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General Care and Handling

Handling and Socialization

cheart99
User

Posts: 22

Help with gruppy - 2005/09/05 13:25 Hello, I need help. I have to babysit my brothers headhog for 9 months. That being said he is a very gruppy headhog. All he does is huffs and puffs into a ball when i come into the room or try to pick him up (ouch). He was bought from a pet store so i think that is why he does not like to be picked up. I am not sure how old he is but i think at lest 6 months old. He had no toys in his cage so i bought two cat balls and i put in a paper tube. He is somewhat fat since my brother did not let him out of his cage alot, I try to take him outside.
Right now he is downstairs but i am thinking i sould bring him up into my study room since that is where i spend most of my time. Right now all he does is eat and sleep. My borther is sending me his ball that i can put him in to run., so that might help with the obisity.

I am trying the topic on your website to get him use to my sent but I do not think it is working. I put in a towel that i used to dry off after my gym work out to get him use to me but It does not seem to be working. I like to take him out without the gloves but somtimes he bites and that hurts.

Diana

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dzmeadows

Admin

Posts: 976

Re:Help with gruppy - 2005/09/05 20:52 I would definately move the hedgehog to the area where you spend the most time. This will help him get used to you quicker, and may help his attitude. You can use a small towel or baby blanket to pick him up out of the cage with, and then sit with him on your lap whie you watch TV or do homework. The more time you spend with him, the more likely he is to get used to being handled by you. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before picking him up, if your hands smell like something yummy, this may be part of the reason he is biting.
Becca

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cheart99
User

Posts: 22

Re:Help with gruppy - 2005/09/06 05:25 Thanks I moved him upstairs with me last night and this morning he had most of his cage shavings outside all over my floor!!!!! I have no idea how he did this. I put a small face cloth in his cage (with my sent) but it is now covered in the same shavings but he was under it this mornign. Can they breath undera towel???

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dzmeadows

Admin

Posts: 976

Re:Help with gruppy - 2005/09/06 12:20 Yep, they can breathe under a towel, as long as they are the ones that went under it. I wouldn't recommend putting a towel over them that they couldn't get out of as needed, but they are good at burrowing into things and still being able to breathe
Becca

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Vangardt
Visitor

Posts: 27

Re:Help with gruppy - 2005/09/07 22:11 Rarely have I heard of a hedgie biting for any reason except to taste something that is on the hands. Something I have found key with my hedgie is to not put her down when she gets angry. This can be troublesome x.x but the idea is to teach them that huffing and puffing won't scare you away, and the hope is they will then do it less often. The more they learn the grumpy "trying to scare you off" tactics don't work, the more they will give it up and discover "hey! they don't want to eat me after all!" XD

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cheart99
User

Posts: 22

Re:Help with gruppy - 2005/09/08 10:34 Thanks.... I will try to pick him up without gloves

But i should get used to it. I tryied the cuddling with a blanket but he crawled out of it and ..epp.. fell right of the chair but he was ok and started to explore my bedroom floor while i tried to catch him so that he didnt get anywhere i could not get him out of.

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Vangardt
Visitor

Posts: 27

Re:Help with gruppy - 2005/09/09 22:28 The holding him without gloves would be key. The gloves mask your smell so it is not one with would get used to. Also, the gloves keep in more of your body heat instead of giving the hedgie a little heat like they so love.

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cheart99
User

Posts: 22

Re:Help with gruppy - 2005/09/13 09:18 Ok! im starting to feel like giving up on timbit. i am using the towel in his cage and also to pick him up with. He still huffs and curles into a ball in my lap. Sometimes he will uncurl just to peek out his head but then he curls back up and huffs. Then after mabey a few times of this he bits the towel and hold onto it. For example he bits the towel then pulls on it while huffing.
Today i handled a hedgehog that was properly socialized by a local store owner who sells them. He was walking all over my hand and back, let me pet him, and never huffed once, was extremly active,and i loved him

I wanted to replace timbit with him and then just tell my brother that timbit had lost weight and i was a mirical worker on his attitude .

but im not going to. Howver i am considering buying my own hedhog now but i cannt until my borhter picks his up in March.....

All he seams to do is eat and sleep. He is getting over weight, well i am assuming he is over weight since you can barley see his legs when he is walking. How much should i feed him a day? and when should i feed him?

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nannyogg

User

Posts: 50

Re:Help with gruppy - 2005/10/01 09:48 Hi,

Wasn't sure where you're at with handling hedgie, but if you're struggling with how to pick up a hedgie who's less than thrilled about it, these pictures might help: http://hedgehogvalley.com/handling.html =) The more you can distribute the weight in your hands, the less poinky it is when you're picking up a totally balled up hedgie =)

Tig

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cheart99
User

Posts: 22

Re:Help with gruppy - 2005/10/03 10:17 I am slowly getting the hang off picking timbit up. She still does not like to be touched at all. I have to put up with being pricked and the fact that she tries to curl up on my fingers or the fact that she tries to bit my fingers when i pick her up. She huffs a little but then settles down. Only huffs when you touch her.

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HamorHollow

Admin

Posts: 2169

Re:Help with gruppy - 2005/10/03 13:54 Tig and Becca: What an excellent article/ pictorial on how to handle a hedgehog! If that isn't already in our article section, someone needs to put it there.

Hang in there with socializing your brother's hedgehog and don't give up on her. She may never turn into a cuddle bunny, but any progress would be great. Try offering treats, spend time with her in a dark room while your watching tv, and just be persistent. Kelly Sosik-Hamor
Hamor Hollow Hedgehogs - a New Hampshire breeder, serving Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and any where else hedgehogs are legal. |
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