WARNING and a question

[mommy2ryan]

OMG I am still shaking. We cleaned out Prickles cage this morning and while her one Igloo was being dried I put in a "house" that I recently got at a pet store. Filled up her food and her water and left. I just got home and Prickles was half in half out of the house and stuck. I picked up the house and got no movement whatsoever from her. I flipped out but tried to stay calm with the two boys. I pried off the top of the house and held her and she seems to have come out of it and is ok. I called the vet who said to watch her eat and drink and that she would call back tomorrow. I really thought she was gone.

So my question is how heavily do you screen what you use for your hedgie? I thought that this would be fine but this scared me. DH said to throw it out but I plan to go back to this pet store and warn them about this as I think if I were just a little later (I totally lucked out as my son was supposed to start full days today so I would have been much later)I think she would be gone. My other question how do you get so darned attached to these lil buggers?

[HedgeMom]

What kind of house?

[mommy2ryan]

http://www.onlinebizbuilder.co.uk/sites/petutopia/images/igloos.jpg

This is the hamster size. The opening is just too small for her. This is what he reccomends to all the hedgie owners that come in

[razzle]

Oh my gosh, how scary. I am so glad Prickles is ok. What kind of house was it? Was the opening too small for Prickles to fit through? Was this house made for hedgehogs specifically?

To answer your questions -- I do heavily screen everything, but I am a bit obsessive. ;) If I can even think of just one remote chance that something might cause harm, I worry too much to use it. But there are times when freak things occur that you just cannot help. Your situation sounds like one of them.

To answer your second question about how one gets so darned attached to these little guys - the answer is: EASY. How can you resist those little fluffy faces? :hearts:

[razzle]

http://www.onlinebizbuilder.co.uk/sites/petutopia/images/igloos.jpg

This is the hamster size. The opening is just too small for her. This is what he reccomends to all the hedgie owners that come in


We wrote at the same time!

[paris26]

I screen everything religiously for my hedgehogs. From food dishes, to wheels, to the bedding I use, to their playpens and toys. If it doesn't even look remotely well constructed or safe, I either toss it or I don't buy it. It doesn't take long for them to get themselves in trouble. I'm glad that Prickles is okay.

My hedgies mean the world to me.. It was definitely love at first sight :heart:

[hemi_mygirl]

Hemi almost got herself into the same trouble Prickles did, when she still had the timber hidey-house I got when she was a baby. The door was still big enough for her to get in and out, and it was still roomy inside (because she's not very big)...but the silly girl insisted on going in and out the window. It's really too big her bum is bigger than the window cutout...She very nearly got stuck, I laughed at her, and promptly took the house out and bought her a hedgiebag from Nancy.

Ever since then, I'm religious about checking her stuff over for wear, tears or breakage. I don't want to risk her hurting herself.

How do we get so obsessed with hedgehogs? Have you looking at their little faces? That adorable twitching nose? How about their tiny feet? That's how Mom was won over by Hemi. I took her to the petstore to look at Hemi, and as soon as Hemi looked at us, Mom fell in love. Which, coincidently, is what got me too. LOL.

[illinidairychic]

Anything 'hamster' size isn't going to work for a hedgehog....that's just that. You should make sure you get the sizes recommended for guinea pigs. I know a couple breeders that use those and have never had problems with even pregnant mothers getting stuck in the door.

[hemi_mygirl]

Yes, exactly. I got the largest hidey house I could find, and if it didn't have a window, she'd still be using it. LOL.

[groovychic]

How scary! Glad to hear that Prickles is doing ok. Have you ever thought of using Kleenex boxes for hidey houses? I use them with both Herbie and Kahlua and they both love them. I am paranoid too when it comes to my pets.

As for your second question.....We love them cause they are so darn cute, they are cuddle bugs (Herbie is), and did I mention that they are CUTE!!!! Watch out....they are also addicting!