kait_m
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new owner...help? - 2008/03/14 15:35
Hey everyone, I'm Kait. New here and a new owner of my first hedgie. I bought Walter a few days ago. He is about 1 year old and the owner before me didnt ever handle him. He seems curious about me but he hisses and quills up any time I try to touch him. I can get him out and sit him on a blanket and within a minute or so he is exploring my room but the minute I try to touch him he balls up. Is there any hope he will tame down eventually? What do I do?!
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belovedgrl
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Re:new owner...help? - 2008/03/14 16:03
With some patience and love you hopefully will have a much friendlier hedgehog in no time. What I would do is to take it slow and make sure to take him out of his cage for at least an hour a day....while you're watching tv or just spending some quality time with him. Let him do what he wants, don't force him, or touch him too much if he huffs at you every time.
We took in a foster that had the same bad attitude and it took quite some time to get her to open up, but since she has, she's been great. She's still a bit huffy, but now it only takes a few seconds for her to un-ball and walk around. Now if my boyfriend and I are on the floor with her, she will come to one of us and crawl under our legs....she likes to cuddle  And, if she even gets a wiff of a mealie, she comes out and is ready to bite it in half! We used lots of mealies when we were spending time with her....it definitely helped her come out of her shell.
I think others have said putting in a piece of clothing of yours in his cage should work well too, although we never did that, so I don't know.
Good luck Maybe you'll post some pictures soon???
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HappyHedgie8
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Re:new owner...help? - 2008/03/14 16:07
I am a new hedgie owner as well, but I know a little about this kind of stuff, considering the fact that my hedgehog isn't too socialized anyways.
To start, wear a shirt for a day, and put it in Walter's cage, preferably where he sleeps. Now he should be able to get more used to your scent.
Second, regardless of his balling up, you need to handle him every day for at least 20 minutes I would say. Even if he is in a ball, leave him on your lap and eventually he should come out. When he does, don't make any sudden movements, because that will probably just scare him.  Let him explore around on you, and maybe slowly offer him a mealworm or a peice of cooked chicken. Very slowly though, and don't rush it all in the first 5 minutes.
Also, I would say when you have him out and he isn't on you, put him with something that you smell like. A pillow case that was on your bed, ect...
Also, Know this wont happen over the course of one day, and it really requires patience. 
Best of luck with your new pet! And Welcome to the forums!
~Felicia
**Mommy of Tweetle the hedgehog!**
~Felicia :] |
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Peppersmama
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Re:new owner...help? - 2008/03/14 17:14
When we first got Pepper he was like that too as he was 5 months when we got him. Just use a towel or shirt to get him out of the cage. Then lay down on the couch or bed with him and place your hedgie on you stomach and lay still. He's soon start exploring and if he comes across your hands, just stay calm and move slowly to pet him. Just exploring you though will get him used to your smell and he will associate that as being okay. Hope he comes around soon!
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Andrea
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Re:new owner...help? - 2008/03/14 19:46
These tips are helpful for me, too. I need to have Spikey explore on me instead of on a towel on the floor. I try to do out of cage time everyday except on the day I come home really late from work.
I hope to get some advice tomorrow from the "experts" at Stasi's hedgehog fest that she is having at her house.
andrea
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kait_m
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Re:new owner...help? - 2008/03/15 17:10
Thank you all for the help! I will try to get some pictures up here pretty soon and hopefully Walter will be feeling more at home soon...I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go with this all being so new...again, thank you all!!
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LORI611
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Re:new owner...help? - 2008/03/16 12:15
I love the name Walter!! Good luck with him!!
LORI, SOUTHINGTON, CT
Mom of:
Chloe(dog), Mr.Toad(frog) and Hazel the hedgie!! |
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harpgrrl
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Re:new owner...help? - 2008/03/19 08:00
I have a rescue who wasn't handled at all for the first 2 years of his life. Right now I am at about 10 months of hogdom. He finally will let me hold him on my lap. He still huffs and puffs, but the difference is he does it unrolled with quills down.
When I hold him I can put him up to my face and he will huff looking straight at me, then stop look at me, touch my nose, make the purr sound and stretch and then huff once or twice.
Mr. Snout is just a grumpy guy.....
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Andrea
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Re:new owner...help? - 2008/03/19 20:19
Harpgrrl....I love the picture of your hedgehog and the hat. He is totally cute. And I am learning, too, about handling and building trust. I know in my case I am the problem, not my hedgehog.
andra
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Hedgehogmadhatter
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Re:new owner...help? - 2008/03/19 22:07
Andrea wrote:
Harpgrrl....I love the picture of your hedgehog and the hat. He is totally cute. And I am learning, too, about handling and building trust. I know in my case I am the problem, not my hedgehog.
andra
I love that pic too! It should be on that cute overload site, Quentin (?) the hedgehog was on!
Andrea you WILL get used to handling Spikey soon, I promise. It takes a bit to get used to having a prickly pet.
~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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bracey
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Re:new owner...help? - 2008/03/25 08:56
hi my name is jade,im new here, i got my frist hedgehog in february,
i dont know alot about them ,so if anyone has any info on them it wil be great thanks jade
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Stasi
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Re:new owner...help? - 2008/03/25 09:13
Welcome Jade! You can check out various articles here on World, and all the topics in the forums too! If you have any specific questions, feel free to post them.
Stasi
Terrapin Hedgehogs
Joppa, MD
www.terrapinhedgehogs.com
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