Huffy Hog

[HannahHedgie11]

Hey everyone! I was just cuddling with Smoochie a little while ago. It's been a year since I bought her. I've noticed a lot of personality change with her. When I first picked her out, I held three hedgies and I picked her because she seemed so friendly and was crawling all over me. The breeder even said that she was pretty sure that she would be the one going home with me. But now when I was sitting with her, every little movement I made, even shifting my finger made her hiss at me. Is it that she doesn't trust me? Could it be her diet? Or is it just that she's one of those hedgehogs who never ends up warming up to their owner? *sigh* She was fine the first few weeks I had her, but her behavior just changed... in a bad way. Shouldn't it have been the opposite? I know this is weird that I'm talking about this now, since I got her a year ago, but I'm just baffled at why her personality has changed so much. Has anyone experienced a hedgehog like this? If so, what did you do about it?
Thanks.
~Hannah

[paris26]

Hi Hannah~
Your Smoochie sounds like my Atticus. He was the sweetest baby who never raised a quill. Then quilling happened and he became the grumpiest hedgehog and he's almost 1 now. I use a product called Bach's Rescue Remedy in all of my hedgehogs water that they drink. I add a few drops of it to a gallon of water and it's dispensed to the whole crew. I also have a lavendar sachet in his cage and my other grumpy hogs cage because lavendar is supposed to be a calming soothing herb. You may have to start over with her and handle her in a hedgebag and set her on your lap so she gets to reaquaint herself with you. Some days Atticus will come out of his shell, and other days he just wants to be left alone. I loveis grumpy butt anyway!

ps... your image in your signature is larger than what the forum allows. Please readjust the size so it complies with what is acceptable. Thanks!

[HannahHedgie11]

Thank you so much for your advice! I think I might just try that! And where in his cage do you put the lavender sachet? I can't think of a place to put it in Smoochie's cage where she won't notice it and throw a fit. But I love the idea!

And as for my sig picture I changed the whole pic since I couldn't adjust the size without making the words illegible. But thanks for pointing that out! I had no idea it was too big. Thanks.
~Hannah

[paris26]

Thanks Hannah! I put the sachet under the hedgebag because it takes them a few moments to find it or else I've put it under the cage liner. I bought mine from the Hedgehog Welfare Society. www.hedgehogwelfare.org Click on Ruby's Rescue shop. They were only a couple dollars :)