Hedgehog World - A community for African Pygmy Hedgehog Owners and Breeders - Re:Time for Playtime

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General Care and Handling

Handling and Socialization

MrToffee
User

Posts: 17

Time for Playtime - 2005/12/20 16:41 Many thanks to everyone who helped in the first week after we got Mr. Toffee. He's never bitten again and is now quite content. He's now 3 months old and used to us and even our guests.

The only problem I have now is that although he loves spending time with my son at 7pm all he wants to do is climb into his sweater and sleep. He is then put back in his cage 1/2 an hour later and again he goes to sleep.

On the rare evening when we stay up past 11 we get to see him running around like mad. If we take him out then he's ever so happy to play on whoever's on the couch and he's very interactive. But obviously my son doesn't get to see this and we only get to see it once or twice a week.

I am wondering if, in addition to Mr. Toffee's noctural tendencies, it's also because it's the depths of winter now here in England and so pitch black from 5pm til 8am. We come home at 5 and all the lights go on (one is left on all day to simulate sunlight for him). We dim them about 10 minutes before 7 which is when we wake Mr. Toffee up for play (or rather cuddle) time.

I understand his most active time will always be midnight but I would like to try to gently adjust his schedule if possible so that he's a bit more playful at 7. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Thanks.

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HamorHollow

Admin

Posts: 2169

Re:Time for Playtime - 2005/12/20 19:48 I have a feeling winter may have a little to do with the problem of Mr. T wanting to sleep more earlier in the day (after all, it does that to me), however it's mostly because he is a nocturnal animal. He is also young, so he gets tired quickly. Hopefully he will play longer when he grows up.

Give the poor boy a break. If someone woke you up at 2:30 am, you would want to crawl in a hole and go back to sleep too. LOL! 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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MrToffee
User

Posts: 17

Re:Time for Playtime - 2005/12/21 16:27 So are there any techniques to gently introduce them to being more awake and playful earlier in the evening? ie: should we get a timer lamp that goes on at 6 am to simulate summer sunrise time so that he goes to bed earlier and is then better rested by the time we wake him up at 7pm? Anyone got any suggestions?

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dzmeadows

Admin

Posts: 976

Re:Time for Playtime - 2005/12/21 16:44 Just continue to get him out for a bit of play/snuggle time at around the same time every evening, it will help him eventually reset his clock to being used to waking up for a bit at that time.

Becca

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MrToffee
User

Posts: 17

Re:Time for Playtime - 2005/12/22 10:49 Ok, thanks.

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PRPogs
User

Posts: 199

Re:Time for Playtime - 2006/01/03 23:48 How is Mr. Toffee doing now? Is he used to getting up at 7 for playtime with his family?

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MrToffee
User

Posts: 17

Re:Time for Playtime - 2006/01/16 17:26 Hi. We moved him to a quieter part of the house and it seems to have helped. Maybe it was just too noisy where he was and thus he was "hiding" til it quieted down. At any rate, he's happy and healthy (had a growing spurt I think, so big now I can't hold all of him in my hands). My son's been hand feeding him worms so he now looks at fingers very expectantly which is cute. We'll see how it goes.

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HamorHollow

Admin

Posts: 2169

Re:Time for Playtime - 2006/01/16 20:09 Watch his weight. Of he is so big that he can't ball up and tuck everything in then he will need to be put on a diet. You want to be very careful with his weight. Fatty liver is very common in hedgehogs. 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. |
Do you want to buy a baby Hedgehog? Please fill out out questionnaire. |
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MrToffee
User

Posts: 17

Re:Time for Playtime - 2006/01/17 14:08 He can certainly ball up if he wants to! Although he looks fat when he's all tucked in there is plenty of room between the ground and his tummy when he's walking around. His belly is no lower down towards his feet (when he's standing/walking) than it was when we got him. He's just MUCH bigger overall.

He's not eating any more or less than he was a month ago and he's still spending hours each night on his wheel. I was just surprised at how long he is as he used to sit quite easily in one palm and now I have to hold him across both of my hands. I should measure him really (but he'll probably ball up if I try). Granted, he was 7 weeks when we got him and now he's 4 months so I suppose growth is inevitable.

I thought they were supposed to be pygmy

but he's verging on becoming as big as the wild hedgehogs we sometimes see roaming in the garden.

Post edited by: mrtoffee, at: 2006/01/17 14:08

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