# Understanding her personality from first day



## rryzz (Sep 5, 2015)

Brought home my first hedgie today, and I have high hopes of her being cuddly in the next few weeks. I haven't tried to hold her again after I brought her home, so as not to stress her. She hisses when I take her blanket away after a nap, but as soon as she has fully awaken, she moves around freely and tries to peek out the cage as if exploring. Is this a good sign of a non-grouchy hedgie? and when can I start holding her?

P.S. she has also eaten and drank water, but I don't think she has eliminated.


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

First, what type of personality did she have at the breeders? If she wasn't cuddly there, she may never be the cuddly type. Very few hedgehogs could be described as cuddly. 
She is exploring her new home as well as finding out what is normal for her new home. Picking her up should be normal. However you can expect her to be defensive about being picked up, they are prey animals. 
How they act in their cage isn't always a good indication of her personality with people. If no one is in my house I may act differently in a given situation than if a person is in the house with me. I sing in the shower, does that mean I sing when the vacuum salesman is talking to me? 
Pick her up and hold her for at least 30 minutes EVERY DAY. The breeder had probably worked hard to make her as calm as possible. Every day you don't handle her, you take steps back. 
Depending on your cage and more so your bedding, it will be obvious when she has gone to the bathroom. Particulate bedding, wood shavings or paper product bedding, can hide feces. Fleece bedding it's either on top, underneath or in a wrinkle.


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## octopushedge (Apr 26, 2015)

You can start holding her right away. It's better that she gets used to being handled rather than being left alone. 

That being said, don't put a lot of stock in her being "cuddly". Hedgehogs are not like that by nature. They are perfectly happy to be left alone forever. Most hedgehogs, it's just a matter of getting them to tolerate you. Very few will ever seek out your attention.


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## rryzz (Sep 5, 2015)

twobytwopets said:


> First, what type of personality did she have at the breeders? If she wasn't cuddly there, she may never be the cuddly type. Very few hedgehogs could be described as cuddly.
> She is exploring her new home as well as finding out what is normal for her new home. Picking her up should be normal. However you can expect her to be defensive about being picked up, they are prey animals.
> How they act in their cage isn't always a good indication of her personality with people. If no one is in my house I may act differently in a given situation than if a person is in the house with me. I sing in the shower, does that mean I sing when the vacuum salesman is talking to me?
> Pick her up and hold her for at least 30 minutes EVERY DAY. The breeder had probably worked hard to make her as calm as possible. Every day you don't handle her, you take steps back.
> Depending on your cage and more so your bedding, it will be obvious when she has gone to the bathroom. Particulate bedding, wood shavings or paper product bedding, can hide feces. Fleece bedding it's either on top, underneath or in a wrinkle.


The previous owner said she's calm, and had no trouble with playing with her and her dog. So, I could start holding her as early as now? I use a wooden bedding, I guess it has camouflaged with it.


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## rryzz (Sep 5, 2015)

octopushedge said:


> You can start holding her right away. It's better that she gets used to being handled rather than being left alone.
> 
> That being said, don't put a lot of stock in her being "cuddly". Hedgehogs are not like that by nature. They are perfectly happy to be left alone forever. Most hedgehogs, it's just a matter of getting them to tolerate you. Very few will ever seek out your attention.


Will do that! And I guess I'm happy with just a tolerant and a not "always grumpy" hedgie. Thanks!


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## twobytwopets (Feb 2, 2014)

Did you interact with her at the previous owners? 
I have the belief of "believe nothing you hear and half of what you see."
In this situation from what I'm gathering she is an adult that had to find another home. 

Even if that isn't the case, we can break it down a bit. 
Believe nothing you hear:
They said she was calm, they have a benefit in saying that even if it isn't true. Hard to sell a grumpy hedgehog. Yours may not be grumpy, but without you handling her you simply don't know. 
Believe half of what you see:
If you seen them interacting and she seemed friendly and calm, there is a possibility that she had taken 20+ minutes to be ok and not a huffy ball of quills. 

All that being said, you may have gotten a hedgehog that is calmer and not a total grump. Daily handling is just as important for these hedgehogs as it is for the oscar the grouch hedgehogs. As I said before, your hedgehog is a prey animal. It's ingrained in their little brains that we are going to eat them. With a grumpy hedgehog, daily handling can slowly teach them that we aren't going to eat them at least today. With a calm one, daily handling can teach them that we still won't eat them.


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## rryzz (Sep 5, 2015)

twobytwopets said:


> Did you interact with her at the previous owners?
> I have the belief of "believe nothing you hear and half of what you see."
> In this situation from what I'm gathering she is an adult that had to find another home.
> 
> ...


I was able to interact with her for 15 minutes in the previous owner's. She was of course calmer in the owner's hands, but she didn't huff up into a ball, when I held her.

This morning, her cage was full of evidence that she had eliminated. It's not green, but it's not solid. Should I be worried? Or is it just a normal occurrence for an adjusting hedgie?

I was also able to hold her. I let her out of the hide, and explore a bit first, then let her smell my hand a bit, and alas I was able to carry her. She was on explorer mode, and not at all frantic.


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## writergirlmel (May 16, 2015)

Green, slimy, or watery feces are normal for an adjusting hedgehog. It sounds like you're off to a good start with her. Just be consistent and persistent. And if the feces don't start normalizing in another 3-5 days or if you notice other signs of something amiss, seek veterinary care as a precaution. Otherwise, it's fine to wait for her initial check-up -- which is always a good idea since it's best to establish a relationship with a vet before it's an emergency.


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## Slava (May 29, 2015)

My hedgehog takes a green poop every couple of days. Usually when I hold him on his back for inspection and he really hates it. Or when they other day I gave him some celery to try he pooped a huge green pile.. that was kinda scary I have never seen him poop such a liquid and green before.


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