[NoisyCottage]

Okay weird question but I took Chester out tonight and he didn't want to move around and has been less active the last two days.
Tonight he started to walk and then stopped and it looked like he was thrusting forward with his under body. At one point he tucked his head down like a goat getting ready to pee on himself and then he leaned further down as if he were tucking but more like a goat peeing on his head and promptly fell over backwards and then flipped over and started to walk but then he paused and started the "humping" motion again.
I am a little worried about this and was wondering whether any other hedgehog owners out there recognize this behavior.
After about 5 minutes he started running around just fine but now I am worried. He has been lying down in his cage a lot and took one night off from his wheel on Saturday and then didn't do much but definitely some last night on his wheel.
Should I be worried?

 

[NoisyCottage]

Re: Do Hedghogs Hump? Should I be worried about this?

I want to add that it was a little like he was doing a careful dance (roboto style 80's dance) after he fell over and right before it-- or like being frozen and moving kind of jerky and cautiously and his quills were up a bit too and then he was fine and running around. I totally jumped up and thought he was having a seizure and then he stopped and ran around and then hid under the couch.

 

[LizardGirl]

Re: Do Hedghogs Hump? Should I be worried about this?

Do hedgehogs hump? Yes they do. Should you be worried? Nope. Males like to masturbate and a lot of them are not picky about who sees them.

 

[thelostsock]

Re: Do Hedghogs Hump? Should I be worried about this?

You might need to get used to it too. My Billa does this on a nightly basis during our bonding time :roll:
As much as I think it is ewwey, if that is his natural thing I just let him go to his business.

 

[NoisyCottage]

Re: Do Hedghogs Hump? Should I be worried about this?

These replies are such a relief-- I thought he was having a stroke or something. I did have a dog once who would "hump" the air while she walked and it was a very odd sight but that is exactly what Chester looked like he was doing but when he was all freezy and falling over I was scared All I could think was that he was having a seizure or a stroke and I couldn't do anything about it.
Now, I find he is just an "active" adolescent LOL. He is about 4 1/2 months old now.

 

[krbshappy71]

Re: Do Hedghogs Hump? Should I be worried about this?

This made me laugh!! I am glad you wrote, I have two males and it never crossed my mind that they would do so. Good to know if it happens at our house at least I will know what is going on.

 

[gyaku]

Re: Do Hedghogs Hump? Should I be worried about this?

Well I have yet to see Sonic do that, though I think I might laugh my head off watching it... I don't know, mine is a wheelaholic, who now has been grounded from his wheel (only cause he ran his feet down to bleeding, and hasn't eaten for a day or so... So right now he has no wheel, till tomorrow noon... Hopefully he remembers to eat... He does remember to take some water everynow and then, but not his food. When I hand feed him however he eats it like there is no tomorrow. "Must eat tastey food XD. Oh food gimme gimme XD!"

 

[Immortalia]

Re: Do Hedghogs Hump? Should I be worried about this?

Hehe I actually have pictures of my boy. Actually, if you do a quick search on here, you can see LG's Inky giving the couch some lovings :lol:

I forgot who it was, but someone on here...Their hedgie has beanie babies in his cage, and there are days when the toys get...sticky and need to be cleaned. :lol:

Ah the joys of owning boys ^_^

 

[hedgielover]

Re: Do Hedghogs Hump? Should I be worried about this?

LOL my boy loves sitting on his bum/back with his tummy in the air and licks the base of his (um) "belly button". It's very pleasent when he does it on my lap :shock: and hilarious when he did it on Daddy's lap :lol:

The first time I saw him doing it I thought that one of his legs was broken because all I saw was a very long, very red, misshapen limb (sorry if that is too graphic for the HHC, someone let me know if it is and I will take it out).

 

[NoisyCottage]

Re: Do Hedghogs Hump? Should I be worried about this?

I am laughing my butt off!
Chester totally leaned into his "belly button" while he was walking-- like he was trying to masturbate and walk at the same time. When he leaned really far in to his "belly button" area, he totally fell over backwards.
I am so glad I am not alone. I was in such a panic thinking it was WHS or a stroke LOL

 

[krbshappy71]

You are all TOO funny!

Wow, I'm concerned about the poor little wheel-runner, is that common with hedgehogs to get obsessive like that?

 

[zamxonk]

My seven-week-old has started doing this in front of me! He doesn't go all the way, just...every once in a while as he is walking he'll make a couple humping motions, then go back to doing what he's doing. A few minutes later, some more hump-walking, then back to sniffing the blanket. I think I'd almost prefer if he'd just go to town, then I would know for sure and wouldn't worry that he has some kind of hip problem or neurological disease!

 

[Kelcey]

Shamus has started doing this ! Four months must be an average time to start this. I was not sure what he was doing.

 

[Annie&Tibbers]

My small friend prefers to wait until he's snuggled in my hands. Not my lap, not someone else's hands, no where else unless he's totally alone. It's bonding time, right? sigh

 

[Sonics1AndOnlyGirl]

I see Sonic do it every night. I'll see him tuck his head under and thrust. He also makes licking sounds and sometimes he'll hiss. It's kinda strange but it's just natural.

 

[Sugargliderlove]

Sonic doesn't care who sees him have his "boy time". I swear he knows that Sprinkles is in the cage above him when her cage was above him, but now his cage above her now. When their cages were next to each other he would do his "boy time" more then he normally does. It is not unusual for males to have their boy time and they dont care who sees them