# You know you are an overprotective newb when...



## Brunswick (Feb 20, 2012)

You know you are an over-reactive newb when... You see your male hedgehog "roll up his lipstick" for the first time and panic because you think you just witnessed him having a hernia. True story, and yes, I felt like a idiot two seconds later. No matter how many times I read the words "penile sheath" on this forum, it still looks like a belly button...


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## vasogoma (Feb 25, 2012)

Overprotective newbs aroudn the forum, UNITE!
I understand exactly how you feel, I always am reading about sickness my hedgie could get, and I am still overly worried about her losing too many quills, the vet said it was normal but I still have no idea wether to trust her or not xD


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## Rainy (Jul 27, 2011)

Awe.....adolescence.....it's a beautiful thing.


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## Brunswick (Feb 20, 2012)

I know, haha. I love this forum to death...but I have got to say, if there is such thing as over-reading I definitely do it  Not only do I read too much but I am heavily drawn to the "health" section to scope out illnesses so that I can be prepared when they pop up. Now I am constantly on the look out for dry skin or odd looking poops. I am obsessed with weighing my little boy and have even gotten in the habit of counting quills that fall out and saving them. I am always poking around at my baby every time I am holding him, he is probably annoyed by now. At least when he is older he will be used to it  

Maybe in a few months I will calm down and realize that he is a hedgehog, not a bomb that needs to be disarmed!! :lol:


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

There is nothing wrong with being overly protective. I have always recommended poking around on them, combing through their quills, holding them like you would if you syringe fed, making them sit still, etc. Get them used to being rubbed, and held differently. It makes it far easier when you do need to treat a problem. It will be nothing new to them, and it won't be as stressful to have you doing such things to them.


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## lehaley (Jun 25, 2011)

Brunswick said:


> You know you are an over-reactive newb when... You see your male hedgehog "roll up his lipstick" for the first time and panic because you think you just witnessed him having a hernia. True story, and yes, I felt like a idiot two seconds later. No matter how many times I read the words "penile sheath" on this forum, it still looks like a belly button...


This sounds all to familiar to me. :lol: I was like "Oh my god what IS that?!?!?!"


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## Brunswick (Feb 20, 2012)

Kalandra said:


> There is nothing wrong with being overly protective. I have always recommended poking around on them, combing through their quills, holding them like you would if you syringe fed, making them sit still, etc. Get them used to being rubbed, and held differently. It makes it far easier when you do need to treat a problem. It will be nothing new to them, and it won't be as stressful to have you doing such things to them.


This is so true! When I first received Val from the breeder his nails were unbelievably long and some were curled under his feet, I clipped them on the first day and he HATED it, he did not want me near his feat and definitely did not want me to touch them, it took me several hours to clip all of his nails. Ever since then I have been checking his feet daily and they are so cute, I can't help but to hold them and touch them. Now it takes me just a few minutes to clip his nails and he doesn't mind when I touch and grab at his feet. I think he kind of liked it now  I will keep trying, but I'm not sure if he will ever let me freely touch his nose and face. The only time I can pet his cheeks and chin is when he is fast asleep on my chest, lol.


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## moxieberry (Nov 30, 2011)

Kalandra said:


> There is nothing wrong with being overly protective. I have always recommended poking around on them, combing through their quills, holding them like you would if you syringe fed, making them sit still, etc. Get them used to being rubbed, and held differently. It makes it far easier when you do need to treat a problem. It will be nothing new to them, and it won't be as stressful to have you doing such things to them.


This is exactly why we taught Archimedes the 'no move' trick (he lies still on his back in me or my boyfriend's hands). We do it pretty often, not quite every day, to reiterate it so he remembers how it's done, and to get a frequent look at his feet, ears/nose, in his mouth, etc. It's also helpful for making things easy for a vet.


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## LindseyPronk (Mar 1, 2012)

This forum is great, i feel like everyone here loves there hedgie as much as i do. (it's hard to believe that you get so attached in such a small amount of time.. and worried so fast). I've recently been told by our vet that i don't need to come in with every concern i have. But it's nice to know by a professional that your little one is good and healthy, agree? lol I

It's funny because Emmett has become known by everyone i work with, so much that people know his life story (food preferences, toys he playing with etc) and those same people don't even know my managers kids names  hehe... I think everyone has a soft stop for cute hedgies


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