# Hello! im new here



## Lunav (Aug 7, 2010)

Hello i barely got my hedgehog (Leeloo) yesterday. and its been exciteing..even though its my first hedgie. well shes 8 months..i did get her from a lady on craigslist( shes not a breeder)..she looks healthy (thanks to research and tips on here..) the lady was going to give her to a shealter so i took her. i wanted to ask questions....i put my old shirt in her cage was that a good idea?...should i leave her alone for a day or so then try and hold her?...(kinda nervous when i think of holding her)... any other good tips to geting her use to me?....thanks for reading ^-^


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Congrats on your hog and welcome to HHC!
The tee shirt in her cage is a good way for the her to get use to your smell


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

Yeah, most people will give their hedgehog a day or so to adjust to their new home (new sounds, smells, etc). Each hog is different in how they react, some might be really nervous, some might not even care. Monitor her poop, green poop is a typical sign of stress and its common for her to have a couple during the first night.

I wouldn't worry too much about picking her up, you'll get use to it. My first hedgehog when I first tried to pick her up would huff at me, and I'd pull my hand away like it was a rabid dog trying to bite me (was trying to get her our of the cat carrier and into her cage). But you'll get use to it. If she spikes up or balls you might try using say your shirt or some sort of cloth (nothing with loose threads) to initially pick her up. Since she isn't from a breeder, she's probably going to ball when you pick her up, which can hurt a little. Scooping is the best method, both hands on either side, just beware if she does ball up, getting your hand caught in that little trap might not feel so good, but you'll get the hang of it.

Congratz and Welcome to HHC!


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

Welcome! Leeloo is such a cute name! Sounds like you are off to a good start. Like Puffers said, each hedgdie has it's own personality. You just have to get to know each other. There are tons of threads on everything you can think of here. And you can always post your questions. People are very good at responding. Again, welcome & congrats!


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## EryBee (May 23, 2010)

Welcome! I hope Leeloo is settling in, and that you'll post pictures of her soon!


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Did you get the name Leeloo off Futurama by any chance? :O

At any rate, I was very nervous holding a hedgie for the first time too! If you're very nervous about it, just take your old t-shirt to use it to pick the hedgie up, that way it won't be so prickly


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## Lunav (Aug 7, 2010)

Well thank you all for replying! =) leeloo loves my shirt.hopefully i will pick her im pretty excited. soon ill get pics because i cant quite get her color right. lol her name did come from that show i like watching it. it also came from the movie The Fifth Element...(one of my fave movies). last night was funny because i had put a toliet paper roll in her cage and she was playing with it (she got her head stuck the first time) then she got used to it.^-^


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

We almost named Cholla "Bender"


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Welcome to HHC and congrats on your new baby!


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Futurama <3

Eeee my friend's hedgie is named Leela ^-^


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## Lunav (Aug 7, 2010)

i really think leeloo is more of a just for show hegdehog...she has been very mean lately...when i change her bedding or water she huffs and growls ( know thats normal) but she lunges at me when her forhead quils are out its like she dosnt want me to touch anything...she is completely deffencive...every time i even go near she is never relaxed...even when i leave her alone and check on her, her quils are in deffence mode...is that normal? i think the owners be for me never even cared or carried her....is it harder for adult hedgehogs to get use to you? also i think she is blind she attacks anything near her..


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Just give her some time 

She's probably just trying to adjust to her new home. Maybe you should start slow by sitting by her cage so that she gets used to your presence.

I don't think she's blind, just scared


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## Lunav (Aug 7, 2010)

Think so? i hope so lol


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

The only way to know whether she's blind or not for sure is to go to the vet and check, but if she is aware of night/day then she probably is not blind


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## Lunav (Aug 7, 2010)

Ill give her time  so hopefully she will relax


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

I agree on what you said about the previous owners, it could be a good reason why she is acting that way, but it is also cause she has only been with you for a short time. From what I've read and even experienced with my own, it can take time for them to lighten up and trust you, with constant bonding time she'll come around. But my Hester had basically zero contact from birth to 4 months when I got her, and she's very much like yours at the moment. I've had her for a couple of months but our bonding time has been brief due to work hours, but I've seen slow changes. But she puts her quills up when I get near her in the cage, balls up when picked up, clicks and when really mad pops at me, but calms down.

My other one loki who is a 2 year old that had good handling was very much like Hester and yours when I first got him, but after a couple of weeks he really calmed down. Still defensive when picked up but really no longer balls, unless he was asleep, only huffs at me when awake, clicks and pops when I disturb him while sleeping during the day, he really hates that. Other than that, mostly calm, cool and no balling when awake and active with me. At times I can pet him, other times he'll huff at me for touching him.

As for blindness, shaelikestaquitos I think has the best idea for testing, turn the lights off, and let her get active in her cage, wheeling and such, then flick the lights on. She'll either freeze in her spot, freeze and then run for her hiding spot, or even just look over at you. If she continues to run like nothing has changed, then I'd start thinking maybe she is blind.


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## Lunav (Aug 7, 2010)

Ah i see thanks ! should i start bonding time now or later? also she looks dirty(poop on spots of her back) should i try and giver her a bath?


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

I think you can start bonding now. Do you have a cuddle bag or something. Start off slow, by letting her have a place to hide, like the cuddle bag, (we would wrap Cholla lightly in a towel) & just have her in your lap & watch TV or something quiet. Don't make sudden moves. If she wants to stay hidden, she can. If she wants to come out, she can. I always keep a few treats by my chair. 
I think I would wait a bit for the bath, if at all possible. Let her get to know you a bit better & get a bit more comfortable. Some hedgies hate baths. Cholla does & it can stress them out a bit.


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## Lunav (Aug 7, 2010)

Thanks  i dont have a cuddle bag yet but i have nice blankets without loops or loose stiching. ill use that. i dont have any treats yet either but ill think of something


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

A bit of her kibble would be a good treat. Plus, then you don't have to worry about introducing something new to her that may upset her tummy.


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## Lunav (Aug 7, 2010)

great! i held her with a towel a few min. ago. she let me touch her!! =D! i took pics to but i use my phone for internet..so yea.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Yay ^-^
Whenever I wake my hedgie up, I start talking to him so that he is aware that I am there. After that, I will remove him from his cage using my old t-shirt, and I will give him 5 mealies after he settles down on my lap. This way he associates treats with handling  After that he will usually sniff around for a little bit and then go back to sleep. He's much more of a cuddler than an explorer :lol:


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## Lunav (Aug 7, 2010)

he sounds very cool :3 soon hopefully ill get her treats so i can reward her.


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## Lunav (Aug 7, 2010)

Lol evrything is going great! but barely today i found out leeloo was a boy  males have a belly button? right? so i decided to name him bender or zoidberg hahah


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

HAHA!!!! I think that happens alot! We almost named our hedgie Bender! So-welcome to hedgie ownership!! Where you never really know what you have! :lol:


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## EryBee (May 23, 2010)

Lunav said:


> Lol evrything is going great! but barely today i found out leeloo was a boy  males have a belly button? right? so i decided to name him bender or zoidberg hahah


That's really funny! I hope it's not...a bad suprise...? Boys are lovely too. I like the boy names you have picked out, by the way.


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## Lunav (Aug 7, 2010)

Lol yea and it wasnt a bad suprise really.. i dont care what the gender is.. i just found out that every time i called him leeloo his for head quils would show..i guess he knew he was being called a girls name lol


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