# Not nocturnal?



## Ophelia (Dec 10, 2010)

Is it possible that a hedgehog can be "tuned" to be okay with staying up when it's light? Sometimes I'll bring Nitzy out into the living room, give her a space she can be in (since her cage is way tiny and I don't want to keep her in it all the time), with blankets and everything she needs. When I go to make my check on her, I notice she's not even sleeping! I'm not sure how much she is up, because we keep her in another room at night. But she's been known to be sleeping if you check on her. Is this okay? It doesn't seem to bother her. I can definitely tell when she's mad.


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

If she's waking up on her own, that's alright. It is not advised and has been suggested that it's actually dangerous to their health however to delibarately try to "un-nocturnalise" a hedgehog.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

She may be awake because it's not her "home" it's not her own personal sleeping area which she knows is perfectly safe. Babies will sleep through just about everything, but as they grow, you may notice she'll become a lighter sleeper. It's a prey animal instinct to be light sleepers. I know that sometimes, I walk by my boy's cage doing something, and I'll hear him hiss. And that's just walking past his cage. 

Quite honestly, they don't need the extra space during the day, when they would be sleeping. You may be better off leaving her in her cage, until say... 5-7pm, and then bring her out to the playpen until you go to bed. Then that will give her the space she needs to roam, while allowing her the comfort of her own home for when she's sleeping.


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## Ophelia (Dec 10, 2010)

She wakes up on her own. She doesn't have a playpen, so when she's out, she's pretty much just with me. I notice she gets up around 3 PM (she'll be walking around her cage), so I bring her out then to come lay with me. She'll sniff around and stuff and then pretty much just lay on my stomach and chill. I know she's not sleeping because she'll usually have her head facing me, and her eyes are open. And then the other time I get her is around 1-2 AM. Other than that, she's in her cage doing her thing. Since she does wake up on her own (only time she didn't was yesterday and it terrified me. ) I'm going to try and not make a big deal out of it. Maybe she'll switch back once I have everything for her.


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## Kenzi (Aug 29, 2010)

The only cases i've heard of Hedgies being active during the day and sleeping at night is when the hedgie is completely blind (i.e. Missing both eyes due to a traumatic injury).

I too don't see the need to have a hedgie out (especially unsupervised without a pen?) during the day. You said "go to make my check on her" and then said she is with you... So I don't know which is the scenario. Having room to play would make more sense Supervised in a hedgie safe playpen or area during the late evening.

I've heard it's not healthy to disrupt their pattern, as it may lead to hibernation attempts.


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## Ophelia (Dec 10, 2010)

I do go check on her, and she's usually up when I check. and by up, I mean, visibly awake. And she isn't "unsupervised". She stays in a blanket on me. This is the only way I have for her to be out of her cage. I figure this is better exercise than not even being able to take ten steps in any direction. 

I'm kind of tired of having to "fight" with people on here. This isn't a typical case. I don't have everything I should have for her. Yes, I know she should have her own place to roam about on her own. BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT. She can't run on the floor because it's hardwood and too cold for her, AND I don't have enough blankets to keep on the floor constantly, especially ones that won't get her foot caught. I'm sorry that I don't have the luxury to go out and buy the proper things for her. I hope you realize you're making me feel incredibly bad and want to just give up and give her away AGAIN.


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## Ophelia (Dec 10, 2010)

Read my post again so I could pinpoint exactly what I meant. This is how it goes VERY SPECIFICALLY; Check on her; she's awake; either I'll bring her to lay with me if it's a little chilly, or I will set her up near me so I can keep a close eye on her. (I did say I gave her her own space or whatever, but I mainly said this so no one would jump on me for having her sleep close to me, isn't that terrible?) There's only been one case when she was alseep, and it scared me.. so I tried waking her up. I don't see this one time as a bad thing because it happened ONCE and she wasn't even too grumpy after it. And after that she went back to sleep. After she usually has a crawl about me, she'll "nap". But not really because I can tell her eyes are open. 


All in all; I'm glad it's been proven to me that there are still incredibly nice people out there. 

Also also, I didn't actually mean in my previous post about giving her up... I love her too much. But really you guys. Consider being in my position? Try being a little nicer. Goes a long way.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Regarding the waking of hedgies during the day...

I do it with Snarf twice a day: once in the morning and once in the afternoon, then he roams around on the livingroom floor in the evening. I think the constant handling is the only reason he's so social now. When I got him a month ago, he wouldn't allow me to even touch him, now he settles in quickly, and seems to love being petted. I can't believe it, either. :lol: 

I always make sure he knows where is hedgie bags is and he's always supervised. He huffs and snorts and carries on when you first wake him but he settles in a couple minutes, then is either exploring or sleeping in a couple more. Sometimes at 9am...or 11...or 3pm...or 10pm...sometimes all four different times in one day! My goal was and is to handle him as much as possible while still allowing him to be a hedgie and it seems to be working. I figure if he's tired, he will sleep. Either on me or in his cage...he seems to prefer being on me while having his back rubbed. I have often seen him get up during the day on his own - to get a drink, check out his home - and he is most definitely NOT blind!!

I think we all have our own ideas about the 'best' way to treat/interact with a hedgie but what works for one hedgiemay not work for another, that's why I love this forum - there are so many different approaches and views.


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## PJsMom (Nov 20, 2010)

When i first got PJ he would be awake during the day..that whole weekend actually. he was bouncing around in his cage and running in his wheel. i think he was just checking stuff out. then after that..he slept aaaaaaaaaaall day. lol i would check on him and stuff, make sure he was alive (being a typical helicopter mom). Now he sleeps all day, i check him before i leave to work, or wake up extra early (around 5:30ish) he's usually wrapping up his run and i take him to bed with me for like an hour. he sleeps on his blanket on my chest. then i put him to bed while i go to work. 

when i get home i go and clean out his cage, his wheel then take him out for a bit. this is around 7ish in the pm. I let him sleep on me until maybe 10 then put him back into his cage and let him sleep. he gets up around 2am to start his night. that's bout it lol

and i do know whatyou mean about not having the resources to get the essentials right of the bat. it took me at least 2 weeks to get his C&C cage, the che..stuff like that. I'm on a fixed income as it is. Alot of it went on like walmart credit card or bill me later lol 

once you get nice and settled, things will roll easier for ya. it looks like your hedgie is in great hands.


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

Waking up a hedgehog during the day is not really the problem as much forcing them to be awake is. If for instance an owner were to leave their hedgehog in an enclosure without a place to hide or make a nest then that would be an example of forcing them to be awake. 

If you go past the cage and your hedgehog is up and about by all means take her out and let her sit on you. When I first got Quigley I had a really light school schedule which meant that many days of the week I was home all day. I would take him out of his cage to sit with me for hours. He mainly fell asleep on my lap or my arm (of course this meant I couldn't move and could barely breath without provoking lots of hisses). When I did this he was totally fine with it until he was ready to be back in his cage then he would let me know with lots of squirming or hissing or attempts to dive off the chair.

Bottom line is that every hedgehog and owner is going to have their own schedule. Forcing an animal to be awake when they should be asleep is a form of abuse. But there is nothing wrong with having snuggle time with a nocturnal animal during the day especially if she was already awake in her cage when you took her out. 

Please don't feel bad for not having everything you need. I know that your hedgie came to you rather suddenly and that you rescued her. I'm sure she is better cared for now than she was. I'm sure you will make the necessary improvements to her life as soon as you can.


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## hercsmom (Jul 6, 2010)

Ophelia,

I don't understand why you're being so defensive, not only in this post but all of them. It seems like as soon as you hear an answer other than what you're expecting your defenses go up. why ask the questions if you don't want an answer? The people on this forum aren't deliberately trying to be mean to you, we just genuinely care about hedgehogs and maybe sometimes come off as passionate. Its great you rescued this hedgehog, and so far it seems like you are doing the best with what you have. Hedgehogs can be very rewarding pets, for the right person. By all means ask any question you may have, that's what this forum is for. But remember, we're only answering to what you've written in the first place.


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## Kenzi (Aug 29, 2010)

Ophelia said:


> Consider being in my position? Try being a little nicer. Goes a long way.





Ophelia said:


> I'm sorry that I don't have the luxury to go out and buy the proper things for her. I hope you realize you're making me feel incredibly bad and want to just give up and give her away AGAIN.


I understand why you are being defensive, as you are obviously trying to do the right thing, and based off everything you said (specifically making sure things are hedgie safe), I can tell you really do care about Nitzy.

I wasn't trying to be rude. I wasn't trying to call you a bad owner. I was just being matter of fact stating some anecdotes that I have read about here at HHC. You asked if its possible for them to turn diurnal, and the simple answer is typically not. Am I wrong in assuming that you posted here asking for input? And like I said, it wasn't very clear to me, so based off of your first two posts, I didn't know the sequence or scenario very well.

Its one thing to check your hegie during the day, but I think its different to have them out for a length of time. (Perhaps you could also specify how long you have her out for?) Every morning I check Mila to make sure that she is doing well after an active night (this is also when I refill her bowls, and clean her wheel, most people often inadvertently disturb their hedgie while doing this, which is completely normal). She is always up in her loft asleep in her hedgie bag, so when I pop the lid (the loft has short walls, so I have a lid with a large mesh covered opening) she pops her head out to say "hi mom, I'm ready for bed" and then huffs. I also check her in the evening just before i go to sleep (typically around 10 pm) and she is usually still asleep, in fact, it was checking her one evening when I discovered she had a quill stuck in her ear.

I too can relate to having a tight budget, but I had saved up and prepared for Mila for months prior to getting her and have a special account in place to assure her needs both daily and in the event that a veterinary emergency should happen.

I applaud you for taking in a rescue; however I think its fair to say that necessities are something that one wouldn't consider a luxury.


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

Passions indeed run high around here, and like many have said, its indeed concern over the hedgehog, but only because if you search the history of this site, there have been too many cases of people who ignored advised, and ended up with sick or even dead hedgehogs.

I do not wish to chase anyone off, but Ophelia, you did kind of become defensive when I suggested in another thread getting a digital thermometer so you can know the temperature of the enclosure. I didn't push the matter beyond after that, only because I don't want to push someone from saying 'screw this place' and not coming back, this place is a world of knowledge and helpful people.

And not all of us are rolling around in money, I make a mere $230 USD per week at the moment, am preparing to file a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in January. I had pondered rehoming my guys a few months ago due to not having the money to come up with a CHE system, and the kindness of people here came out brightly, namely PJM who donated a CHE system that came with Zoey that was going unused. Someone else offered to help with getting food shipped to me, but thankfully I investigated a new grocery store in town and found they had several of the recommended brands, saving me from having food shipped.

In the spirit of HHC and the holiday season, I'll gladly send you an 8 inch Clamp Lamp that was part of what PJM sent me, Hester's cage stays very warm compared to her brother on the bottom, so it goes unused. It saves you at least $20 on the heating setup, and maybe a few others will join me, I don't have a CHE bulb for it (the one it came with burned out), but someone could send you a 100 Watt CHE, and someone else a thermostat. I will also get you the digital thermometer to monitor the cage with. Then that helps you two out so you can work on getting her a C&C setup.


And like everyone has said, if she's awake on her own accord during the day, I see no reason not to get her out, especially if she just goes back to snoozing. Like others have said, its unhealthy if you're forcing them to be awake, but another if they're just awake. I think it was Moose who also had a period of being active and awake during the day after a vet visit? I'm guessing he probably returned to his normal schedule. My guys, never ever seen them up during the day, they're like vampires who don't come out until the light disappears.


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## Ophelia (Dec 10, 2010)

I am defensive because it DID feel like I was being attacked. Just because you don't see a need to be defensive, doesn't mean that I can't be. I'm not going to go on any longer on this topic because it really upsets me. I've only taken her out of her cage when she's awake. Except for once, which I've already said. Luckily, there are still good things that came of this. Nitzy is very thankful.  I understand that everyone is concerned about the health of a hedgehog, and like "Kenzi" said, simply answer was no. Was that so hard? gosh. 

"I too can relate to having a tight budget, but I had saved up and prepared for Mila for months prior to getting her and have a special account in place to assure her needs both daily and in the event that a veterinary emergency should happen. " See, was this reeeeally necessary? Yes, I get that you should be prepared for when your baby comes home, but I didn't have that luxury, I'M SO SORRY. -.- And I don't consider "necessities" luxuries. I've never said I'm NOT going to get things for her, they just have to wait. Gah, you're making me mad now. So I'm going to stop for real now!


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## ThePliny (Jun 3, 2010)

I am also a student with a rather open schedule. On days where I work from home, Pliny spends most of the day sleeping in my hood or a sweater pocket, or under a blanket on or next to me. Frankly he seems to be much happier sleeping on or near me as he will splat out and make his many quirky sleeping noises. There are times when he decides he wants to be active and an explorer in the mid-afternoon (usually if he has to go back in his house because I am going out :roll: ) He is a healthy, happy, well-adjusted little hog. He is not forced to be diurnal, he just likes to sleep on me instead of in his house (spoiled little bugger  ) It sounds like you are doing something similar with Nitzy. It sounds like she is relaxed and content to curl up with you.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

Thanks for jumping in! I KNEW I remembered someone saying they had their hedgie in their hoodie for a big part of the day and he seemed happy!


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## ThePliny (Jun 3, 2010)

Yup, that is Pliny and I. He is rather a bit of a hoodie hog! It keeps him from running amok on my keyboard while I am typing. He really seems to like keyboards! But yes, Pliny does seem to like his routine. he still sleeps all day long, just prefers do snuggle on me instead of in his cage.


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## jdlover90 (Jun 14, 2010)

ThePliny said:


> Yup, that is Pliny and I. He is rather a bit of a hoodie hog! It keeps him from running amok on my keyboard while I am typing. He really seems to like keyboards! But yes, Pliny does seem to like his routine. he still sleeps all day long, just prefers do snuggle on me instead of in his cage.


That is so adorable! :lol: 
I wish Quilly loves to cuddle! But at the moment he's super grouchy.  hahah.


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## CoxMD (Apr 30, 2010)

With Basil, I get up for school at 7 am and do a quick check to make sure he has food and water. At 7:30 pm I get him up for snuggle time until I go to bed at 10 pm. When I walk past his house his hedgie bag wiggles sometimes so I know he's awake a little during the day but I've yet seen him come out. So as to the diurnal thing, his personal schedual is set to be awake and ready for snuggle time after seven thirty just from my routine, and I have his light timer set to turn off before I get him up. (He lives in the basement where it's warm and no natural light).

Ophelia, you don't need to bristle and huff when we try to answer your questions. We're not attacking you and you have no need to think we are.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

Please just let it go people,no need in running off a new member in need of help. OP felt like they were being attacked whether the were or not and if i were new to the site and got some of the responses she did I would fell the same way and be defensive too. In the famous words of rodney king "can't we all just get along?" 

Happy Holidays and peace on Earth.


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