# New owner in trouble help!



## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

I just got my 2 months old hedgehog today. It seems to be in a very frightened mode. It keeps shivering non stop and even peed on the bedding. The poops are green in colour. I cut opened a tissue box and placed it inside to let it use as a shelter and it hid inside. I removed the box hours ltr and the hedgehog seems to be very scared and kept diggingand hiding on the other corner. I left some food and water, and also placed the shelter on one corner and left it in the dark. Can any expert or experienced one help me? My room temperature is 30 degree celcius and is it ok to switch on the air cond every night at 16 degree celcius for a few hours? Seriously need help here. First time owner and very worried.


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## Kyouhai (Jul 26, 2013)

Any hedgehog that is coming to a new home is going to scared or nervous except for maybe the very rare brave one. I mean imagine yourself being taken home where there is all these new big scary smells and people looking at you ad invading your space.

A few green poops are normal if it continues for a long time then I would think about planning a vet visit. Also 30 degrees Celsius is around 86 Fahrenheit which from what I've read and been told can be to high for a hedgehog the recommended range is between 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit if you don't have a digital thermometer with a probe for your cage I would suggest picking one up ASAP. Also 16 degrees Celsius is only around 61 degrees Fahrenheit which is WAY to low for a hedgehog and you also want to keep the temperature in his cage at a constant level.

Also a hedgehog needs a set light schedule of 12-14 hours of light a day and around 12 hours of dark. This can be something as simple as having a light left on near his cage with a timer if you aren't going to be home to adjust it yourself.

Some owners also suggest to leave your new little Hedgie alone for the first day to let him adjust to his new environment and the smells in his new cage and room. Don't be afraid to handle him or check on him but as far as what I see that you've said this behaviour seems normal for a hedgie in a new home.

Good luck! and I'm sure you'll be a great Hedgie parent!!

PS: I'm only somewhat new myself so if any more experienced members come or the breeders like Nancy, or Kalandra then listen to them over me!


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

Is he truly shivering, or just huffy? Green poop is normal from the stress of moving to a new home, and that can last for several weeks. What are you feeding him? As Kyouhai mentioned, even though they're nocturnal, they need a consistent 12-14 hours of light each day, so don't just leave him in the dark.

What's the cage setup like? He needs to be between 73-78* (23-26 C) at all times or he could attempt hibernation which can be fatal. It's critical that you have a constant and reliable heat source.

Hedgies like to burrow so it's also important that he have somewhere he can hide and sleep, like a fleece pouch or a little house with fleece in it. Read through the Housing and Accessories section to get a better idea of what his environment should be like: http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/13-housing-accessories/

Did you get him from a breeder or a pet store?

Please be sure to read this book (free to download) to familiarize yourself with hedgehog ownership. It's comprehensive and can answer most questions that come up: http://www.westcoasthedgehogs.com/files/hedgehogbook/index.html


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## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

I placed it in a large container, rectangular in shape, similar to the shape of an aquarium just that it's not transparent. I left food and it was covered up by the bedding thing today. It's sleeping now since it's morning. I made a simple shelter for him out of tissue box, just for temporary use and it was using it last night but now it just sleeps outside of the shelter. Like somehow facing the corner. Once I try to even approach it, it spikes up. I was told that it's normal and just hold it up althoughit spikes up as it will get better after a few times, true? And also I feed it cat food, how much and how often should I feed it?


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## Annie&Tibbers (Apr 16, 2013)

Please read the book Abby linked you. It's long, but it will help you so much. You need to learn about basic hedgehog needs and care right now.

Free-feed food. Give as much as he or she will eat.

Yes, your hedgehog will be scared and raise his or her quills at you, and yes, it is important to handle him or her anyway so that he or she becomes accustomed to your smell. It can help to give your hedgehog something that smells like you to sleep in: a worn t-shirt, or sleep with some fleece and give it to him or her.

The cage doesn't really sound appropriate for a hedgehog. You need something with good ventilation and lots of floor space that you can heat and light. Does your hedgehog have a solid-surface wheel? It is very important -- hedgehogs run a LOT, and will be both unhealthy and bored without one.

Check for feces in the sleeping shelter. Sometimes hedgehogs are too frightened in their new environment to go outside and defecate in their sleeping spot, then later leave because they don't want to draw in predators with the smell. Other times they just sleep in different places because their tiny little hearts crave adventure, or want to drive us insane guessing what is wrong.


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## deftones (Jul 26, 2013)

Put a used t-shirt or something with your scent in the cage as well so he can get used to your smell.

I'd still recommend picking him up late in the evening to spend some time with him so that he can relax a bit around you. If he's too prickly maybe pick him up with the same shirt left in his cage, then he'll also get a good whiff of you when you grab him. Just make sure when you spend time with him that the lighting is low, that its quiet and there's not much commotion. All of this will scare him more. Leave him be while holding him until he decides its safe and unballs to sniff around. Just let him do his thing when he's ready. The first time I got my hedgehog I had to wait 20 minutes for her to finally unball and poke her nose out to sniff.

Macey was pretty shy and scared for 3 days once I brought her home. She didnt have green poop but she would not eat. Eventually she came around once she realized I wasn't planning on eating her


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## ceopet (Sep 20, 2013)

I also recommend reading the book. You want to keep them at a steady temp since it gets very hot in the day and very cool at night in your place you are goin9g to have to find some way to remedy that because they need a steady temp or they will attempt to hibernate when it gets very cool in your place. I have a CHE set up and it works well fo us we keep the apartment at around 65 but her cage is always at a steady 78. We only take her out for short periods, no more than hour at a time. 

Also what foods are you feeding her, you can't feed just any cat food. Most people feed a mix of at least two foods. Most do three. They have be around 35% protien. Fat depends on how active your hedgie is. 

Do you have a wheel? 

It's pretty normal for them to be scared the first day or two. We really didn't get to make any contact with Petra till her third day here. First night she didn't come out AT ALL, Second night only a little bit to eat and check out her cage and poop, Third day she was more active but was still too scared for me to feel comfortable trying to handle her. 

It takes time you have to be paitent.

Also if you can't find a way to remedy her temperatrue and keep it steady for her, you may want to reconsider if a hedgie is really right for you. 

That book was very very helpful to me in the first couple weeks of her being here.


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## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

Thanks everyone for replying. Yea I'm gonna get her a new shelter in a few days time. But the thing, I tried to reposition the shelter a little bit back to its position just now, and he was sleeping at the other corner. I made some but minimal sound, but then he immediately jerked and spikes up again. It seems to be very very scared of any approach, no matter how it come. It's night now and I just left an old t shirt inside. So tomorrow evening I'll just hold it up with that t shirt? Or just with my hand? What if it spikes up really high again? Do I continue trying to hold it up or just give up instead? Oh ya and I'm starting on the book already )


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## deftones (Jul 26, 2013)

It's really to be expected that she would act like that when you made the sound. Macey still will quill up and huff a bit if I make noise at her while she is sleeping. She doesn't really know its me, she just hears a sound that wakes her so her first instinct is to protect herself. She usually calms down after a bit when I pick her up and she fully wakes and realizes its just me.

Think of it this way. If you were some place strange, trying to sleep and suddenly heard noises that woke you.. you'd probably be a little scared as well lol.

I would try to pick her up with your hands first if you can. It really helps to go in confident, don't jump back or shy away. If you're nervous, then they'll get nervous. It helps with them A LOT if you make a scooping motion with both hands, try to slide your hands under neath them, to their warm belly. They will try to ball up but if you do it right, they wont be able to because your hands will be in the way under them. They will also have their little nose right in your hand to smell you. My hedgehog calms down much faster if I pick her up this way as opposed to picking her up by her back or something. Just becareful, if you don't do it right, they can ball up still around your fingers underneath and it will hurt some from their quills.

If you cant pick her up with your barehand's or are too nervous then try pcking them up with the shirt gently. This way he still gets your scent and is still being handled at least, and it will save your hands some.


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## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

I tried holding the him up just now with that t shirt I left there yesterday. It was hiding in the corner, the back facing outside. I tried to scoop it up gently with that shirt but it just keep putting its back on me. And then it'll quill into a ball really quick. Tried a number of times and failed. And it's shivering of course. Is my failure like this normal? Or I'll just have to be braver and get it?


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## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

I tried again and it kept jerking and quilling into a ball. I basically have so space to even scoop it up. The thing is it kept jerking and it also made some sound. Is this normal?


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## Gruff (Oct 23, 2012)

Yes this is "normal" behaviour of a scared hedgehog. Be calm, don't come at it from above. Let your hands come towards it from the side. The only thing you can do is be patient. It might take a day, a week or it might take months. Some never truly break these behaviours. Could be the way it was treated before, or could just be behaviour it learned from mother etc. They really make you prove to them you're not gonna hurt them lol


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## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

So does it mean that I try scooping it up everyday? How many attempts can I make? As in how many times should I try before I think it's too much for the day? Yea I tried scooping from the side but the quills are leaving no space below. The sudden jerks freaked me out.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

You just have to deal with the quills. I know they suck, but...you brought home a pet with needles all over it, you can't get around it. :lol: Your hands will get used to it with time - he won't get used to you without you handling him.

You need to get him out every day, in the evening/at night. 7-12 would be the best time span to work with him in, closer to when he gets up. You need to actually have him out of the cage, and being held - not just an attempt at picking him up. Keep in mind that he is MUCH more scared of you than you are of him. You're the bigger one here, and he thinks you're going to eat him. You need to show him that you're not going to, that you're good & safe & mean nice things like treats and a warm place to sleep.

Another thing to keep in mind - he's probably quilling. So that means on top of being in a new home, with new smells, a new human he doesn't know that might hurt him, being away from mom & siblings....he also has new sharp quills coming through his skin, which hurts. So he could be pretty moody because of that as well. But...you still have to get him out every day - he'll continue to act like this unless he's handled & shown that you're something good. Just keep the quilling in mind, and don't try to pet him, since his back is probably sore.

Have you tried picking him up with a t-shirt or a fleece blanket over your hands? They'll help cushion your hands a bit. I know it's hard, but don't hesitate when you go to pick him up - hesitating, pulling back, keeping your hands floating over him while you try to decide how to pick him up, etc. are all going to freak him out even more and make him huff, pop, and curl up tighter. Those things all seem like a predator trying to figure out how to eat that ball of quills. When you go to pick him up - do it. You don't need to just grab/snatch him up, but move all in one motion, with as much confidence as you can.

Once you've picked him up, try & have him out for at least half an hour. Longer is better - up to 2-3 hours, if you have the time. For now, make sure you're in a mostly calm room, with some background noise (tv, radio, etc.) on to help mask your sounds, which he'll probably jump more at. Let him stay covered up in your lap, under a t-shirt or blanket. Don't try to pet him or convince him to unroll or interact - just sit with him. Watch TV, read a book, do homework, etc. You'll probably have to do this for at least several days, maybe up to several weeks. He needs time to figure out that your scent is something good, that you're not scary and not going to eat him. If he does end up curling up and falling asleep on you eventually...that's good! Means he's decided you must not want to eat him and therefore, make a great warm bed. 

Just take it slow. I know you're nervous, but try to keep in mind that however nervous/scared you are...he is much more nervous/scared. I know you probably don't want to scare him more, but handling him is the only way you can tell him that you're not going to eat or hurt him. Keep working with him! It make take a while, but hedgies are worth all the work.


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## deftones (Jul 26, 2013)

This lady has a lot of good video's on hedgehog care. Here's one on how to pick up your hedgie


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## SiouxzieKinz (Oct 10, 2013)

I've had Dakarai for about six days now. He still huffs up and becomes a quill ball but. . . I found that if I sing to him while I'm picking him up (I usually only handle him in the evening while he is supposed to be awake - and in dimly lit areas.) he tends to uncurl and settle down a bit. If I shift him from one hand to the other - the quills go up again. Honestly, they don't hurt because as a baby they are very light weight so the quills don't get pushed into your hand. 

Patience means picking up your hedgie every day even if he seems scared. Sit with him on your lap while he is in a sleep sack or covered with a piece of fleece. This will get him used to you, to your scent, to your voice. 

Good luck and keep reading the book! I have printed my copy out and I still refer to it. The care book and this forum should help to answer many of your questions.


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## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

Thanks everyone for replying. I finally managed to hold it up with the old t shirt inside. But the problem is I can't hold it up for long. It seems to be in fear and constantly running away from my hand held in the air. I have to choice but to place it back down as I don't want to risk it falling. He's now not spiking up that much anymore but the main prob as I stated just now is it kept moving and I can't hold it in place. After it reached the ground it kept digging too. In this way I can't even hold it up for more than 10sec and not even close to spending half an hour with him. Anyone solve my problem please?


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## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

I'm aware that I need to have contact with it everyday and everyone recommended at least half an hour. But with it moving around, it would be not that possible. Or should I like keep holding it up and letting it down and continue the cycle? Thanks everyone for helping.


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## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

Oh ya and he seems to be sleeping all the time. I had no choice but to somehow wake him up from his sleep to try to hold him. Is this right? Or only hold it when it's awake? But then he's sleeping all the time. If I've to leave it alone while it's sleepingthen there wwon't be any bonding session at all. I don't really know which is right hmm


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

You need to pick him up and hold him close to you. Keep your hands moving if he's trying to get away - don't let him fall, just keep him moving from hand-to-hand until you can settle down with him. Find someplace to sit with him (or sit next to his cage) and keep him in your lap in a blanket. Let him burrow into the blanket and stay covered up so he feels more comfortable. He is going to try and run away from you - most hedgehogs do at first whether they're explorers or cuddlers. Explorers just don't want to stay still, cuddlers want to find someplace covered up & warm to take a nap. 

They do sleep most of the time - babies especially. You'll have to wake him up to hold him, and that's fine. As long as you're doing so in the evening when it's closer to their natural waking time, it's not going to hurt him. He'll probably be huffier when you first wake him (most hedgehogs are, even once they get used to being held by you), but eventually he'll have a less upset reaction, or at least he'll calm down more quickly after being woken.


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## ceopet (Sep 20, 2013)

After you pick him up put him aganst your chest with your ams folded over he may try to climb up to your neck or nuzzle in the crock of your arm but you only have to hold him like that till you find a seat and you can just place him in your lap he'll probably dig around in the t shirt for a bit.


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

Piglet is as squirmy as they get and you just kinda get used to their movements and patterns. :lol: The more you hold them the more you can predict what they're going to try next. But once I put Piglet in my lap or in a blanket he curls up and goes to sleep. It's like he's just REALLY REALLY excited to get to bed, and once he's there he's a perfect angel. You'll get the hang of it.


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## jlindsey428 (Sep 23, 2013)

As others have mentioned in previous posts, you need to read that book. It should give you the answer to every question you ahve posted so far. Babies are squirmy and antsy and spiky. 

Secondly, your hedgehog is a boy or a girl. Not an It. I A hedgehog is a pet that needs to be loved just like any other family member. They are not just animals to be watched in their cage without ever socializing with them. Devote time to him/her. If she is impossible to hold, sit down and put out a fleece blanket and play with her for a while after she's less huffy. get her used to your smells and your voice. Don't be afraid to pick her up if she's huffy, as it will teach her that the way to get you away from her is by huffing. 

Good luck with your baby. please go read the book.


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## OMGitsJenn (Sep 14, 2013)

Please, and I'm telling this for your sake, don't think that you're a failure. When I had my first hedgie, I was crying because I felt like he hated me and didn't want to be near me. Remember that hedgehogs are nearly blind and rely heavily on scent. He needs to get to know you and you need to get to know him. It's like having a blindfold on and relying on a complete stranger to take care of you.

Mistakes happen. Please don't think that anyone on here is talking down to you or thinks that you are doing everything wrong. When I first brought Galileo home, I had him in a glass aquarium, no heat source, shaved bedding, no hut, and a wooden play tube! I had no idea that hedgehogs required so much for something that's so little (he was a surprise gift)! However, I took advice from members of this forum and changed everything I did and bought! I learned EVERYTHING from this forum from clipping his nails to which food is the best. Heck, I even remember watching a YouTube video from someone on how to properly bathe Galileo! lol. 

Keep doing 20 minutes of socialization. That is what he really needs right now. Get the essentials right now for your hedgie. First would be a sturdy heat and light system, then start building his house. There are a ton of do it yourself cages like C&C or what I used for Galileo which was a sturdy storage bin. The storage bin is super cheap and many hedgie owners use one. 

Stay strong honey, your hedgie will be bonded to you and you'll laugh about how you thought he hated you


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## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

Aww thanks everyone, I seriously appreciate each and every of your help. It's night here and I just tried carrying him up. He was sleeping and I took the shelter away. Of course he got angry and spiked up, I talked to him and waited for a while for him to be back to calm mode. And then I carried him with the t shirt and succeed after a few tries. The thing is he kept running to yhe corner and showed its back on me while I try to carry him up. He was on the t shirt which is on my hand and then he decided to move. Thanks to Abby for the clip, I put my hand in front of the other and constantly let him walk like a treadmill. But I only managed to keep him for maybe a minute? He's moving too fast than my hand can move lol. And then I repeated. the cycle for around 4-5 times before I call it a day. He still spikes up but I'll just wait. I've to continue doing this everyday right? And like just hold him up for as long as I can manage to keep him up for 4-5 times right? Anything else can I do? Thank you.


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## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

Oh ya one more thing. He keeps digging and I have no idea why. The bedding I gave is already quite thick but he keeps on digging and digging. Anyone knows why? Thanks.


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## abbys (Oct 13, 2012)

They like to burrow and some like to dig more than others. What kind of bedding do you use? If you use a fleece liner you could try adding some fleece strips for him to burrow under.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

You need to keep him out longer - Letting him run from hand-to-hand several times isn't going to be enough handling. Use a blanket (nothing knit or crocheted; fleece or flannel would work well) that you don't mind if it possibly ends up with pee/poop on it (you can wash it if that does happen, but still, probably don't want to use anything too nice). Let him snuggle into the blanket and be covered up, and hold him in your lap like that. You really need to try and have him out for at least half an hour - he needs lots of time being handled to get used to you.


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## mellykins (Oct 4, 2013)

Okay, take a second, breathe. 

I just got my hedgie a couple of weeks ago. I know it can be overwhelming but it does get better. 

First of all, please, seriously, read the book and do some research on hedgies. This forum is also really great for letting you know what to expect. 

It's completely normal for your hedgie to still be scared. I thought my hedgie was shivering too, but he just shakes because he's scared and it looks like shivering. 

I still haven't figured out how to pick my hedgie up without him quilling into a ball, so I pick him up GENTLY with a blanket and hold him in my hands and talk to him softly and he unballs and starts walking around. It's very important not to make any sudden movements or loud noises when they're scared. The first day Winston let us play with him, I had to sit still for an hour with him under blankets until he finally came out on his own and let us play with him. 

You have to take things one step at a time. They're very scared creatures. Just be patient with them.


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## AlwinMY (Oct 25, 2013)

Thanks everyone for replying. I tried again just now. But it's more or less the same result. I tried placing him into the blanket so that he can dig inside and sleep and I can place him on my lap or something. However, he just stood still for a few minutes, got calmer and started moving again D; I tried placing him into the blanket but he just walked over the blanket and is still trying his best to get down from my hand. Oh ya, I remember I read something in the book bout licking the quills with saliva but I couldn't recall. I placed the blanket in front of the old shirt I was using to loft it so that he can walk to it, and he ended up bitting and licking the blanket. He then licked his quills.


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## ceopet (Sep 20, 2013)

Are you sitting on a couch with him or something? I he walks of your lap to explore the blanket you have there that's fine, you can let him explore some and then put him back in your lap, ASFAIK you don't have to have him on or in your hands the whole time just near you or on you. My hedgie gets very grumpy if I don't let her look around one the couch some. 

Pig is adorable! Is it wierd that my hedgie will sit on my hands and not move anywhere? If i put her hear something she can reach with her front paws she'll climb down but if she's just in my hands she doesn't move like Pig does at all. She'll just sit there.


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## hnguyen12 (Oct 29, 2013)

Hey AlwinMY, what you are describing is typical behavior for a hedgehog who just came into his new home. 

I am also a recent hedgehog owner (I have had my Sherlock for only 12 days). My initial impression of him at the breeder's was that he was very nice: he huffed and balled up only once and I was able to hold him just fine. However, when I picked him up a couple days later and took him home, his personality had changed drastically after I put him in his new home. He was horrified by EVERY SINGLE THING (the door closing, my voice when I talked to him, etc). He was huffing, balling up, and just defensive in every manner imaginable. The important thing to do during this phase, is to INTERACT with him, whether he likes it or not. I put my t-shirt in his home, and picked him up every day (with a t-shirt) and transferred him to my hand, held him/talked to him for at least an hour. It is important to be gentle. PATIENCE is key. He will not grow accustomed to you overnight, it can take weeks, months, even years. I have even read that some hedgehogs never even become "friendly". 

Comparing my hedgehog at day 12 to day 1, he has improved a great deal. He still huffs when I invade his home to pick him up, but once he's out of his home, he stops huffing and walks around my hand. His quills are down, I can pet him (sometimes when something surprises him, he still spikes up, this is unavoidable), give him a kiss on the noise, he sleeps in my hand, etc. It gets better with time. I'm not saying your hedgehog will act like mine at day 12 but rather, that he will get less grumpy (this does not necessarily mean friendly, just less grumpy) with time. 

Being brave is very important! If you are scared of your hedgehog, he will think huffing will get him his way (you going away, stop interacting with him), this is positive reinforcement and will continue to encourage defensive behavior when you try to interact with him. Be brave, but gentle. 

Good luck!!! Remember, it takes time! Patience is key.


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