[snuffles]

My hedgie Snuffles is constantly getting cuts/irritations on her chin.
I brought her to the vet around 2 months ago, he said she probably just scratched herself and it got infected so he prescribed her some healx to put on the cut.
Since then it they have happened about three times, at 2-4 week intervals. They disappear very quickly and are always in the same spot. Obviously she cannot be scratching herself in the same spot over and over. I did some research and the only thing I found consistent with what is happening to her is allergies.
The irritations started a 2 or 3 weeks after I switched to feeding her royal canin slim 40. After I suspected allergies I switched her back to her old food, purina pro plan adult chicken and rice because she had never had problems with it. After the switch, the irritations stopped for a while (I thought it solved the problem), but it happened again today (but not nearly as bad as the first time).
She is a picky eater and won't eat anything else other than mealworms and crickets.
I use carefresh for her bedding, I doubt that could cause it but maybe I'm wrong. (I'm switching to vellux liners just in case)
I'm suspecting it's her food, but I really don't know what to feed her if that's the case.
I just wanted to know if anyone else has ever heard of this or has suggestions of foods I could try before I go back to the vet.
Thanks

 

[Shelbys Mom]

I don't really know about the allergies and all and there so many different food's you can try I wouldn't know what to recommend. Mine eat by nature organics chicken formula. (I think thats the name)

But I have heard that Carefresh can be a little dusty (I've never used it so can't say from experience)
Maybe the dust from it makes her nose or chin area itch so she scratches it?
So maybe that's causing it and changing to the liners may help.

 

[snuffles]

Yah I guess I'll only know once I switch.
Also after reading the ingredients on her food, I notice there's alot of weird things (beetroot pulp, rosemary extract...) It could be anything :S

 

[Nancy]

Carefresh is very dusty so switching to liners is certainly worth a try.

Is there something in her cage she could be cutting herself on? What type of wheel? Does she rub her chin on things?

We have a 10 year old cat who randomly gets cuts under her chin, back of her neck and top of her head. These can happen as much as 6-8 months apart or every month. In 10 years we have yet to figure out what she is doing to herself. :lol:

 

[Immortalia]

I think you should change liners first, before changing food. Be sure you are only making one change at a time, so you can know which change helped. But right now, it just sounds like it could be the carefresh.

Also, if that doesn't work, you might want to try Natural Balance. They have limited ingredients, and most hedgies LOVE the green pea and duck. When I went to buy it, even the lady was like "awwww, you have a cat with allergies?" she was suprised when I said it was for my hedgie :lol:

 

[snuffles]

I really doubt she's cutting herself on something. Her wheel is one of the plastic ones with the metal bases, nothing sharp on it. When I take her out I'm always watching her. And it's always on the same spot on her chin which is weird. I'll change her to liners first since I was going to do it anyways.
And where do you get Natural Balance, is it a common brand or do you have to order it online?

 

[Lilysmommy]

Out of the three pet stores near me, Pet Supplies Plus, PetsMart, and PetCo, the only one that carries it is PetCo. But if you have a PetCo near you, they're nice because even if you've opened a bag of food and used some of it, you can return it within a month, with the receipt. So if your hedgie doesn't like a food, you can return it and get your money back.