bitting me all of a sudden?

[hogletlover]

Hedgie used to love being picked up and held but now she smells everything for a while then comes to my hands and chomps down on a finger. she never used to bite me could this be because of a scent on my hands or not spending enough time with her? i normally have her out for about an hour and a half to two hours a day?

[smhufflepuff]

If you're spending 1.5 to 2 hours a day with her, I'd assume that she's chomping on you because you smell yummy to her.

Pick a soap and use only that soap to wash your hands before you play with her... preferably a soap that doesn't have much of a scent to it. After awhile, she'll grow to learn that scent means "this is my human; not a big mealie." Some things that could work against that plan are if you eat something while you're with her and she smells that or if you have a strong scent that isn't easily washed off (like chemicals from a public swimming pool or cigarettes).

One nice thing about this situation is that it seems like you can almost plan for it - you said she sniffs things then comes to your hands and chomps you. When she's coming for you, keep your fingers out of reach and your palm flattened... kind of like the way kids are taught to feed apples or carrots to a horse. I do that when my little one starts going "lick, lick, lick" on me. Because I know it's never going to be "lick, lick, lick, lick." It's going to be "lick, lick, lick, chomp!"

The other thing I'm wondering is that, if she liked being picked up before and doesn't now, perhaps something feels different to her when she's being held. How old is she? Is she quilling? If she's young and quilling, her skin will feel extra sensitive, so it might be painful to be touched.

[hogletlover]

haha yeah i think it was because i was feeding her meal worms and not washing my hands so i still smelt like them. she is fine now back to her old self she is actually sitting on my lap