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OnAnAmbulance
09-27-2006, 01:59 AM
So I've been active on this forum for a little while, but I haven't actually had a hedgehog until this past weekend! He's a cinnacot pinto, and his name has become Spike. I really didn't want to pick such an obvious and common name, but it ended up sticking. He looks like a "Spike" too... my mom thinks he looks like the roommate named Spike in Notting Hill because of his blonde pinto markings.

He's only about seven weeks old, and he's doing quite well. The only problem is he's quite fiesty! He has two cotton hedgebags, and I'm going to get quite a few more accessories for him via Nancy. These are his favorite possessions - I rarely see him out of them. The only way I know he has wandered out is when I hear him crunching on his food!

I take him out every day, but he huffs and pops at me until he realizes he can't bury his head back into a corner of his hedgebag and ignore me. I hope he will eventually end this habit and will be friendly :)

He doesn't keep his quill visor down for me much, except for when he's popping and just waking up. The other thing with him is he's just started quilling, so that's probably contributing to his grumpiness. I've found a little less than a dozen quills in the past couple days, so I'm guessing that's why he's particularly grumpy when I touch his back every now and then. I'm going to give him an Aveeno bath tomorrow, hopefully, and that will help.

Another thing - do babies always poop so much on their wheel?!? He seems to be a poop machine! I have to scrub every inch of the wheel because he makes it so messy! I don't know how he does it! :rofl:

I have him on the breeder's food and a quarter of my own mix of Royal Canin 37 and CSFTCLS Lite. I'm weaning him off the other food slowly, but so far his poops are very solid and brown, which is a good sign. Last night he ate 60 kibbles, so I have 80 in his food bowl tonight. I guess it's not that much when you look at it, but counting it out is a pain!

Thanks for those who read this far down! I don't have pics right now, because I don't have anywhere to host them and I don't want to start a Photobucket account. Any other suggestions?

LunaMidnight
09-27-2006, 06:07 AM
TinyPic.com for pic hosting! We need pics. ;)

HedgeMom
09-27-2006, 07:02 AM
If you use the advanced posting format, click manage attachments and the pics will be hosted in your CnQ gallery.

herbiesmom
09-27-2006, 07:31 AM
Unfortunately, cleaning poopy wheels daily is part of the package with these little prickly friends. My Herbie who is now 6 months old does not make as much of a mess of his as Snow the 5 month old does or even as he did as a baby. He only poops in or around his litter box but he walks through it on his way out so he still has poopy feet smears on the wheel. Snow poops gobs and his wheel is always covered. I like to think he is my wheel artist. :laugh:

Jeanette
09-27-2006, 09:22 AM
PICS!!PICS!!

When I first got Spiny, he would poop EVERYWHERE and his wheel was brown in the morning. Now, he seems to have slowed down on the pooping significantly (is that normal?).
Anyways, I was always under the assumption that you had a hh... or that a hh had you, lol. Well, congratulations and enjoy the little guy!
*hugz*

Oh, and I almost forgot... PICS!! PICS!!!

OnAnAmbulance
09-27-2006, 09:45 AM
:rofl: a poopy wheel artist... :rofl:

I'll try and take some today. I've been steadily increasing Spike's food... last night I was up to 80 kibbles, and he ate them all and was still hungry! He kept trying to nibble at my fingers until I gave him some food. He ate about 8 more kibbles. So now I have 120 in his cage for today/tonight. I hope that does the trick!

He was quite fiesty again this morning... but on the plus side, I know he can still roll into a ball :) Sometimes you have to be quick to make sure your finger doesn't get caught in the ball!

Bath for him later today too... hopefully I'll get some bath pics as well :)

Oh, almost forgot... when you have your hh on the bed, do they try and sprint for the edge? I'm amazed at how fast they are... I need to put him in a hedgehog crib!

Jeanette
09-27-2006, 09:55 AM
Oh, almost forgot... when you have your hh on the bed, do they try and sprint for the edge? I'm amazed at how fast they are... I need to put him in a hedgehog crib!

Yes! And they will jump from any height! That's what you have to look out for...
And for hh's who don't ball up, it's more dangerous because they don't break their fall bc they aren't balled up!
I watch Spiny like a hawk cuz I know he would jump.

OnAnAmbulance
09-27-2006, 10:07 AM
At least I don't think my guy is a climber in his cage (yet).... I should probaly make a jungle gym for him somewhere, but I'd need to find a lot of toys for that :p

Jeanette
09-27-2006, 10:28 AM
Does your hedgehog back-walk?
Whenever I'm holding him, he likes to try and walk backwards off of my hands. lol.
He's an explorer!

OnAnAmbulance
09-27-2006, 06:09 PM
Does your hedgehog back-walk?
Whenever I'm holding him, he likes to try and walk backwards off of my hands. lol.
He's an explorer!


YES!!! When I first pick him up, and he either puts down his visor or unballs, he always tries to walk off the back of my hands. Then when he realizes he's not getting anywhere, he tries to run forward and climb out of my hands. I think he's a little bit o' crazy :freak: