crazy piggie

[barton]

ok so the boy hedgie i have is completley crazy he huffs he runs around and he hates to be touched he has always been this way and i have tried everything to break him out of this behaviour to no avail. the weird thing is when i bath him and my girl he is completely different he lets me touch him and he even rolled over to get tickled on his tummy, but as soon as she walksfar enough away he is back to his old self. i am guessing that he thinks she is cuddling him so he doesnt mind... i know he is really shy because he tries frantically to hide all the time but why is he so good when she is near (of course under supervision) but those times he was cuddly and she was there he was not trying to mate
its a mystery i suppose
any thoughts? is he lonely for another hedgie could it be possible i know they are solitary animals but his behaviour says somethign different or maybe having her near makes him feel safe...

[hedgewood]

my male is the same way. he is very shy, he huffs, spits, runs, hides, clicks, bites, anything he can to get away from people. Even when my female is around, he huffs and hides. however when i bath him, he is the sweetes little guy, he lets me pet him, pick him up, cut his nails, anything. but the minute he is out of the tub, and on his towel he is a little huffer again...........go figure.

[Love4Hedgies]

If you are consiedring getting another male do not house them together. They can play together (well supervised) but 2 males housed together tend to fight.

[Nancy]

You usually can't even put them together to play. My boys if they catch sight of one another they are running and into it faster than I can grab them.
That is one reason I have so many girls. They girls can be out together so it is easy for them to have long playtimes. The boys have to be out one at a time.

[barton]

no i definatly wasnt considering housing him with another pig i just wondered if any of you have experienced anything like this. is it possible that he likes piggy company. ???

[Nancy]

Probably when the girl is nearby he is more focused on her than being huffy with you. :laugh:

[barton]

haha very true! she is a pretty hog! i just wish he would calm down i feel bad but i have tried everything is it possible that it is just in his personality? i find now that i take him out every day still but when he is out i tend to let him do his own thing, explore and stuff because he really doesnt like being around people i am not even sure taht he likes me which gets me really sad i mean he has a really big cage tubes to climb in a wheel toys and treats could he just be a spoiled bratt:( maybe he is just shy, do i take him out and give him his space or force myself on him...lets just say that i have had him for about 2 years and he has always been this way maybe its inevitable!

[Nancy]

I don't think it has anything to do with him liking you or not. Some hedgies just do no like to be held. They are fine exploring and that is it. Some are just so nervous that they jump at every little sound or movement, especially if a human is nearby.
I would suggest making sure that the female is not anywhere near him while he is out. Hormones may not help things any. :)

[barton]

haha yeah thanks, i dont tend to take them out together on a count of his hormones i dont want more babies ... they really are only together in the tub during bath time under supervision and he seems to be far more distracted with being wet that he actually doesnt pursue her! he is however more cuddley during this time if she is there to as soon ans she is moved he gets frantic again..its a mystery i suppose