# Troubles....lots of them =[



## KamoLover (Mar 17, 2011)

Ok so I brought Kamo home about a week ago. She is now 11 weeks old. 
So here's my troubles.

1- she is quilling and VERY cranky....what do I do? Do I just take her out and hold her? Do I let her be? I'm perplexed. 

2- She really needs a bath as she poops on her saucer while she runs and for some reason likes to stand with her back feet outside her litter pan and stretch the rest of herself all the way across it, laying in her poop. Problem is, she is so cranky and i don't know if the bath will hurt her or help her....?

3- She keeps trying to get out of her C&C cage. Is she not happy here? Is this an adjustment phase? I don't know what to do. 

Any answers to any of these questions would be greatly appreciated.


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## pooka dotted (Jan 5, 2011)

If she is quilling, go on with routine as normal, just be gentle when you pick her up and don't make her roll into a ball on your hands because it will hurt. Give her a bath by putting some oatmeal in a sock and swish it around in the water till it becomes a little cloudy. then while you bathe her put some flax seed oil on her back. This will help her skin become softer and allow the quills to poke through her skin easier with less pain. 

If she is trying to escape her cage do you mean she is climbing? if you have a cage that has bars on the sides I suggest that you put coroplast, sticky tiles, plastic place mats, or something to that nature on the sides to prevent her from climbing. She can really hurt herself by falling and getting a leg caught or landing badly. Does she have a wheel? She might just want more exercise. Getting a wheel could prevent it. What kind of cage do you have ?


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## KamoLover (Mar 17, 2011)

thanks! yes she has a wheel. she has a C&C cage and it does have coroplast in the bottom. here is a pic....


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## KamoLover (Mar 17, 2011)

heres the pic lol


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## pooka dotted (Jan 5, 2011)

So when she tries to climb, she climbs the coroplast? It looks to be a bit short. I have about a foot of coroplast on the sides to prevent climbing, Maybe she's bored as well? Maybe try a dig box? or as MissC has, a gravel rock garden? and hide things inside? I doubt she dislikes her enclosure, I think she probably just has a lot of energy.


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

The coroplast you have on the walls is not high enough, she could still climb and hurt herself. Eight inches is the minimum recommended.


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## pearlthehedgie (Feb 15, 2011)

Yes, try to handle her everyday for at least 30 minutes even if she is cranky. You can use a couple pieces of fleece to gently pick her up so she doesn't poke you. Try "scooping" her your hands lengthwise on her body and get under her tummy from each side so you don't have to touch her quills. When you hold her, just let it be on her terms. Don't try to pet her if she's really crabby because it probably hurts. Just let her get used to your smell and being with you. You could try a bowl of treat foods while you hold her so she looks forward to that time--maybe mealworms, etc. Don't hand feed her though, or she may start to associate fingers with food and start biting (we did that but ok now!)

Our quilling girl is usually happy after a bath. We use a sock with oatmeal in it, swish it in the water and also a little flax seed oil or olive oil. Maybe for starters, just try a "foot bath". Put a washcloth in the bottom of the sink with just a little water so she can still walk around and not get too scared. If she is ok with that, pour some water gently over her back. Make sure you have the bathroom nice and warm (we turn the shower on for about 10 min first so it gets all toasty in there). She may also like it best if you just have dim light, like a bright night light while bathing. Keep her snuggled up on your lap till she is completely dry before putting her back in cage. 

As for the cage, I don't know. Maybe the litter pan under the wheel would help? Most hedgies will poop and pee on the wheel and then if it goes into the litter pan, she may be more inclined to use the litter pan for her business. Good luck! Hang in there!! They say that 12 week quill is the toughest one.


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## KamoLover (Mar 17, 2011)

pooka dotted said:


> So when she tries to climb, she climbs the coroplast? It looks to be a bit short. I have about a foot of coroplast on the sides to prevent climbing, Maybe she's bored as well? Maybe try a dig box? or as MissC has, a gravel rock garden? and hide things inside? I doubt she dislikes her enclosure, I think she probably just has a lot of energy.


yes she climbs the coroplast. is there any way to make it higher without buying a whole new piece? it is 6 inches high right now....?


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## KamoLover (Mar 17, 2011)

also, her poop sticks to her wheel really bad so i odnt even put her litter pan under it. i dont want her walking through her poop to get to it.


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

KamoLover said:


> is there any way to make it higher without buying a whole new piece? it is 6 inches high right now....?


If you have left overs you may be able to cut out another piece about 5 to 6 inches and put it on top of the walls that are already there and seal together with tape and attach to the bars. Since the seam would be 6 inches up the wall it shouldn't be too bad with getting yucky stuff on the taped seams. You'd have to tape good though to make sure the seam didn't act as a foot hold. Duct tape or clear packaging tape may work.


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## KamoLover (Mar 17, 2011)

thank you all bunches =] I gave her a bath about half an hour ago and she seems much happier after- much less cranky and actually somewhat cuddly....maybe it made her feel better...even if for a little bit =]


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