[thelostsock]

My Hedgums is a very, ahem, active boy.

I know that he should only get a bath once a month or so except for foot baths but I notice that about once a week or so he has clumps of dried boy juices (I am sure most of you know what I mean) in the fur on his belly. I have tried washing it out, brushing it out with an extra soft toothbrush and gently trying to remove it with my finger nails but none of these work without me hurting his skin (when I notice it becoming slightly raw or inflamed I stop, I don't want to hurt him). I don't know what to do at this point, I have considered cutting it out with a pair of small baby nail sissors but he is so squirmy that there is no way it could happen. Last night I got one clump out but it did tear a ever so small part of his skin (I rubbed regular pollysporin on it when I was done and kept him snuggling with me for over an hour after... I don't want him to get poops or urine in it). I don't want to tear his skin again.

Is there any advice out there for me?

 

[knitfreak]

I would make the water a little higher than a footbath so his belly hits the water as well. Usually the dry skin issue is on their back, the belly skin doesn't seem to dry out as much?

That being said, does it seem like the boy stuff is iiritating the skin? If not, maybe leave it and only clean it once a week with a belly/foot bath. My guy gets this too and I leave it as it doesn't seem to be doing any harm. If you're picking enough to hurt his skin then I think that would be more damaging. Also, now he has a wound where he might accumulate more mess, so that could be a bit worse.

Let us know if the belly baths help, but I would only try that when the wound heals. Until then I would just leave it unless it seems to be causing a health problem.

 

[Nancy]

:lol: :lol: I have boys that constantly have hard little chunks on their chest. I've also had ones that would pull/chew it off and create sores on their chest from doing so. It is just about impossible to wash off once dry. I have resorted to cutting it off and it is not an easy task. On occasion I've had luck with putting a bit of vasaline or flax oil on the chunk and it softens enough to pull off.

 

[hedgielover]

Quigley is also quite active (yay for boys!) and he insists on doing it while sitting in my lap so he usually gets it on whatever blanket he is curled up in.

What if you gave him a foot/belly bath with some flax seed oil in it. that way it would loosen more like Nancy said and you could combat any dry skin.

That being said, does it seem like the boy stuff is iiritating the skin? If not, maybe leave it and only clean it once a week with a belly/foot bath. My guy gets this too and I leave it as it doesn't seem to be doing any harm. If you're picking enough to hurt his skin then I think that would be more damaging. Also, now he has a wound where he might accumulate more mess, so that could be a bit worse.

I would think that clumps would cause skin problems because there would be no air getting to the skin underneath the clump and there would be a build up of oils and bacteria. My Mom's cat has really bad matting in her fur and this sometimes causes skin irritation. That's just fur no boy juices. I cut them out with the cat but wouldn't try it with a hedgehog I'd be too worried about nicking the skin.

 

[amanda]

My boy gets it up on his face!! :shock: Boys are kinds gross sometimes.

 

[Nancy]

My boy gets it up on his face!! :shock: Boys are kinds gross sometimes.

hee hee, yeah, some of mine too.

 

[Immortalia]

Wow...I sure am glad I have a clean boy lol

Though if my boy did get his belly matted, I'd be tempted to use some sort of hair detangler(like what I would use for my horse :lol: ). I have stuff that makes hair very slippery and shiny(makes my life easier when trying to brush out my horse's tail), I'll have to take a look at it to see if it's safe, if my boy ever gets himself dirty like that.

 

[amanda]

hee hee, yeah, some of mine too.

I'm glad I'm not the only one!!! :roll: Rodney is a silly boy!!

 

[Shelbys Mom]

hee hee, yeah, some of mine too.

I'm glad I'm not the only one!!! :roll: Rodney is a silly boy!!

hee hee nope your not the only one!
My Little Vander is quite the messy little feller.
He gets it on his face, his tummy, his blankies, MY blankie :? the floor his paws.. uh well you get the idea...he's quite "active" lol :lol: