guide to hybernation

[Stickers]

I was wondering if anyone can give me a little more detailed info on hybernation attempts. I know that the stomach will be cold, unresponsive, and slightly wobbly. But how cold is to cold? Is this like just not warm? Do hedgehogs try to get under stuff to get warmer and roll into a tight ball?

And while I am asking, when they get hot I know they lay flat out. I was wondering if a hedgehog is laying on it's side slighlty and in in a slight C shape out in the open if this constitutes the begining of being too hot. Is laying on the stomach and legs splayed out is the common and most noticeable way to tell?

I am just trying to get a visual on what each is like to know what to watch out for. I know that if one or the other does occur I more than likely would know something isn't right but I just like to be prepared. I'm a little worrywart!

[tie-dye hedgie]

Here's a thread that Nancy wrote about hibernation attempts: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7474
Hope you find everything you need.

[Nancy]

In a full hibernation attempt hedgie is in a quilled up unresponsive ball. They radiate cold. It's almost hard to believe that anything that feels that cold is still alive.

If they are too cool and heading towards an attempt, they will not eat much, be unsteady on their feet and their belly cool.

Being too hot they do splat out.

Hedgehogs often sleep on their side in a loose C. Laying out in the open often signals illness but it depends on the circumstances. A baby in a new home laying out in the open is fairly common until they figure out where they want to sleep. Whenever a hedgie lays in the open it's time to start monitoring him closely. Count kibble to ensure he is eating and watch for fecal and urine output.

[Stickers]

Oh, I really like that thread. That helped me a great deal. Thanks a bunch.

[Stickers]

Nancy, thanks for replying. I just read your post about hibernation. My hedgie is a baby and she was staying in her igloo and then after a couple of days moved under a blanket. Just in the last day or two has she started to lay out in the open. I have caught her twice like that on the same day but she did get under the covers with me and when i put her back I made sure to put her under the blanket and I think she stayed. Do I still have reason to be concerned?

As I said before I am trying to get a visual to be able to judge better for myself. I wonder if my thoughts on this are accurate or if I am worrying and jumping to conclusions because she is not doing her normal sleep patterns.

[Nancy]

She's probably fine. What type of heat source do you use? Perhaps she does find it too warm in the igloo.

Babies can be weird about sleeping, especially in the early weeks of a new home. As long as she is eating well and her poop and urine looks normal, she is probably just working out where she wants to sleep. Just keep monitoring her.

[Quillatron]

I keep my hedgehog downstairs where its a little cooler with my chinchillas. I keep a heater inside her little igloo with her blanket wrapped in her fuzzy bed. I know she's defiantly warm in there but what can i do about the rest of the cage?

[Hedgieonboard]

I don't know much about Chinchillas but have heard that they are kept in cool environments, because of this it is probably way to cool to keep them in the same room because the heat and cold would be battling each other. What's the cage temperature? The recommended range is 73-78F. What kinda heating does the Igloo have? What can happen when you just heat the sleeping area like that is it makes the rest of the cage feel even cooler which can trigger hibernation attempts when they leave the area or cause inactivity cause they don't want to leave. It's best to have a digital thermometer and a heating set up so that you can ensure the entire cage is kept with in the range. Some of the main heating people use on here is CHE set up, space heater, or heating the entire room.

You may already have some of the stuff mentioned above but I wanted to make sure to give you the information in case you didn't. Hope this helps

[mcwojo]

I am using a CHE and find that the temp varies throughout the enclosure. It varies from 72 to 77 degrees. I just got the che last night so I want to make sure I am doing the right thing with it.

[nikki]

Are you using a thermostat to control it?