# Suprise Rescue Need Help. I know nothing!



## SplitPea (Jun 17, 2010)

I live near the long Island/Queens border. a Friend of a friend Recently contacted me (knowing that for about 8 years I raised rats - before I moved to NYC) and asked me if i was interested in a hedgehog free of charge. I actually WAS. My husband and I have spoken about it a few times but I have never done my research and we have never really jumped into it (after raising and rescuing MANY rats I know how harmful it is for someone to jump into owning a pet that they are not ready for! I told her I was interested but did not hear back from her. I though the owner decided to keep the hedgehog. NOW about 2 weeks later I get a call asking me to come pick the hedgie up.

Sooo long story shory I will be picking up a Female (all i know at this point) hedgehog tonight. They said they will give me everything they have for her. Its a little crazy for me because I literally know NOTHING and it seems that the lady I am getting her from knows even less! I would like to be a good owner to this girly and need some QUICK good advice... is there anyone willing to "take me under their wing" and give me a quick crash course on rehabbing this little girl and giving her the proper care. I have done it SOOO many times for ratties but I am just worried about not knowing a THING about hedgehogs.

I know some of you might this this is very irresponsible of me and I somewhat agree... but I would rather the hedgy go to me (someone willing and wanting to learn) than go to someone who knows nothing and might hurt this poor thing more.

Please is anyone willing to help (yes I see all the FAQ's but I really need someone I can e-mail in times of need maybe even call for help with direct questions...

Anyone/


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

You can email me at [email protected] anytime you want and i'll help all I can  also you can PM me here or yahoo messanger me dukencaabb. I'm on facebook to http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/car ... mhedgehogs
Welcome to HHC


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## Beanie (Jun 9, 2010)

I'm a relatively new hedgie owner, but have been doing my research on them for a couple years (I didn't know where I was going to be heading to school, and didn't want to get one only to move to a state where they didn't allow them). Feel free to add me on FB: facebook.com/lauren.burianek or message me on here any time  If you're interested, I'll give you my number. This forum has great resources!!!


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## Sela (Apr 10, 2010)

My first hedgie was a rescue, too. You can contact me at [email protected] if you need any advice on socializing a grumpy piggy, nail clipping, etcetera, or if you just to need to rant for a bit when things don't seem to be going anywhere. <3


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## SplitPea (Jun 17, 2010)

So I just got her home. Her cage was HORRID. It took me a full 20 minutes to scrub out her wheel and I still need to finish scrubbing out the bottom of her cage! I am chaning the bedding and putting in a litterbox and going to see if she will take to it... and advice on litterbox training a hedgie that has never done it before?

She was eating ferrit food?!?!? I want to change her over to a good cat food mix soon does anyone have good suggestions. In the pictures you will see he cage setup other than adding a litterbox and putting a blanket/town down instead of the bedding does anyone have any pointers?

Also it seems she might have some major upper respitory issues (she is sneezing the same as some the the rats I ahve rescues in the past who were kept on cedar bedding. Could this because of the filthy bedding she was in?

She has NEVER been hand handles ONLY through thick gloves (the 7 year-old boy said "she was too pokey" ) i picked her up for a couple of minutes today while cleaning out her cage but did not want to handle her too much at first.. no hissing no horrible issues.. just a LOT of sneezing and wheezing 

I am also worried about her weird she seems REALLY big (they had no clue how old she was they bought her in november) I will weigh her tomorrow.

Soooo Any advice/help?
Cage setup








Food they are feeding her.. what should I change her to and how should I go about it?








I did not handle her much so I did not get any really good pics but here is a decent one from outside the cage








Filthy dirty cage should I keep the iglue or change to something else? is it big enough?


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## SplitPea (Jun 17, 2010)

Ahhh my pics all got cut off  I will have to resize them tomorrow. Any advice is really needed!


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

Poor thing 
I'm so glad you rescued her!
She looks like a doll, I'm glad she found a good mommy <3


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Looking at the pics she does need a bigger igloo. I "think" the comfort wheel is big enough, but please check to make sure its 12 inches across or more. Ferret food isn't good for hedgies as its to high in protien. Slowly switch her to a cat food mix. Just check out the list of good foods in the nutrition section. I think you were saying you were going to put down a blanket or towel? don't use a towel, their nails can get caught in the loops. She's probably never had her nails clipped. Use fleece for bedding as it doesn't have loose threads. You may want to put a water dish under her bowl to switch her off the bottle. Bottles aren't great for hedgies, they drink more from dishes. 

She's lucky you brought her home..good luck with her!


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

oops forgot to mention...If she's sneezing and wheezing she should see a vet asap, to check for an upper respiratory infection.


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

If the wheel would fit, I couldn't quite tell from the pictures, I would put its back to the right side of the cage, the smaller width side. Then put the food and water across the length of the cage. Poop really flies when they run on their wheel so I try and have mine farther away from food and water if possible. (in fact I just changed the layout of two of my cages for this reason) 

Definitely switch to fleece, you will like it better I bet. One thing about scooping up a hedgie in shavings, the shavings get everywhere. Its so much nicer, in my opinion, to scoop them up with a clean blanket in hand, from their burrowing blanket, no shavings falling everywhere on my lap, stuck to their feet, etc.

Congrats on your rescue!


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

Congrats on rescuing her, it's really great you found each other cause she can look forward to a better life now. I agree with the fleece recommendation also. I think you will like it a lot more and I bet your hedgie will too. The wheel looks like its big enough from the picture but if you end up finding its a hassle to clean you might want to look into a cake cover wheel, they clean up very nicely. I can't tell the cage size but it does look a little on the smaller side but it could just appear that way. Absolute minimum recommended would be 2 square feet after everything is put into it but a lot cages seem to be around 4 square feet + range. I only say in case you decide to replace it then you can have a range to start looking at. 

I'm glad you rescued her and can't wait to see more pics as she settles into her new and better home


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

ps- I just seen that you said the picture got cut off so that might be why the cage seemed smaller to me. Sorry about that and please disreguard


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

i am a newish owner as well, but i've been learning hard and fast. feel free to email me at [email protected] and i'll help you out as much as i can. i am prompt to respond.

my fb page is here: http://www.facebook.com/frozenfields


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I recommend you ask any questions in open forum. Taking advice through pm's or emails you run the risk that perhaps the person giving the advice doesn't know as much as they think they do. There have been a few instances in the past of people giving private advice and that advice being wrong and harmful.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

You have come to the right place! There is so much wonderful info on this site. And the people are very helpful. Sounds to me like anything you do is going to be better than it was for the poor guy. Congrats on your rescue!


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## SplitPea (Jun 17, 2010)

Sooooo I have a VERY VERY grumpy hedgie! Any time I try and pick her up she jumps and hisses. the thing is it scares ME and I jump back! I ma having a hard time figuring out how I am going to socialize her  Will she always be moody jumpy and hissy? I know with some ratties I rescued in the past sometimes they got over it but more often than not they were always temperamental 

I need some major pointers and advice on slowly getting her use to handling... should i start right away/ Should I wait a few days? I am leaning more tword the waiting because she has already had a tramatic day or two going from that dank dark basement to out home getting her bedding taken away and exchanger for a blanket... I didn't replace her water bottle with a bowl of water I added the bowl of water on top of the bottle and I will take out the bottle as soon as I see her drinking regularly from the bowl.

OK one last thing I did not hear her running at ALL last night. if it were not for the little surprise on the floor of her cage I would think she stayed in her igloo all night. Is this okay?


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## Beanie (Jun 9, 2010)

Now that she's in a new place, I would wait about 24 hours to let her get acclimated once you have her new and more sanitary conditions (fleece liners,etc) in place. Then you can handle her. When she hisses and pops, don't let it scare you. If she's rolled up into a ball, you can hold her in a blanket on your lap until she calms down. If you constantly leave her alone as she's hissing and popping she will learn that that's all she has to do for you to leave you alone. Also, if you put a shirt that you've been wearing in the cage (one with no loose threads), she will associate your scent with safety and home and will come out of her shell a little quicker  Looks like you're going to have to work with her a bit, but you definitely have the support of everyone here at HHC and we'll help you in any way we can!!!


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## SplitPea (Jun 17, 2010)

OK next thing... trimming her VERY VERY VERY long nails. they look like they never never been touched. should I wait a week or so until I try getting her use to being handled? or is it a very important thing that needs to be done asap? they are curling up under her little feet!

And nother I think the cage is WAY too small.. I am thinking about something that might sound really really silly and I want to get some advice on it. I have an old pack n play that the handle broke off and we no longer use it (i was going to craigs list it or trash it. I am thinking about making that my new hedgies home. I will have to really bend down to pick her up but atleast she will havd a lot of room to run. the walls are mesh and about weighst heigh (with a solid material border around the top and bottom) do you think this is okay? will I need to worry about her climbing out?


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I have used a playpen as a play area for the gang. Whether it is a good idea as a full time cage depends entirely on the individual hedgehog. If hedgie decides to climb the mesh can pose a problem in that there is a possibility of nails getting caught in the mesh, especially if the nails are long. They can also easily climb the mesh and get out so there should be a top on it. 

Depending on the playpen, some of them have the nylon fabric up from the bottom about 10" or more and same at the top. Others only have a few inches. If the material goes up high then the possibility of hedgie climbing is lessened. 

There is also a concern that urine will get down onto the base which is usually some type of fiberboard which would hold the smell and not last long. 

As for trimming her nails, unless they are curling into her feet I'd hold off until a bit of trust is gained. The long nails might be the reason for her not wheeling. 

If she is scared, put her cage beside you so you are near but she is in the security of her cage. Also consider that this is the cage she has been in during her life so far and there are two thoughts on this. A new cage may help her forget her past life which would be good, but this old cage may also offer her some security. Why not try the playpen in the evening when you are around to watch her.


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

SplitPea said:


> Sooooo I have a VERY VERY grumpy hedgie! Any time I try and pick her up she jumps and hisses. the thing is it scares ME and I jump back! I ma having a hard time figuring out how I am going to socialize her  Will she always be moody jumpy and hissy? I know with some ratties I rescued in the past sometimes they got over it but more often than not they were always temperamental
> 
> I need some major pointers and advice on slowly getting her use to handling... should i start right away/ Should I wait a few days? I am leaning more tword the waiting because she has already had a tramatic day or two going from that dank dark basement to out home getting her bedding taken away and exchanger for a blanket... I didn't replace her water bottle with a bowl of water I added the bowl of water on top of the bottle and I will take out the bottle as soon as I see her drinking regularly from the bowl.
> 
> OK one last thing I did not hear her running at ALL last night. if it were not for the little surprise on the floor of her cage I would think she stayed in her igloo all night. Is this okay?


re hissing popping: like others said, don't back down. handle her a little at first and at regular times. don't use scented soap to wash your hands.

from personal experience: Sweetie hates abrupt movements. in fact, he hates any movements that are even remotely abrupt. so at first i'd inconspicuously put my hand on his flank (pressing just a little) and we'd stay like for a few mins.


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## Myra (Jun 11, 2010)

Wen you take her out to handle her try giving her a treat (meal worm or a cricket) so that she starts to associate you with good things. Luna didn't like my bf until I made him feed her a treat when he took her out to hold her. She would ball up and hiss at him but not at me. But after a few days of treats she warmed up to him.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

Congrats on your new girl, looks like she will really appreciate her new parents! You can visit the link in my signature to read a PDF copy of a care book I wrote, it should help you some. Feel free to search the forums and post any questions you have!


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

LizardGirl said:


> Congrats on your new girl, looks like she will really appreciate her new parents! You can visit the link in my signature to read a PDF copy of a care book I wrote, it should help you some. Feel free to search the forums and post any questions you have!


YES, do consult that care book. it's the best one out there, as far as i'm concerned.


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