Itchy/sore spot

[LISA FOSER]

Hi There

I have a 3 yr old male albino hedgie named Spike. He is generally healthy and I have never had any problems with him. Tonight I took him out of his cage for a few minutes to show someone, they didn't touch him at all. When I put him back in his cage he was ok for a minute or two then started running around like crazy rubbing the area between his chin and front leg on everything and was trying to lick and bite himself. I took him out after a couple of minutes and he was very red in that area, it even seemed bruised. The were no marks when I took him out. I gave him a warm bath, no shampoo just water, and held him in a towel until he was dry. I then put him on a different sterile clean cage and he started rubbing himself again. I took him out and held him for a while then put him in his playpen, he ran around a bit then settled down and every now and again would lick the spot. I put him back in the new cage and he had something to eat then went into his igloo and started licking. What could cause this? It is only in one spot. The bedding is the same as I have used every time I clean his cage. Is there anything that I can put on him to stop the scratching or to ease the itching?
Please help
Regards Lisa

[Seymour]

Have you changed anything else? Possibly a new Perfume or Laundry detergent? I have noticed that Seymour has had some dry skin, the weather this time of year might be upsetting it. We get random patches of dry skin, so I assume so can hedgies!
I use Aveno Sensative Skin Oatmeal Body Wash (the kind that has not added dyes or perfumes) and that seems to help A LOT. I also put flax seed oil on his food sometimes and that also helps, you can get capsules at places like walgreens by the vitamins, I just use a pin to poke a hole in the gel cap and just squeeze a few drops on.

Is it possible that he maybe screatched or irritated his skin and might have a skin infection? Does it just look red or is it scaley/ wheeping fluid? I would try and nice oatemeal bath to sooth it and take anything out out his cage that he might be scratching on and watch it to see if there is any improvement. If you put some flax seed oil on it and you notice it getting worse, STOP the oil, it might be some kind of fungal infection and the oil can make it worse. If it is indeed brused or scratched it might take a bit to heal, but it you see no improvement or it gets worse, definatly take him ot the vet so that can look into what exactly is going on.

I hope everything works out!

[LISA FOSER]

Hi
I have changed nothing at all and always wash my hands before touching him. It is just one tiny spot about a half an inch in diameter, and it came up within a few minutes. The skin wasnt broken just very red. Not weepy or dry cos he was licking himself. I did bath him yesterday but just with warm water. I will try the oatmeal soak tonight. I am busy sanitizing his normal cage, but will leave him in the small quarantine cage for the rest of the day and check him when I get home. I am in South Africa, hence the time difference. I will also try the flax seed oil. Thanks for the reply.