chica
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Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/09/27 16:08
Hi, I'm new to the hedgehog companion world - I've had plenty of friends that have had them, but never myself.
Yesterday, we (my hubby and I) adopted a 6 month old lil girl we named Sypro.
She's got a host of issues: (I'll ask a few questions after)
- she's extremely huffy (drama city - we understand and accept this though)
- she's over 1/2lb overweight (I weighed her last night - she's 1.5lb)
- she's had maybe a month's worth of socialization
- she's been in a too-small living space for the last 6 months - with a horrible diet
- she's filthy (I bought special tearless organic hypoallergenic shampoo for her)
- she's been without another hedgehog around since she was a week old.
To fix these we have:
- bought a HUGE living space for her (chinchilla flat bottom - non-wire bottom cage)
- purchased special superworms, and high-protien - low fat cat kibble
(I was told to scatter her kibble around her cage so she has to "hunt" for it, so that's what she's got) - but she did eat some peeled apple for us last night.
- purchased cat toys with bells
- have a chinchilla wheel in her cage (she actually went on it twice already)
- have a chinchilla ball for her to run around our place in (we don't have stairs)
- and an organic, edible log for her to sleep in (made of alfalfa and barley, specifically for hedgehogs)
- 100% organic aspen shredded bedding for her
Questions:
1. honestly, how often should we PHYSICALLY interact with her?
I have heard conflicting answers for this - from 2 min once every 3 hrs all the way to 10 minutes once a day only.
2. is it wise for us to bathe her now? or should we wait? (if wait - how long?)
3. we realize she's gonna take a long time to socialize her, but is there any sure way to pick her up (we are currently using a towel because she is so extremely huffy and jumps)?
4. might sound like a silly question, but can anyone recommend any music or sounds (ie. rain, etc.) that she might enjoy to calm her more?
Or would I be just overstimulating her?
I would really appreciate some help.
Thanks
Chica.
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saabgirl9000
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/09/27 16:38
This may sound obvious, but do you have a place for her to hide? I didn't se it on your list of things that you put in her cage. Hedgies need a safe feeling place to hide to be comfortable with their environment. This will probably help her to be a little more comfortable. Also you said that
"she's been without another hedgehog around since she was a week old."
This seems like the hedgie was taken away from its mother at an extreamly young age.... but getting to the other point I am trying to make, hedgies do not need companions. They are solitary animals and giving her another hedgie friend may make her more upset. Since you have a female she could possibly live with another female only. (Never put a male with her unless you want unexpected babies!)
Another thing is that if you give her a bath, make sure not to give her too many. Hedgies have naturally dry skin so if you give them too many baths it can get aggrivated.
Interaction: Even though it is okay to wake up your hedgie during the day, I find that my hedgie is happiest when I hold and play with her at night, when it is dark. Since hedgies are nocturnal this is when they would naturally be up. On the subject of picking her up, it is okay to use the towel to pick her up. To get her to calm down you can either use your finger or a pencil with an eraser to gently rub circles on her back. Once she gets a little more comfortable with you you can scoop her up for underneath with both hands.
For sounds just keep the area where the hedgie is relatively quiet. If she has a hiding place she will feel a little more at home too.
Well I hope that this helped you and good luck with you new hedgie! 
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Boden
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/09/27 16:40
I'm no where near expert on this so take my advice as just that, not expert. But this is what I've come across so far to help answer some of your questions.
"1. honestly, how often should we PHYSICALLY interact with her?"
Any form of physical interaction at any time is good, even if she's being a pissy little hog inside her bag while on your lap. Some people have their hedgies out as much as humanly possible, I personally take Baron out every night between 8pm-10pm (but I'm used to other animals who NEED a regimented schedule to not be complete dorks...I don't think Hedgies do...but hey, what do I know? First time owner here too :3)
4. might sound like a silly question, but can anyone recommend any music or sounds (ie. rain, etc.) that she might enjoy to calm her more?
 Baron likes it when my iPod is playing my punk and/or german death metal  it seems to calm him because when it's on he'll come out and explore more then when my roommate is playing her opera and/or classical music :3 when that's playing I think he's busy snoozing to it.
Hope some of this helped.
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chica
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/09/27 18:45
thanks for the reply
The log we have for her (the organic one) is perfect for hiding in... but she's taking to sleeping beside it under the shavings instead. That was the whole reason we got the log for her - so she could hide.
I will definitely NOT over moisturize her *kicks a few different books and sites that suggest lotion massages* (don't worry, I did NOT do that)
I really appreciate the fact that there's a bit that I am doing right, so I will try to remain patient and keep my expectations low.
I just don't want to think she's going to be fully socialized in a week or a month, and be frustrated when three months have passed and she's not relaxed completely... she's got the best home for patience; we just need to have a possible guideline of what NOT to expect for her.
Thanks again!
Chica
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chica
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/09/27 18:49
Oh yeah! the music part made me laugh!
*wonders if Spyro will like Lacuna Coil or Michael Buble* lol
(decides not to push her right away)
I was considering placing some towels on the floor, building a bit of a fort of pillows, and letting her out into the living room with us for a bit at night... maybe that can wait a week or so though, so I don't give her a heart attack.
We want what's best for her... we just don't want to do too much, too soon.
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hokubahedgie
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/09/30 01:55
your hedgie may not be sleeping in the organic tube thing because its open at both ends. Try getting her an igloo or some sort of hideout with only one door, and walls that are as opaque as possible. Throwing in a shirt of bag in the iglo hideout is great too, my hedgie loves to bury in there and sleep, especially when it gets too cold.
also are you sure she's overweight? you cant really tell simply by weight. rather, if your hedgie can still curl up in a ball, she's probably fine. Remember, some hedgies are just big boned =D
it also helps to put olive oil or oatmeal in the bath to help with the whole drying the skin out too much thing. I got the aveeno tearless soap with the oatmeal already in it, and for good measure i add in some olive oil too!
with sounds, most hedgies i think dont like anything too loud or sudden, idk about baron, thats just very strange! you can try experimenting if you want, by playing some music, and see if your hedgie curls up into a tighter ball when sleeping or seems to get more tense. I personally dont think hedgies need the sound, but i am also only a first tie owner for all of two months 
i think you should definitely start taking her out of the cage, after giving her a day or two to rest in her new home...even if its only for a few minutes at first, and if you slowly build up to keeping her out of the cage more, it'd be a nice change of scenery for her too
good luck!
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chica
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/09/30 10:24
I am happy to report that Spyro has finally settled her spines when she sleeps.
Last night I had her out, gave her some yogurt (about the equivalent of a lick for us), and she even took some from my finger! I have read that this is a possible no-no, but other places just state be prepared for her to test-bite. That's fine... I can handle her finding out I'm not food...
She LOVES her ball, and our "big boned" lil girl is super active! She runs in her wheel for about an hour at least at night (she might do more when we're asleep) and she fights to stay in her ball even after an hour of running around our apartment. I'm glad she finds them both entertaining and safe.
We have a small hand towel that is super fleece she sleeps under, that has both mine and my hubby's scent on it, and we are looking into getting her a few liners for her cage (and do away with all the wood chips around our apartment! LOL) and a few other lil snugglers, blankets, and hats she can sleep in.
I'm just glad she's finally starting to realize this is HOME.
Thanks again for all the advice! You all rock!
(hopefully the pic attaches, cause she is so cute!) 
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CThogs
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/09/30 11:31
She is adorable Your big boned girl will probably slim down a bit with exercise-since she loves her ball and has a wheel too I'm sure you are making her very happy.
Ann
Connecticut Hedgehogs
We had a great time at Hedgehog Fest 2008!!! |
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chica
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/09/30 17:27
Thanks
I just wanna be a good hedgie-momma!
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harpgrrl
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/15 07:55
Hi!
I have a rescue hog as well...it has been 3 months or so, and he is finally becoming social. I have to follow strict hog protocol though.
1. I take the top off his cage and let him wake up
2. Wait for the snout to come out and have him sniff me
3. He goes into his tube and I put him on the floor.....
then I can start playing and he makes the happy noises. If I skip or rush anything he remains huffy and does the hedgie hog.
Also do the quick mite check...put the baby on a black piece of paper and see if any small white flecks remain on the paper. Mine came with a horrible investation....
Have fun! Love my Snout
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CThogs
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/15 09:05
I take the top off his cage and let him wake up
This is really important with some hedgehogs. Just like some people are slow to wake up and get grumpy
Ann
Connecticut Hedgehogs
We had a great time at Hedgehog Fest 2008!!! |
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chica
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/16 20:45
Update:
Spyro is doing so well now!
I haven't been handling her for over a week now as I have been extremely sick, but my hubby does, and she's so social with him now that after a min of huffy (as opposed to the 1/2 hr she used to give us) she's fine as can be on him.
It's wonderful
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Boden
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/16 20:47
Wow! That's great good job! Glad to hear that all is going well with your rescue!
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chica
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/21 15:18
Spy's gonna get a new habitat today. My hubby has decided that the home she's in now isn't big enough for her (and I agree) so we are going to have a MASSIVE set of containers that we can add onto later on if we want her to have even more space!
She's gonna have an awesome new home and it's gonna be three times the running space!
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Boden
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/21 16:36
wow! hope to see some pictures of it!
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chica
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/22 00:55
I'm gonna upload a bunch tomorrow
we just got home - it's 3X the size of her old place and there's an awesome tube that connects the area!
she's gonna have her litter and sleeping area on one side, while her play area (including wheel) and her food are on the other.
she's not gonna know what to do with all her new space! I hope she loves it!
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chica
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/22 05:42
First pic of her new place!
She's got so much room in there now she looks like a tiny lil dot in the pic! LOL
*trying to find a pic size that works*
Post edited by: chica, at: 2007/10/22 05:43
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chica
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/22 05:45
hopefully everyone can see this! 
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thistle
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/22 17:02
Love the house! She's certainly got plenty of room to move around in there.
Barbara with Hector & Harriet Hog
Glasgow, Scotland |
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chica
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/22 17:03
Thanks everyone!
She's a very happy lil hedgie!!!
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CThogs
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/23 05:44
She's a very happy lil hedgie!!! She has come a long way in such a short period of time. You've done a great job and her new home is awesome
Ann
Connecticut Hedgehogs
We had a great time at Hedgehog Fest 2008!!! |
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zorra578
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/23 15:15
harpgrrl wrote:
Hi!
I have a rescue hog as well...it has been 3 months or so, and he is finally becoming social. I have to follow strict hog protocol though.
1. I take the top off his cage and let him wake up
2. Wait for the snout to come out and have him sniff me
3. He goes into his tube and I put him on the floor.....
then I can start playing and he makes the happy noises. If I skip or rush anything he remains huffy and does the hedgie hog.
Also do the quick mite check...put the baby on a black piece of paper and see if any small white flecks remain on the paper. Mine came with a horrible investation....
Have fun! Love my Snout
Lol, your rescue must like you more than my baby-raised hedgie likes me. My protocol is:
1. Lift igloo
2. Pluck out hog
I'm quite the meanie, but he's quite the little brat so we go together pretty well.
Jessica
Des Plaines, IL
My critter list: Dilbert (welsh terrier), Bowser R.I.P. (betta fish), Quentin (hedgehog). |
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herbiesmom
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Re:Help! Rescue baby - need info - 2007/10/23 16:38
What a fantastic job of socializing her you have done. My Herbie was a baby when I got him and it took a good 2-3 months for him to stop huffing at me. My Snowball never huffs except if I wake him up to fast and he does not realize it is me. They are sweeties once they get used to you.
Cyn and Hedgie Boys |
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