So Knarla's been a bit itchy, so I gave her a bath with oatmeal and a smidge of olive oil like I've read on here. She was good for the bath, but I have a few questions related to that and other things.
1) While drying her, she was BITING and ripping the towel. I'd lift her free and she'd not touch my fingers, but would attack the towel again once I put her back in it. Any tips to make that less stressful for her?
2) Later on when I held her she was really agitated, so I set her in her cage and she used her litter box. Could that be why she was tense?
3) Any handling tips when I'm stressed or sick? I'm having a massive contact allergic reaction on my legs. It's likely lotion but potentially Knarla (even if it is, we'll keep her and I'll just wash carefully after handling). I'm itchy and tense, and since Knarla was a bit... crazed... earlier I was a little worried about being bit. She's an explorer but it seemed almost frantic last night. Could my mood be making her that way, or is it more likely her personality coming out? Exploring is fine, but I know daily handling is important. Does following her around the house while she roams count as handling?
4) How do I get Vaseline on her ears? I've been touching them daily to prep but she FREAKED at the smell and would thrash and squirm. I got one ear sorta done and got Vaseline around the other one. Any ideas?
And a funny story. She's "bullying" my dog! I know animals don't really bully, but she will stand on her hind legs and sniff around, then run up to him and stop a few inches short of where he is laying. She'll puff and bring down her face quills and he jumps up and moves out of her way. Then she sniffs again and heads right toward him! Poor boy was getting nervous so we let him on the couch. We had to rescue our 80 pound dog from our little hedgehog.
1) While drying her, she was BITING and ripping the towel. I'd lift her free and she'd not touch my fingers, but would attack the towel again once I put her back in it. Any tips to make that less stressful for her?
2) Later on when I held her she was really agitated, so I set her in her cage and she used her litter box. Could that be why she was tense?
3) Any handling tips when I'm stressed or sick? I'm having a massive contact allergic reaction on my legs. It's likely lotion but potentially Knarla (even if it is, we'll keep her and I'll just wash carefully after handling). I'm itchy and tense, and since Knarla was a bit... crazed... earlier I was a little worried about being bit. She's an explorer but it seemed almost frantic last night. Could my mood be making her that way, or is it more likely her personality coming out? Exploring is fine, but I know daily handling is important. Does following her around the house while she roams count as handling?
4) How do I get Vaseline on her ears? I've been touching them daily to prep but she FREAKED at the smell and would thrash and squirm. I got one ear sorta done and got Vaseline around the other one. Any ideas?
And a funny story. She's "bullying" my dog! I know animals don't really bully, but she will stand on her hind legs and sniff around, then run up to him and stop a few inches short of where he is laying. She'll puff and bring down her face quills and he jumps up and moves out of her way. Then she sniffs again and heads right toward him! Poor boy was getting nervous so we let him on the couch. We had to rescue our 80 pound dog from our little hedgehog.