Hedgehog Depression

[Laura_Galloway]

(Yes this is an x-post from hhog yahoo lists)

Can hedgehogs get depressed? Can they sense human depression? Because I'll be darned if Hans isn't depressed or sensing my depression. My boyfriend Jason recently moved to another town about an hour away. We're still together but I don't see him very often and I miss him a lot. Jason loves Hans a lot; he would set up a barrier so Hans could run around the whole house; he would bring Hans in to the bed to "wake me up" in the morning (the next best thing to "breakfast in bed" lol). The three of us frequently went to parks together to run around.

I feel like Hans is acting listless. He still runs on his wheel at night; he still eats his food and treats. But when I let him run around the house he just runs into a corner and curls up, like he's pouting, saying "Where's Jason?" I put him in his Kritter Krawler and he just sits there.

Have any of you had this experience? It's like he's sensing my strife. Poor baby boy. :hedgie2:

[razzle]

I think it is totally possible that Hans is missing Jason, just like you! I recently had a similar experience with Razzle: I swear, he was mad at me. I've been staying out late recently and not spending the same amount of time with him that I usually do. He never quills up at me, but when I came to get him one night, he quilled up and wouldn't look at me. :lol: I also noticed that he didn't play when I wasn't there (his wheel would be spotless) but when I was there, he would have a rip roaring good time and I'd wake up to a dirty mess. It's interesting, but I do think he was upset that I wasn't there as much.

So I do think Hedgehogs really notice when their loved ones are there or not. Sounds like visits to Jason are in order! :laugh: