Possible new 'regular' around here

[Sheilagh]

Just trying to get my 3 posts in before they delete my account which I just created. I'm getting my new baby in a week and a half or so. Still not sure if I'm getting a male or female, but I have a name that will work for either. I'm getting the pick of the litter, since when I called about buying one, they had just sold the last of their current litter, but a new bunch was born that day. I'm just wondering if it's a good idea buying a hedgehog without seeing them beforehand. This is my first pet that hasnt been a rescue, so I'm pretty exited that I get to pick it. I've been reading up on all the posts on this site, and everything you all say about them, just makes me even more excited about being a hedgie mom. And no worries, I'm nuts with my digital camera, so there will be tons of pics once I get my baby :hyper: :bear: The name is Shei by the way. I may be good with animals, and cameras, and the related programs, but creating signatures... oh boy... :p

[Jeanette]

Just trying to get my 3 posts in before they delete my account which I just created. I'm getting my new baby in a week and a half or so. Still not sure if I'm getting a male or female, but I have a name that will work for either. I'm getting the pick of the litter, since when I called about buying one, they had just sold the last of their current litter, but a new bunch was born that day. I'm just wondering if it's a good idea buying a hedgehog without seeing them beforehand. This is my first pet that hasnt been a rescue, so I'm pretty exited that I get to pick it. I've been reading up on all the posts on this site, and everything you all say about them, just makes me even more excited about being a hedgie mom. And no worries, I'm nuts with my digital camera, so there will be tons of pics once I get my baby :hyper: :bear: The name is Shei by the way. I may be good with animals, and cameras, and the related programs, but creating signatures... oh boy... :p

I'm worried because I've never actually logged out! lol
But I'm sure it will be fine :)
How long ago was the litter born?

[LunaMidnight]

Ahhh, scared.

[Jeanette]

Well, we haven't been deleted yet! So I take that as a good sign~!

[HedgeMom]

What's with the "deleted" paranoia? I've been on this forum almost since it's inception and the only accounts deleted are the inactive ones and duplicates.

A reputable breeder will be able to pick out the personality you want. Since mine have been mostly rescues and I've had no say in choosing, I find that loving a hedgehog for what it is and accepting it for what it is works best.

Don't have preset expectations of a hedgehog being litter trained, cuddly, friendly, outgoing, calm, comical, etc and just allow the personality to develop.

[Nancy]

To a point a breeder can pick out personalities. I know who is outgoing, active, shy, cuddly and an explorer and for the most part they will stay that way into adulthood, but quilling can do some strange things to personalities. That outgoing, calm baby can turn into a shy touchy one after quilling.

I have 7 babies here right now. Two weeks ago they were all very calm and outgoing. Then they started to quill and they are all touchier and react to things more than they did. They also have good days and bad days. One day a baby will be very calm and social, the next day more hesitant. The baby that loved back rubs and being petted, suddenly doesn't want to be touched. The unfortunate thing is that usually when people are getting their new baby s/he will be in the middle of quillling so it can be difficult to get a true idea of how calm and social that baby is.

Basically you have to take what you get. That calm social baby may not be calm and social 3 months later and the one that seems the grumpiest as a baby my finish quilling and be the nicest hedgehog you could ever want.

I have 3 that were wonderful babies but are now unsocial grumps. One of my nicest most calm girls if it had been 3 weeks later that I saw her, I never would have bought her as she was horrid. Once she finished quilling her beautiful personality returned. :)

[Jeanette]

What's with the "deleted" paranoia? I've been on this forum almost since it's inception and the only accounts deleted are the inactive ones and duplicates.

A reputable breeder will be able to pick out the personality you want. Since mine have been mostly rescues and I've had no say in choosing, I find that loving a hedgehog for what it is and accepting it for what it is works best.

Don't have preset expectations of a hedgehog being litter trained, cuddly, friendly, outgoing, calm, comical, etc and just allow the personality to develop.

I got an email last night saying that if I hadn't logged in within 30 days, that I would be deleted.
And technically, I haven't logged in in the past 30 days... I'm just always logged in! lol

[Nancy]

I got an email last night saying that if I hadn't logged in within 30 days, that I would be deleted.
And technically, I haven't logged in in the past 30 days... I'm just always logged in! lol
You are not always logged in. You are logging in everytime you come onto the site, it's just that you have it set to remember your password so you log in automatically. I've probably only logged in about 10 times in the past 3.5 years. :)

[herbiesmom]

This is so true. Herbie at 10 weeks was an entirely different hedgehog than he is now. He was so active and huffy. Would run run run everytime you took him out of the cage and was constantly balling and huffing. At 6 almost 7 months old he is a calm, shy little thing who likes to be talked to and held. He still has grumpy butt days but they are much farther apart and fewer than as a baby. I had him shipped so bought him from looking at a picture. I never would have bought him had I seen him first. Now I am glad I did. Snow is always sweet but during quilling he was a huff ball.

[LunaMidnight]

Luna has always been a grump but she does have her nice moments. Isis started out as the sweetest hog ever and now gets huffy once in a while since I'm guessing she's hit her "teenage phase". She's just more squirmy now too and when you pick her up she kicks her feet like crazy. :laugh: