Won't unball ever!

[Tails]

I realize I've only had my boy a week and a half but I can't get him to unball. He hisses at me and then I won't even hold him all the time, I'll sometimes put him on the floor but he still won't unball.

Aaron has been watching him and not sure what kind of schedule the girl had him on but Aaorn says Wicket gets up at 5 am and runs on the wheel and eats and then goes right back under his blankie- he's only awake for 1/2 hour each day! I'm not complaining but I would like to interact with him a little and I don't even see him cause he won't come out of the blanket, it's like I have an empty cage. :(

He was out at the girls when we came and running about so I don't get it? He hissed when picked up there but at least he unballed for playtime. Is my first hedgie difficult? I love him but I don't know if I'm the best home for him?: does he need extra work or someone more experienced to bring him around?

[hemi_mygirl]

It sometimes takes a while for a hedgehog to warm up to it's new home, and even then, they may never become very friendly. How old is he? If he's between 3 and 6 months old, he may be quilling, which makes hedgies grumpy.

[HedgeMom]

Take an old tshirt and wear it to bed for a couple of nights. Then remove his hedgebag, blanket, hidebox and put the tshirt in there for him to sleep with. That'll convince him that your smell is a safe smell.

When you say Aaron has been watching him, does that mean he sits up all night and watches? A new hedgehog might not take kindly to people being around all the time.

He's also a baby. He may be quilling, he may be upset over all the changes. And babies sleep more than adults. He was with other hedgehogs at the breeders so he felt secure and came out. At your house it's all different.

You need to give him time. A lot of time. Hold him while you sit quietly and watch tv. If you do this regularly he'll get used to you. Also if he's quilling, a nice warm bath and some warm olive oil will make him feel better.

[hemi_mygirl]

And babies tend to sleep more than adult hedgehogs. When Hemi was a baby, she'd play for about an hour every day, and no matter where she was, she'd curl up and go to sleep. It would be like a light switch went off.. she'd be playing and all of a sudden just stop and zonk out. After she turned about 6 months old, she was up more. Now, she's awake for about an hour during the day to play with me, and from 11pm to 6am when she wheels and does other hedgehog things.

[razzle]

aww, sounds like Wicket just needs some time to get used to you. If he was friendly at his prior home, then he'll be friendly again. He just needs time. And the sleeping a lot thing is normal, like everyone said. He's just a baby. Don't give up on Wicket!! He'll come around eventually.

When I first got Razzle, he was 2 months old and a scardy ball of thorns. During the daytime, I pretty much let him sleep (most hedgehogs will be a spikeball during the day when they are tired and cranky). But in the early evenings when I would get home from work, I'd take him out and just hold him for a while and talk to him (even if it was through spiked quills). Eventually he got used to the routine. He would unball (even if it was only to try and get away!) I also would put a blanket or a tshirt down on the bed and let him crawl around inside it while I kind of stuck my head in there to watch him. At first, all he'd try to do was hide from me. But in time, he got used to me being there and would sometimes even come right up to me and sniff to see if I was still there. Now I can be right by his wheel and talking to him while he shows off his running skills! Mind you, he's not a snuggler by any means. But he has come a long way and, though he can still be grumpy at times, I think that is part of his charm!

:lovies:

Just give Wicket a little time to get used to all the changes and the new people. The only things that he needs are time, patience and love....and maybe a few bribe mealworms wouldn't hurt either. ;)

[Tails]

When you say Aaron has been watching him, does that mean he sits up all night and watches? A new hedgehog might not take kindly to people being around all the time.

Oops people might read that wrong. I meant that Aaron gets home at 4:30 every morning cause of his job and goes in on the computer in Wicket's room. I've asked him if he's ever seen him up cause he's real inactive. He told me he sees Wicket up for 1/2 hour at 5am every night so far. I don't watch him per say but he isn't up in the day as far as I have seen.

I think you guys think he's a baby but I forgot to put he's 7 months old, is that much sleeping normal for that age?

[razzle]

Oops people might read that wrong. I meant that Aaron gets home at 4:30 every morning cause of his job and goes in on the computer in Wicket's room. I've asked him if he's ever seen him up cause he's real inactive. He told me he sees Wicket up for 1/2 hour at 5am every night so far. I don't watch him per say but he isn't up in the day as far as I have seen.

I think you guys think he's a baby but I forgot to put he's 7 months old, is that much sleeping normal for that age?


I think 7 months is still considered pretty young..maybe "toddler". :) Also, consider that Aaron is only seeing him at 5am. Most hedgies aren't active at ALL during the daytime and they come out at night when you are sleeping. Razzle is out sometime between the hours of 10pm and 3am. Then he usually comes out again around 5am again (like Wicket) for a little snack. But most of his activity is in the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes I hear him, sometimes I don't. Do you see any evidence that Wicket has been out during the night when you are sleeping (poo, food gone, etc.?)

[Tails]

I think 7 months is still considered pretty young..maybe "toddler". :) Also, consider that Aaron is only seeing him at 5am. Most hedgies aren't active at ALL during the daytime and they come out at night when you are sleeping. Razzle is out sometime between the hours of 10pm and 3am. Then he usually comes out again around 5am again (like Wicket) for a little snack. But most of his activity is in the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes I hear him, sometimes I don't. Do you see any evidence that Wicket has been out during the night when you are sleeping (poo, food gone, etc.?)

Well Aaron says he eats then too but maybe he does get up again before I get up in the morning. I know he's nocturnal but I wish he was up a little earlier, but that will come with him getting used to our schedule. I'm going to put in my t-shirt tonight. I've had him out on 3 separate nights and held him while watching tv but still doesn't peek out. Hehe shy little guy eh? I'm still trying I just want to make sure that I'm giving him the best home he can have and doing what he needs to make him more comfortable.

Thanks for everyones help, just a new worried mommy still. ;)

[hemi_mygirl]

Hemi must be weird...lol. Or just really likes wheeling, because she'll wheel from 11pm to 6am most days. and if she's really full of energy, she'll wheel until 8am, and just zonk after. Some mornings, she'll chirp at me as she wheels.

[keeja820]

Lily is up usually about 7pmish to about 4pm, i believe... haha... somewhere around that time. and i have seen her come out once in the daytime to grab a lil snack, have a lil drink and go back to bed! :P