SpikesMommy
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Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/02/23 04:41
I was holding my hedgie today and noticed that he would shake his quills (like a wet dog) a bunch. He sits on my lap and when I touch him he jumps and turns around. He doesn't raise his quills other than the ones on his head. Is this normal? It seems like he is just playing. He is about 6 weeks old and is quilling. Also what can I use to give him a bath. I know you can use oil and oatmeal (shampoo??) but what types. Thanks -Alyssa
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dzmeadows
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Re:Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/02/23 06:03
He could be a little itchy and uncomfortable from the quilling, which could explain the frequent reshuffling of his quills. Aveeno makes human bath products that contain oatmeal, or you can check out puppy or kitten shampoos with oatmeal in them. Does his skin appear flaky at all? If not, it probably is not mites, though not 100% for sure.
Becca
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HamorHollow
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Re:Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/02/23 06:52
The jumpiness could be because hedgehogs have poor vision and if you are coming at him from the front he may just see a big blur coming at him. Approach from the side, and give him time to settle in and get to know you.
I like the Aveeno powdered oatmeal bath for baths.
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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Jupiterannette
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Re:Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/02/23 14:29
i have cut Dini back to once a week footie baths couse i noticed her skin was a little dry.. so i use the aveno and it made a big difference! But she still jumps when ever i touch her. no matter how long i hae her out or what we do, if i try to per her jusps and spins to try to get to my hand..
I am quick, like butterfly! 
i think she is still quilling, not sure.. is that what makes um jumpy?
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dzmeadows
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Re:Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/02/23 17:03
Like Kelly said, even the most relaxed, sweetest hedgehog can be a little jumpy if you touch then without warning or the big giant ferocious blur startles them. However, during quilling it is quite a bit worse because the hedgehog really feels uncomfortable. If you look through the quills, and there are small quill tips sticking through the skin, then you know that the hedgehog is still quilling, even if you aren't seeing too many quills being dropped.
Becca
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SpikesMommy
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Re:Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/02/23 23:38
Thanks. I will pick up oil and shampoo when I am in town. Can I buy them at WalMart? His skin is not flakey. I think sometimes he is scared and that makes him jump but there have been several times where I know that he wasn't scared. Now he sometimes huffs and lowers the quills on his head. He never completely raises his quills or tries to bite. He is losing really little quills. Is it the ones he gets at 2-3 weeks? He is only losing 10 or so when I play with him. The jumping doesn't bother me (I think its cute how he thinks he is tough!) I was just worried that something might be wrong. Thanks again for the help
-Alyssa
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Jupiterannette
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Re:Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/02/24 00:20
so is loosing like 4 quills in 20 mins of play or 3-4 in a bath, quilling... or no
they are full size, but all white, and the rest of her is white with dark and lite bands on them.. there are very few of the all white ones, and that seems to be all that i find, in her house and on me, and in the sink!
it must be a ghost hedgie molting! LOL
i said molting in reference to a hedgie.. can you tell im a bird lady! LOL
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Quilted_Lamb
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Re:Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/03/02 21:57
If you don't have any Aveeno Oatmeal bath on hand, just put some oatmeal in the toe of a clean sock & swish it around in the bathwater until the water turns white & that should do it.
I'm allergic to oats (Celiac Disease) and can't use Aveeno or oatmeal, obviously. I instead use Vitamin E in the rinse water or footie bath. I put about a 1/2 tsp. into the water, or if you use capsules just poke a hole in the end of one and drip it directly onto your hedgehog's back (remember, no ears or face) and as you rinse him the oil will spread everywhere and help his skin. It's also great for your hands, esp. if anyone out there is a bit OCD about hand washing like I am.  If you're just giving a footie bath, just put the Vitamin E directly into the water and as the hedgehog wades around, the oil will soak into their skin and make them very, very soft.
I also use a few drops of flaxseed oil in my girl's kibble every few days. It really has helped to keep her skin soft while she's been quilling. I buy the capsules because the oil is only good for a few weeks and has to be kept in the fridge. The capsules are good for quite a long while and are easier to manage. I just poke a hole at the tip and squeeze out 4-6 drops onto her food. She usually eats those pieces pretty quickly. Just be careful not to use too much since we're not supposed to be giving them a lot of fat in their diet.
4 quills in 20 minutes sounds like quilling to me. Each hedgehog is a bit different in this area. Some drop their quills all at once while others will only drop a few each day for months and months. My girl will drop a ton of quills for between 1-2 weeks, and then she completely stops for 2-3 weeks before the cycle repeats itself. At this moment I have collected 471 quills  and she's 13 weeks old tomorrow. And I have to agree with you, those pesky quills seem to get everywhere! 
Remember, quilling is much like a baby teething, except these guys have sharp, pokey spikes pushing up out of their skin over the majority of their body. Ouch!  I'm surprised when some of them don't get very grumpy, but others definitely make up for it by turning into Mr. Universe of Grumpy Butt. If you end up with one of these, don't take his attitude personal and definitely keep working with him. If you have a grumpy butt and you back off, it only reinforces the behavior. When my girl is really quilling, I have to forget about playtime and just let her sit quietly in her hedgie sack on my lap. She sits in her bag and sulks, which I think is cute. She isn't really grumpy, but she just isn't up for doing anything. Each hedgehog will be different. It's exciting to discover which kind each hedgehog is.  I'm looking forward to reading which kind you guys have. Anyone out there have any good quilling stories? Hedgie hugs...Tiffany
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Jupiterannette
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Re:Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/03/02 22:07
i definatly have a sulker.
when she will come out for me willingly, we wash the tooties, and she gets even happier, then we play in the ball... then we have sulk in our hedgi bag time! she just lays there and if i touch her or try to peek.. se freaks out and puffs!
she is a good girl.. but when she cant play in the bath.. she is just a brat!
if i try to take her out and play with out an emidiate footie bath... i will get bit, if not jsut lunged at or puufed to the point my hands are to soar to hold her!
but when she has her tubbie, she is just tickled pink, een if it is just a tootie bath.
tootie... (Tudy) as in toes!
LOL
my baby loves her baths, and we use soft soap, with vit. E and moisterizers, her skin seems well moisterized now, and it seems to help the quilling..
So do hedgies qill regularly, like birds molt?
how often ish..?
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HamorHollow
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Re:Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/03/02 22:42
Quilted_Lamb wrote:
Some drop their quills all at once while others will only drop a few each day for months and months.
* Scene 1: pictures a hedgie wake up and shake, and then all the quills go flying everywhere. Scene 2: Bald confused hedgie begins shivering from the cold*
What Tiffany means is that some hedgies go through quilling within 2-3 weeks, and others can take months.
Hedgehogs can quill at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, sometimes 6 months. The later quilling aren't as bad as the early ones.
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. |
Hedgehog World - A Community for African Pygmy Hedgehog Owners and Breeders
Join us for Hedgehog Fest 2008
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Jupiterannette
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Re:Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/03/02 23:41
LOL
i have to admint, that little naked hedgie in the nature section, is pretty darn cute! LOL
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Quilted_Lamb
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Re:Itchy, Quilling, or Something else? - 2006/03/04 03:51
* Scene 1: pictures a hedgie wake up and shake, and then all the quills go flying everywhere. Scene 2: Bald confused hedgie begins shivering from the cold*
ROFL!
Hedgehogs normally begin to loose their baby quills between 8 and 9 weeks of age. This can take several weeks or drag on for a bit longer, depending on the individual hedgehog. Sometimes a hedgehog will have a secondary quilling, usually between 2 and 4 months. Quilling is just their loosing their baby quills and getting in their adult quills and it isn't something that happens after 6 months of age. Adult hedgehogs do loose the occasional quill, but any substantial loss of quills as an adult means there is a problem.
There, clear as mud, right. 
And darn it, those white quills are sure sharp and painful! I just kneeled down and had one go right into my knee. Ouch!  Hedgie hugs...Tiffany:
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