# Wheezing?



## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

I've had Bruno for a few days now, and whenever I lift him up and he gets scared, it sounds as if he's wheezing. He rolls into a ball and hisses, but when he's just breathing heavy (from being scared) I can feel him breathe and it feels like he might be wheezing. It reminds me of when someone is congested and you can feel it when they breathe in if you had your hands on their ribs/lungs. It's only when he's deep breathing that I feel it, and I may be overreacting but I just worry sometimes. His nose isn't running and is just lightly moist like I believe it should be. Should I take him to the vet? I don't want to go if it is nothing but I will if it seems like I should. Thanks in advance.


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## shmurciakova (Sep 7, 2008)

I would. It's a good idea to take him in and get him situated with a vet anyway, even if it turns out to be nothing. However, it could be some kind of respiratory infection in which case better safe than sorry! I'd say go with your gut instinct.
I hope it turns out to be nothing,
Susan H.


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## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

Thanks, you've got a good point on getting acquainted with the vet. I wash kind of hoping it would be just one of those things where it was normal or something, but I guess all hedgehogs don't sound congested when they breathe.


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## jerseymike1126 (Jan 20, 2011)

does the nose look like its runny? Could be a upper respiratory infection. This is easily treated with antibiotics when caught early. 

What temperature is Bruno's cage?


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## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

His nose looks fine to me, damp like a dogs but not running or even noticeably wet. I've heard hedgehogs can get cold but I'm not sure even the symptoms of that, and I've never heard him sneeze. I was thinking maybe he's so scared that he's breathing heavier than normal, so heavy that he's shaking? I held him last night and he was still scared, but he didn't breath as hard and I didn't notice the wheezing as much. He gets pretty freaked out, his heart races and I have to just hold him and rock him until his heart rate slows down. I feel so bad that he's just so scared  

His cage is around 71-74. I know that's on the low end, but I use a space heater to heat the room and I have 2 or three blankets covering all the sides, and he has a shirt to burrow in inside his igloo, so I feel that it's actually warmer inside there then the thermometer on the side says. It's level with him, but it doesn't have a probe so it's taped to the side of the cage. His CHE, thermometer and thermostat will be shipped to me soon, I should have it by March (waiting for an eBay sale's money to clear in PayPal) and then I'll be keeping the temp around 75 (if that's okay). His cage never drops below 71, that's just the lowest I've ever seen it, it's usually around 73 and above.

Thanks for the help so far though, I really really appreciate it.


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## jerseymike1126 (Jan 20, 2011)

Sounds like it might just be him huffing at you.


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## amylynnbales (Jan 27, 2013)

Well I've heard him huff at me, (another one of his favorite things to do :roll: ) and he huffs especially when he "jumps" at me, but this is usually when I'm holding him and he's in a ball, after he's done hissing, and is just waiting for whatever to happen next. He's breathing really fast and I hear it. It's not like a huff where he's breathing out hard at me to scare me away, it's more like when I'm holding him in a ball in my hands, I can feel him breathing and it feels like almost when a sick person breathes and you can hear/feel the congestion catching, like they're about to cough. I am taking him to the vet to get a baseline introductory check up done as soon as I get him more settled in and his routine down (he's already stressed and I'm sure a vet visit wouldn't be the most relaxing thing, lol), and I'll probably bring it up then. I was just wondering if anyone's ever felt this when holding a balled-up scared hedgie. Thanks though


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## alexvdl (Dec 19, 2012)

When Reginald is really tired or agitated, he'll start "hyperventilating". You'll see his little sides shake rapidly and he makes a weird breathing noise. That could be what Bruno is doing.


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