# singed whiskers from running?



## Hedgiegirlsmom (Feb 3, 2011)

Our hedgehog had an exceptionally active night recently; when we checked her in the morning she had a slightly bloody pad on her foot and the whiskers on the left side of her face looked like they had melted a little bit. Her foot is completely better, but her whiskers still look the same. The only thing that I can think of is that she ran on her wheel (CSW) so fast that the friction melted her whiskers. She doesn't seem to be bothered in any way by it. Have any of you heard of this or had experience with it?
Thanks!


----------



## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

I'm no expert... but I don't think hedgehogs can run fast enough to create enough friction to melt whiskers. :? I also can't picture her whiskers being long enough to be dragging on the wheel.

What do you use for a heat source? The only thing I can think of is that if you use a CHE, the CHE may have melted her whiskers, which is a really scary thought.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

It's not possible for them to run fast enough to singe their whiskers. I too would suspect the heat source.


----------



## Hedgiegirlsmom (Feb 3, 2011)

The only heat source is a CHE, and it is on top of her cage. We have her in a Ferret Nation, and there is no way that she can get to the heater. We are super diligent about keeping her cage safe for her. The good news is that she is completely healthy and unaffected by it. What a strange mystery...


----------



## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

My hedgie Loken has a naturally curly whisker, it is possible it's something like that? I never noticed when he was young but after he was older. It's like it grew in curly, its super squiggly.


----------



## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

Good point Hedgieonboard. I've also had a couple with curled whiskers but I don't recall it happening that quickly. I suppose like curled quills and curly hair on humans, it may be the result of a curved hair follicle.


----------



## KathyTNY (Jan 21, 2011)

Nancy said:


> Good point Hedgieonboard. I've also had a couple with curled whiskers but I don't recall it happening that quickly. I suppose like curled quills and curly hair on humans, it may be the result of a curved hair follicle.





Hedgieonboard said:


> My hedgie Loken has a naturally curly whisker, it is possible it's something like that? I never noticed when he was young but after he was older. It's like it grew in curly, its super squiggly.


I am going to go with the naturally curly whisker too because my cat Fiona (God rest her soul) had a couple curly whiskers and I use to tell her that she needed to put curlers on her other whiskers to get a total effect........

I think there would be other things burned if the CHE had melted the whiskers - fur, skin etc. I bet the pog has had curly whiskers and it just never got noticed until recently.

Kathy


----------



## StellaWithaBow (Dec 18, 2009)

One of my ladies has some whiskers that look almost like split ends, and she's an active wheeler.

I wouldn't think it's a serious issue, but you should keep an eye on it... I tried to get a photo of little Luna's whiskers but she wouldn't hold still long enough. :roll:


----------



## Sooshi (4 mo ago)

Yes!! Sweet Sooshi has one too and I’m thinking it’s because she had outgrown her previous wheel? That’s her “running side” lol I have no idea though


----------

