# Adopting an Older Hedgehog



## Mashedmelissa (Apr 13, 2012)

Hello all!

I have been doing a ton of research, and I'm pretty much positive I want to adopt a hedgehog. It looks to be near impossible to get a baby anywhere closer than 4 hours away, and anytime within the next year (the waiting lists are infinite, my god!). However, there is a person on craigslist I have been in contact with; she has a 1.5 year old male that she does not have the time for anymore. I am very for adoption of dogs and cats in need, vs. going to a breeder so I figured I should extend this same sentiment to a hedgehog friend.

Does anyone have experience adopting an adult in this type of situation? The owner says he is friendly, but I guess I will see for sure when I meet him (possibly tonight). I know he might be a handful, and likely quite unsocialized but I am willing to put in the time and work with him. So tell me.. how did your adoption of an older hedgie go?

Here is a pic the owner sent me:


http://imgur.com/9FbaA


(A little about me.. I'm turning 24 on Sunday, work full time 9-5, live in an apartment with a huge bedroom, travel very little)

Thanks for your help


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## Quinn (Apr 24, 2011)

Well happy birthday! Im also turning 24 this sunday  I have taken in a rescue hedgehog and the feeling was actually really rewarding. I still look at him and think he's so much healthier and happier here. He's not the friedliest but has made some inprovements. I got lucky with is health. When I first took him to the vet he had a bad case of mites and was really overweight but haven't had any problems since. I'm glad I did it and have no regrets.
Make sure you have some money for the vet. It can get quite costly really quickly. Also I already had a hedgehog so I knew what supplies I needed to get. If you're ready and started getting everything you need then I say go for it!


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## Guest (Apr 13, 2012)

it is definatly rewarding but not without its challenges. 2 of mine were rescues from not so great situations and i cants explain how happy i was when they finally opened up to me. With quillo it took months for her to calm down and be okay with me handling her. nbut now shes a total sweetie

its good your going to meet him before you agree to take him in. good luck and let us know how it goies.


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## Mashedmelissa (Apr 13, 2012)

He will come with his cage, food, bedding etc. Hopefully that will make the transition a bit easier for him.


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## Guest (Apr 13, 2012)

you can also give him a shirt youve worn to snuggle with. helps them get use to your scent. let us know how it goes


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## Mommatobe (Apr 5, 2012)

My first hedgie was a rescue as well. She had come into the clinic that I worked at to be euthanized because she was "getting up there in age" according to the owners and loosing a ton of weight "for no reason". Turned out she was only 3.5 years old and was loosing weight cause there 10 year old who "owned" the hedgie was not feeding her often enough. She also only had one eye (their cat attacked her) and had mites. Despite all that she was the most social friendliest little hedgie I have ever met. My boss at the time had them sign her over to the clinic so we could treat her and then re-home her. And of course I ended up falling in love...She never curled in a ball and only wanted to be in you're lap or your scrub top pocket all the time. I had her for what I like to think was the best year and a half of her life. She unfortunately development an oral tumor and had to be euthanized. She was to date my sweetest hedgie yet! The ones that you rescue know they are being rescued...they always make the best pet! It doesn't matter how long you have them, it is how you spend the time you have together.  I hope everything works out...you will know when you find the right one!


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

I do hope that your adopted hedgie is a sweetheart. However, more than likely you need to be prepared to put in a lot of time to build trust and build a bond with your little one. That bond and trust can develop quickly, very, very, very slowly, or not at all. I adopted Izzy last August and she still hisses, balls, and clicks at me when I move her bed to scoop her up. Also, when I pick her up, she does this wild flailing thing where she's trying to bite the air and just get a hold of anything in front of her. It doesn't matter how long I talk to her or how I announce my presence, she still does that. 

When I decided to adopt Izzy, I told myself, if she's a hissy, scared hedgehog that never bonds with me, then at least I know that I'm giving her a good home with food, shelter, attention and love. I know she has a better home now and that gives me pleasure. When I met her, she was in a 10 gallon fish tank, without a shelter or bed, no wheel, she was in pine shavings with only a food, water dish and a toilet paper tube in her tank. 

We have had moments where I see how she is opening up and trusting. It takes a shorter amount of time now for her to go from flailing, hissing ball of furry to calm and relaxed. She's splatted on me under a fleece blanket and when she's out at night and I walk in the room, she doesn't run straight to her home anymore. There are many things that I've noticed where she's changed and trusted more, but to a stranger she still looks like a hissing ball of furry.

It's a hard decision to make between adoption or a baby hedgehog. But just ask yourself if you're willing to still provide a good home to a hedgehog if they never bond with you. When owning any pet, the relationship should be more about them than it is about you. 

I hope this bit of information helped. Best wishes in making your decision.


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## shetland (Sep 2, 2008)

Quinn, Mpmmatobe and Rainy. I have to say my eyes filled up. How selfless of all of you to put the needs of a little, helpless hedgie before your own. Wow! Sometimes there is a happy ending. Three lucky little hedgies.


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## SquiggyTheHedgie (Jul 26, 2011)

Squiggy is my first hedgehog, and he was also a rescue. The girl who he lived with before had him in a tiny cage filled with carefresh that she never cleaned out, and wheel that she never cleaned, a water bottle he couldn't reach, and she was feeding him Whiskas. Squiggy himself was a hissy, puffing ball of not quills, but poo. He was so filthy that when he got his first ever bath, the water ran brown. The day I got him I found HHC and joined immediately, and did everything I could to make his living space better. Threw out all his carefresh, cleaned his wheel, switched to a water bowl, and got him better food. It took about 6 months before he warmed up to me. Meeting him now, you would never have guessed that this sweet hedgie came from such horrible conditons.


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## hedgehoggie88 (Apr 7, 2012)

I recently got a hedgehog ( 8 months old ) and she was kinda a explorer so i started working with her earlier than normal (iv had her for a week and 2 days ) i can already hold her no blanket. she was not properly taken care of and is over weight,but its so great, and im soo glad i got her and am glad that now i can give her a better living conditions and life  I would not take my decision back for anything


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## Mashedmelissa (Apr 13, 2012)

Thanks for the input everyone! (And happy birthday to you too Quinn!)

As my luck would have it the owner I was talking to just stopped responding.. figures. I'll have to keep an eye out for any possible hedgies in need. I feel bad about this one being with someone who doesnt even want it, but won't commit to finding it a better home  Maybe they will respond later, but I doubt it.


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

Oh, I'm sorry. There is a hedgie out there for you.  Maybe they will respond and they are just busy right now. Hang in there.


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## Mashedmelissa (Apr 13, 2012)

Ok, so I told myself I wasn't going to go telling everyone and jinx it.. but I'm too excited not to  

The owner finally got back up with me (maybe had someone else interested? We were in the whole price negotiation zone when it just stopped.. who knows.) I've now got the address and a plan to go over there tonight and get him. I'm nervous to see the conditions, I hope he hasn't been too badly neglected or anything. 

Updates and lots of pics to come assuming all goes well!

Thanks again all for your encouraging and helpful words. I can't even begin to convey how much forums such as this one have helped me in the past (my cat got diabetes in her older years and a forum much like this was key in providing her the best life possible for her remaining time) It's great to know that there are people out there who care and are glad to help anyone in need, and I'm excited to be a part of it!


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## shetland (Sep 2, 2008)

I can't wait to see pictures of your little hedgie!!!


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## shivers316 (Mar 11, 2012)

I'm so excited for you! Can't wait to see lots of pictures!


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2012)

yay!! cant wait ill be on the look out for the pictures


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## Quinn (Apr 24, 2011)

Yay I look forward to the pictures!


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## Mashedmelissa (Apr 13, 2012)

Phil has arrived! He is awesome! He's so social its unbelievable. The owner was a 13ish year old kid, and his dad who both were really nice. I held him at the house and he didn't ball up or anything, just a little hissing with the initial pick up. 

I got him home after a short car ride, put in him my room and left him alone for a bit while I made some dinner. Within 2 minutes he was out of his hide looking around and eating. I gave him a little while longer, then picked him up and he just walked all over me and tried to burrow in the towel on my lap. 

He has some fluffy kind of bedding in his cage, but not much so I will be going to get some fleece to line his cage with. Where is the best place to get this? Should I just go to a fabric store and have them cut a few pieces out for me? They were feeding him Purina kitten chow, nurturing formula. I'm going to also get him some better quality food and slowly start mixing it in. 

His ears are a bit tattered.. what might be the cause of that? I don't see mites on him, is there anything I can do to help them get better?

And now for pictures..


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

He's so cute. 

The ears just might be dry skin. You can try rubbing some flax oil on them or plain vaseline. Don't put any lotions or oils on that have fragrance added. Hedgies are sensitive to fragrance and it could make him upset. If the tattering doesn't get better in a few days or you notice that Phil is scratching a lot, then it could be mites or something. 

Thank you for giving this little man a chance! He's adorable. <3


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