# Changing a Hedgehogs Sleep Schedule



## Jiperly (Jul 31, 2011)

How would I go about changing my hedgehog sleep schedule? I got my first hedgehog just this weekend, it is become clear that it intends to sleep all day and night, and wake up at around 4am, going back to sleep around 10.

Needless to say, that doesn't work very well with me, as I get ready for work at 6am and get home at 4pm.....I need to change its schedule, but it seems to hate being woken up, and refuses to come out of its ball....

Any suggestions?


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## Quinn (Apr 24, 2011)

If its still a baby they sleep a lot! It took months beore Quinn started getting up at 9pm on her own. She use to get up between 11-midnight on her own. Just If you want to start waking them up earlier just start by waking them up 10 mins earlier each day. However, I wouldn't change their sleep schedule to being awake during the day and asleep at night. Its not good for them. 
If you're waking them up around 10 and they're still wanting to sleep. Just let them sleep on you! Its still bonding time and it takes trust for them to sleep on you. But I found it wasn't until they're an adult when you could start changing their sleep schedule to get up earlier and where it actually worked and was consistant. 
I'm sure more poeple will have better and more advice!


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## Jiperly (Jul 31, 2011)

Lol how long is a hedgehog considered a "baby"? Its about 8 weeeks old...


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## Guest (Aug 1, 2011)

Jiperly said:


> Lol how long is a hedgehog considered a "baby"? Its about 8 weeeks old...


They are considered adults at 6 months 

Babies sleep a lot they are growing and little and of course going through quilling is no fun either for them so they sleep and eat and do a little bit of other things, Quinn gave very solid advice


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Babies do spend much of their time sleeping. He'll probably do this at least for several months. I believe the age they're no longer considered babies is 6 months old. 

It's hard to tell what you mean by changing his sleep schedule...It's really not recommended at ALL to try and force them to stay awake during the day and sleep at night. They're naturally nocturnal animals, and forcing them to an opposite schedule by changing the light and tricking them can really hurt their health. This is really an animal where you have to change your own habits to work with theirs as much as possible, for the good of the animal.

However, if you just want to get her up for some bonding time, that's not an issue. The main concern is understanding that he does need a lot of sleep right now. You could get him up in the evenings for cuddle time at a certain time, say 8-10 pm every night (or whatever times you want to pick; if it stays consistent each night, your hedgehog may start to expect when you come and already be slightly waking up). If he wants to sleep still, just let him sleep in a blanket on your lap! This counts as bonding time too and personally, I think it's great to have a warm snuggly hedgehog sleeping on you. Eventually he may get to the point of expecting his out-of-cage time at a certain time and may be more willing to stay awake and explore. It all depends on his personality though.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

All the important stuff has been covered, I just wanted to add that you should be expecting a ball of hissing spikes for days, weeks, months and possibly years to come. It's a good time to go read some threads in the behaviour section so you can get a feel of what to expect. Not all hedgehogs are sociable, most just acknowledge that we are here to tend to their every need and then proceed to ignore us lol

just out of curiosity, what breeder did you get your hedgehog from and do you know the sex of your hedgehog?


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## Jiperly (Jul 31, 2011)

Thanx for all your advice- I'll definately start doing that then!

I read that a hedgehog that isn't regularlly handled can get grouchy....but it can also get grouchy if you wake them up too....so yea....I felt like I was caught in a catch-22

I got her off Kijiji off a 'registered breeder' in Thamesville- they were the ones who tell me its female.


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## Jiperly (Jul 31, 2011)

Okay, stupid question- if she's hissing when I'm having her with me- should I put her back in the cage? Or what if she hisses before I even take her out. I know it, obviously, means "leave me alone", but damnit, I want her social, and she aint gunna be if she never get outta the cage...

Earlier today apparently my GF found her awake and alert, and tried to socialize with her- she was fine, but eventually reverted to the ball and started hissing and such.....


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## CanadienHedgie (Feb 4, 2011)

Continue to take her out, even if she pops, hisses, etc. If you leave her alone when she does this, she'll learn that is how to get you to leave her alone. So you'll wanna take her out even though she's doing that  . Hedgies can take months to trust you, which is what you want to work on. Letting her sleep on your lap and mealworms/crickets help  .

It's very, very normal for her to do that before you take her out. One of my guys comes out of his ball after 4 minutes of holding him, my other comes out almost instantly, and my female rarely unballs. The only time she will is if I have her on my lap covered for at least 15 minutes, if I move at all or make any noise, she goes back into a ball and makes quite the scene :roll: . Every hedgie is different, basically. I've had my hedgies all for the same amount of time, as I'm taking care of them for my boyfriend.


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