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Charley is quilling!

1178 Views 4 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  shetland, 
Alastrina
>_>

He's been dropping quills left and right, and today I gave him a bath and noticed TONS of teeny tips of quills poking out of his skin! He's being a total lovey today too...can't get enough of me holding him and petting him...

I don't see any bald spots or anything, and he hasn't been scratching or anything that I can see...just as if he's growing in some new "hair"...

Does he need anything special while quilling (diet-wise)? Or just lots of love and understanding?

Are there any obvious age indicators for hedgies? I bet the pet store didn't really know how old he was (it would be easy to mistake >12mos for a year+ if you didn't know...?).

Kinda worried now...poor baby...

~Katie
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LizardGirl
Just be very gentle and understanding about the pain he's going through. :) Avoid petting his back, be patient because he will probably be more grumpy, and oatmeal baths are often soothing if his back is really bothering him.

Hopefully he'll cope well for you!
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Alastrina
So far I think he's being a real trooper; he's had a few oil baths (punctured a flax seed oil capsule and squirted it in the bath water) to help with his dry skin, and I've switched him to liners so he now has a big pile of fleece strips to sleep in instead of that pokey wood-shaving bedding.

I've read that a normal quilling can last from a week to a month on average, is this true for those hedgies who go through a quilling at a year of age as well? I'm checking his back every other night to see how things are going, and new quills are still coming in.

~Katie
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LizardGirl
Some hedgies don't go through quilling at 1 year, some do. I've heard that if they do it's pretty light and they only lose a few quills over a brief period of time. I'm not sure if that time would be for losing extra baby quills, or growing in more adult quills. I haven't read much info on it. :roll:
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S
Aw I'm so glad little Charley is doing well. He is so cute! Isn't it time for us to see some new pictures??? Heeeeeeeeeeeeee
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