# Hedgehog bit me HARD! Broke skin!



## chelseashines (Dec 27, 2011)

So I had my hedgie under neath my shirt and when i moved her she tried biting at my bellybutton ring. Well of vourse I took my bellybutton ring out and she CHOMPED on my bellybutton!!! Why did she do that? Did she get annoyed from me moving her?? It broke skin and there's a little swelling. Should I be worried about it getting infected? I cleaned it and put hand sanitizer on it. There's a little bit of swelling, too. She's never bit me before! ):


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## amberkinn (Oct 9, 2011)

That's really weird. I'm not as knowledgeable as everyone else here, but the flesh near your belly button ring probably smelled different to her. I noticed my hedgies like the smell of sweat or human in general before being washed and will nibble at things that smell like it, so I always wash areas I know they'll be before I hold them.  I've never been chomped on before, I imagine it would hurt quite a bit though.  I wouldn't be worried about infection as long as you've taken her to the vet before and she had a clean bill of health. Just in case though, I'd clean it with some peroxide if it's still swollen and you have that lying around the house. Mix it with a little water if you're worried about it affecting the piercing. I always did that when cleaning a lip piercing I had a long time ago.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Lots of hedgehogs like to bite/play with shiny things,was probably the lingering smell of it after you removed it that brought on the bite and it's all new to your hog since you've had em just a couple of days.


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## rivoli256 (Mar 1, 2009)

my hedgies all LOVE to gnaw a) on me & b) on my navel ring...so i am out of luck no matter what! :lol: perhaps having just removed the ring, the smell that attracts her was stronger? or she wasn't paying any attention, she was just going for it? :roll: crazy hedgies. 

i would wash the area & take care of it as you would a new piercing for a couple days - just to be careful.


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## sweetergrrrl (May 5, 2009)

Lol. That sounds a lot like Link. He likes to rub his teeth against things when he annoints. So I have had some broken skin thanks for a hedgie. There was a little swelling, but I put Neosporin on it, bandaged it and just kept an eye on the area. So far, so good.


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## xljenlx3389 (Sep 11, 2011)

Mochi has playfully nibbled on my skin several times. On rare occasion she has seriously chomped down on my skin and A. wouldn't let go for a long time or B. made me bleed. Each time I washed the affected area thouroughly and then used neosporin. If its healing nicely you should be fine, but if the swelling is still present or if the redness gets more red or covers a greater area then when it first began to swell, you might have an issue. The belly button does not have the same level of blood perfusion as for example an ear lobe, which is why belly button piercings and probably your hedgie bite are prone to prolonged infections. 

Tip: I've learned to avoid a big chomp, I need to feed Mochi some of her food or treat before playing with her for long periods to stave off any hunger that may makes her more willing to turn me into a meal, instead of a cuddle buddy


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## jerseymike1126 (Jan 20, 2011)

every so often pokey likes to bite me. its never out of aggression and i get a good laugh at it.


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## Mleeh13 (Feb 14, 2015)

I was trying to pack up my hedgehog because I was going to my friends house for the week and when I was trying to get him to go into his sleeping bag he bit me so hard I almosted screamed. He'd never bitten me like that before but he had bitten me before from crumbs on my hand. My finger started to bleed so I washed it off and put a band aid on it. So now I'm at my friends house and everytime I put my hands near him he starts to bite really hard.


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## mineachan (Sep 25, 2015)

Is there something I can apply to my skin that will make him NOT want to bite me? Carlos has bitten me on my shoulder every night for the last couple nights, and it is frustrating AND PAINFUL.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Not likely. Hedgies like to check out interesting & new scents, so putting anything on it will probably make him do it again. He might be biting because of your body wash, perfume/cologne, etc. Best way to avoid it is just that - keep him away from the spot so you avoid him biting it at all. This sticky might be helpful too.  http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/foru...r/100362-so-your-hedgehog-biter-now-what.html

Also, just for future reference, we try to avoid having people comment on old threads because it can easily confuse people (they'll miss the new question & answer the OP even if it's from years ago or already resolved), and your question is easier to miss. To post a new thread, there's a button in the top left corner above the forum threads.


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