# I don't think I'm doing this right



## XarcZai (Jul 27, 2011)

I feel discouraged as every time I go to spend time with my hedgehog, he dislikes me more every time.

I put him in his play pen - he wanders around, but he doesn't seem to be enjoying himself. Also extremely alert & balls up towards any noise.

So I made him a non-sew snuggle bag, the first day he seemed to be really enjoying it but today I did the same thing and his spikes were up most of the time, unlike the last time I did it.

Every time I try to pick him up, he starts to run.

I always do something he doesn't like, accidently. ;-;

I feel like a horrible father and I really don't know what to do because he doesn't enjoy any sort of interaction with me whatsoever.


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## Guest (Aug 23, 2011)

Hedgehogs are prey so they will react to noise and movement out of defense and protection for their lives some carry this instinct stronger then others. Its hard to fight a genetic instinct, some are very prove to quill to noise and sound.

Its been noted that socialization of some hedgehogs does take up to a year to really get them to lower their guard and realize your aren't a threat and aren't so bad.

Keep in mind some hedgehogs just don't want human interaction what so ever but you hedgehog can still be a joy and wonder for you all the same.

A hedgehog having fun is hard to envision and I think your being too hard on yourself to all points a hedgehog is happy to have good food, a place to run and poop and a comfy place or two to curl up and sleep.

The are curious and do like to explore so giving them play time can be a beneficial however some don't want to explore some may even be so territorial they only really want their cage area which is their domain who is to say really.

A hedgehog is a unique experience and its not always easy to handle but despite it all I think it is worth it


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## XarcZai (Jul 27, 2011)

TWCOGAR said:


> Hedgehogs are prey so they will react to noise and movement out of defense and protection for their lives some carry this instinct stronger then others. Its hard to fight a genetic instinct, some are very prove to quill to noise and sound.
> 
> Its been noted that socialization of some hedgehogs does take up to a year to really get them to lower their guard and realize your aren't a threat and aren't so bad.
> 
> ...


It is totally worth it, but I don't see any progress, only the opposite. I mean, he used to be more open to me (which is not much, but more than now) and when I see that he runs from me and avoids me as much as he can, it makes me feel like a bad father.

I guess he might be having fun in his play area, but he is having the fun that is not associated with me. I do things by accident that really hurt him and might think that I am not a safe person (in which, I TRY MY BEST to be the #1 dad). Like today, he was in his snuggle bag and I was about to put him down, tilting the bag towards the ground (not so he slides out, but so he can climb out) into his cage. I had to get the fleece off his head and I was pulling it backwards but it was really pulling his quills backwards, and he bit the fleece, and almost me.

Thanks for the words of encouragement, I will still try my best and not give up. I just hope that he will learn to trust..


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## Olympia (Aug 4, 2010)

I`m sure you`re not a bad hedgie daddy.  How long have you had your hedgie? It could take weeks or months for him to stop reacting to noise so much. I remember many evenings with my girls sitting in almost darkness, barely breathing and not moving.  One thing that worked for me was having a big playpen in which I could sit with my hedgie and some toys. I would talk softly, let the hedgie run around me and sometimes pick it up for a while, then put it back down so it could slowly get used to being handled and get used to my presence. The other thing I did when I first got my girls was use their regular food as a bonding tool. They always have food in their cage but before I woke them up at night, I took out the food, then let them have a drink and do their business. I then took them out and fed them their regular food (with tweezers). They are hungry when they wake up so they associated me with the nice lady that has their food.   After a few weeks,when they were settled in, I started to use treats like mealworms instead of their regular food.


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## moothecow (Jun 4, 2011)

You're not a bad hedgie father! It just really takes a while. How old is your hedgie? He might also be quilling, which makes them extra grumpy... Misha has been going through his 4-month quill for the last week or two, and he's huffing at the smallest provocation and being extra irritable. 

For the first month that I had my hedgehog, he was really huffy. If I so much as breathed too loudly, the front visor spikes would come down. So, 'playtime' was usually me sitting completely still, either holding him, or him on my stomach, with one hand near him. It was kinda awful, because as soon as I knew I couldn't stir, my ankle would start to itch...then my knee... then my head. So, I'd try to scratch without startling him, but as soon as I moved, he'd go crazy huffy. Basically, I played statue for the first while, just to get him super used to me. 

But he's SO much better now. Mind you, he still huffs when I wake him up and pick him up. Some days all he wants to do is run around (and run away, won't stay still in my hands). But now he also trusts me enough to just nap on me, and seeks out my hand to hide his nose into it, and just chills on me sometimes. What I'm saying is, it does take a lot of patience. Two weeks in, after yet another night of him freaking out if I so much as moved my head slightly, I thought he'd be scared of me forever. Don't feel discouraged! Just be really gently and patient and he will learn to trust you. Try not to do any sudden movements, and just see what he'll do if you put him on you and cover him with your hand, and then just sit there completely still for a while. Good luck!


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

I don't think you are being a bad hedgie dad, it's just these things take time and sometimes despite all your efforts they may still not like interaction. How old is your hedgie and how long have you had him for? Quilling may be an option if he is younger and if you haven't had him long he is probably still in that transition phase and learning you won't hurt him. It can get really discouraging but all you can do is try a little every day and hopefully one day he will surprise you  Sometimes if you look at it like that it's not so disappointing because you aren't putting high expectations on a certain behavior. 

With what you were saying about getting him out of the bag, he may have been scared to get out. Sometimes when they are snuggled in and it has their scent they are reluctant to leave it because they feel more secure in it. One trick I've found for getting them out of the bag without them being too mad at me is I will arrange carefully so the top of the bag is facing up and will cup the hedgie in my hand through the bag. They will spike sometimes but because of the fabric doesn't really hurt. As I talk to them I gently push my hand up and turn the sides of the bag down (which kinda turns it inside out). I don't do it all the way and that may help since you said yours went to bite the fleece. Once its folded down to about half you can gently put your hand into their cage next to their hide or a place they are comfy, if they don't go then its easy to put them down like that. Both of mine are hand tamed and don't spike much but sometimes they get a little testy if you try taking them out of a hedgie bag, it's about the only time and they just don't like that feeling. 

I think you are doing good and hopefully he will come around and if not then just know that he is still happy because you are taking excellent care of his needs, the social interaction is for us


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

If you were a bad hedgie dad, you wouldn't be so concerned about his care. Hedgies won't ever be as social as a dog or a cat. It's about getting to know your little guy and you adjusting for him. Hedgies are not domesticated like cats and dogs, so we need to meet them half way or sometimes all the way... Just keep spending time with him like you're doing and he'll learn that you're a friend and not a foe. Best wishes. Patients is your best friend right now.


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## XarcZai (Jul 27, 2011)

You guys are just too awesome. Thanks for all the words of encouragement!

He's 5 months old, and he MIGHT be quilling, but I am not sure. He loses quills every time I pick him up and play with him, but I never see any around his cage. (All of his quills that came off have follicles) He only loses about 4-8 every time, though.


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## ohaiwaldo (Aug 14, 2011)

I feel the exact same way, man, but it's true that it's all just a learning experience. My little boy has already given me a good chomp, closed up on my hand in a ball and drawn blood, left numerous cuts and scratches all over my chest from trying to scramble up into my hair to get away from the mean lady bathing his dirty feet. He huffs and puffs and hisses and clicks and all he wants to do is curl up under the covers by my feet in bed.

And I'm guessing that sometimes you just have to let them.

I imagine going to a new home is a bit like that feeling when you were a child when you let go of your mom's hand for two seconds in the grocery store and when you looked back, she was gone and you were certain she would be gone forever. 

I think Audley might've started quilling too, he was getting better and then suddenly got extremely moody and huffy. Hopefully our hedgies don't quill as long as others! Keep me updated; if you find any hedgehog tricks, let me know! Good luck <3


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