# New Owner just adopted (biting and hissing)



## brighteyes4369 (Nov 18, 2011)

Hi, So i just got malu/shadow and i have had him less than a week. The people i got him from said that he is well mannered likes to be held never bites and only rolls in a ball and hisses when you wake him up. So i dont disturb him while he sleeps and only attempt to hold him after he has been awake for a bit, I saw someones post on here saying to put something that smells like me in or on his cage and i did that but he is very unhappy with me or thats the way it seems. Im very worried whenever he smells me he bites me. I am almost to the point were holding him scares me he has drawn blood almost every time. I never put him back in his cage right after he bites me i make him stay out for a little longer but how do i get him to stop being so aggressive? I dont expect him to instantly love me but i cant figure out why he keeps biting.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Welcome to HHC!  Try washing your hands with unscented soap before you handle him.  Getting him out during the day is fine, just give him something to hide under and let him sit on your lap for 30 minutes or so during the day and again at nite. I'm sure other memebers will be around soon to help out.


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Maybe he's just scared that he feels exposed. Try buying or making a snuggle bag. (check out our for sale section thing we have tons of creative people) It's basically a fleece bag that he can lay in and feel safe while you watch tv or something. You may not realize it but it's a great form of bonding. 
Also bribery helps a lot. Try giving him some mealies.


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

It sounds like he isn't an aggressive hog (based on what the previous owner said), which is good.

There are several reasons why hedgies bite. There might be something on your hands, like a yummy food smell, that he wants to taste. You might just smell good in general. He might be frightened of you - be very conscientiousness of your movements and sounds. Move slowly and make sure he is able to see your hands coming toward him. Try to avoid watching TV, noisy rooms and other people who might be a bit too loud for his liking when you spend time with him. Keep the stress level down, and try really hard to calm yourself as well. Hogs pick up on our emotions and if he senses that you're afraid of something when you're with him, he might think he has something to be afraid of as well.

Some tips - wash your hands before spending time with him. Try to use a plain soap that doesnt smell like food. If he's biting your hands, keep them away from his face. Give him an opportunity to eat before you take him out so he isnt hungry during your interaction. 

He sounds a bit nervous, so take it slow with him. It can take months for a hog to start feeling comfortable with you and in some cases, it doesn't happen at all. Be patient and don't rush or push him too hard and you should be able to start the bonding process.  Hang in there and don't be afraid to come back for more advice!


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## brighteyes4369 (Nov 18, 2011)

thank you all so much i have one more question. What is the best way to pick him up should i let him walk into my hand out of the cage or just scoop him up? im afraid of hurting him if i force him out.


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## ShutUpAndSmile (Mar 7, 2011)

Just scoop him up. You can use fleece so you don't hurt your hands.


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

By "scoop", ShutUpAndSmile means lay your hands down palm-up on each side of hedgie and slide them under him.


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## DeLaPazi (Sep 21, 2011)

relating to this topic ... my hedgie is balled up and hissy almost everytime I look at her. Could I pick her up while she's in her balled up form and just place her into my lap, or should I be waiting for her to be walking around before I pick her up? (She's 8 months old, and I really have no idea as to how much she was handled before I adopted her.) I just want her to uncurl and hang out but pretty much everything scares her. Fortunately she hasn't bit me yet, although she bit a layer of skin of my boyfriend's finger ... I told him it must've been bc he smelt so good bc she almost immediately came out of her ball to sniff and lick and then bite him.


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## Hissy-Fit-Hazel (Jul 15, 2011)

DeLaPazi said:


> relating to this topic ... my hedgie is balled up and hissy almost everytime I look at her. Could I pick her up while she's in her balled up form and just place her into my lap, or should I be waiting for her to be walking around before I pick her up? (She's 8 months old, and I really have no idea as to how much she was handled before I adopted her.) I just want her to uncurl and hang out but pretty much everything scares her. Fortunately she hasn't bit me yet, although she bit a layer of skin of my boyfriend's finger ... I told him it must've been bc he smelt so good bc she almost immediately came out of her ball to sniff and lick and then bite him.


If there is no reason for her to be wigging out ( like you scared her) just go ahead and pick her up. I try to speak to my hedgie before approaching her cage so she knows I'm there. She rarely completely unballs for me to pick her up but her quills are not all up either which to me says she knows I'm not there to hurt her but I'm still annoying her lol  If you are hesitant to pick them up when they are naughty they will learn to be naughty just to make you go away.


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## CourtneyFaye (Jul 31, 2011)

DeLaPazi said:


> relating to this topic ... my hedgie is balled up and hissy almost everytime I look at her. Could I pick her up while she's in her balled up form and just place her into my lap, or should I be waiting for her to be walking around before I pick her up? (She's 8 months old, and I really have no idea as to how much she was handled before I adopted her.) I just want her to uncurl and hang out but pretty much everything scares her. Fortunately she hasn't bit me yet, although she bit a layer of skin of my boyfriend's finger ... I told him it must've been bc he smelt so good bc she almost immediately came out of her ball to sniff and lick and then bite him.


It's fine  Sometimes when I wake Stella up she will curl into a ball (usually when she is sleeping on her side) and when shes balled up she doesn't know whats happening and kind of freaks out. When I pick her up she always comes unballed right away because she realizes its just me :lol:


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## Christemo (Oct 5, 2011)

Amelia is one giant huffball when I wake her up (seems to take that trait from her mom... heh), but I usually can grab her using a towel when she's huffy, and she'll uncurl as soon as she realizes I'm not going to eat her.


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