New hedgehog owner! Several questions!

[LoLolley]

Hey y'all! So i'm sure most of these question have been answered on other forums, but I keep having anxiety making sure my little hedgie is okay!

So I just got him this past Saturday from a breeder (he's six weeks), and I feel like he's still having a hard time adjusting. I did what I was told and kept him in his cage for 24 hours to let him adjust to the new surroundings, however I'm kinda worried about him.

I feel like he sleeps for 85% of the day-which i know babies sleep a lot-but is that normal? He stays in my bedroom in my apartment, and my room is definitely warm(apartment kept at 75), so I'm not worried about him trying to go into hibernation. I always open the blinds in the morning to make sure he gets plenty of sunlight during the day, and every night after playing with him I always try to keep the main lights off (besides the light coming from my laptop and TV which he doesn't seem to mind so much)

Also I don't think he's eating or drinking a lot. I mean he has pee stains on his mat, and poops a ton, so I feel like he is, but when looking at the differences of when I put his food and water in his cage until the next day when I change it out, it doesn't look much different. Is there anything I can do to help promote him to eat/drink more? Or am I just worrying too much? (he's eating the same food that the breeder was feeding him)

When I got him from the breeder, she gave me probiotics to sprinkle over his food because his stool had been squishier than normal, however today when I had him out to run around, I noticed that on his play-mat there was some clearish mucus along with his poop...should I be worried or could this be just stress from the change in environment?

Also, I keep finding 1-4 quills on the tshirt in his igloo, is it too early to start quilling or is this perfectly normal--and what can I do to help comfort him.

And the last question...the first day I got him he only used the bathroom on his mat(i felt like i was going to get lucky with the whole litter training thing), but yesterday and today when cleaning his cage I noticed that he was using the bathroom the most in his igloo..is this normal for babies?

I may just be a bit over protective and worried about my little guy, but it's better to ask than to go on wondering! Thanks ALL!

[moxieberry]

Sounds pretty much normal for a baby and a transition period. How much food are you giving him? If you measure it out each night when you feed him, you can have a better idea of how much he's eating. 2 tablespoons is a good place to start for a baby that age. It's also a good idea to get a small digital scale that measures in grams, and keep track of his weight. As long as he's gaining weight, you don't have to worry.

[LoLolley]

oh thank goodness! I thought I was so prepared when getting him, I researched everything, and made sure I had everything he needed...and then when I got him I got this anxiety like I wouldn't be doing something right! So stressful sometimes, his happiness is all I care about!

and that's a good idea, I'll definitely have to go get a scale within the next few days! and I'm feeding him about that, but i'm probably going to start counting the pieces to see exactly how much he's eating!!

[moxieberry]

If he's pooping, it means he's eating, even if it's not a noticeable amount. Sometimes transition can cause a few days of not eating very much, it's just part of getting adjusted. Watch out for anything else, like lethargy, but as long as it's just an appetite thing and he's still eating a small amount, I wouldn't worry. It should go away in another few days. (Actually one of the two new additions I picked up this past Saturday is going through the same thing.) You can try to entice him with some treats. Do you know what kind of food the breeder gave you, and do you plan on switching to something else? Depending on what kind it is, he may be more interested in another kind of kibble instead.

[LoLolley]

she had him on purina one chicken&rice and spikes delight, and i'm about to go to the store and get something of higher quality to start switching him over to, but didn't want to start that process for a few days since he's already going through so many changes! All of this is probably from the stress of moving and beginning of quilling I suppose!

And when should I get worried about the amount he's sleeping? He sleeps during the normal daylight hours, then usually after we play for 30 minutes he goes back to sleep for another hour or so..then (as we speak actually) he'll start eating and running on his wheel for like 30 minutes or so, then he'll head back to his igloo to sleep for awhile..then repeat. Normal?

[moxieberry]

Totally normal. Babies sleep a ridiculous amount, but even a lot of adult hedgehogs will take frequent naps during their normal "awake" time. He might be most active in the middle of the night when you're not there to see it, too.

I would suggest finding a better food, and offer it to him in a separate bowl, with the stuff from the breeder available as well. That way it's completely up to him, you're not starting off by mixing it together. Both of those foods are "okayish" - they're not terrible, and they're commonly included in the mixes breeders use, but there are definitely better choices. He may take to a new food right away. Don't push it on him, since he's already having decreased appetite because of the transition, but just try putting some good food in there, he might surprise you and chow it down.

If you're not sure what food to get, here's a list of good choices:
http://www.volcanoviewhedgehogs.com/kib ... oduce.html

[LoLolley]

Ah, you're awesome! thank you so much for your help and the list of good foods! You definitely helped calm my nerves about him!

[moxieberry]

Happy to help.