# Hedgehog not un balling?



## Dylan227 (Dec 18, 2010)

Hello,

We recently just got back from our 10 day spring break trip. We left our hedgie with a great pet store that knows a lot about hedgehogs and other exotic pets. I know that they take really good care of their pets. However, since we got her back, her quills have been very tight, and she seems to be refusing to un-ball (curl up into a ball) 

Is this a sign of dehydration/hybernation? What can I do for her? 


Thank you,
Dylan


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

How long has it been since you got her back?

It could be hibernation. Put her under your sweater and sit in the warmest room of your house (you can turn a space heater on but don't let it blow right on her) and try to warm her up. Do not put her in water. 

There's a thread about hibernation in the health forum, it's a sticky. You can read it while you warm her up.

Was she kept warm at the pet store? Did she have her cage with CHE with her there?


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## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

Dylan227 said:


> Hello,
> 
> We recently just got back from our 10 day spring break trip. We left our hedgie with a great pet store that knows a lot about hedgehogs and other exotic pets. I know that they take really good care of their pets. However, since we got her back, her quills have been very tight, and she seems to be refusing to un-ball (curl up into a ball)
> 
> ...


If she's refusing to come out her ball she might just be stressed as well.

Like susanaproenca said - if she feels cold to the touch or didn't have a heating source - warm her up!

To check for dehydration you can pinch the skin and see how long it takes to return to normal (the longer the more dehydrated).

If she doesn't eat or drink or return to normal I would get her vet checked.

That being said, she could just be super stressed and cranky that you left her behind... but it's so hard to say for sure without being there - you know her best... if she's not normal - go to the vet!


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## Dylan227 (Dec 18, 2010)

UPDATE:


I just saw Clover (our hedgehog move into her favorite sleeping spot! ( a huge cup) 

She was heated at the pet store with a heat lamp.


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## DasIgelPoggie (Oct 21, 2010)

I know my little guy just gets so pissed off every time I have to leave him that he won't even take a worm from me. Watch her behavior for sure (keep an eye on her water bottle and make sure she drinks, and maybe get a heat pad and put it under her liner just for good measure!), she may have just been very stressed from new surroundings/sounds, and found that the safest thing to do is just what hedgies do best!  

Also-- just for future reference, in my experience, I've found that heat lamps can be very dangerous (for hedgies, reptiles, etc.) if not set up the right way. I worked at a vet for the while and saw a lot of lamp injuries. Maybe send her with her own heating system next time? Lol I'm just paranoid about my hedgies, especially when I'm not there to watch them myself!!


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## patch (Mar 11, 2011)

Thank goodness you got her back to normal! We had this sort of a scare a month-or-so before we moved. At the time, Snuggles had his crate near an exterior wall that apparently got way too cold one night. We caught him in the midst of the same problem.

My solution was filling a sock with a cup-or-so of rice, microwaving it for about 30 seconds, and snuggling with both him and the rice-sock warmer. I'd have forgone the warmer had I not taken issue to the cold, as well.


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## Dylan227 (Dec 18, 2010)

DasIgelPoggie said:


> I know my little guy just gets so pissed off every time I have to leave him that he won't even take a worm from me. Watch her behavior for sure (keep an eye on her water bottle and make sure she drinks, and maybe get a heat pad and put it under her liner just for good measure!), she may have just been very stressed from new surroundings/sounds, and found that the safest thing to do is just what hedgies do best!
> 
> Also-- just for future reference, in my experience, I've found that heat lamps can be very dangerous (for hedgies, reptiles, etc.) if not set up the right way. I worked at a vet for the while and saw a lot of lamp injuries. Maybe send her with her own heating system next time? Lol I'm just paranoid about my hedgies, especially when I'm not there to watch them myself!!


Thanks for the tip! I'll be sure to send her heating pad with her next time!


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