Acclimation Problems?
Hello everyone 
Background: I got Cecil on October 28 when he was about 6-7 weeks old, and he is exactly four months old today (January 16). He was a sweet little boy, minimal hissing, until quilling but his behavior seemed to even out after that. He's a very hissy little man, of course he hisses when i take him out of his cage and he puffs and hisses at movements, even slow ones, the whole time while I have him out. I take him out every day around 7PM and have him out for at least 3 hours, usually more like 4-5, during which he just sleeps in a blanket on my lap. He always unballs within seconds when I take him out, very inquisitive, though he's still hissy.
He has a regular schedule, lights and all, and is not bothered living in my room with me.
The issue: I'm wondering if he's having a bad time acclimating to me or if this is just standard behavior of some personalities: The hissing hasn't let up at all in the amost 3 months I've had him, and I know they're not "grumpy", just shy, but still.
Recently he hasn't been eating as much of his kibble (Blue Buffalo) as he used to, although when offered he gobbles up meal worms, baby food, and one or two of his normal kibbles. He's still active on his wheel, his potty habits are normal looking, his eyes are bright, and his nose is clean, so he doesn't appear ill to me. He also took up aggressive biting over the past month - the first time I deserved it, I was bugging him in his snuggle bag (which he has now totally abandoned??), but he does it maybe once a week or so now just whenever he fancies and when my fingers and in his path (i.e. when I pick him up with his face towards my fingers and not my palms). I make sure my hands are washed with the same soap, no food smells, and then I've ignored the biting, not put him back in his cage or blew on his face or any kind of reinforcements, but it continues.
The not eating quite as much worries me most, the endless hissing and biting I figured may just be his personality. I realize each hedgie is unique and it takes months to years to properly bond, I'm just wondering if anyone can describe their experience with little hedgies like my boy.
Thanks!!
Background: I got Cecil on October 28 when he was about 6-7 weeks old, and he is exactly four months old today (January 16). He was a sweet little boy, minimal hissing, until quilling but his behavior seemed to even out after that. He's a very hissy little man, of course he hisses when i take him out of his cage and he puffs and hisses at movements, even slow ones, the whole time while I have him out. I take him out every day around 7PM and have him out for at least 3 hours, usually more like 4-5, during which he just sleeps in a blanket on my lap. He always unballs within seconds when I take him out, very inquisitive, though he's still hissy.
He has a regular schedule, lights and all, and is not bothered living in my room with me.
The issue: I'm wondering if he's having a bad time acclimating to me or if this is just standard behavior of some personalities: The hissing hasn't let up at all in the amost 3 months I've had him, and I know they're not "grumpy", just shy, but still.
Recently he hasn't been eating as much of his kibble (Blue Buffalo) as he used to, although when offered he gobbles up meal worms, baby food, and one or two of his normal kibbles. He's still active on his wheel, his potty habits are normal looking, his eyes are bright, and his nose is clean, so he doesn't appear ill to me. He also took up aggressive biting over the past month - the first time I deserved it, I was bugging him in his snuggle bag (which he has now totally abandoned??), but he does it maybe once a week or so now just whenever he fancies and when my fingers and in his path (i.e. when I pick him up with his face towards my fingers and not my palms). I make sure my hands are washed with the same soap, no food smells, and then I've ignored the biting, not put him back in his cage or blew on his face or any kind of reinforcements, but it continues.
The not eating quite as much worries me most, the endless hissing and biting I figured may just be his personality. I realize each hedgie is unique and it takes months to years to properly bond, I'm just wondering if anyone can describe their experience with little hedgies like my boy.
Thanks!!
