Best Way to pick up hedgehog...HELP

[paveling]

im a new owner and a little nervous about picking my hedgie up. I tried picking him up by pulling down the sleeves of my sweater over my hands but he ended up biting the sleeve quite hard and with a good grip and just hung. this kind of scared me. Im not going to give up on him...i think i might take things slower...let him get use to my scent...me touching him etc. ive only have him for 3 days. Ive also put a piece of clothing with my scent in his cage which he seems to enjoy but bits is and then shakes his head like a dog. should i be wotried? :( since it is my scent that he is going after?

[sarah1984]

One of my hedgies Annabel does that but she doesn't bite me. the best way to do it so he gets used to you, is just slide your hand under him where his tummy would be (even if he's balled up) and just pick him up, the quills really don't hurt THAT much I' sure you can handle it. :P

[RoxieFaye]

I agree with Sarah. Your hands sort of get used to the quills the more you pick them up. The more you handle the little guy, the quicker he'll grow to love you. :) Good luck. Oh, you can also use a hedgiebag, or a towel, or a tshirt or something to pick him up, but whatever you do, don't use gloves.

[hedgiebedgie]

I've noticed that if I have washed my hands just before picking up a hedgie the prickles tend to hurt more and itch more afterwards so I wait about twenty or thirty minutes between washing up and picking up a hedgie.

[Hedgmom50]

I wouldn't say NEVer use gloves....I have one little boy and one little girl.....well actually they aren't little, with both being over 700 gms - but they both are very grumpy kids when I first pick them up....they both have their own gloves I use to JUST pick them up - they are soft gloves with leather center, and have my scent, plus each kids scent already on them. Once I pick them up, I slip each glove off as the kids settle down, and we go from there.... What I've found with the biting thing is - my kids usually bite and "wrangle" things that they really LIKE, so don't feel like your hedgie doesn't like you:)
Another thing I've learned is with hedgehogs PATIENCE is a big part of establishing the relationship with them....it seems that some take more then others, but it will really pay off in the end!!
Goood luck with your new "kid", and hang in there....this is a great place for information, support, and conversation!!
With Love & Light,

[Quince]

If you are nervous of getting your hand poked use a little square of fleece to pick her up until you can put her onto the palm of your hand or your lap. If you are not used to the quills they can feel quite sharp!

[knuckles]

i have recently bought a hedgie. well on sunday, and now i cant even go near her. i had no idea it was going to even have babies, it just did when i got home with her. so i love the babies very much and i want to hold them very badly but i cant because i cant disterve her, so consider you self lucky that you can try to hold your new hedgie i cant even wait to try to hold mine and i also put a shirt in for the scent thing will work when the time comes.

[Schmuzzle's Mom]

Wow, what an unxpected gift. :eek: Sounds like you are a really responsible owner not touching her or her babies much right now. i don't have much experience, but i'm sure if you were about to give birth and moved right before delivery you would need a little extra time to adjust. Good luck and thank goodness she got such a nice owner to have her family with! :applause: