until about two weeks ago. She is eating good, temperature is good, sleeping good, nails are good, is layed back and so sweet, it just feels like she is getting lazy!

She use to do her business on her wheel, now she comes out to play nightly in the kiddie pool I have and she does her business there and plays (as much as any hedgehog plays ) with her tubes and papercups etc. When I put her back in her home she takes a few bites of food and goes right to bed! The wheel is clean in the morning.

Maybe she does use it - so I was thinking that I will put powder down to try and see. So tell me how to do that.....I don't want to put so much on that when it spins she gets covered with powder!!! I just gave her a nice flax rinse (by the way it helped her tremendously!!! The flakey skin is gone.) and the powder would stick terrible!!!!  

What kind of powder should I use? Baby powder? I think the powder I have is slightly scented, wonder if that will freak her out? Can I use baking powder instead? 

Does anyone have an older lazy hog?

Kathy


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Older hedgehogs can and do slow down. As they get older they suffer from many of the same age related problems that we do, arthritis being one. Usually you see changes slowly. They will decrease the distance or speed they run at night, etc.

Changes in behavior always worry me. It may be a good time to take her into the veterinarian and have her evaluated. Watch her when she walks. Is there any change in her gait? Sometimes if you watch them from behind you can see that they may walk normally on 3 legs and then the 4th they step down a little differently.

I'd use flour if I was to use anything to look for foot prints. I wouldn't use much though.

At 3.5 years I start to add glucosamin/chondroitin to my hedgehogs' diets to help with arthritis.

I mentioned vet before, because there are other ailments that may present themselves initially as just a slowing down. Hedgehogs mask illness, and being less active can be a symptom sometimes.


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

Kalandra, how much do you add of the glucosamin/chondroitin? Do you buy tablets, crush them and sprinkle on the food?


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## KathyTNY (Jan 21, 2011)

I give my 16 year old cat Cosequin - can i give that to Tiggy as well? Or are yougiving your pogs something the vet gave you to give them??

kathy


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

I just crush some tablets and then add a hefty sprinkle to their food at night. I just use tablets that they sell for human use.

I was actually doing some research on the topic lately. With Poptart being diagnosed with arthritis in her back (on top of the herniated disc) and Rose has it in her legs, I wanted to see if I could find a common dosage. Of course finding doses for hedgehogs is unlikely, but what I did find several times recommended for other animals is about 20mg/lb. I have a mg scale, weighed out 23 mg for a 520 g hedgehog... and it really is just a hefty pinch. Not much at all!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Someone told me, I think it was SnufflePuff, that cats and dogs need a different type of glucosamine from the kind that humans take, which is why I got the feline Cosequin to start giving Lily, in case it's the same situation there. I'll have to see if I can figure out how much she's getting on her crickets, if I need to find a new way to give it to her, or if it's enough of a dosage on each cricket to be fine.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

I had not heard that before. 

Glucosamine primarly comes from shellfish and chondroitin from bovine sources... From what I can tell the source of the main ingredients in the feline and canine are the same.... Just the cat has a tuna flavor and is a smaller dose... 

Now I'm wondering if anyone has tried a g/c with MSM added to it with a dog/cat/hedgehog and saw any improvement over just a g/c mix.


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