bathing with oil?

[FoxyChin]

I'm not a hedgie owner, but where I'm working we have 2 hedgies in the office. My supervisor asked me to bathe them, but she also told me to put in a few drops of olive oil in their bath water for their skin.

Has any one else done this? I would think it would attract more residue onto their skin. I'm just curious about this. They're really cute animals too :)

Also, we have a prehensile tailed porcupine there. She's pretty as well, but her urine smells awful! kind of like when people don't wear deodorant for a few days, but much stronger. Is this what hedgie urine smells like? If so, i don't think I'll be owning one for a while.

thanks

[giry76]

I have put a few drops of olive oil in her rinse water to help with dry skin. It really seemed to help with her dry skin.

I haven't noticed that kind of smell coming from my hedgie or her cage.

[Ododad]

A hedgie is totally different. Different quills (a hedgies quills are not barbed) different attitude different everything. I have three, and none of them have any odor to their urine. Other than cleaning their houses, they have no smell at all. No body odor all either.
Do some research and looking around, you will see that everyone who is a slave to a hedgie is completely infatuated with them. Most books list them as the perfect pet. Thing is, with their distinctive moods and undeniable personility they don't remain "pets" for very long. They become much loved members of the family. Don't take my word for it, look all over this board and all over the web!

[aprild0727]

I have added a few drops of vegetable oil to their bath water, and it seemed to work. I've also used a touch of cocoa butter on their ears.

[teela1342]

I'm not a hedgie owner, but where I'm working we have 2 hedgies in the office. My supervisor asked me to bathe them, but she also told me to put in a few drops of olive oil in their bath water for their skin.

Has any one else done this? I would think it would attract more residue onto their skin. I'm just curious about this. They're really cute animals too :)

I have not had success with adding oil to the bath. I used Vitamin E oil - maybe I used too much, but it seemed to make him a bit too slimy. He was attracting dog hair and lint. :laugh: Food based oils can spoil, so I'd steer clear of that too.

I use an oatmeal bath and a toothbrush when I bathe Jake. Aveeno or a store brand. It is safe for him and good for his skin.

I have have been adding Flax oil to his food for the past few weeks and his skin seems to be healthier. He isn't losing quills like he had been. He likes his kibble better with the oil on it too.

[Pippin'sMom]

I don't think I could keep Pippin in the bath long enough to get enough oil on his body. lol. He HATES water, and even at the sound of a running faucet, he scrambles up me and trys to hide on my shoulder. lol. I've heard that some people put Vit. E oil on their hedgies food. Does that work?

[Jessicy]

I got some vit. E oil and i just put it on his back in a few different spots and it seam to be ok.

[aprild0727]

Also, a few drops of cod fish oil in their food will work.

[teela1342]

I got some vit. E oil and i just put it on his back in a few different spots and it seam to be ok.

How did you do it? I have tried, but I guess Jake is too wiggly. I just end up getting more on his quills than on his skin. He he ends up attracting dog and cat hair and needs a bath again! :banghead:

[Ododad]

I used Vit. E oil when I first got Marco. His skin was very dry and flakey. I simply poked a hole in the capsule using a needle and placed drops on his back, shoulders and neck. I put it on his quills and let his body heat warm it up and it would slide down his quills to his skin. I only used three or four small drops at a time to keep him from becoming slimy.