# Joey's warming up successes



## MissIvy (Sep 10, 2011)

Hi everyone!

This is just a 'little' bonding-story:

It has been 2 months now since I've brought home Joey and the more time I spend with him, the more adorable and loveable he gets! I remember the very first time I put my hand in his cage after a couple of days without interaction, just to let him settle in. He was huffy, puffy and balled up immediately to stay that way for like 10 minutes, after which I gave up. Second day same story. 

The very first time I took him out of his cage (after about a week since I got him home), he stayed in his little ball of quills for 20 minutes. And when he popped out his cute little face, it was just to give me the evil look... 

However, stubborn and persistant as I am, I kept getting him out of his cage, coaxing him with mealies (which took him 4/5 times of offering them, before he decided he likes his mealies) and with a little, but surely undoubtable, progress every week I finally feel like we're bonding. 

Last week I gave him a bath, since he was all covered in green bean-babyfood after annointing himself with it. It was the very first time he had his quills totally flat to his back the entire afternoon (3 hours). The bath was only 10 minutes, and after that I wrapped him up in a fleeceblanket and put him on my bed, me right next to him to watch some tv. At first he was very much exploring everything (he seemed to be highly interested in my armpit :|), and after 30 minutes of exploring he finally fell asleep. So did I, my arms widely placed around his sleeping-blankey, so he couldn't escape without me noticing. When I woke up, I saw he'd dragged his fleece to my arm (yes, again that armpit :roll: ) and actually fell asleep against me! 

Today I had another cute succes moment. I got him out for a quick water-bath (he ate pumpkin and his face was entirely covered with it; even after rinsing it gently with water, he still has a orangey glow to it) and took him with me downstairs, to watch some tv. He snuggled in, underneath mywarm fleece-vest and fell asleep for like another 2 hours! 

I can't get him out of his cage without his fleece-blanket or without him balling up yet, but the instant he's completely balled up, he pops out his little snout to explore me. I know he will be a great hedgie, when he's a big boy!


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## MissIvy (Sep 10, 2011)

Oh, oops... I'll never be able to post short stories... :mrgreen:


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

YAY Sounds like he is coming along well.  

You may find that he always balls up as you reach for him when he is in his cage. It's sort of a territorial thing but as soon as they are out of the cage, they unball.


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## hanhan27 (May 12, 2011)

That's wonderful!  Having a hedgie is so rewarding. Patience (and mealworms! :lol: ) go a lonnng way. Congrats on your progress


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## lcam85 (Nov 30, 2011)

Haha my Oreo annointed with baby carrot food after I had bathed him. I wasn't impressed to have an orange hedgie but he was all 'what am, I like it what else am I gonna do' looking lol. It was too cute.


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

It sounds like he's really getting comfortable with you! Such a sweet, sleepy story.


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