Quill problem

[Hedgekitty]

I’m not too sure what to think of what has happened to my hedgehog’s quills. Her quills are broken at the side and I just went in her cage to find a quill in the water bowl. I had a look around on the floor and couldn’t see anything. I’m not sure what to do with the broken quills on the side. How can I keep them clean. I know dirt can get in. A good thing is I have seen new ones growing at the sides but the broken ones are all dirty. She is 3 years old. It has never really come to mind to ask before because she seems fine but every time I see one quill on the floor I wonder what it is. Could anyone tell me what this is and how to stop the quills from dirt getting in? Thanks

Here are some photos hope you can see them.

[Hedgekitty]

Here’s another

[Ria]

I'd take her to a vet and get them to check

[Hedgekitty]

Thanks I’m going to go to maps and have a look for vets near me.

[Yukidama's mama]

From what I've read on the forum in the past, broken quills can be a sign of mites, especially since it is all in one area. Otherwise, I wonder if it could a deficiency? Do you feed premium cat food? Best to discuss with your vet. I'd have a precautionary mite treatment done either way. Make sure they use revolution and not ivermectin (it is too strong and can be fatal).

Keep us posted.

[Hedgekitty]

Thanks for the advice. It’s on both sides of her body so i was thinking, could it be somthing she has rubbed on. I feed her cat food (vita cat) after one of my other posts saying I should. I originally fed her a mixed diet of anything she could eat or I know she likes. I did notice that the night she had her bath, she scatched her self a lot of times. I use aveeno because she has dry skin. The day after her bath, at night when she’s most active, she did not scratch at all.
Thanks for the advice.

[Hedgekitty]

I had a look at her quills yesterday and I looked at the sides and some of them are broken down until it’s their last quarter. I had a look at her skin and quills and there is nothing moving. ( I might use the black piece of paper test) However she did itch a lot everywhere. I looked at the top of her body and pushed her quills slightly backwards and there was a new quill growing. I don’t really know what to think because she is fine. Also at the bottom there looks to be like a see through quill almost the skeleton. Could this still be the symptoms of mites??? Also if I go to the vets should I go to a regular or a exotic???

[Ria]

Try to find a extoic vet, they are more likely to know what they are doing however a regular vet may know a bit. And if it is mites can give you the right tratment, but make sure they give you revolution.

Its possible its mites or it may be something else, a vet can do tests to find out exactly what it is.

[Hedgekitty]

I hope they can because despite the fact she seems ok I bet she’s anoyed with the amount of scratching she does. I’ll also make sure they give her revolution. I have seen a vets near me.

[Ria]

Might be worth if not an extic vet just saying that you think she has mites, and asking for treatment and then if they think its something else they can test it.