# Adopted 2 year old scared/grumpy hedgehog



## beccahegie (Nov 2, 2015)

Hi Everyone! i'm hoping someone may have some good advise for me.
I've adopted a hedgehog that it 2 years oldish, its first home it was apparently friendly at one point and they stopped playing with it maybe a year, and it got mean so her kids didn't want it and they gave it up. To lady number 2 who had him 4 months, but because she rescues animals was looking for someone with more time to take him on.
I've had many many hamsters over the years, so I figured a hedgehog would be pretty managable, nocternal, scared type animal that needs daily attention for it to be tame.

I've had pinecone 2 weeks now and daily hes getting more and more friendly/ open to walking around on my lap. Still very hissy for the first 30 minutes of holding though.
This I figure will take time maybe a few months because hes been grumpy so long and probably doesnt trust anyone. So question one if anyone has experience with hedgehogs they've rescued, will it become fully tame or will it always be a little timmid?

QUestion 2, I've always kept my hamsters in very large cages, lots of toys and tubes to it was not bored. I feel like the hedgie is bored but their not many toys on the market for them. So what can I do to make its cage funner for it?

Question 3: I've read lots about dry skin and it being kinda common? My hedgies skin in quite dry. Also i'veread people take them to the vets, how much does this cost and is it nessisary?

Question 4: i've read they like to stay about 25 degrees. i keep the house about 22 and it has a little heater I turn on for it. is this ok?


I want this little guy to have the best life he can, so any tips of things i can do to make him less scared would be appreciated. 

Thanks


----------



## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

When dealing with living things, they come with personalities. Some are more timid than others, some more relaxed. Handling will not change those personality traits. On some level it will effect how they handle things but a nervous hedgehog, may always be nervous. 
You could give him a t shirt that you've slept in for a night or two, to cuddle up with and sleep with in his cage. It will familiarize him to your smell and make your scent safe. 
Then when you get him out every night for a minimum of 30 minutes he might be more comfortable with a blanket over him. This can help some feel more secure and safe. 

The things they need in their cage are food and water dishes, a safe wheel, and a place to hide. What your hedgehog likes to play with if anything is a game of trial and error. But there is a section devoted to toys in the housing section to give you ideas on some toys.

The dry skin is normal, however excessive dry skin isn't. Excessive itching isn't normal either. Bedding and diet can make a difference. You could try giving him a bath with some oatmeal in a sock in the water. It helps some. Without knowing how bad it is I wouldn't advise putting any oils onto him. However a small amount of oil added to his food could help moisturizer from the inside out. 
A vet visit wouldn't be a bad idea considering his background and you are still learning his normals. Also it's always a good idea to have a visit with a new pet. The proper time for introductions is not during an emergency. How much it costs? That depends on what all is being done and your location. To get an estimate you could contact other local owners or the vets themselves. 

If the heater you are using is a space heater, you still want to have some temperature control over it and a thermometer inside the cage.


----------

