# Hedgehog Biting!



## Föga_Pindsvin (Apr 17, 2012)

My Hedgehog is a good little guy, but when ever I hold him, He has bitten me! I wash my hands before every time I hold him, with the same soap. And When he bites me, I keep holding him, so he doesn't think that when he bites me, I'll set him down. And It's not a friendly bite, he gnaws on my finger far a while, but I pull him away, and hold him in the other hand. What should I do?


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## stringmouse (Feb 3, 2012)

maybe the soap you're using is the problem. is it unscented?


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## delgiudiceb (Apr 17, 2012)

I'm having the same problem. My little girl is about 13 weeks old and I just picked her up a week ago from my breeder. She's acquainting with me quite well, but she has picked up a bit of a nipping problem. Could it have to do with the fact that I hand feed her treats? Sorry to post a question on someone else's post, but I figured it was best to post it here than create another thread.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

The first thing to consider is: do your hands smell like anything? Even things that we wouldn't detect or wouldn't consider a 'food smell' can cause a hedgehog to nip. If you use scented soap or hand lotion, if you've recently been handling any of their food (or human food, too), or even if your hands are sweaty, the smell can be associated with 'yummy'. Washing your hands with scent-free soap before handling them is the best way to prevent nipping that happens because of that. Some hedgehogs will also associate your hands with food if you feed them treats or mealworms with your fingers - if that seems to be the case, you can use tweezers or chopsticks for mealworms, and you can put treats in a small bowl (like a 2-3 inch sauce dish or something) to offer them. Any licking of your fingers/skin, although adorable, is a sure sign that a nip is going to follow, so pulling your hand away whenever that starts will help to avoid it also.


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## shaelikestaquitos (Feb 2, 2010)

delgiudiceb said:


> I'm having the same problem. My little girl is about 13 weeks old and I just picked her up a week ago from my breeder. She's acquainting with me quite well, but she has picked up a bit of a nipping problem. Could it have to do with the fact that I hand feed her treats? Sorry to post a question on someone else's post, but I figured it was best to post it here than create another thread.


Do not hand feed. Yes, it encourages biting. Use tweezers or chopsticks instead  Try avoiding her face for now to make sure she can't even get at you.


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