# Welcome Home Snooki!



## RWatkins (Oct 26, 2010)

I got my baby girl! Yesterday, my girlfriend and I drove to Ohio and left with a beautiful little girl we named Snookie! She was born 9/17.[attachment=1:1ao3yrzb]DSC00783small.jpg[/attachment:1ao3yrzb]
I brought her home, and set up her house; a 2 ft x 4 ft Tommy 120 cage. We made her a dig box, and got her a couple little tennis balls to play with.
[attachment=2:1ao3yrzb]DSC00785small.jpg[/attachment:1ao3yrzb] While we picked up the hedgie, we also picked up some Bene-bac, and Elimina. Does anyone have opinions on these products? We also got a couple bags of spikes delight. We got a small bag of baby food, and 2 bags of normal stuff. I am mixing a teaspoon of baby to a table spoon of regular, but so far, it doesn't look like she has eaten any.  this worries me. I did get her some Fluker's meal worms, which it looks like she might have eaten (i put one in her bowl last night)
It also doesn't look like she has drank any of the water I gave her. She is currently sleep on her wheel, which is the only place she has slept since she got home.[attachment=0:1ao3yrzb]DSC00786small.jpg[/attachment:1ao3yrzb]
Any thought or advice are always appreciated.
I will also be switching to liners as soon as we get a sewing machine fired up. And i will be getting a zilla 1000 watt thermostat with a 150w emitter and 8.5 in lamp soon.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

Congrats  she's adorable. The cage is a nice size  very ideal for a hedgehog. The spikes is not a very good food to feed,hedgehog foods for the most part are crap. What was the breeder feeding? One of the more exp. members will be along soon to answer your questions about bene-bac and Elimina and to offer up more advice.


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## RWatkins (Oct 26, 2010)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

We got the spikes delight from the breeder... That is what she has been feeding them. She said the Chicken and Rice was better, and I am more than willing to switch to it after this is gone, or before if Snook won't eat anything else. Right now, I don't really care what she eats, I just want her to eat something!


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## Olympia (Aug 4, 2010)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

Congrats on your new baby!  I think the best thing to do for the first couple of weeks is to give her only the food the breeder gave her. You can gradually start to change her to a better food after that. If she never had meal worms before, I would also wait a couple of weeks before giving her some, a new food can upset her stomach and she has enough stress right now with everything being new for her. It`s not uncommon for some hedgies to not eat much the first couple of days, I suggest counting the kibbles you put in her bowl so you`ll know if she`s eating.


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## I<3Hejji (Aug 29, 2010)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

Congrats on Snookie! She is adorable!

As far as the water goes, do you know if the breeder was using a bottle or dish for water? It is common for hedgehogs not to drink or eat their first night at home, but make sure that however you are providing fresh water is the same method that the breeder did. At least for the first few weeks so Snookie can adjust to your home.

I saw you are getting a heat lamp soon, what are you doing to maintain the temperature until then? Do you have a digital thermometer? Do you have a light schedule for her?

And a quick thing about fleece liners - the first time I made them I sewed some, then realized on here that there is no sewing required! All you have to do is cut the fleece to fit the cage, make sure there are no loose strings on the edges (which usually doesn't happen with anti-pill fleece anyway) and you are done! I wish I hadn't sewed mine because now I have to scrutinize the liner every night to make sure there are no loose threads. If a thread were to get wrapped around the hedgehogs leg he could break his leg, or worse lose circulation and require amputation! I just wanted to throw that out there in case you wanted to save yourself some time 

Snookie is adorable, I hope to see many more pictures of her!


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## RWatkins (Oct 26, 2010)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

Right now I have my apartment temperature at a very uncomfortable (for me) 75 Degrees. I do have a digital thermometer reading 75 all day and night. I don't know how she was giving her hedgehogs water, so I decided to try and start her with a dish since I have read that is the better method of the 2.

As for the linings, I understand what you mean about the loose threads, but shouldn't it be ok if we are having them made by someone who knows how to use a sewing machine? I just want to layer some fleece and something slightly more absorbent.

Since we just got her home, we really don't have a light schedule, but we are pretty constant with our sleep, so I am not that worried about it. Last night was pretty late for us and we were still in bed by midnight then got up around 10. I woke up at 5 and she was wheelin away, but when I got up at 10, she had tired herself out and was sleeping in her wheel.


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

A lighting schedule is very important. My hogs have their own room and at 7am each morning thier light comes on and stays on all day till 9pm each night. Not enough light can bring on a hibernation attempt.


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## EryBee (May 23, 2010)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

I use sewn liners and I think they are great! My mother graciously made them for my hedgie because I am a disgrace when it comes to using a sewing machine. I checked the liners for loose threads, snipped a few, and haven't had any problems. I do have to add extra time in the dryer for them to make they are dry all the way through (layer of fleece, old towel, layer of fleece).

I am jealous of your beautiful cage setup! It looks like Snookie is living in the lap of luxury. Congratulations on your new little darling


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## Hedgieonboard (Nov 15, 2009)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

Snookie is adorable, congrats


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## PJM (May 7, 2010)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

Welcome to HHC & congrats on Snookie! She's a cutie! She looks a little shy. They will sometimes stop eating for a bit after a move. Looks like she has plenty of room to play! I like to make my liners big enough to go over the edges of the cage. Then you can put the wire part over them. You don't have to worry so much about the edges & they never dive under the liner!

Just be patient & give her some time & lots of love. She will adjust. It looks like you have everything ready for her.

Can't wait to hear more about Snookie & see more pictures!


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## RWatkins (Oct 26, 2010)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

Well, Snook slept ALL day. I got her up and around a little bit, and she went right back to sleep. She hadnt eaten or drank all day. I finally pulled her out and gently woke her up. She laid on me for a few, so I set her food dish on my tummy and she sniffed around, and finally started eating.  I'm a very happy dad. Shes so pretty.


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## RalphsMum (Oct 14, 2010)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

Congrats on your new addition!

It took Ralph 2 weeks to start eating and drinking anything noticeable (he lost a whole load of weight and i thought he was going to starve or dehydrate...) but then out of the blue he settled and now eats and drinks like a lil piggy! A relief for sure!
We started with aspen shavings but quite frankly they were a pain because they stuck to Ralph's fleecy bedding and they were quite smelly and messy. We now have the bottom of his cage lined with a fitted towel and he always goes potty in the same place so we put paper towel in that spot and it works a treat...very easy to clean up..just take it out and replace...no smell like with the shavings. We replace his main towel liner every couple of days or so. He has fleecy cloths as bedding in his house which gets changed every couple of days unless he poops on it....in fact today i cut up an old house coat for him and hemmed the pieces..he's now got lots of fun bits of cloth, sleeves, pockets etc to snuggle and hide in


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## hedgielover (Oct 30, 2008)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

RWatkins does her cage have corn cob bedding right now? Have you seen her walking on it at all? It can be very uncomfortable on their feet (think walking on gravel with bare feet) and from your post it sounds like she hasn't really left her wheel. She runs on her wheel and then falls asleep on it? If it's hurting her feet to walk on the corn cob that could be why she's just staying on the wheel and not eating and drinking except when you took her out of the cage. I would take out the corn cob stuff right away and replace it with a folded up bed sheet (making sure that it has no loose threads) until you make the liners.


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## RWatkins (Oct 26, 2010)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*

Didn't think about that. The pellets are rounded and somewhat smooth. She was walking on it and digging in it alright though. I think she tried to eat some though. Tonight we are taking it out and putting down some fleece, but we are keeping that stuff in the litter box unless there are any other suggestions.

This morning I woke up and she was running, the little balls and TP roll all over the cage, dig box empty and fleece everywhere. Sheila just called and said she was asleep on a pile of fleece in the dig box, so I think she is doing better. She also ate the food, which had some organic flax seed oil on it, so hopefully it will soften her skin, and make the quilling easier.


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## RWatkins (Oct 26, 2010)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*



LarryT said:


> A lighting schedule is very important. My hogs have their own room and at 7am each morning thier light comes on and stays on all day till 9pm each night. Not enough light can bring on a hibernation attempt.


I have a desk lamp with a Cfl timed to go on at 7 am and off at 10 pm. I have been getting her up at about 5 for snuggle time. Is this alright or should I make other adjustments (sl,owly of course)

Also, to those who have commented on her bedding, I have put in some fleece, and got Yesterday's News for her little box.

YESTERDAY'S NEWS WAS BUY ONE GET ONE FREE AT PETSMART. 70 LBS for 16 BUCKS!!!

Thanks all!


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## Tomato (Aug 8, 2010)

Congrats on your new hedgie! Everybody has said more than I can share, but I have the cage sized one smaller but it's a great cage, very well built and accessible too.


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

God she's cute, and I do find it cute she's sleeping on her wheel, poor thing. It sounds like she's starting to come around, especially if she's been wheeling and tore her dig box apart, its more or less just the shock of life with her. You got to figure, a week before you got her, she probably got removed from her mothers, brothers and sisters so she'd get use to being in her own cage, and then got thrown into a new home, and hogs are not a fan of change, though it has to happen.

So cute though, I've yet to have a baby hog, Hester was young but a good size, now she's huge


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## Puffers315 (Apr 19, 2010)

Puffers315 said:


> God she's cute, and I do find it cute she's sleeping on her wheel, poor thing. It sounds like she's starting to come around, especially if she's been wheeling and tore her dig box apart, its more or less just the shock of life with her. You got to figure, a week before you got her, she probably got removed from her mothers, brothers and sisters so she'd get use to being in her own cage, and then got thrown into a new home, and hogs are not a fan of change, though it has to happen.
> 
> So cute though, I've yet to have a baby hog, Hester was young but a good size, now she's huge


PS: What kind of cage is that? I like the size of it. I got a Ferret Nation setup but I personally find them to be kind of cramped for hedgehogs, though my guys do nothing but wheel.


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## albino_prickler (Oct 26, 2010)

Where in Ohio did you get her? I was going to get one from Gail Dick of Millermeads Farm. but seeing how my mom jumped the gun and bought one from Ashley of Janda Exotics for my early x-mas gift cuz he was $90 and she is buying out flying squirrels from Ashley also so it cut down the squared away cost of airline shipping on em... 

Your little one is cute as a button... Cant wait to get Albi next week... He should be arriving on the 10th if the reservation goes as planned for the flight... Saves me from having to fight with Eastern Ohio Roads lol...


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## RWatkins (Oct 26, 2010)

That is where I got her from. Gail was very nice, and for the most part seemed knowledgeable. Her prices on the additional supplies were Extremely reasonable (which is why I bought the cage and everything from her). She doesn't know everything, however, so you will have to research many of your own questions (as I have been doing on here), and was downright wrong a couple of times (90 degrees is just fine for a hedgie). Also, make an early appointment if you do go there. We were the first one's, but by the time we left, 6 other families were there for 8 hedgies, and since she brought them from her house in a smaller container with 5 boys in one and 4 girls in the other (we rescued Snook ) they were all a bit on the grouchy side. Over all, Long drive from Grand Blanc Michigan, but after playing with Snooki for the last few days, well worth it.


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

what breeder is she from?


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## RWatkins (Oct 26, 2010)

Millermeade Farms, Gail Dick


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## LarryT (May 12, 2009)

*Re: Welcome Home Snookie!*



RWatkins said:


> YESTERDAY'S NEWS WAS BUY ONE GET ONE FREE AT PETSMART. 70 LBS for 16 BUCKS!!!


Thanks for the heads up!  I'm on my way to petsmart to get a few bags!


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

RWatkins said:


> Millermeade Farms, Gail Dick


my Harvey is from Gail too.


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## RWatkins (Oct 26, 2010)

She's alright. It was an overall mediocre experience.


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## fracturedcircle (May 31, 2010)

RWatkins said:


> She's alright. It was an overall mediocre experience.


Harvey is a rehome, so i didn't buy him myself.


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## rachely476 (Nov 5, 2010)

Hi !
I've just visited this forum. Happy to get acquainted with you. Thanks.


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