The Sleep of Death

[Ginger]

I was reading very old posts and I just find out something really scary.
People called it "The Sleep of Death".

It appears that sometimes, for whatever reason, a hedgie become "dead" for few seconds.
So even If you pick him, he stay limp and doesn't move at all ! :eek:
And after those interminable seconds, he just pop up like everything was fine !

It is SO weird !

Have you ever experienced that ? :confused:
Why do they do that ? :confused:

Here is the link for the thread about this subject:

http://70.85.19.92/forums/showthread.php?t=5941

[Ododad]

This is the first I have ever heard of this. I know it would scare me to death! (no pun intended)

[HedgieSpirit]

Over winter break I went on a trip with my marching band from school. We all went to Florida for the week. I left 3 pages of instructions for my parents to take care of Chloe. I called everyday to ask how she was doing. (I was a very worried mommy, I have never left her for more than 2 days before) When I got home my mom told me that two days before she had picked up Chloe and she was warm but totally limp and she didn't huff or put up her quills at all. (Chloe is very socialized but she will usually put up her quills and give a bit of a huff when you first pick her up) My mom was horrified. She thought she was dead! But then Chloe was fine. My dad thought it could have been that she was too warm (they had moved her into the computer room because they had company sleeping in mine) but I wonder if it is something like what you mentioned. Scary. My poor mom. She was so scared, she loves her just as much as I do and she thought she would just about die if she had to tell me my baby died while I was away. Luckily everything is fine, but it was odd.

[Ginger]

Does they do that when it is too warm, too cold ?
Is it a way to escape from pain ? It is because they are dreaming ?
Is it because they become inconscient for few seconds ?

All that brings so many questions... :confused:

[HedgieSpirit]

I have no idea. I have never experienced this before or heard of it. I had my mom read the descriptions of other people's experiences and she said thats exactly what she was like. I would like to learn more about this.

[barton]

okay this is weird because i had an experience like this...it was in the summer and i was driving up to my school my piggie was in her vellux piggie purse on my lap and i was cuddling her...she is really friendly and loves her tummy tickled but will at least jump a little if i go to close to her face...well she was not jusmping and i was petting her face so i started to freak out... and so i pull her out of the bag and she goes limp...her head rolled back and everything i started balwing as i am driving thinking that my baby is dead and after a few minutes she "woke up " and was fine!!! i just figured that maybe she was in some crazy deep sleep...

[Hedge_girl]

Umm... maybe some hedgehogs have narcolepsy?
*feels dumb*

[kaiteedyd]

Maybe be they're playing possum.

[Love4Hedgies]

Wow..very interesting! I really hope to never encounter this b/c I would FREAK out!

[Laurifer]

We were giving my last hedgehog belly rubs and we were going to go up to go to bed. When we picked her up, she didnt move. We gently shook her, but nothing. A few seconds later, she poped out of it. We were so worried, but now it is a big joke. :laugh:

-Laurifer