# Is my hedgehog healthy?



## hedgehogzilla (Apr 13, 2011)

Hi im worried about my hedgehog, Rufus. within the last couple of days he's been giving strange behaivour. he poops more frequently then usual. he is a young hedgehog and i know they poop more frequently than adults but there is a definite change in the amount of poop. Its also somewhat softer? and they poops are MASSIVE. Honestly before he could go for hours without pooping and now barely a few minutes! I also found blood on his ear one day and blood keeps occasionaly appearing on that ear. He is also more scared than usual. he used to run about his pen and i could pick him up freely whenever i want but all of a sudden he turns into a hissy ball if i just lift a finger sometimes i'll do nothing and he'll begin hissing! he also has a sudden erge to escape. he has always tried to find ways to escape before but not as strongly as this! he looks as if he's escaping for his life he's and if i try and stop him from escaping he hisses like ****. Im so worried about him i dont know whats happened but i would like an explanation! please help


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Perhaps he has an ear infection since you are finding blood on it. An infection could also make his poops yuckier since he doesn't feel good. 

A vet visit is in order.


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

Have you changed his food recently? 

It sounds like he needs a vet. Blood coming out of his ear might be an infection. He might be trying to escape because he doesn't feel good. I'd take him to the vet asap.


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## hedgehogzilla (Apr 13, 2011)

a vet visit is probably the right thing. the blood wasnt coming from his ear it was from a cut on his ear and im unsur ehow it happened but yeah.. he is also really drowsy, even when he's out in the evenings (there most active time) he is awake but isnt running about happily he just trys to find somewhere to curl up and if there isnt anywhere he'll curlup in the middle of the floor.


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## susanaproenca (Aug 14, 2010)

So have you found a vet yet?


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

What is the temperature of Rufus' cage?


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## hedgehogzilla (Apr 13, 2011)

hi people, he's been to the vet and was just fine. the temp of rufus' cage temperature varies between 21 to 22.5 degree's. In winter he has a heat pad and his bedding is made up of lots of warm fleece to make sure he's warm. he is still trying to escape more than usual and his poop texture is alot softer but the vet said there was nothing wrong. nothing has changed in his diet but he ate a crumb from my french fries packet yesterday, but thats not when the problems started


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Hi cage temperature needs to be up to 23C. 21 is only is only 69F which is way too cool. 22.5 is only 72.5F which is still bordering on too cool for most hedgehogs.


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## hedgehogzilla (Apr 13, 2011)

i agree with you and i do try to keep his cage at 22 atleast, but sometimes its hard. Its not that i disagree with you but i think the specific minimum for a hedgehog is out for debate. if you type in "19 degrees minimum for hedgehog" into google lots of care sheets will come up for that, if you type in 20 degrees the same happens, also works with 21 degrees, 22 degrees, 23 degrees, and 24 degrees. again sorry if taht sounds like im contradicting you  im just saying that a lot of hedgehogs can suirvive different temps. but hey you may be right, im probably not as experienced with you. Rufus has survived 19 degrees before (note it was an accident, the heating was left off and so was his heat pad, boywas i worried when i found out in the morning!)  thanks for helping either way!


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

99% of the people on HHC will likely tell you to increase Rufus' temperature and I don't think most of us would consider the temperature range to be up for debate, regardless of what the Internet tells you. Granted, some hedgies like it cooler and can 'survive' at much lower temperatures but is that really what you want for your hedgie? To 'survive'?

Up the temp. If it's too hard...get a CHE and thermostat.


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## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

MissC said:


> 99% of the people on HHC will likely tell you to increase Rufus' temperature and I don't think most of us would consider the temperature range to be up for debate, regardless of what the Internet tells you. Granted, some hedgies like it cooler and can 'survive' at much lower temperatures but is that really what you want for your hedgie? To 'survive'?
> 
> Up the temp. If it's too hard...get a CHE and thermostat.


Agreed.

Is your hedgehog getting 12-14 hours of day of light too? If not get a lamp and put it on a timer. Inconsistent lighting schedules can make them sleepy too.

Pooping lots is normal for younger hedgehogs but what are you feeding him? If it's not a high quality food, he will poop more. Higher quality foods = less poops. 

He may have scratched his ear and that's what made it bleed. If he checked out fine at the vet, I would give him a bath with aveeno oatmeal shampoo or non-instant oatmeal (in a sock, tied off, put it in the water) and soothe his dry, itchy skin. Flax seed oil capsules can also be broken over the skin or put on the food once-twice a week. If itching continues, or major quill loss (without new quills growing in), I would treat for mites with revolution.

Otherwise make sure he's staying much warmer (get a Ceramic heat emitter and thermostat, it will make your life so much easier) and make sure he's getting 12-14 hours of light per day.

Also the heating pad can actually make them want to stay in bed and be less active, because the rest of the cage feels cold in comparison. ceramic heat emitters or space heaters are the way to go.

EDIT: also he is probably quilling... how old is he? If he's quilling this will make him SUPER cranky, not wnat to be handled, running away, etc. etc. Just imagine having super sharp quills growing through your skin, ouch! The flax seed oil and oatmeal baths will help (just don't use any shampoos with tea tree oil - very toxic! don't use baby shampoos or dog/cat shampoos either - these will dry out the skin more, stick to the aveeno oatmeal shampoo or some NON-instant oatmeal in a tied up sock)


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## hedgehogzilla (Apr 13, 2011)

yeah again its not that i want him to be at a cold temp i just personally think its up for debate  i dont want to cause no arguments here. most the time his cage is at around 23 degrees but it goes down to 21 degrees at coolest and yeah he gets enoug hsunlight  he's fine now by the way guys! anyway im sorry if anyone took the whole temp thing the wrong way! i feel a little dumb now :L oh yeah and im pretty sure he's quilling but quilling ALOT! lol


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## hedgehogzilla (Apr 13, 2011)

MissC said:


> 99% of the people on HHC will likely tell you to increase Rufus' temperature and I don't think most of us would consider the temperature range to be up for debate, regardless of what the Internet tells you. Granted, some hedgies like it cooler and can 'survive' at much lower temperatures but is that really what you want for your hedgie? To 'survive'?
> 
> Up the temp. If it's too hard...get a CHE and thermostat.


sorry if it sounded like i was arguing, i meant that 21 degrees is the coolest it will ever get, i do have a thermostat by the way


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