# Hedgehog Cramping - Video



## Dexterino (Sep 7, 2017)

Hello,

my now 2 year old hedgehog Dexter does strange thing which nearly looks like a cramp?! He does this most of the time right before eating or before and after pooping. He is not making much noise while doing this.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zdzqskq75M"]See this video: 




This whole process looks kinda painfull to me but beside this he is a perfectly fine and healthy hedgehog and after he is done with it he seems completely undisturbed. He is running a lot (!!!) eating a lot and he poops like a champ. There are no other sings of illness and i check him regularly.

I would be very happy if someone has more information on this behavior. 

Thank You!


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## Quillys_Mom_Punky (Apr 19, 2017)

My Quilly does the same thing!! I caught on a video but a longer version of it...


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## Yukidama's mama (Apr 4, 2017)

Yup my boy does this too! ~ I think we are all still waiting for someone with more experience to give us their opinion on what exactly they are doing ><. I originally thought it was boy time but just like your hedgie in the video, he generally does this cramping/seizure thing for a few seconds and then it stops and he resumes to be normal (never curls up in a ball after and... lol. Sometimes he falls onto his side afterwards but I think that's a balance thing, although it did used to scare me as he looked temporary paralysed! Nowadays he has better control and does more like what your boy does in the video).

So I'm under the conclusion it is just a stretch/cramp, as like you say, my boy also seems to do this to get his bowel moving or to do a big sneeze. I'm pretty sure I read before of female hedgehogs doing this (on old posts) which is another reason to believe it isn't boy time. As I've mentioned before to other members, my boy does this same cramping thing anywhere, like during a footbath(!) so it makes me think he can't control it so it is more like a cramp / seizure as most hedgies know not to duck their heads when in water! ><

Can I ask, has your boy always done this? You mentioned he's 2yrs old so has he always done this or is it a new thing he's started doing? My boy has done this since the first week of bringing him home at 5 months (he's now 11 months) and he'll do this almost on a nightly basis. Just thinking might help to know, if it's something he's always done or has developed? I've not been to the vet about it as he doesn't seem effected by it but I plan to go next month for his 1yr health check so will try to explain it!  (I'm yet to get a good video of him doing it!


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## Dexterino (Sep 7, 2017)

Thank you for your answer! 

He always did this but its the first time i made it to record a video with good light  

He also does this only 10-15 sec each time and he never felt onto his side. He just goes on doing what he was doing completely fine and undisturbed.

Good you mention the control-thing. I think Dexter can control this because when i start speaking to him he stops immediately an looks at me.


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## Yukidama's mama (Apr 4, 2017)

Ah that's good to hear, I'm glad it's something he's always done too and not something he's just developed as that might suggest it is just a normal thing they do then 

Sounds like the same thing, 10-15 secs ~ I think the reason my boy sometimes falls over is because he's quite a small petit hog and used to be on the lower weight side so maybe his balance wasn't good, plus he was younger. He also bends/pops his legs out sideways a lot more than your boy in this video which I think is what makes him go off balance and then falls over >< (I'm pretty sure I read of a girl hedgie doing this too). My boy tends to do this not long after waking up, and because he's asleep all day long, in the same spot maybe he gets cramps or does this to stretch?

Actually, Yuki does that too  ~ if I speak to him or put my hand on him whilst he's doing it (like when he's in the bath and I'm trying to protect him from falling over in the water lol), he will snap out of it straightaway. I more meant the actual act seems to come on uncontrollably (his bottom and head start twitching first) or maybe he just doesn't care where he is when he feels like doing it! :lol:


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## Draenog (Feb 27, 2012)

He's masturbating. Totally normal and nothing to worry about! A healthy boy


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## blondie0530 (May 27, 2017)

Haha yup this is his boy time. My little guy does it any time he wakes up, whether it be in the bath or my lap or in his cage. Has done it since he was about 10 weeks old.

The first time I realized this, he had completely rolled /fallen over and scared himself while doing so, it was actually quite hilarious, poor guy, but a whole second later he was back at it all over again, and falling over all over again haha


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## Quillys_Mom_Punky (Apr 19, 2017)

Caught Quilly doing the same thing: http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/foru...ur/172026-strange-male-behavior-boy-time.html


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