Bathing

[scrappinzoo]

What is the best way to bath my hedgie?

[Herby]

what i do is fill my bathroom sink up about an inch or less then i cup my hands with water and slowly poor it over him so he is not to get frightened. I then get an old tooth brush and put a lil soap on it( a very tiny amount) then i dip it in water and i make a brushign motion liek i would if i were brushing my hair. I move it around abit all over the place and kind of massage herb's back for a bit. I move move hom over ot the corner of the sink and gently get under his belly ( which he seems to enjoy). To rinse him off I just cusps my hands with water and try to rinse him clean. To dry I just grab an old towel and cover him like you would little baby. I sit him on my lap and dry him off til lhe prety much dry then I let him do as he pleases. There are other methods of bathing hedgehogs this is just how I do it.

[Love4Hedgies]

I do pretty much the same thing although I don't use soap. I use a little bit of olive oil and sometimes they get oatmeal baths. Both the olive oil and oatmeal help to keep their skin smooth. I just wanted to add to make sure not to get any water into your hedgie's eyes or ears. I also clip my hedgies nails in the bath...I have found it to be the easiest way.

[scrappinzoo]

ok, I gave him a bath tonight. He didn't seem to mind too much. I put him in the kitchen sink and used the sprayer. He seemed to really like that. I also used baby shampoo to clean him. He went poo a few times while in there though. Is that normal or does that mean he was scared to death?

[Ginger]

I think it is normal. Warm water help them to "go". When I bathe my hedgie, I always use a little sandwich bag to pick up the poo (put your hand in the bag like a glove). I think that a scared hedgie would hiss or ball, not poo ! :)

[Silly_Quilly]

I have bathed Rosie a couple of times but I only used water with nothing in it. I want to use olive oil next time and maybe some oatmeal....how do you do the oatmeal part?

[Love4Hedgies]

You get an old nylon and cut a chunk out of it and fill it with oatmeal then tie off the ends. Then you get it wet and use it as a spong. It's kinda slimy and i squeeze this onto my girls quills...keeps their skin nice and soft.

[Silly_Quilly]

thanks:)

[scrappinzoo]

HOw often should you bath them?

[Silly_Quilly]

I gave Rosie her first oatmeal bath with some olive oil. I'm not sure I will use the oil anymore though because where she's an albino, her stomach was left yellow from the oil.

Oh well.

I love the smell of the oatmeal though.