# Conflicting Opinions



## jvl (Dec 11, 2014)

So I'm getting two different 'definite' sets of advice and I really have no idea who to believe. You may or may not remember a few months ago I had a problem with a very constipated hedgehog. It turned out to be so serious he had to be given an enema by vets.. yes.. an enema. He was obviously knocked out for this but still. Anyway, for a few days after he got home from a couple of nights stay at the vets, he was friendly and he took his antibiotics well and seemed quite pleasant - more so than he had been before!

But then it all changed, and now he's grumpy as sin. Which I understand is pretty normal for them. I've owned problem horses for 25 years so I'm from the school of persistance and time, but I'd just like to know what the consensus is on hedgehogs.

If he jumps and hisses at you - do you keep on for instance, trying to pet him? I give him a gentle stroke, he hisses, I gently keep going. Sometimes he settles, sometimes not. I'm unsure to keep going with this method. Works for horses but this is a hedgehog lol. I've read on various websites to keep going, lots of people saying do it.

But then I've seen the complete reverse. Immediately stop. Hold him away from your body, let him relax. Then return to it.

That just seems like re-enforcing to me that hissing works. 

I'm really unsure what to do, am hoping I haven't made him permanently afraid of me with my persistence tactic. But I just don't see how stopping helps, that just says 'hiss and ill stop' to me. Maybe i'm wrong. Any experience with super grumpy hogs out there?


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Some hedgehogs don't like to be touched. I can pet one of my girls and she will hiss and make all kinds of noise but never raises her quills. I am not weighing them down, she is just noisy. My boy, however, I will never be able to pet. He just doesn't like it. He will sleep under my hand but if I stroke him he will get so cranky at me. I can, however, pet his forehead just fine. He went through a really bad quilling and I think that stayed with him. 

Is he raising his quills? Does he seem stressed? Hard breathing, clicking, more than a normal huffing and I would say leave him be. Don't hold him away from your body though. Just let him be, if he is exploring, offer a treat when he comes near you, this will let him associate you with good things. If he is sleeping on your lap, let him sleep, I give my hedgehogs treats when they leave their cage so they associate bonding time with treats. 

I hope that helps.


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## MomLady (Aug 14, 2010)

You might try taking him out at a dfferent time of day, if you can. Sometimes letting them sleep a little longer helps or after they eat, run and poop a little. 
You maybe can also try a dimmer or quieter environment. 

You didn't specifically say how old he is, but if he is quilling he maybe temporarily uncomfortable. 

I would not keep petting him when he's hissing and quilling up, he wants you to back off. If you can hold him on your lap or on your chest, under a fleece blankie or in a snuggle sack, that makes bonding easier on both of you. If you can get him to relax and go to sleep, that will help. He needs to feel safe and secure and if he can hide, he may well relax.

Do you have one of your worn t shirts in his cage so he knows your scent? You could even take one of his blankets and sleep with it and then put it back in his bed.

I would talk to him too, every time you go in to check the temp, change water, feed, clean litter or whatever, tell him hi and just what's going on, talk about the weather or who we on the game. He has to realize that you aren't going to eat him. :lol:


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## Soyala_Amaya (Aug 1, 2011)

My hedgie hates stroking, but loves to sleep under my hand. However, it needs to be FIRM pressure. Anything gentle, even a finger twitching lightly, and he grumps again. I put my hand against his head quills, push back and down, and squish him a little. Within a few seconds he is making happy chirp sounds.


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