# Agressive Hedgie



## AlluringMelody (Dec 1, 2015)

I'm really concerned about my hedgie Sir Draco Quilliumton. I've had him since May (he is about 9 months old now). The vet believes he may have bipolar disorder or some other mental issue and I'm not sure how to handle him. Draco is a biter and no matter how much I handle him, it's just getting worse. I've tried the tshirt trick but all he'll do is hiss at it until my scent is gone. He likes to "pleasure himself" a lot. In fact, whenever I take him out he'll just run to a corner and do it. Draco also refuses to run on his wheel or eat when his heat lamp is on. He is more comfortable with the lamp, but he doesn't like the light from it and associates it with day time (I have a night heat lamp). Draco also doesn't let me trim his nails. I'm really afraid because his nails are so long now. He won't take treats either. He bites me and scratches me whenever I try and I can't trim if he bites, squirms, and scratches. Does anyone know what to do? I love him so much, but if he doesn't let me take care of him I'm going to have to give him up for adoption. I'm hoping someone with experience can help me and if not help me, someone with experience adopt my little Draco.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

What is the temperature in the cage? Is it all the same temp or is there a warm and cool area? 
Has he always been this way? 
How are you heating his cage? It sounds like you are using lamps, that produce light all day and night. If that is the case, that may be the cause. 
Did the vet do an exam, if so what all did he check? If he is in pain, he can't be friendly. 
What is his light schedule? 
What else is going on around him? Some hedgehogs are more sensitive to external stimuli like other animals, children, smells things like that. 
How often are you handling him, and what time are you doing it? When you handle him, what else is going on? Some prefer total silence, but some do not. Some prefer total darkness and some prefer a bit of ambient light while your handling them.

All these questions combined can give us clues to what might be going on with your little guy. There may not be an easy answer. Sometimes answers just lead to new questions, that's how it works sometimes. As far as your hedgehog having bipolar disorder... Chances are slim to none on that.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Its normal for males to pleasure themselves, a lot. Some are very discrete and other are happy to do it out in the open. This is very normal.


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## AlluringMelody (Dec 1, 2015)

I have a heat lamp that uses a night bulb. The light is red. One side of his cage is around 75 degrees and the other is around 65. Sometimes it's warmer on both. The vet refused to check him out or trim his nails unless he went under. 4 other vets told me the same because Draco is so unfriendly. I am too afraid to put him under. His heat light is usually on until 10-11pm and I turn it back on around 5am. I usually handle him at night, but he comes out during the day when I have to bathe him/ clean his cage. I'm not usually quiet when I take him out because he likes it when I sing to him. He'll calm down when I do it as long as I don't touch him and he'll eventually come to me. 
What I'm really concerned about is that he bites all the time. When I think I'm finally getting through to him he attacks me. He doesn't let go either after he bites and will tug and thrash while he's doing it. He won't let me do much or he'll start freaking out.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Ok. A couple husbandry issues are coming up that may cause him to be more grumpy. 
Are you heating his cage between 10/11 and 5? And that means you are only giving him between 6 & 7 hours of darkness. 
Suggestions. Get a proper heating set up. It should produce no light so it can be on all the time if it's needed. Heat the whole cage. In the wild there isn't a lot of fluctuation in temperature, in captivity we should mimic that. 
Lighting, he needs to have between 12-14 hours of light. Get a lamp with a timer, saves some headache. Having an improper lighting schedule can not only cause physical issues but mental as well. 

Has he always been this way, or did he used to be a friendlier hog? 

If you address the husbandry issues, his behavior might improve. If you fix everything and after a while he is still the same, you might want to have him examined. Yes that would involve sedating him. Even if I were bringing in a super calm hedgehog that could be in pain somewhere, I'd expect sedation to do a full exam if it's needed.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

You are going to probably see a lot of duplicate/agreement with 2x2 in my posting, but some thoughts.

If a hedgehog is aggressive or overly defensive, sedation is typically needed in order to get a good exam done. I use a vet who is extremely patient and will spend a huge amount of time waiting on a hedgehog to relax to examine them, but sometimes even he says its time for a whiff of some sleepy gas to get the job done. Its also less stressful on the hedgehog.

How do you react to his biting? When does he typically bite? When you pick him up? Only when you try to trim his nails? 

If he only does it during a nail trim, when and how are you trimming his nails? If you give him a bath and trim his nails at that time, is he more or less apt to bite? Occasionally a change in how you hold them can help you prevent bites. Although, I did have one that never stopped trying to bite me when you trimmed her nails. Nail trimmings stressed her, and she would bite, but only at that time. For her, I had to find a position I could hold her and dodge her mouth. 

Biting isn't exactly an aggressive behavior. I know it seems like it is, but its often a very defensive reaction with these little ones or its a trained behavior. He's either learned he can get is way if he bites and now he bites all the time to try to get his way... or he bites because he is overly stressed and its the only way that has worked to get him left alone.


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## AlluringMelody (Dec 1, 2015)

His cage is being heated 5am-10/11pm. I'll try getting him into a better schedule. I only leave it on so long because my house is sort of cold. 
Draco has always been super grumpy. I thought it would go away as I spent more time with him, but it just got worse.The longer he's out our around anyone the madder he gets. 
I should get him checked anyway. Will the anesthesia hurt him? It hurt my dog so I'm worried.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Get a ceramic heat emitter and a thermostat if you don't have one. You really should be heating 24/7 and a CHE setup is a good choice. They throw no light, and can do a very nice job if setup right. I'm using one with a new rescue at the moment for quarantine. His room is about 67, but his cage temp is a nice consistent 75. 

There is always risk with anesthesia. With that said, so long as you are using a veterinarian experienced with hedgehogs (ask them how many times they have put one under), you will likely be ok. I've had many under for thorough exams and many under for surgery and we haven't had any trouble yet. Of course that may change one day.


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## AlluringMelody (Dec 1, 2015)

I'll try getting a ceramic heater. Hopefully he'll take to it. As for biting, it's just what he does. He could be out and I'll be paying attention to him and he'll bite my hand. He'll lick his lips and then bite. I've changed my soap and even waited a day after showering. No change. He has bitten my arm, hand, fingers, skin between fingers, legs, etc. He doesn't let go either. I try to stay still and speak calmly when he bites but sometimes I jerk or wince depending where he bites. He bites more during a nail trim, while bathing and not bathing. Another person has tried helping too and we both ended up with a really mad hog. He's just not a happy camper and he won't let me care for him. I just make him mad.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

Sounds like he is one that is going to need avoidance for a while to break the habit. Have you tried using fleece to have him bite instead of you? 

When you pick him up, use a piece of fleece to cover your hands. It may help if it was one that was in his cage as it will smell like him. It should also make the bite hurt less.

When you hold him, keep a piece of fleece on your lap and cover him with it. see if he feels any more relaxed. Or let him bite it when he feels the need.

For nail trimming, if he will allow it, try to hold him with the fleece between his head and your fingers...

But it does sound like you may need to have him sedated to get his nails done initially to get them in a reasonable length and then continue to work with him to try to hold his feet afterwards.


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## AlluringMelody (Dec 1, 2015)

I have tried fleece before. Draco gets upset when he is covered. He only likes blankets after a bath when he's wet and that's only sometimes. Is there something else I could try to calm him?


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Are you trying to hold him down, or just have fleece over your hands so he can't get a good grip on your hands? Does he like to explore?


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## AlluringMelody (Dec 1, 2015)

I try to swaddle him in the blanket or cover my hands with the fleece. He liles to squirm but doesn't really explore.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Have you tried just letting him sit on your lap or wandering around a playpen with you in it?


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## AlluringMelody (Dec 1, 2015)

Yes I've tried. He tries to get off of me fairly quick. He gets upset if he's around people for too long.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

In the wild, the only time he'd be held its by another animals mouth. This sounds like he's biting you before you bite him. 
Try sitting down in a play pen. Have a book, cell phone, tablet whatever you need to entertain yourself for at least 30 minutes. Let him walk around you and in the playpen. 
Fix the heating and lighting situation. Once he is able to rest and realize he isn't on the menu, he might not feel the need to bite. And when you hold him, just have fleece over your hands.


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## AlluringMelody (Dec 1, 2015)

Okay, I'll try it. Thank you very much! I'll let you know how it goes!


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

When you get the ceramic heat emitter you will also need to get a fixture that says its rated for a CHE and a thermostat to control it. If you look in the heating section of the forum there is a good thread about heating and it has links to the supplies needed. This is very important to have set up properly.


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## octopushedge (Apr 26, 2015)

Just to add on to Nikki's comment: It's not just about making sure your hedgehog is warm. A lamp not properly rated for a CHE can overheat and melt or start a fire.


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