Yet another new hedgie owner that's worrying her butt off.

[Perpetualflare]

Hey guys. I posted recently about having a new hedgehog and like many others I worry too much. I just want to make sure he's always happy and healthy. I've had Reggie for almost 2 weeks now and I believe he's starting to warm up. He is un-balling, not popping and such as much as he normally would, and he is quite the explorer once he has woken up. There are just a few things I've noticed and they are starting to worry me. When I pick him up, sometime he's wet underneath? Like it's not soaking wet, where it gets on my hands and all, but just damp I guess you could say. I've also noticed that he's loosing a few quills every now and again (I found 2 today) and his skin is a bit flaky. I normally keep the room in which he stays at about 75F-80F, and I haven't noticed any recent drops in temperature. I am sure he is not quilling, because he's an older hedgie (1 and a half years old). The only thing that I have changed recently is his food. I switched him to Purina One Beyond- Chicken & Whole Oat Meal Recipe, from the regular Purina Cat Chow. Could this be the cause of the loss of quills, damp underside, and flaky skin?

Thanks ahead of time for your answers I'm the type of person who is concerned about everything.

[hedgielover]

Flaky skin and quill loss could be dry skin and normal quill loss, sometimes hedgehogs lose a few quills a day I've heard of hedgehogs loosing from 2-6 in a day just normally. It depends on the hedgehog. Flaky skin could be a sign of dry skin. you can do a flax seed oil rinse to help with that.

If he starts loosing more quills then he could have mites but right now it sounds like normal quill loss and dry skin.

[Perpetualflare]

Thank you for your reply, I will try to find some flax seed oil, and use that
Just one more thing - do you have any idea about the damp underside?

[Nancy]

Dampness could be sweat if his cage is getting up to 80 he may be a bit too warm.

[hedgielover]

Yeah I forgot to talk about the dampness, besides what Nancy said it could also be that he's having some "private boy time" boy hedgehogs seem to like to "make themselves happy" so that could make his belly damp as well. Or if he has a water dish maybe he gets wet while he is drinking. For the temperature it's best if it doesn't fluctuate. Even though it's still warm a drop from 80-75 could cause hibernation. It would probably be better if it could stay at 75º the whole time. I know this is difficult if it is warm and you don't have air conditioning. You could also give him a ceramic tile to lay on to cool off in case he is too hot.

[Perpetualflare]

Thanks for your quick replies!
I have taken your advice, and my room will now be staying at 75 I have a heater, and it cuts off once it gets to 75, so it normally stays around that temperature.
I had no idea they could get 'too' warm

[Lilysmommy]

It's harder for them to get too warm than too cold (at least, IMO), but it does happen. Usually 80 is the cutoff point, but that varies a lot by hog, just like too-low temperatures. Signs to watch for for overheating include some of the same as hibernation attempts - lethargy, lack of activity and/or eating, but also splatting out on the floor (on their belly, legs all sprawled out), and clammy skin, like what you saw in your boy already. Panting would be an extreme sign of overheating and a sign that it's at emergency status. Sounds like you're doing good with your boy so far though!

[moxieberry]

They can be fine up to around 90 degrees - meaning it won't do them any harm - but typically if the temp is above 80ish (or even 78 for some hogs) they'll start showing signs like drinking more water, being less active, splatting, and getting sweaty on the underside.