Soap Licking

[LunaMidnight]

I'm a bit worried now...

Today I cleaned out Slash's cage and when I was done he started licking my fingers and when he stopped I was like, "oh crap!" cos I had just been using soap scented like green apple and I think he was after it. Then later on today he was going crazy licking my hand again and it took me awhile to realize, "oooh noo," cos I had just washed my hands with vanilla scented soap. And if that wasn't enough tonight he started licking the **** out of my arm and after he stopped I realized, "oh great, ginger scented body lotion.."

So now I'm a bit worried. He's been into it like 3 times today. I mean the soap would've been very faint and the lotion was probably all worn off since I'd put it on like 8 hours earlier but I'm still worried. It's not going to make him really sick or anything is it? :dunno: I worry about him lots, I'm so paranoid of something happening to him.

[incrovaj]

My guess is he liked the scents, and was getting ready to annoint. Daisy only licks like crazy before annioniting. Sometimes she even gets overzealous and starts to nibble while licking, but her teeth are SHARP so it does not really fee like a nibble. I do not know that I would worry about it unless he was eating the soap or the lotion.

[razzle]

Slash should be fine. It would be one thing if he stuck his nose in a tub of body creme and ate it. But most hedgies will bite at and lick things that smell different on you - perfume, deoderant, lotion. He's just reacting to the smell and there really wasn't much there for him to ingest.

I worry about this kind of stuff too, but if it helps any - i have read that hedgehogs have an incredible immunity to toxins and some poisons even! That makes me feel a little better when I worry if he was biting a shirt that has been dryed with a Bounce Dryer sheet. :lol:

[hemi_mygirl]

Like everyone said, I think Slash will be just fine. He's not really eating the lotion or soap... he's just reacting to the scent. I know on occasion, I'll chew mint gum, and blow gently in Hemi's face. She'll start annointing to that without licking anything.

[LunaMidnight]

Well something else I figured out last night at 3 A.M...my he is actually a she! So from now on she's Luna McTruffles. :winkgrin: I feel kind of bad now calling her a he in all my posts. I'm sure she'd be offended.:p

But yes, she does like different scents and she'll get a bit too over-excited and nip a little. Especially if it's banana. She loves bananas and will let anyone touch her if they give her a bit. She just went nuts licking my arm last night and sniffing like crazy. I guess since they were all fruit scented she was that much more interested.

I guess I just worry too much. She's like my baby. That's good that hedgehogs have immunity to toxins/poisons. I never knew that! I got worried from what I read here since it sounds like some of them get upset stomachs so easily that I worried what soap/lotion might do. But oh well, look at some of the things actual kids will eat. I've seen a kid on Funny Videos put a frog in his mouth. :laugh: But she seems to be just fine. A bit grumpy at the moment cos I woke up her royal highness to fill uo the food and water dishes.

I wonder if Luna would do that too. I'm always chewing mint gum and eating mints so I'm surprised I haven't had them in my mouth at some point while holding her. It'd be kind of cute to see. And by the way I love reading all your posts about Hemi! She sounds like such a cute and amusing little girl. :winkgrin:

[Sterlingspider]

I wonder if Luna would do that too. I'm always chewing mint gum and eating mints so I'm surprised I haven't had them in my mouth at some point while holding her. It'd be kind of cute to see.
Just be careful with that, more then one pet owner has gotten their lip royally chomped because they were eating somthing tasty and their pet decided they'd like some too. :slurp:

[Nancy]

Yes they are immune to some toxins and poisons but those are naturally occuring ones that would be found in the wild. Cleaners, medications, lotions etc that we use can be toxic to them. For example, tea tree oil and shampoo is toxic to them yet we can use it and tea tree shampoo is recommended as a cure for head lice in children. Using in on a hedgehog will can kill him.

[LunaMidnight]

Wow, this is an old one of mine! :p Well, it's October now and Luna is alright so I guess her soap licking adventure ended fine (not that she's going to be allowed to lick soap or anything).

[Nancy]

Wow, this is an old one of mine! :p Well, it's October now and Luna is alright so I guess her soap licking adventure ended fine (not that she's going to be allowed to lick soap or anything).

:laugh: I didn't even look at the date. Just read the post before mine and went backward.

[LunaMidnight]

It's so funny because that's way back when I thought Luna was a boy. :rofl: