# Suggestions, please!



## AnimeAngel333 (Sep 15, 2010)

ve had my hedgehog for about 5 months now, and the breeder I got her from had her for 2 months, to assure she was properly weaned. She seemed active and bright, and excited when someone approached. However, after I took her home, she was frightened and defensive. I figured it was normal, and put a few things with my scent in her cage. After a while, she seemed a bit better, she came out of her tube regularly, and excercised in her wheel. She seemed to like my presence and attention, because she would always approach me and sniff my hand. She would allow me to pet her belly and trim her nails. I even bathed her and she seemed to like it, shhe waded into the water and when she wanted out she would climb to the edge. Afterwards i dried her off, clipped her nails, and let her rn around me on the bed to make sure she was dry. Shortly after, she shied away from me, and did not care for my attention anymore. She was shedding her quills and she grew about twice her size. I heard about the quilling process, so I would play with her a bit, the same as before. I cleaned her cage regularly (the potty training failed miserably) and after she seemed to be done quilling, I still paid attention to her as I did before. However now she is the same as she was when she first got to her new home. Shy, timid, and doesn't want anything to do with me. Does anyone have some suggestions as to why, or how I could try to get her back to her loving self? Thankies, Spoink's mommy


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

Welcome to HHC. First of all, don't give up. Keep spending time with her. 
We spend time with ours on our lap while watching tv. If they want to sleep, we do that. If they want to run around, we do that. 
I am finding with Zoey that sometimes it's 2 steps forward & 1 step back. So I just try to take every little bit of progress as a gift. Like last night she slept on me.  Usually she's a bit wary of us. So I'm going to try & figure out what made her feel that way so we can do it again. But, then again, perhaps she won't ever do it again. So you have to be prepared for that possibility also.


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

Grumpy quills instead of grumpy gills?

Hang in there. Can try getting her up earlier when she's still sleepy and see if she'll sleep on your lap for some quiet bonding time together. If she's really freaking out then I'd suspect something medical but if she's just being huffy then I wouldn't worry about it.


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## AnimeAngel333 (Sep 15, 2010)

Thankies for the feedback! She tends to wake up a bit early (around 9pm) so I usually let her eat and run in her wheel a bit before I take her out. She does anoint herself whenever she sees my hands now, the lcking and biting is pretty persistent, so I tend to mind my hands around her, so she doesn't get a taste for finger sausages! I have tried this quiet bonding time, whenever I wake her earler than usual, all she has in mind is food! I set some of her food in my lap and she munches away but if I move at all she balls up and tries to run back into her cage, I avoid waking her up when possible. She poops a lot more than she used to as well, is this just because of maturity? I was worried because her entire personality changed... now she lies under her wheel, poops in her water dish, and she does the contortion act anointment sometimes when I put food in her cage. The only time she pays attention to me is when I take her out after she eats and excercises a bit, so I guess I will just keep doing that! Also, she used to favor my boyfriend, but now she wants nothing to do with him...is she becoming feminist? Haha


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## Sela (Apr 10, 2010)

Someone's a Pokemon fan, eh?

I don't really have anything to chime in with, but I wanted to tell you that Spoink is adorable, and I hope the problem is resolved soon.


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## AnimeAngel333 (Sep 15, 2010)

Ahaha yes! Almost nobody gets her name!  thankies! Also, I ust woke her up and now she is climbing around in my lap getting comfortable.  I think the sleepy = lovey xD


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

:lol: For mine too! That's why I don't mind waking them up - they are just cuddly & sleepy.

I was wondering also, if you had any new smells around the house or yourselves. That could cause a change in behavior.


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## AnimeAngel333 (Sep 15, 2010)

Not that I know of...we got a new cat but he lives in a seperate area of the house...that's all I can think of


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