# New Hedgie suddenly inactive!



## jessylittlej (Aug 13, 2012)

I got my hedgehog on Saturday, and the woman i got him from didn't handle him much, but said he ran on his wheel every night and ate well! Well I brought him home and put him in a bigger cage with the same bedding and all his previous stuff, and my hubby has been holding him everyday, but he has not come out to run in his wheel, i haven't seen him eat either! I'm worried! He burrows, and stays in his house, but i can move his house and he hardly budges when he used to jump! its hard to wake him up and he seems sluggish! his cage is at room temp which is about 75. Is he sick? He's not very friendly so you can't touch his belly!


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Even if he is quilly and you can't feel his belly, feel underneath where he is sleeping. If the area is warm, then he is warm. If you feel no warmth, then he is not not warm enough.


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## jessylittlej (Aug 13, 2012)

Sounds easy enough, even though i'm sure he will poke the crap outta me  I got him out earlier to let him get used to my scent and we sat on the floor together, and he smelled my hands, and waddled around. So I guess he is feeling ok...just maybe adjusting to a new enviroment and his home being rearranged???


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

could take some time for him to settle in, but wouldn't hurt to bump up the temp a couple degrees just in case.


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## jessylittlej (Aug 13, 2012)

what kind of heat source should i use? I have read so many things that say no heat, and things that say they need heat! The 120 gal aquarium he is in has an undertank heater stuck to the bottom, should i plug that in? Or use a heat lamp? I'm new to this and I just want him to be healthy and happy


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

an aquarium isn't a good home for anything other than fish and maybe some types of crabs and lizards that don't require much oxygen. it is very hard to get an adequate air flow going in an aquarium so the animal is stuck breathing in their feces and urine most of the time which obviously isn't good for their respiratory system. 

secondly an under the tank heater is probably going to be too hot and may burn the hedgies sensitive feet, but idk i don't use them. 

hedgehogs do require a heat source. they need to stay at a constant temperature between about 74-78 degrees (74 is on the low side and may cause issues for some hedgies). if the temp isn't constant and isn't warm enough the hedgehog can go into hibernation which they are unable to pull out of and may die. this is possibly what your hedgehog started to do which is why i suggest bumping the temp up a couple degrees to prevent it. the first signs are wobbliness, cold belly, and being rolled into a tight ball that you can't easily get them out of. 

a heat source is really a personal preference to a point. the best choices are a che (basically a lamp with a heat bulb) attached to the cage or a space heater. i use a space heater because it heats the whole room which is easier imo then trying to adjust a temperamental thermometer on the che to get the right temp. 

you also need a digital thermomter for inside the cage so you can always monitor the temp (like $10 at walmart). 

do you have him on light schedule? a hedgehog can also go into hibernation if they don't have the right amount of light. they need to have 12 hours of light a day and daylight from outside doesn't count (too many cloudy days and time changes to remain constant). if you don't have one set up you can get a cheap lamp and timer at walmart (think i paid about $15 for both).


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## jessylittlej (Aug 13, 2012)

OK. No aquarium...I will be looking for a cage this week  Now i do have one of those lights that you clamp on to things, I can't use a space heater as i have 2 small children who would be all over that!  Could I possibly use the clamp light and change the bulb to a heat bulb? I don't have him on a light schedule, but i do have a lamp that i can turn on over him for 12 hours a day. I appreciate all the help! I'm new to this and would love to learn anything i can that will be helpful to Sonic and I, so he can live a happy healthy life


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## jerseymike1126 (Jan 20, 2011)

you will get poked. try not to be afraid of it...


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## jessylittlej (Aug 13, 2012)

JerseyMike: haha! Ya but those things are ridiculously sharp!!!


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## shawnwk1 (Jul 8, 2011)

is it a regular clamp lamp like from walmart? if so then no i wouldn't use it. it could be a HUGE fire hazard which you don't want especially with little kids in the house plus even if it doesn't start a fire it could easily get too hot and burn one of the kids if they touch it or melt the lamp. i'd buy one from a pet store that's specifically made for that. it's still going to get hot and you'll have to keep your kids away anyway, but probably better safe than sorry. 

i don't use a che anymore and don't have little kids running around so maybe someone will have some better ideas on how to safely heat a cage with young children.


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## jessylittlej (Aug 13, 2012)

well for the time being till I go to the store I put an energy saving bulb in it that doesn't make it hot, but puts out enough light for him. The hubby is working out of town and won't be back till the weekend and he has the car  We have a wire top built on the cage, for when we had our tortoise, so right now i have the lights sitting on the top like we did with the turtle! So his cage is lit up well, I plan on turning it off in a little while, and turning it on again in the morning. Do you have any tips on how to socialize him further??


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## jerseymike1126 (Jan 20, 2011)

jessylittlej said:


> JerseyMike: haha! Ya but those things are ridiculously sharp!!!


no worse than getting pricked by a pin. one of mine just got me good, small drop of blood. wiped it off, cant even tell where i got pricked


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