# Likely silly, but advice?



## Fleta (May 14, 2012)

I've just got Watson and while he came from a breeder, he wasn't what I expected when I got him home. I've not owned a hedige, I admit, but I have friends who do so I've interacted with several before this. The pics and such I got of Watson before he came home showed a pretty friendly sort of guy, good disposition, but that's not what came home.... I'm loaded with questions and pics, so please forgive me

watson's now 15 weeks old, i've had him for 3 weeks, and I think he's about the largest hedgie I've seen. Here he is at the breeder at 10 weeks.


even balled up grumping, hissing, popping, and sounds like the predator.. he's massive now at 15 weeks


This is him with a regular sized mouse for size comparisons:


He eats just fine, drinks well, runs like a champ on his wheel. He refuses mealies, chicken, eggs, sweet potato, pumpkin, yogurt... everything but his kibble. What in the world do I do to treat him? AND, his poo is liquid and smelly. He has the worst diarrhea, poor guy, brown and normal colored but just liquid all the time. Has started that in the last 2 days despite no change in food, water, stress, or anything I can tell.

He's nothing but balls of quills, we have a snuggle sack and he'll let me hold him in it. Until I breathe too hard or move, then it's stabbing and those predator noises. I'm at a loss what to do. I can't do nails like that, and he just balls without warning so when I get help to try, he stabs them and they refuse to touch him (even with fleece)

He will let me touch him, all the while hissing and growling, but never without those stabby quills in me.




he will unball if no one breathes or touches him, sitting on my desk to type.

I just don't know what to do. Loose stools, really not into being remotely handled, and not taking treats.

I love the guy, immensely, but I'm at a loss what to do now to help him get used to me, and just overall be happier.


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## Guest (May 14, 2012)

he may never adjust to you just keep that in mind, some hedeghogs just dont, 

try keeping a shirt in his cage that smells like you, dimming the lights or make it basically dark when you have him out, give him something to hide under like a small blankie when you interact with him some of mine prefer this to a cuddle sack actually

the liquid poo i would get checked out by a vet, could be stress but he could be very easliy getting dehydrated and should be checked out for viruses, infections and parasites just to be safe


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## Fleta (May 14, 2012)

I did the shirt thing, the lights dimmed too.  

I guess I'll have to take him in to the vet. He seemed healthy when I got him and still does, except for the poo.

thank you.


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## Draenog (Feb 27, 2012)

Good idea to visit the vet. 
And maybe it just takes time... sometimes it can take weeks, months, each hedgehog is so different. Some don't indeed, but don't give up yet, you've only had him for 3 weeks.
About the treats, mine doesn't like that much either. Have you tried apple or strawberry? So far the only thing that succeeded here. He won't eat it when he's with me (then he's far too busy with exploring) but if I leave it in his cage, he'll eat it. And maybe he likes cat/dog treats or soft cat food?

I have to say he looks gorgeous, pink nose


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## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

Watermelon also works wonders. 
Some people are just animal whisperers. 
Do you handle him every day? Even if he's huffy and puffy, you still have to handle him to let him know that he can't get away with it. 
Also, I second the vet visit idea.


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## connorshogs (Mar 24, 2011)

He does look a little on the heavy side what's he eating?


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## simply_claire (Apr 28, 2011)

Just like the previous answers, I'd suggest to dim the lights and give him one of your previously worn shirts to snuggle up to, if you let him hide under a blanket or something he may feel less exposed and more comfortable to bond with you  
Also leaving one of your shirts in his cage may familiarize him with your scent. Just make sure you don't wear any strong scented perfume or soaps so that he'll know YOUR scent. 
My hedgehog Damien will not come out unless the lights are dimmed and he's able to hide a little under something in my lap, when he feels comfortable he usually stretches and walks about on my lap exploring on his own. 
For his poop I would suggest monitoring what your feeding him and that he has plenty of water, he could also just be stressed. If it keeps happening take him to a vet to get him checked for any serious problems. 
By the way, sometimes not all hedgehogs like to be pet. Damien doesn't let me pet him, that's just how his personality is but he is still comfortable with me. Some hedgehogs are just like that! Hope this helps


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

He does look a bit on the heavy side, I I compare to mine. In any case I would visit the vet because those loose stool doesn't sound good. Make sure he stay hydrated, I was once told to suplement with some clear Pedialyte.

As for the grumpy side... maybe thats just like that. Litchi is quite unfriendly, I manage to do her nail but that's a nightmare and I get bit everytime.


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## kailey lane (Apr 7, 2012)

im still new to being a hedgie mom but one thing i read that really helped me, it was even if your just holding your hedgie while he sleeps your still bonding with him.If my prinkles is having a bad day and doesn't want to anything to do with me i just let her go into her fleece sack and go back to sleep,but on my lap she is starting to open up now after doing that everyday.


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## Fleta (May 14, 2012)

He gets holding time at least an hour, dimmed lights, tried the shirt thing.

Vet said to me he had nothing wrong, bloodwork is fine. He was hard to unball for the vet too, stabbing and full on predator mode. But at least the vet didn't find anything but my check for 278 dollars.

he's being given some pedialyte, clear stuff, and I've still been counting his kibble to make sure he's not over eating. Nothing treat wise is working, I tried the suggestion above, but he does not want them. Loves his kibble and water, nothing else. Still running on the wheel like a champ. I did soak his feet and am working on the nail trimming.

Still bit at a loss about the stool and nothing working for treats. I can wait for him to warm up, if he does, to me. Just worried I'm not enough for him with the intense balling, stool issue, and not wanting treats.  

but thanks for the advice, I had hoped I could figure it out after I initially posted but that failed.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

It just takes alot of patience and time ...months sometimes...so don't give up.


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## ObeyOurHedgehogs (May 14, 2012)

I got my hedgehog pre-owned from the worst owners possible. In a way I saved his life. I've had him for almost 3 months and he 11 months old now. The previous owners never named him, handled him, bathed him, monitored him or anything. They basically thought he was just another pet in a cage. 
And a lot of the same problems, behavioral and attitude wise. If yours' likes to take a nip at you when he's smelling/licking your fingers, don't pull away, because he'll just bite again. Push into him and he'll eventually learn that it's equally unpleasant for you as it is for him when you do that. Cookie (my hedgie) still doesn't like anybody. I am the only one in my household who can actually do anything with him, but he sure is reluctant. He hisses and pops at me still too. But you just let him take time to get over it, and then it's all good. But there's a good chance you'll end up with an animal that hates you for the next 8 years lol. 
About the stool thing, more often than not, it's just stress from travelling and getting settled into a new home. As you said, your vet hasn't found anything wrong with him. As stated above, keep him hydrated. By the way, did you take your hedgie to a regular vet or an exotic pet vet? Because they're supposed to be taken to an exotic pet specialist. 
Treat problems: Some hedgehogs like treats, some dont. Just try other things, but make sure nothing that's too hard or stringy (choking hazard.) I went out and bought this expensive can of hedgehog treats, formulated for a flavor hedgehogs can't resist. He doesn't even eat them. However, if I put some in his food dish, he'll eat it along with his regular food. Try freeze-dried crickets. My little guy loves those.

I just thought another thing about the stool problem. The quality and amount of food he has might be another problem. Try mixing really high quality cat food like royal canin with some of your regular brand hedgehog food. That's what mine has been eating and he hasn't had any problems.

EDIT: If you have a couple hours on your hands and want to learn lots about your hedgie. I found this pretty extensive article written by hedgehog store owners and hedgehog specialists. You should check it out! It's incredibly useful.
http://www.hedgehogheadquarters.com/secure/care.htm


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I would also say not to give up. When we got Pepper, she didn't want to be touched. She just sat covered in fleece in my lap for a week or so, then I had my hand on top of the fleece until she settled down. Then later had my hand under the fleece. Closer to her. Always leaving it there until she chilled out. It took months. 
She wouldn't eat mealies either until I left a couple in her kibble bowl overnight. After that, she loved them. 
I also accidentally discovered with her that she wouldn't eat soft food I make unless it's in a separate bowl, away from her other food, on her second level under her wheel. Go figure. 

So - basically what I'm saying is don't give up. Be patient & try different things. Let us know how it goes. We can help encourage you.


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## pickles17 (Feb 18, 2012)

Have you been feeding him the same food the breeder fed him or did you change it?
What are the percentages of protein and fat in the food?
Some hedgehogs just won't eat anything other than their kibble. I had one guy who would only eat his kibble and mealworms, but nothing else. They are stubborn creatures, just keep adding treats to his dish every night and then maybe you'll see some success over time. I'd caution about adding yogurt though because they are lactose intolerant, and if he's been eating that it could possibly be a cause for diarreah. 
Also just because a hedgehog is friendly while it's at the breeders, doesn't mean its going to be friendly for you. 
Hedgehogs recognize their human by scent. I've had some hedgehogs that were only comfortable with my fiance and I, and puffy things for anyone else who tried to hold them. You will just have to keep at it with bonding with him to try and see some improvement.
Sometimes a bath can help to calm them down a little bit. And as someone else already said, even just holding them while they are sleeping can help.


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## Fleta (May 14, 2012)

Oh i'm not giving up on watson. A little ptsd doesn't scare me  he was just seems like he came from a breeder who likely doesn't deserve to be one. We'll make it through, least I've got Molly who's the opposite. She's the most outgoing and lovey thing in the world. Neither of them are going to leave me unless I become incapacitated. 

The vet was for exotics, his partner takes care of my greyhound as well. So at least we got a good one there, he has had hedgies in his own home so that really reassured me. 

Watson is improving on stool issues, even if it's loose still but not liquid. I took the food his breeder gave (purina cat chow, the kitten crap) and weaned him off that the first couple weeks and onto a good one. We're on royal canin now and he's scarfing it up, even with me counting the kibble. He flipped his bowl when I didn't give him what he thought he deserved. lol He is refusing anything but kibble still, but we're ok there. He's drinking fine and I give him some clear pedialyte once a day just to be sure. (lovely having a kit as I'm a nurse to use for this stuff)

I believe he's still heavily quilling, as I'm finding some in the bedding and he is just not pleased at all. We'll make it through, just going to have to keep working on it. He's at least laying semi near me without stabbing and going all predator on me.


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