# Getting your hedge used to your smell



## Dedalus (Sep 8, 2013)

Not sure if there are any other new hedgehog owners (guardians?) on here, but if so, just wanted to throw this out there.

The first day Winifred stayed in her cage, I put a shirt I had been wearing in her tub, spread out over the floor. I've been replacing it with a fresh one every other day, and it's making a HUGE difference. When I get her out, she seems very drawn to my smell, and I can tell she identifies it with safety and home. It's moved the bonding process along really fast, I think.


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## Tom (Jul 21, 2013)

That's what is usually recommended. I have one of my shirts in my girl's cage- I don't replace it though because I don't feel like wasting shirts. I don't think I'll ever wear that shirt again though.


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## Dedalus (Sep 8, 2013)

Yeah, I've been using older shirts that I don't really wear much, so I don't mind them getting pooped on or whatever.


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## grins&needles (Sep 10, 2013)

I replace the shirt ever 2-3 days and I agree it does seem to be helping but I have a pretty laid back hedgie ONCE she's awake, so I'm not sure what can be attributed to the shirt and what can be attributed to a good breeder. For instance, my hedgie accepted nail trimmings and the breeder was able to complete without any resistance, biting, or prickles in about 2 minutes!

Now I'm getting off of the topic  I don't think I can actually wear my shirts I rotate because ramona has torn a hole in them! She is fierce!


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## MochiAndMe (Jul 13, 2013)

When I first got Mochi, I slept with a piece of fleece for the first few nights, then put it in her cage, and she slept under it.


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## grins&needles (Sep 10, 2013)

MochiAndMe said:


> When I first got Mochi, I slept with a piece of fleece for the first few nights, then put it in her cage, and she slept under it.


This idea makes SOOOOO much more sense!


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## OMGitsJenn (Sep 14, 2013)

In all honesty, when I got my first hedgie, I put a shirt in his igloo so he could get used to my scent. Any time I took the shirt out, he would just be sooo crabby and would ball up until I put the shirt back in and he would let me hold him and I could pick him up easier. It ended up being his favorite blanket and I let him sleep with it every single day till he died.


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## Anne-Marie M. (Aug 27, 2013)

I also keep my Piccolo's fleece blankets and spare snuggle sacks tucked in my bed. Whenever I need a clean one, I just pull one out from between my sheets and put a freshly-laundered one back in.


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## Dedalus (Sep 8, 2013)

Anne-Marie M. said:


> I also keep my Piccolo's fleece blankets and spare snuggle sacks tucked in my bed. Whenever I need a clean one, I just pull one out from between my sheets and put a freshly-laundered one back in.


That's a really good idea!


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## grins&needles (Sep 10, 2013)

Stay with you scent sharing tactics because they are turning Ramona around so quickly. After exactly a week I am truly making some headway. After her initial wake up there was no spikey ball of death or hissing just down quills and an inquisitive face 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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