lozzabubble
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New hedgie help! - 2008/01/07 07:08
Okay so I got my 1st hedgie home on Friday, left him alone to get used to his new environment and got him out on Sunday. He was very good and ran around on my hands arms and legs for quite a while without huffing  I have been following the advise on here and taking him to a hedgie safe room where he can run over me and do as he pleases to build his confidence and it seems to be working so far. Other than that I have been putting my hand in his cage lots and feeding him some mealies which he loves, my only concern is this: when I am handling him at the moment I am wearing gloves as he is still a little unsure and is prone to prickling me when i pick him up... and especially when stroking him, he doesn't seem to like being stroked.
When feeding him and putting my hands in his cage I have no gloves on and everything in his cage has been sleeping with me for a while to get my scent, I am just concerned that as I am handling him with gloves he will never let me handle him without as he will get used to this. Also the fact that he doesn't like being stroked worries me, will this change or am I doing something wrong?
Please help!
Lauren, Hufflepuff and Scarlet
UK
Please visit my site: www.freewebs.com/coolpighedgies
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saabgirl9000
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Re:New hedgie help! - 2008/01/07 08:28
My hedgie didn't really like being stroked when I first got her either. It is something that they have to get used to I think. As for the gloves, if your hedgie is pretty calm with you holding it with the gloves on, I would try taking them off. Even if you hedgie is a little prickly it is better for them to get used to you holding them with you hands. No matter what, even if your hedgie is completely socialized, you may get poked sometimes.
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HamorHollow
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Re:New hedgie help! - 2008/01/07 12:06
I would recommend using the gloves as little as possible. If you need them to get your hedgie out of the cage, then do that and take them off once she is out. The less you use your gloves, the quicker the hedgie will become comfortable with you. He is a hedgehog and there will always be pricking to some extent, but the less you use the gloves, the quicker you will get used to it. It's just a matter of toughening your hands up a little and building your confidence.
It sounds like you are doing a great job so far. Remember that different hedgies like different things, so maybe your little one doesn't like to be stroked. Or maybe there is a different area where he would rather be petted. It all comes in time.
-K
Kelly Sosik-Hamor
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Hedgehogmadhatter
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Re:New hedgie help! - 2008/01/07 13:28
Sounds like you are doing a great job.
I think it's always best NOT to use gloves. But it's better to handle him with gloves than not handle him at all. If you are still nervous switch to a lighter, thinner pair of gloves before ditching them. Honestly hedgehogs aren't very fearsome and you can probably go gloveless. All and all hedgies are pretty smart and since you have gloveless intereaction, he/she knows your scent and recognizes you even with gloves.
“The fox has many tricks, and the hedgehog only one, but that is the best of all”
Archilochus (Greek lyric poet and soldier, 675-635bc)
There's no love like HEDGEHOG love!
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lozzabubble
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Re:New hedgie help! - 2008/01/07 13:53
Well I've had some progress tonight... I decided to pull myself together and stop being such a scaredycat! So after picking him up for a bit with gloves and putting him back to get him used to being picked up, I picked him up without gloves... and didn't get spiked at all So as you can imagine I'm overjoyed and he got a couple of mealies for being such a good boy I'm going to try really hard to keep progressing but i'm just so proud of the little guy for being so great even when i'm a bit nervous! Love him 2 bits 
Post edited by: lozzabubble, at: 2008/01/07 13:59
Lauren, Hufflepuff and Scarlet
UK
Please visit my site: www.freewebs.com/coolpighedgies
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lozzabubble
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Re:New hedgie help! - 2008/01/07 14:01
And here he is
Post edited by: lozzabubble, at: 2008/01/07 14:06
Lauren, Hufflepuff and Scarlet
UK
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jick
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Re:New hedgie help! - 2008/01/07 19:01
It will probably help if you practice picking him up without gloves when he is already out of the cage. My hedgie is very sweet but sometimes it is difficult to get him out of his cage since it's so large, especially when I just woke him up! Also, being quick and not fussy about it seems to keep him very happy. It's almost as if they can sense your tension and react to that.
Another good thing about not wearing gloves... you can feel their warm tummies and little legs!
Post edited by: jick, at: 2008/01/07 19:02
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CThogs
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Re:New hedgie help! - 2008/01/08 06:42
There is an article on handling techniques that you may find helpful too:
http://www.hedgehogworld.com/component/option,com_joomlaboard/Itemid,63/
func,view/id,14092/catid,16/
Congrats on your success
Ann
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Hedgehogmadhatter
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Re:New hedgie help! - 2008/01/09 15:13
lozzabubble wrote:
Well I've had some progress tonight...
That is wonderful! He is very handsome too.
Just keep handling him, don't show your fear. As long as you are relaxed he will be to. You are well on your way to a prickly buddy.
~Sara
“The fox has many tricks, and the hedgehog only one, but that is the best of all”
Archilochus (Greek lyric poet and soldier, 675-635bc)
There's no love like HEDGEHOG love!
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mschwindt
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Re:New hedgie help! - 2008/01/10 01:13
I've also found that lowering the lights helps a great deal as well. Minxy little critters prefer bar lighting. 
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lozzabubble
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Re:New hedgie help! - 2008/01/11 14:57
thank you everyone for your words of support and advice. I'm happy to report that we have made huge progress over the week. I've moved the lamp to the other side of the room so that it's less bright and the little one seems much happier
Tonight he was out on my lap watching eastenders as is out routine now and he started pushing under my hand... well I haven't stroked him this week as I didn't think he liked it, but he kept pushing away and i put my hand over his back... turns out he loves to be stroked, but only when you start at his snout and stroke all the way to the back... and I thought they didn't like their visor spikes to be touched?!
Anyway I am thrilled to bits and he is so soft now that he isn't scared of me! Just thought i'd share my progress with you all
Lauren, Hufflepuff and Scarlet
UK
Please visit my site: www.freewebs.com/coolpighedgies
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