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Help! New 2 yr Old Hedgy with BIG Attitude Problem

4844 Views 27 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  hedgielover, 
T
Hey everyone,

I just recently aquired a 2-3 year old hedgy from a family who could no longer give her the love and attention she needs due to their daughter going off to university for the year.
They say she is a little grumpy but it wasn't that big of a deal. Upon our first meeting the hedgy bit me and my boyfriend. The family was shocked and said the hedgy had never ever bit anyone. Where they lying? I don't think so. So I take her home anyways, hoping she'll warm up to me once she gets to know my smell. I've had her 5 days and I have not been able to get her out of my cage. She tries to bit, and quils out and huffs when I stick my hand in the cage or try to pet her. I read about putting a shirt of mine in her cage with her so I did that. She immediately attacked it - biting it, and taking it into her hut with her. Why is this? Is it something about how I smell? I don't wear much perfumated body products so it wouldn't be that. I need help on how to deal with this problem. I know she needs to be let out of her cage but I just have had no luck doing it. I thought about taking her to the SPCA but I think I'm going to stick with it for a while. And well, she's just so darn gosh cute.

Hopefully some of you friendly hedgy folk can help me.
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T
Also,
I put my boyfriends sock in there and she sniffed it and walked away... what does that mean?
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T
Thanks for your reply!

It may be my smell, my hedgie may be even more-so sensitive to smells. I'm not sure. Though, she didn't seem interested at all in my boyfriends sock. Just my shirt. (I also tried 2 different shirts - same thing.)

I'd let her out of her cage and let her climb on me, but I have this sneaking suspision she'll just start licking and biting.. but I'll try it first before I assume anything.

I'd really appreciate some replies as well :)

Thanks again! I'll try a new soap I think (unscented)
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T
Hi there,

Quilbert is an adorable name!

Anyways, the thing is when I went there I only talked to the daughter. It was her I spoke to most as it was her pet. She was upfront telling me the hedgie had a bit of a tude, but never bit her. She let me know she had a bit of an edge. She seemed like she gave her the attention she needed and made her a little sock out of flannel pants the hedgie could even crawl into. So I don't think she'd be the cause of the problem. The daughter seemed trustworthy, close in age with me, university student.. so I really don't think she would purposely lie but.. I mean who knows really. They seemed like a pet loving family at least. (had chickens, cats, a barn etc).

Its my goal tonight to get her out of her cage and to interact with her, so we'll see how that goes. She's been with my shirt all day and last night so hopefully that helps a bit.
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T
Hey guys,

So I went home after work and attempted to get her out her cage. I used this little sock thing made out of flannel plants that she likes to pick her up.... I was not entirely successful but it was the closet to getting her out I've ever been.

So here's the low-down: I actually had a good enough grasp on her (I don't mean tightly or anything but like, enough to pick her out of her cage which is something I hadn't been able to do until now) and I almost got her but she kept wheefing and poofing out which sort of scared me so anyway she rolled into a ball and I stopped.

I waited for her to unball and I tried again and I was unsuccessful. I've now left her alone as I wasnt sure if it was right to just keep frightening her for sake of getting her out...

Should I keep trying or maybe try tomorrow night once she's awake and out of sleepy mode?
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T
Oh and neither me nor my boyfriend smoke.
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T
Wow thanks Immortalia.. that truly seems like the best bet for me and my hedgie harriet. Thats probably the most perfect idea thanks! I'm going to bunch up a blanket for her in her cage.
I think she'd prefer that to the solution we have right now haha which is currently scaring us both!!
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T
Hey thanks!

I'm using shavings as a bedding. I tried using the shavings but again I was just.. a failure haha! I'm definitely going to try the blanket idea when I get home. I'm going to get some worms as well and probably feed her out of a dish like you said. I'd rather keep her away from biting my hands :p. I'll let you guys know how it goes.
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T
So I tried to put a blanket in her cage and she totally rejected the idea. She refused to go back in her hut. I put the blanket over the shavings and then hut on top. She wanted none of it. She burrowed under the blanket..(I wanted her on top so I could carry her out when I needed to) So I took the blanket out and covered it with shavings then put the hut ontop of that. She didn't want that either and refused to go back into her hut. I now have it kinda bunched in the corner for her to get used to the smell.

She is now burrowed somewhat into the shavings :(
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T
I'll try scooping her up.
I have a question:

Is it completely necessary and important that you handle the hedgy every single day?
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T
Is it okay to pick her up if her face is covered?
Ill cover her with a blanket but I don't want to petrify the little thing.
I'll try that anyway though

Thanks guys!
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T
Well I got her out!

I used the towel technique and got her out of her cage with ease. Once out of her cage I had a towel waiting on the floor for her to crawl around. She bit the towel profusely. I tried blowing air in her face like you guys said to if she tried to bite but she just seemed immune to it. Anyways, she walked around a bit sniffing everything, and ate a little bit. I managed to pat her a few times but most of the time when I touched her she just huffed and poofed her quills out. I daringly put her on my lap that I covered with a towel (I'm 100% sure she'd bite me if I didn't have it) and she basically panicked and flopped off my lap. (Bad eyesight of course) Anyway, tomorrow I'm going to get some worms and possibly take her outside weather permitting. :D
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T
Wow! So I took her outside and it went swimmingly! She explored and barely bit the towel I laid out for her, I picked her up and held her. (With the towel). She seemed surprisingly calm outside. Honestly, I thought it was going to be a recipe for disaster. I am now so much more confident with picking her up and letting her out of her cage.

There's only one thing: Is eating grass bad for hedgies? She chewed it a bit, and got a bit of green grass stuff in her mouth but after that I didn't let her bite it anymore. I'd just pick her up and move her on the towel if she looked like she was about to chew it again.
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