# Missing Hedgehog! Recent Patern of Escapes!



## PintoPrincess2 (Apr 5, 2011)

Hello all, I currently have a missig hedgie; I know the basics, put out food and water near his cage and look in dark enclosed spaces near heat sources or warmer areas in the house. We've made sure there's no way for him to get outside in the basement or attic. Other then that does anyone have any out of the box ideas to lure a hedgie out of hiding? If i put mealies out will he smell them ( we have a small apartment)? Also, lately he has been either attempting to and succeding i n escape a few times a week. He is almost 10 weeks old so is just starting to develop his own personality as well as becoming interested in the ladies. Could he be trying to get to them? There's no way he could but I know stud male lab will take off around town looking for something if given the chance... lol or could it be he just likes to the freedom and challenage or getting out of his cage! If anyone has any suggestion please let me know. We are trying to come up with a way to keep him in there as I type... suggestions for that would be helpful too! I'll update when I find him! :roll:


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## Hedgiepets (Aug 21, 2008)

Make his cage escape proof! Put a lid on the cage. Make sure he has a wheel.


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## Hedgehog Grove (Jul 21, 2010)

Let's go over the basics first:

What sort of cage does he have? Does it have a lid?

Does he have a wheel?

What's his heating set at?

How much light does he get?

Where in the apartment is his cage?


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## gpluvscats (May 6, 2011)

Awww! Missing Hedgie!  I dont know if this will help but: My hedgie just escaped, and I found him in my coset, well my mom did, but still, he was curled up sleeping in a bag in my closet where it was dark.


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## PintoPrincess2 (Apr 5, 2011)

Thanks for all the responses! My internet has been down so I apologize for the delay in response. It turned out there was something wrong with his wheel, it was spinning funny.... and since we fixed that he has not tried to escape again! YAH  I hate having missing hedgies! We have found Penelope in the closet before, our bedroom is the warmest part of the house so they tend to go that way! Thanks again! I could use some input on my most recent post- we rescued a hedgie, Oliver, last week and we think he may be blind  Were calling the vet to get him checked out today but if anyone has ever had any experience with blind hedgies or knows any tell tale signs any input would be appreciated. We are so happy to have got him out of the awful place he was... they didnt even think anything was wrong with him.... we knew within the first day something wasnt right... poor little guy...


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

My KeiLei is blind and I still question sometimes that she really is but it was confirmed by our vet. :lol: She compensates so well. When we first got her, we could tell something was not right but the average person unfamiliar with hedgehogs would not have noticed anything. 

KeiLei wheels with the best and runs around just like a sighted hog. I try to keep the furniture in her cage in the same place but often she has other ideas and the play area is always different which doesn't faze her in the least. 

Try wiggling your fingers directly in front of his face. If there is no reaction, it's either he'es blind or very laid back and is probably wondering what kind of nut his new mother is. :lol: Make sure your fingers are spread when you do it because they can pick up the slightest sound of fingers rubbing together. Sometimes I think KeiLei even feels a slight breeze from the wiggling fingers. 

If he is blind, he will be fine.


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## PintoPrincess2 (Apr 5, 2011)

Try wiggling your fingers directly in front of his face. If there is no reaction, it's either he'es blind or very laid back and is probably wondering what kind of nut his new mother is. :lol: Make sure your fingers are spread when you do it because they can pick up the slightest sound of fingers rubbing together. Sometimes I think KeiLei even feels a slight breeze from the wiggling fingers.

If he is blind, he will be fine. [/quote]

I would almost rather him be blind then have a nerulogical thing going on, i will try the finger thing today and see what reaction I get. Now have you ever had a hedgie with that much energy? Our other 3 are perky but nothing like Oliver. Maybe its the nervousness of another move, afterall he's been bounced around so much he is probably distrusting on top of it. He did come with his own cage, wheel, ect. But his igloo was the smallest one they make, and he didnt fit in it but still tried to get under it... poor little guy so we upgraded him to a plastic easter bucket with the handle taken off and a hole cut out for the entrance until the one I ordered for him comes in. If he is infact blind should I make a compliant against the pet store for selling him as part of a mating pair with health problems? IDK, thanks for the response though. Other then that he is awesome, he loves baths so if he was blind you would think he would be scared of the water right? sry for rambling lol!


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

I have had a blind rescue before and she did absolutely fine. The only difference I noticed with her is she would come out more during the day. I have an older girl now that I believe is blind, the only reason I first thougth she might be is that she started coming out more during the day too.


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## PintoPrincess2 (Apr 5, 2011)

Oliver has an appointment with the Vet for a full exam next Thursday, I wish they could get us in soon but that was the next available; they only have 2 vets that know hedgies. So we'll know more then, for now he needs so major TLC and attention. Also they were feeding him Pretty Pets Premium Hedgehog Food its got a picture of a hedgie on a clear bag with a yellow block border thing on the front and the Pretty Pets in pink across the top; has anyone ever heard of this food? I guess its what the pet store gave them, we are going to switch him to our blend of cat foods but in the mean time during the switching process I want to make sure it's not toxic like some hedgie foods. They clipped his nails to short too and two toes are bleeding.... were giving him a bath today to help clean it out. Is it too late for a Septic Pen or something like that or can I stil use one? They clipped them about 3 days ago. we told them to wait that we would do it but I guess they were growing into his feet so they didnt want to wait. I just feel so bad for this little guy, he has stolen my heart! I think I have a soft spot for special needs animals!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

So glad you took this little guy, he sounds like he'll have the home he deserves now. 

Pretty Pets is one of the worst foods. There's nothing poisonous or that they can choke on in it, but nutrition-wise, it's basically cardboard. I'd go ahead and right away start offering a food from your mix. It's pretty likely that he'll just do a straight switch and eat only the food you give him instead of that nasty Pretty Pets. For his toes, you could put some Neo/Polysporin on it, just make sure it's the regular kind. The pain relief and extra strength ones are toxic.


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## PintoPrincess2 (Apr 5, 2011)

Lilysmommy said:


> So glad you took this little guy, he sounds like he'll have the home he deserves now.
> 
> Pretty Pets is one of the worst foods. There's nothing poisonous or that they can choke on in it, but nutrition-wise, it's basically cardboard. I'd go ahead and right away start offering a food from your mix. It's pretty likely that he'll just do a straight switch and eat only the food you give him instead of that nasty Pretty Pets. For his toes, you could put some Neo/Polysporin on it, just make sure it's the regular kind. The pain relief and extra strength ones are toxic.


Thanks for letting me know; I didnt think it was anything good, it seems many of the hedgehog foods arent good enough for them. His poor little toes are so bad; they basicaly cut down to his toe, then his squirming makes it bleed again.... he also came with bedding that I really like but wanted to check on it, its not Carefresh but it's white white and looks like little clouds, very soft and doesnt rip apart easily and doesnt make dust, the people who took him didnt know what it was called does anyone recognize that description? I'll start him on our food today then. It wont upset his stomach? He ate mealies for the second time in his life today; he finally will come up to me and take them out of my hand, but I still cant touch him yet. He is so skiddish! Anyway thanks alot!


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## PintoPrincess2 (Apr 5, 2011)

HE LOVED THE NEW FOOD! As soon as I put changed it out he ran over sniffed it and dug in! lol


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