I'm starting to get discouraged!

[LoriL]

We've had Mikey since Sunday, so we're going into day 4 now. I know, not a lot of time.

I think he hates us. :S

He won't unball for us now. He constantly pops and huffs. We decided that we wouldn't let him intimidate us, so we continued to try to hold him and spend time with him. Holding him like the breeder showed us and petting him like we were shown.

Well now he's taken to biting us! He bit me three times yesterday while I was trying to hold him. He bit my husband the day before. And it's not a lick and then nibble, it's a bite.

He is quilling. He's about 10 weeks old, and I've noticed quills in the cage. They are entire quills with the little balls on the ends, so I'm pretty sure it's quilling and not mites. I know he's probably pretty uncomfortable.

We gave him a bath in Aveeno oatmeal yesterday with a Vitamin E oil in the rinse water. He lost a bunch more quills after that. I don't know if that's normal or not. I had read on another message board to put some flaxseed oil in his food, so I tried a couple of drops, but he didn't touch his food at all last night.

He used his wheel for 4 hours last night (at least while I was awake). He allowed me to watch him wheel, and I did take him out of the cage during his playtime for 15 minutes. Of course, he balled up and popped, but I brought him into the family room and laid down on the floor with him and let him explore around. He did eventually crawl around me too, but when I touched him he balled up and popped.

We've been sleeping with his hedgie bags. Will that have enough of our scent on them?

My daughters are scared to touch him. :scared:

Another question I have: what does everyone use to clean their wheels off? The breeder suggested a vinegar/water solution, so that is what I'm using. 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. I know vinegar is an excellent, natural cleaner, but it seems kind of harsh for their sensitive noses.

Thanks,
Lori

[hemi_mygirl]

Don't get too discouraged.. give him lots of time. Some hedgehogs are just naturally more shy than others. The fact that he's quilling could be why he's biting... quilling is like teething in a baby. It hurts and makes the little one cranky.

I've never used flaxseed oil on my hedgehog's food. When her skin is dry, I just break open a vitamin E capsule and put some drops on her back. Her body heat will spread it.

When you're just watching TV, let him sleep in his hedgiebag on your lap. He'll learn to associate you with a safe place. Don't touch him, but talk softly to him. Baby steps. Sleeping with his hedgie bags should help transfer your scent, but a better way is to sleep in a tshirt for a few days and then give it to him to sleep in.

To clean wheels, I just soak them in hot water. Once or twice a month, I clean them with a vinegar mix first, and then soak them in hot water. It helps diffuse the smell.

[LoriL]

Okay, that does make more sense to clean the wheel soaking with hot water daily and the vinegar and water once a month. The smell hasn't detered him from using his wheel so far, but I thought there must be a better way.

Thanks for your encouraging words!

Lori

[Melody]

I use the Dow foaming cleanser for everything but myself. Spray it on, leave it 10 minutes, scrub with a brush and rinse in very hot water. Obviously all of this is OUTSIDE the cage. I use this for bird things, guinea pigs & chinnie stuff, cages and all my critters toys, perches, etc.-- it is antibacterial but I have never had any adverse effects - just rinse well and wipe dry!

[keeja820]

Don't be discouraged hun. When we brought Lily home, she would huff and puff like no tomorrow! it actually took her a couple of weeks before i could take her out (she would still huff a lil) and she would unball and be fine with me. Now she likes us whenever we pet her or pick her up! :hyper:
It just takes time. Even if he never fully stops huffing, he'll probably come around enough to be handled and such :) keep hope! just keep holding him and dont let biting you get you down, if he gets the impression that biting makes you leave him alone he will probably continue... but i dont know a whole lot about that as our hedgies have only bitten once or twice...

GOOD LUCK! :) :hearts:

[HedgeMom]

I use the Dow foaming cleanser for everything but myself. Spray it on, leave it 10 minutes, scrub with a brush and rinse in very hot water. Obviously all of this is OUTSIDE the cage. I use this for bird things, guinea pigs & chinnie stuff, cages and all my critters toys, perches, etc.-- it is antibacterial but I have never had any adverse effects - just rinse well and wipe dry!

I would NEVER in a million years use a chemical cleanser on a toy that my animal might put in his mouth or on anything they could possibly come in contact with.

Please do not take this advice. If it's not safe enough for you to spray on your skin, it's not safe enough to use to clean your pets belongings.

Just as an FYI, birds do not have saliva so that residues will not dissolve if they mouth something. Mammals have saliva and residues can rehydrate and be ingested.

[hularious]

Monty was like that when he was quilling, but now that's he's done he's really awesome and sweet.

I think for 'tough' hediges, it can take a LONG time. I've read some stories that some take almost half a year for the hedgehog to become accustomed to people.

definitely let him sleep in the hedgiebag on his lap. don't touch quite yet...let him get used to your voice...he still doesn't know by the sound or scent that you're "safe" so easing him in slowly is the best way...and really gotta be patient.

i think later you should try to work treats into the routine...so then he'll start to correlate you with good things (ie. treats)

5 days is NOT a long time...in fact some sites recommend hedgehogs have a week of being alone to get accustomed to their new home...then after the initial 'shock' you can start getting them used to you...ie. slowly moving your hand closer to him so he can smell you, etc.

it seems like it will be a very gradual process and patience is key...good luck and keep us updated!

[razzle]

Hedgies can be very timid. My guy is almost 2 and can still get a little huffy! Over time you will notice improvements but it can be slow. For a long time, I really didn't have Razzle around anyone else. He got used to me, and I really noticed it when I brought him around someone new. He would roll up in a ball so tight and huff and puff like crazy. It was weird to think that he used to do that with me at one time! Also, I think there is a difference between being "grumpy" and "scared". Razzle gets scared around people he doesn't know, the vet, loud noises, etc., but really never around me. But he'll still huff and puff at me when he's being a grump-ball (usually when I disturb his slumber, or the room is too bright).

As far as the wheel, I just wash it with regular dish soap and very hot, hot water and make sure I rinse it off very well. I use a little scrubber to get the poos off. I dry with a paper towel.

[LoriL]

Thanks everyone! I'm feeling better. Logically, I know it takes time, but when he started biting me, I started to think we were going backwards instead of forwards in our progress.

Thanks also for your ideas on the wheel cleaning.

He is making progress on certain things. He was using shavings at the breeder's, here he is on liners. At the breeder's he was using a water bottle, here I have a bowl of water. He is also using a litter box. So I need to look at these adjustments he's made and remind myself and that he is a very smart and brave boy for making these changes! :lovies:

And the poor thing is probably in a lot of pain with his quilling.

Thanks again everyone for your encouraging words!
Lori

[barton]

Never never never give up. My baby turned evil when she was quilling. she was constantly biting etc. If i can give you any advice it would be that if you do get bit do not put him down or back into his cage otherwise he will bite to get what he wants. When my hedgie was quilling i just made sure not to give her a hand to bit. I establised a routine which i followed until she seemed to be better. Ex. Every night at 830 wake him up give him his food maybe a snack in his cage do not take him out yet (bugs, meat, veggies etc) leave him for about 15 minutes so that he can wake up, go bathroom whatever then take him out keep the routine on track and he may warm up to you. Try holding him in close to your body without necisarily holding him in your hands that way if he chomps its just material. Eventually my hedgie stopped and she is a real sweetie now. But i knew to keep up the routine even when she was huffy because if you dont stay ontop of it he may stay that way. And also as you said your self it has not been very long so add that ontop of things and no wonder the poor guy is so cranky. Also I would try to stay away from messing with his food you can offer ofther stuff but dont add things to his food because that willjust end up being another overwhelming change for him.
best of luck to you and your new baby
and for the cleaning I bought cleaner from the pet store that is all natural products and it does not smell too strong it has lasted a really long time. You could also find non-toxic enviromentally friendly cleaners at any health food store