Umm, Hello out there???

[Lolashewas]

I'm just re-posting, as the last one STILL HAS NO REPLIES! :confused: :(

An update, and some questions

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Lola's doin' great so far!
I abandoned the shavings for flannel, fleece and a liner made of corduroy (wishing I had saved some of AJ's old cloth diapers!). She has a shallow pan with paper towel for "litter", but prefers instead to poop AGAINST THE SIDE OF THE BIN! (ACK), at least it's in the same corner as the litter pan, so I know she's got the idea . She's eating well, about 2 tbsp dry food a day/night, especially since I clued in and gave her a lower-sided dish. For treats she likes apple bits, whiskas crunchy treats (she annoints with these), but hasn't shown any interset in yogurt, bananna or meat. (I get paid on friday and will be picking up some mealworms).

I'm so pleased at her personality! She's very curious and adventurous at playtime, but when I take her out during the day, she loves to push and snuffle at my neck and chin, making soft chirps and gurgles (reminds me of guinea pig noises).

I'm still at a loss about what to do about the cat... Lucah thinks the new baby is a toy, and persists in spite of the quills. Lola isn't interseted in "playing" with the cat, and instead finds a place to hide her head, and sits there all puffed up...So I've had to put Lucah outside, and she doesn't understand why she's not being "included".

soooo... Questions

1.What to do about the cat?
2.Play time: how long?
3.Snacks/treats; how many, how often?
4.Excersize; Until I'm sure she's not preggers, is it ok to get a wheel? if not, should I be extending her playtime?
5.I'm moving at the end of next week, it's a 10 hour trip! Anything I should know/prepare for?

oh, and QUILLING, she lost maybe 3 quills last night, all were very short (about 1/4 inch)... could these be the last baby quills?__________________

[Iluvhedgies]

From what I have heard, you should only give them a treat 3-4 times a day. here is a website that might help http://hedgehogvalley.com/basics.html
:)

[barton]

glad to hear things are going good with your baby! dont worry i know all about randomly placed poos...see my little boy he poos everywhere...i think sometimes he does it just to see what i will do;)

[who00knows]

Treats depends on you and your hedgie. If your hedgie is a big one....you might want to give them a small number of worms per day. (3-5). I would also look into waxworms, and silkies they arent as fattening for the hedgies so you can give them more. I give each of my hedgies 8-10 treats a night. This is based on my conclusion of all the research I have done. The mom that I have that just had babies gets 20-25 a night because she has completely depleted her body nursing and im trying to get her body weight back up. I also give them freeze dried waxies and mealies.

1. Is this only during playtime? Is it all the time? I would fine somewhere to put her cage so that the cat cant get to it. I would also close the door while you are playing with her so that the cat cannot get to her. That way you can focus on playing with her and not have to worry about fighting the cat away.

2. Playtime can be as long as you have time for. You will be able to tell if she is tired of playing/being handled. Just go by your own judgement.

3. What makes you think she is pregnant? If you think she is, she shouldnt have a wheel in there. If she isnt, let her wheel all that she wants too. Mine wheel for hours....

4. I would go buy a sterilite tub, a smaller one and set it up so she will be super super comfy. Depending on when you are traveling she will probably be asleep most of the time. She also probably wont come out if she feels the car moving. All of mine are opposite of that. They know they are in the car, and they all come out and want to play/eat/poop/climb. I sometimes put them in my lap while i am driving to let them wonder around and snuggle. Just kind of be the judge yourself and you should get the hang of it.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

[paris26]

1. The only solution I see is to put the cat in another room while hedgie is out for playtime. That way you avoid all potential accidents and it is just for a short period of time.

2. It depends on the age of the hedgie. My older ones are out for an hour at a time and my babies are only out for about 20 minutes because they tire easily.

3.What is your definition of snack? Whiskas cat treats? If so, then once or twice a day in opinion since they are high in fat. If you're talking fruits, veggies, meats, and insects, then daily. I do a rotation. Insects one night, fruits another, veggies the next, meat, the next, etc. All in hedgehog sized portions of a tsp or so each. You have to offer a food several times before you can really say the hedgie doesn't like it. Sometimes they have off nights too.

4. Until you are sure she is not pregnant- no wheel! See the Breeding and Babies section. If you do a search I'm sure you will find the reasons why. I would offer her usually play and cuddle time. You'll learn to read when she's had enough

5. A small sterilite container should work fine. Your hedgie should sleep for most of it if it is during the day time. When I take my hedgies outside my home when it is cold or cooler, I put in some hand warmers wrapped in fleece so they can stay warm. Offer water when you stop, if your hedgie appears to be awake. I don't do food because a few of my hogs get car sick.

[Love4Hedgies]

Also, for the car ride, make sure that you put a blinket under your hedgies carrier to absorb some of the bumbs and stuff from driving. Don't have the music too high and watch out for pot holes! Glad she is doinbg well!! :)

[Lolashewas]

AHA!, thank's everyone
About being pregnant, She was a Pet Store hedgie, and was being housed with a male... When she lets me look at her tummy, (heh, not her favourite thing), I see that her belly is a bit pudgy and her rearmost nipples are somewhat enlarged. I've no Idea how far along she might be (the store guy was a dunce), So I'm giving her three more weeks, in the meantime, she gets about an hour each evening to run around, and a few daytime cuddles :)

The whiska's treats she gets MAYBE 2 a day, I usually use them as a reward for things like letting me pick her up etc. I also offer small bits of apple (pea sized) when I check her food in the morning and evening. I've also given her chopped carrot, (which, in the absence of anything more interesting she will eat heh heh)

Her bin is cat proof, and, yes, I've finally had to start putting Kitty out for playtime (she wont die from it, but you can't tell by the way she acts lol).

She hasn't got a wheel yet..Like I said, I'll wait till I'm sure there's no babies (3 weeks to go).

Thanks everybody!

[hedgehog69]

IF you dont already know dont get a wire wheel cause the hegie can break its leg in them it, has to be a solid wheel