# Need some advice on hedgie's ODD behavior/change



## silverbell_angel (Apr 17, 2012)

When we first got our hedgie from the breeder, we were told he like eating mealworm. We have left meal worm in his cage on several nights and he will always eat it up. Now, whenever we leave meal worm in his cage, no matter where we put the dish, he doesn't touch them anymore!!  Can a hedgehog grow to not like meal worm? I've tried leaving other treats as well like chicken, beef, pork, cantaloupe, wet cat food, scrambled eggs, in a dish in his cage for two nights and it doesn't look like he touch them either. Is it best to leave it with the dry cat food? He have always eat his dry cat food consistently every night. We try feeding him directly but he will not take anything from our hands. As soon as any sudden movement or anything close to him, he will try to ball up and hiss and puff.

What is the best way to litter train a hedgehog? He has some strange behaviour and it seem to be happening more consistently. He will not poop anywhere but on his CSBW!! It's a good thing the wheel is easy to clean. Like he will go throught the trouble of climbing over the litter pan under wheel, and get onto the wheel and just poop after I put him back in the cage (usually after cuddle time) and then will go hide. I try putting him on his litter pan prior to picking him up for cuddle or anything and he will just get off the pan and try to hide. Other then having clean the wheel twice a day, it's not bad but I wouldn't mind having him litter trained. His feet get so dirty from running every night (7 days a week) and he really doesn't like feet wash or bath. As soon as you put him in water, he just froze up and not move (AT ALL). :shock: Is this normal? He will just froze and as soon as you try to touch him, he'll hiss and puff which making cutting his nails or cleaning his feet impossible without getting tons of quills in your hand. Any advice or suggestions is greatly appreicated!!!

Also, there are times we find him hiding under the hedgie bag (consistently) instead of in the bag or under the hedgie hat. Even found him once under the wheel in the litter pan. Is it normal for a hedige to prefer cooler temperature? The cage is usually set between 23-25 degree C, heated with a CHE lamp. We keep the house at a temperature of 20-21 temp, to avoid ever having temperature drop too low. We thought about turning off the CHE lamp, but not certian if that's a good idea.

Any help will be greatly appreicated! My previous hedgheog never had this problem! We're still learning all about these neat little pets.


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## Desperodo (Dec 12, 2010)

It is completely possible for a hedgehog to stop liking something  Some hedgehogs won't eat anything other than their kibble. You could try shredding up unseasoned cooked meat onto his food. I don't personally recommend pork though, it's one of the hardest foods to digest which can be uncomfortable. When you say you leave them for 2 days, do you change them and put fresh in or leave the same one for 2 days? 

Sadly, there is no way to stop a hedgehog from pooping all over their wheel. Naturally hedgehogs poop and pee while they run so it's not something that can be stopped. But most people only have to clean the wheel once a day. If there is an abundance of poop it could be diet related. What are you feeding?

For a foot bath try just letting him walk on a wet towel for a while. 

There isn't really a "normal" with hedgehogs. Most hedgehogs don't like water and try to find a way out. What temperature do you have the water? You want it to be warm but not hot on the inside of your wrist (your wrist is more sensitive than your hands). 

Sometimes when they get hot they will sleep somewhere cooler. I wouldn't turn the CHE off. 20-21 is usually too cold for a hedgehog, so you don't want that. Every hedgehog is different and some prefer it cooler than normal and some hotter. If he only sleeps in cooler places sometimes I'd just leave the temp as it is.


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## SulleysMom (Apr 23, 2012)

Sulley is the same way. After we had him for a couple of weeks he just quit eating his mealworms. I tried everything, fresh ones, freeze dried, pet store, etc... He just doesn't like them anymore. 
He also liner dives instead of sleeping in his tube or bag. 

One question how big is yours? Sulley is only 4 months old and is a hefty boy, our vet said one of the reasons the he likes being cooler is because is his bigger.
Just an idea but a good one.

Good Luck!


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## silverbell_angel (Apr 17, 2012)

"For a foot bath try just letting him walk on a wet towel for a while. " - Thanks Desperodo, that is a great idea. I would have never thought about that. That would be so much easier then having a foot bath. I always make sure the water is warm and not too hot or cold by testing it out using my wrist. He really doesn't seem to like his quills wash either during bath and would hold onto your hand with this death grip (nails digging into you) and hiss the whole time when you try to scrub his quills with the toothbrush. Maybe it's the sink he doesn't like? We thought about getting a small little tub to do his bath in.

I clean the CSBW only when it is dirty and yea, my baby just like to poop on it even when he's not running on the wheel so I end up having to clean it twice. He is being fed a mixture of the following cat food, Solid gold katz n flocken, Natural balance green pea and duck, and chicken soup for the cat lover's soul-adult light. It was what my old rescue hedgie was eating so I feed him the same thing.

Sound like my hedgie is becoming more like Sulley!!! So far I've only tried fresh mealworms, haven't tried other kinds. He is about 3.5 months old and weight about 355 grams.


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