[emilymartin]

My hedgie is about 2.5 years old. He fell into hibernation because of the climate change, his cage is moved from where it was. But since he woke up from it, he hasn't ate or drank by himself. He can't walk. He's like a tripod, only using 3 feet. The other leg that he isn't using moves, but it's like he doesn't want to use it. But when I touch it, it's very tense and it isn't hurting him. But again, it CAN move he tries to use it. I couldn't get him to eat his normal cat food so I feed him baby food through a syringe and have to give him water. He just started to eat a few pieces of baby food which is a step, but only if I PUT him in the dish or else he can't get to it. He won't get up and get food or water! It's been about 2 weeks since all this has happened, he's definitely gotten better, but still not walking.
Now today while feeding him, I noticed that one of his sides looked somewhat swollen and wet. I touched the quills in that area and they all just fell out. In just ONE food session, he lost about 20 or more quills in that one spot. Once all the quills fell out, the area was completely bare and I could see the irritated skin clearly. It's completely raw and looks like an open wound. The area is wet (assume it's pus) There is also sticky brown stuff on the ends of the quills that fell off of him. It's gooey where the quills and skin were once attached. It also has a weird stench. Because he cannot get up, his urine sits on his side. I wondered if his urine caused him to have a skin reaction...
So he cannot walk to eat or drink, an open looking wound on his side which has no quills on the area. Please help. I have never taken him to the vet, but I did call. They said it sounds like a vitamin deficiency?
PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[MomLady]

He needs to see a vet, there is just too much going on there for us to help. And it's been going on for way too long. It's good that he's eating again. Keep syringing food and water.

What is the temperature in the cage? You need a thermometer so you know the exact temperature.
In the meantime, try putting a few pieces of kibble in his "house" with him and see if he will eat it there.
Try to keep him as dry as possible.
Hopefully others will be around to give you more advice, but he really needs to get to a vet ASAP.

 

[Lilysmommy]

Get him to a vet. Make sure they're experienced with hedgehogs, or at least exotics and/or "pocket pets" like guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, etc. The skin issues sound like possible urine burns, skin infection, or both. The vet will need to diagnose it and give you medication or a treatment plan for it. There's many things that could be going on with his leg. Agreed with MomLady - put food in his bed with him. Baby food is good for short-term syringing, but while he's so sick, it'd be better to use something that's more balanced, such as a high quality canned cat food or crush up his regular kibble into dust & add water. When you go to the vet's, ask for Hills A/D, it's meant for syringing to sick animals. And as MomLady said, make sure he's staying warm.

Edit: Just want to say that I honestly highly doubt that it would be a vitamin deficiency if he's on a balanced cat kibble. Heck, any commercially sold hedgehog or cat food should at least be balanced well enough with vitamins/minerals that I doubt his issues are all from a deficiency. Just saying that because I want to make sure the vet you go to actually takes a good look at your little guy & does the necessary tests. I don't want this to be another situation where the vet writes it off as a deficiency & just sends you away with a multivitamin & nothing else. Who knows, I suppose there's a chance it could be - but make sure they actually do the necessary tests or explain why they think it's that & rule out other possibilities as well.

 

[nikki]

When he tried to hibernate how did you warm him up? Did you use any kind of heating pad or hand warmers? If so was he laying on the side that's losing the quills?