MrToffee
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Is Nipping Normal? - 2005/11/05 08:06
Hi. I am new to all this. We've had our 7 week old baby hedgie for 6 days and although things are going quite well I am wondering if he should be nipping?
He doesn't seem to be on a normal schedule and since we can't stay up til 11pm waiting to play with him I have been waking him up at about 7pm, giving him a worm or two and then putting him on my son's lap with another worm. He seems happy enough exploring the couch and my son but after 20 or 30 minutes he starts nipping.
I assumed he had had enough and simply put him back in his cage at that point. Is that the right thing to do or are we doing something wrong/not doing something? Any help appreciated. Thanks.
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dzmeadows
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Re:Is Nipping Normal? - 2005/11/05 08:43
Sounds to me like he is trying to tell you that he has had enough. You shouldn't put him back in his cage when he bites, this is just encouraging him to continue the nipping. Just like human babies, baby hedgehogs sleep a lot and are awake for shorter periods of time.
Since you know approximately how long his willingness to play typically is, I would recommend putting him back in his cage for a rest just before he typically starts nipping. You could try getting him out a little bit earlier, playing with him for about 15 minutes, then putting him back in his cage for half an hour or so. Then, get him out again for a bit. This will still get him his social time, but will give him some time to relax, have a snack, and go to the bathroom in his cage before you play with him again.
As he gets older, his tolerance and willingness to be out of the cage will get longer, right now he is probably starting into his final stage of quilling which is going to make him pretty uncomfortable and miserable. There are articles on this site about dealing with quilling, check them out, and definately let us know how things are going!
Becca
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illinidairychic
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Re:Is Nipping Normal? - 2005/11/05 09:54
Being young he may just be checking you out too. I've had a couple of my weanlings try to taste me, they generally lick first and if you this pull your hand away from them. I've also given them sleeves to chew on if they are that intent on wanting to annoint off of me. I would rather my clothes get a little chewed then me 
Post edited by: illinidairychic, at: 2005/11/05 09:55
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HamorHollow
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Re:Is Nipping Normal? - 2005/11/05 12:14
This is part of the FAQ on my web page:
Yes, they do bite. How hard and how often will depend on the individual hedgehog and how well it is socialized, as well as how good you are at washing that yummy smell off your hands (be sure to use unscented soap). Most hedgehogs don't bite or don't bite often and the more you socialize your hedgie, generally the less it will bite. Basically there are 2 types of bites:
The "you smell tasty" bite: This is usually, but not always, preceded by a few licks. If your hand smells like people food or hedgie food, there's a chance you'll get a nip.
The "I'm unhappy" bite: Because hedgehogs can't talk, they may use a nip or a bit as a form of communication. This could mean "put me back in my cage, I'm tired", "quit holding me, I want to run", "you woke me up and I'm upset", or a million other things.
My babies are held on a daily basis once they reach ten days of age, so they are used to being held and enjoy it. If you continue to hold and play with your hedgie daily, your chances of getting bitten are slimmer. Most of the bites I've gotten were from pet store hedgehogs and rescues, but that's not to say that your hedgie will never bite.
If he does bite, blowing in his face will discourage him from doing it again. Remember to wash your hands with unscented soap before you pick him up and that should cut down on your chances. You will get bitten at some point, but don't be discouraged, because that's just part of owning a pet.
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That being said, remember that your hedgehog is 7 weeks old. He's still a very tiny baby, and just like a human baby he needs to sleep a lot. I agree with Becca in that taking him out for shorter periods will help. Also, I cannot stress enough the importance of NOT putting him right back in his cage if he bites. You don't want him to learn that nipping is a way to communicate that he wants to go to his cage. If he does nip, leave him out for an extra minute or two and then put him back.
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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HedgeMom
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Re:Is Nipping Normal? - 2005/11/05 12:24
MrToffee wrote:
He doesn't seem to be on a normal schedule and since we can't stay up til 11pm waiting to play with him I have been waking him up at about 7pm, giving him a worm or two and then putting him on my son's lap with another worm. He seems happy enough exploring the couch and my son but after 20 or 30 minutes he starts nipping.
He sounds like he's on a normal schedule to me. Hedgehogs are nocturnal. Some may eventually awaken during daylight hours to visit, snack or play for short periods of time but many never change. It's perfectly normal for a hedgehog, especially a baby, to not wake up until 11 p.m.
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HamorHollow
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Re:Is Nipping Normal? - 2005/11/05 14:47
HedgeMom wrote:
He sounds like he's on a normal schedule to me. Hedgehogs are nocturnal. Some may eventually awaken during daylight hours to visit, snack or play for short periods of time but many never change. It's perfectly normal for a hedgehog, especially a baby, to not wake up until 11 p.m.
Agreed. Remember that hedgehogs are nocturnal by nature, and you can't/ shouldn't try to change that. Now, that doesn't mean that you can't wake the hedgehog to play during the day. Just remember how you would feel if someone woke you up in the middle of the night, turned on the bright lights, and then expected you to party and be social.
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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PogStar
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Re:Is Nipping Normal? - 2005/11/05 23:17
I agree that hedgehogs are nocturnal, and do tend to have most of their awake time "after hours". MOST of the hedgehogs I have known have been really good about being willing to wake up and play if they get into a consistant schedule. Mr. Quiz, my neices hh, was awake and waiting at his door every day when they got home from school. Our crew is up and awake every night around eight when they know the kids and I will be spending some time down there, then they go back to bed after a bit and get up again around eleven. He's still a tiny little thing, but as he gets older, if you make a habit of getting him out at the same time pretty much every day, he'll be used to it, and most likely wait up easier then. Stick with it, he's still got a bit of growing into himself to do. 
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nannyogg
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Re:Is Nipping Normal? - 2005/11/06 11:39
The article at http://hedgehogvalley.com/biting.html might be helpful!
Tig
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HamorHollow
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Re:Is Nipping Normal? - 2005/11/07 19:25
I'm glad things are getting a bit better. You may want to try having your son wash his hands with the same scented mild soap before he holds the hedgehog every time. Hedgehogs love new scents and will sample them, so the fewer you put into the mix, the better (esp with young hogs).
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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MrToffee
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Re:Is Nipping Normal? - 2005/11/07 21:46
Thanks for all your help and advice. When I woke him up tonight I placed him as near his wet food as possible with a few worms, let him have 10 minutes or so to eat and wake up and then tried giving him to my son to hold.
He did nip once and bite once (holding on). Both times I blew a little in his face as suggested. Not sure if it'll do the trick or not long term, but it did make him stop for the moment. He went on to play happily for another 10 minutes and then we put him back. So fingers crossed.
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