# Biting, quilling & hates me :( sleeps all night, up all day



## PirateHedgie (Oct 28, 2012)

So i have joined the ranks of the sad hedgehog owner with a mean hedgie. I keep repeating the mantra - he is just quilling he will go back to being sweet and liking my company but after 3 days its like torture!!! I feel like everything i do pisses him off and i only want to help him not be all grumpy and quilling. He is about 9 weeks old and started quilling right after i got him home, i thought he was doing okay but then he seriously turned into the "Winston from ****"!  He bites without warning when i am holding him and twice now hard enough to draw blood - this is gonna sound so stupid but i was seriously more emotionally hurt by the bite than physically. I am so worried he will stay mean and unsocial and i feel like taking him out every day makes him hate me more  
I wait till he calms down and give him a few meal-worms and i bring his toys out with him and let him explore on his own - but he really only runs into a different hiding spot and sleeps - by sleep i mean sits there with his eyes close randomly balling up and hissing. 
ive given him oatmeal baths followed by treats to help his skin feel better ... it just seems to do nothing right now 

NOT to mention he totally sleeps all night and is up all day  is that normal at all!? I leave the blinds open and lights on and he is up at like 11am and runs and hides when i get home at 5pm. The toys and food and wheel don't get touched at night, but they are all disheveled when i get home. i'm pretty sure he isnt using the wheel at all. So he doesn't seem to be enjoying life much right now 

i guess i just need someone to tell me that their hedgie who is totally sweet now was a biting, evil mess when quilling - i feel like a failure at hedgehog motherhood  i just want Winston to feel better and not hate me = soooo sad!!!!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Please, keep in mind what he's going through. He has sharp quills poking their way through his back. It _hurts_. It sounds like you're doing your best to try and help him - oatmeal baths, treats, etc. Sometimes there's nothing you can do, which really sucks. But just hang in there with him - it'll be over eventually and hopefully he'll start feeling better and become a bit more social when he's no longer in pain.

For now, how do you handle and hold him? Do you use a blanket? I wouldn't avoid getting him out at all because of it, even if he's cranky. I would just try to minimize your chances of being bitten, and try to interact in ways that are comfortable for him. It sounds like he doesn't particularly want to explore, but wants to sleep. Try taking him out with a blanket, and try to be careful of where you touch him. Settle him in a blanket on your lap, with him covered up. Just sit there with him for awhile, and see if he eventually relaxes. With a warm place to hide, he may be slightly less defensive than down on the floor, out in the open. He may still jump and hiss a lot, especially from movement or noises from you, but don't be intimidated or worried. Give him time, and be patient. Try to keep to a regular schedule - for instance, having him out from 7-8 pm every night. Sometimes a schedule helps them figure out what and when to expect you, and they calm down a little from the familiarity. Don't push him too fast - just try to give him a safe, warm place to sleep for now, while he doesn't feel good. In time, that may help him to trust you more and calm down a bit. It's not guaranteed of course, nothing is. But it might help!

With his sleep/wake schedule...that is a bit strange, but some hedgehogs are just oddballs! As long as you're keeping his light schedule natural (light during day, dark during night), and the wake/sleep times are definitely his choice, I wouldn't worry too much. It's unusual, but if he's not being forced into it, it's not too bad.


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## direwolf (Oct 11, 2012)

Everything Lilysmommy said plus...My little girl was the same when I first got her. She was fine at first then she got so darn grumpy and huffy. She would hide from me and not want to play. Every time I touched her, she would ball up and hiss at me. My biggest piece of advice is don't give up on your hedgie. He is going through a painful quilling process and just hates the world because of it right now. Make sure to give him oatmeal bath wash baths and keep his skin moisturized (I put small amounts of olive oil on my little girl once a week since I got her since her skin gets very dry). Keep handling him, even if he is a pain in the butt. The more he gets to know you, the more comfortable he will be around you. My little girl is currently cuddling in my lap and this is only the 2nd time she's done it since I got her. We're making progress, but it sometimes takes a while. Just keep at it, I know it is frustrating right now but it will pay off!  Best of luck!


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

It's just quilling. Quilling can go to 15-16 weeks or longer in some bad cases. The key is to handle him regardless, as much as possible, make sure he's socialized even if he doesn't like it. Don't walk on eggshells just because he reacts to any little thing. Manhandling and ignoring the grump is the best you can do, and just be patient.


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## PirateHedgie (Oct 28, 2012)

So i lured him out with meal worms the other day and then gave him a long warm oatmeal bath and rinsed with more olive oil in the rinse water. He was so sweet and lovable after that - i think he realized i am trying to help!   The last 2 days he has been calmer and hasn't tried to bite once. Such a relief - i am sure he will have a grumpy-hog relapse but i am taking this as a sign that underneath the grumpy quilling mess is my sweet little Winston


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I'm glad he's been better the last couple days.  Hopefully you guys get through the rest of that nasty quilling period quickly!


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## msredhead (Sep 28, 2012)

Auri would snap at me sometimes - then i realized I either had a yummy smelling soap on my hands, or I had just handled some of her treats. Lol. I hope your little guy gets over his grumps, but definitely don't stop trying. You're doing the best you can!


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