# Dark spots on legs, disease?



## mellykins (Oct 4, 2013)

So this is going to sound awful but I'm a new hedgie owner who dropped my new hedgie for the first time two days ago (about two feet he landed on his feet and has seemed fine) =[ what's worse though is that I gave him a bath last night and noticed his feet/legs were splotchy even after scrubbing and washing but I can't for the life of me remember whether his feet/legs were always dark patchy or whether this is new and I'm noticing this because I dropped him. 

Today (the day after I gave him a bath) his feet seem much darker and I'm freaking out that he somehow has acquired some sort of disease/parasite. I couldn't get any good pictures last night but I did today so I am attaching the pictures. 

I also feel like he was acting super anti social today and using the wheel less than usual (today and yesterday) and sleeping weirdly (weird position/weird hours). 

Does this look familiar to anyone or do you think I'm the hoomin who cried wolf?


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

I'm staying out of this one because I don't know what health issues to look for, BUT: my little guy has splotchy light-dark legs that looks kinda similar-ish. It's just how he is. Hard to tell from photos & my inexperience if it's the same thing or not.


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## mellykins (Oct 4, 2013)

He doesn't seem to get mad when we touch his legs at all, and he's acting completely normal. I just can't remember if his legs were like that before or not. Could you maybe post a picture of your hedgie's legs?


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## MartinAndMe (Aug 26, 2013)

Martin's got this too-I asked his breeder when I first noticed and she said it was normal; Martin was born that way. Try to prod at them. If he doesn't seem to be hurting if say everything's fine but if you are really concerned you could try to phone a vet or his breeder.

Sent from Petguide.com App


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## eicg (Sep 27, 2013)

Mine has that too just the shade the quills would be if they were there. For example mine has darker spots where the quills are darker and the skin is pinker where the quills are sold white.Its normal.


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## Mel_W (Apr 26, 2013)

Most of the time darker hedgehogs have dark spotted legs, for example your hedgehog seems to be normal!  How old is your hedgie? If he is a growing baby the spots are probably just darkening because of becoming an adult hedgie. I am not 100% positive but if anything drastic changes suddenly bring him to the vet asap (ex. if he is itching, bitting, lost appetite, or changed behaviour).

I hope this helps


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## mellykins (Oct 4, 2013)

He just turned six months. He's acting completely normal, letting me touch them, letting me wash them, running like normal, I just freaked out because I'd never noticed them before and it was the day after I had dropped him.


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## DesertHedgehogs (Apr 2, 2013)

He looks gorgeous, the black splotches on his legs are a form of mottling, which can also sometimes go all over their bellies too. Dark legs are common in dark range hedgies which he is, with his inky quills dark mask and badger striping. True blacks are becoming more common, but are still pretty rare, congratulations. I would be more worried about the dropping him and his landing on his feet. It's much better if they land balled up, not that there's anything you can do about how he falls though. If he's acting the same and allows you to handle his feet normally then you probably got lucky, just keep an eye on him.


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## mellykins (Oct 4, 2013)

Oh thank you! He was exactly the color I'd been dreaming of, we were so lucky. And I love his little mask. We walked in to the breeders hedgehog house and I was like, I want a unique looking, dark colored, super friendly hedgie, and he was like "I have the perfect one for you!" 

He's been acting completely normal, so I think we dodged the bullet there, thank god.

Is it possible that sometimes the mottling gets darker or lighter for some reason? The night I took the pictures it was SUPER DARK, but today I just looked and it seemed much lighter and less alarming.


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