Hedgehog World - A community for African Pygmy Hedgehog Owners and Breeders - Re:I may need some suggestions

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General Care and Handling

Handling and Socialization

Mottom22
User

Posts: 4

I may need some suggestions - 2007/12/31 13:39 I just got Vee about 1.5 weeks ago, and since I had to bring him home for the holidays and then bring him to my apartment after that I gave him a couple extra days to coup with his surroundings. Now that it has been 3 days I decided to take him out and hold him. He climbed on me for a bit but still was very nervous with me. This got me pretty excited and gave me some hope since he has been nothing but grumpy lately (he is also quilling so that didn't surprise me).

Here is where I need a few suggestions or advice or anything actually.

I live in a studio, so I only have one room and 2 closets (one is taken up 50% by a dresser). So i only have one room he can really be in, but i may be able to fenagle him into a closet. I work every weekday from 9:30-6:30 and I have friends over every now and again after work. will this be a problem for him being in the same room? or will he get used to/have enough sleep to be ok when I am not there? because if I have to put him in the closet he may not get much light to get his usual day cycle thing.

Another question is I cleaned his wheel he runs in. but stupid me used soap that had a smell to it (I smacked myself in the head later when i wondered why he stopped running in it that night). will he eventually be ok with it? if not, how can I fix it? soak it in water? some type of de-scenting spray? get a new wheel?

Also, I should definatly wait until he is used to me to attempt to give him a bath right? I figured I would have to wait (just seemed like common sense to me), but I don't want him to have dirty feets for too long. I just don't want him to be afraid of me, and then be even more afraid when I put him in water and his only way out is through someone he is afraid of at the moment. I know that would scare the crap outta me lol.

I think that is it for now. sorry for all the questions that may have been asked many times before. I just never had a hedgehog before and I want to make sure I am doing everything ok.

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CThogs

Admin

Posts: 1559

Re:I may need some suggestions - 2007/12/31 14:03 Hi there

It sounds like you and Vee are doing fine.

He will sleep when you are not there during the day and be active at night when you are around. He will get used to whatever sounds are normal for your house. You may be more disturbed by his sounds while you are trying to sleep than he is by you and your sounds

I guess I would keep him in the same room and see if you both like it that way.

I would just rinse the wheel in water if the smell seems to bother him too much but he will probably run either way. I am not really particular about using scented or unscented soaps and the hedgies all deal with it fine.

You can give him a foot bath by filling up the sink with just a tiny bit of water and letting him run around. Less traumatic than a full blown bath. Ann
Connecticut Hedgehogs

We had a great time at Hedgehog Fest 2008!!!

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Mottom22
User

Posts: 4

Re:I may need some suggestions - 2007/12/31 14:44 ok, thank you very much. I just would have had such a hard time fitting his cage anywhere else. I think I got him too big of a cage aswell, looking online it seems that way. but i figure it gives him more play room anyway. I call it his mansion.

I wanted to eventually bring him to work with me to show my co-workers. I work in the shipping room so he wouldn't get any noise beyond his introduction. I heard of people who carry their hedgies around in shoulder bags with a couple blankets and such. of course I won't do it until he is fully comfortable with me and new people, but I was wondering if that was an ok thing to do with a hedgie. I saw a neat bag that is meant for cats with a closable front so its like a soft warm portable home for him, but I want to make sure it would be an ok thing to do once or twice a month before investing in something like that. My co-workers really want to meet him. plus I wouldn't mind to have him as company on days I know will be slow. its quiet and dark in the shipping room so I get a bit lonely at times.

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Mottom22
User

Posts: 4

Re:I may need some suggestions - 2008/01/02 09:06 I figured I would give an update on V. He is doing a bit better when I put him on my lap. He climbs around and only balls up the first couple sniffs of my arm, but once he relizes it isn't trying to kill him he climbs all over it. He seems to be developing into a snuggler, since he keeps trying to bury himself in the shirt I gave him to climb all over me with.

He also is finally using his wheel again, which made me very happy the other night. He, of course, immediatly made a mess of it, but I will clean it with just water for now until it gets far too smelly. I will find a very light soap for when I finally do clean it.

I can only assume he is getting a bit upset after trying to handle him because he is having some poop problems, them being far looser than when I first got him. his food is the same, he has plenty of water, so I can only imagine it is because of all the changes around him and the giant man picking him up and watching tv with him lol. I hope to have him nice and happy with me within a week or two. he needs a good foot wade in water and I want him a bit more used to me before I give him the ankle high bath.

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