quill loss

[Dillyhog]

Hi, everyone:
I have noticed my hedgie is losing quills. About 8 a day. Is it too much? This started happening about 5 days ago. Also he seems to be grumpier than usual. Is it normal for them to lose so many a day, even new white quills? Can winter central heating be a problem? I also use heating lamp on him and his cage temperature is at 75. He was tested for mites about 4 months ago, and nothing was found. Also he was on antibiotics (quite recently) due to the ear infection he brought from the pet store.
Otherwise he is eating as usual.
Also he was popping on the wheel while running.
Any ideas? I can take him for mite testing again...but could winter months affect the quill loss?

Thank you

[alyssinreality]

Do you know how old he is? He could be quilling depending on his age and if that's the case then he will be losing many quills. At Diggory's worse, I think he was losing between 20-30 a day.

Also what kind of heat lamp? Is it a ceramic heat emitter or does it produce light?

And I'm not sure if you meant pooping or you actually meant popping. If he's pooping on his wheel then that is completely normal, most hedgies love to poop when they run and they do almost all their pooping on the wheel at night.

[Dillyhog]

Vanya is about close to being one year old. He came from a pet store so I don't know the exact day of his birth unfortunately.
I use CHE lamp and a day lamp for day light...and yes he poops while running, but I meant popping...like something was bothering him...he was mishandled/possibly abused before I got him- so it is a very slow process for him to start trusting people again....but he is way better now...but yes, he was popping while running....he doesn't poop in the wheel anymore though. He used to when he was younger- all over the place!

[alyssinreality]

Hmmm we'll I've heard that some hedgies quill at a year too.
I'd say keep watching it and if there is any other signs of sickness(change in food/water intake, weight, excessive itching, sneezing or licking nose, runny nose, dry "choppy" looking ears, funny colored poop, etc) take him to a vet.

How long have you had him? Maybe he's just really stressed.

Did you check out his feet to make sure they looked okay? This is just a guess, not to worry you but maybe it hurts to run?

[Dillyhog]

good call on checking his feet! Thank you- I will do so! He has been with me for at least 4 months now. He is a work in progress, and he is coming along nicely. He was neglected and possibly abused or bullied by other hedgehogs because his ears were shredded (looked like from a fight) and they got so infected they started to puss. I was watching him in the store and addressed that problem to a sales person, but they didn't do anything about it, that's when I decided to scoop him and give him a good home. I have two hedgies. Dilly is a social butterfly, Vanya is very shy big boy with many problems that we are working on. It is impossible to pouch his feet because he balls up and stays that way - no trust to touch his feet yet, but he loves the bath. I will check his feet while bathing him. I checked his bed- he hasn't had a quill there, so maybe he was quilling a bit. It seems that he has a lot of new quills coming up his back. But he has been a bit more grumpier than usual, even without that usual reaction to superworms. I made an appointment with our vet on Monday see what they find. He hasn't run much past two nights I know for sure, but his food is always gone by morning. I am kinda worried a bit, because he didn't want to socialize past week or so. All he does is puff and he wants to be left alone. I didn't see runny nose- I am on top of it- especially during cold months. Tonight's bath hopefully will make him feel a bit better. Any suggestions on adding anything to the water to maybe moisturize his skin? I have notice he is losing a bit of his belly fir...not much, but a bit more that usual. Do hedgies shed?