[Ash88]

My boyfriend and I got our first heggie 2 weeks ago (and from what we believe from the guy we bought her from, she is over a month old).

We did research before we got her, and were aware that hedgehogs are nocturnal. After reading a few posts on here that some people leave their heggies to sleep during the day, and socialize at night with them before they go to bed...... but our problem, is that she sleeps the entire day AND night - and when she does wake up, it is after 1am and she is active during the early morning, and by the time we get up for work {which is about 8am} she is fast asleep again. If she gets woken up during the day, she hisses and spikes up.
So how are we going to get her use to us and trust us, when the times conflict completely ????

 

[Nancy]

Get her in a routine by getting her up at a time in the evening that you find convenient and that she seems comfortable with. Some hedgies do best the later in the evening it is, but I get my gang up starting at 7:30. Some of them are much better at 9 than at 7:30 though. Often getting them in a routine in the evening helps as they know what to expect. Being grumpy when woken up is quite normal. Try giving her bed a little wiggle 5 and talk to her for a few minutes before you reach in to get her up.

 

[Ash88]

Great, thanks!

As we are still very new to this, we are learning as we go.... and we have noticed that she quilling - does this have any impact on their sleeping habits, eating, mood, activity level, etc?

 

[Hedgiepets]

Yes, Quilling can have an impact on her, especially causing her to be grumpy.

 

[Zalea]

Babies sleep A LOT. I thought mine would never be awake at the same time I was, but he's gotten into the habit of getting up around 10:30-11 on his own now after he's gotten a little older. So don't be discouraged if it seems like she's never awake when you are. The spiking and huffing is probably because she's still not quite used to you--and the fact that she is quilling is also a big player in that. It's painful for them when new quills are poking through the skin. You can try giving her a bath using Aveeno oatmeal to help with that. (If you search "Quilling" or "bathing" on the forum here you're sure to turn up more information about that if you have questions.) Just be patient with her and follow Nancy's tip, and most likely you'll see improvement in a week or two. Congratulations on the new hedgie.

 

[Ash88]

Thanks... much appreciated for the advice!

How long {roughly} do they quill for? And right now, I don't think trying to give her a bath would be the best idea - she is a feisty little one! haha :lol:

 

[Gnarly]

How long quilling lasts depends on each individual hedgehog. Some lose all their quills quickly, these guys (from my experience) tend to have super grumpy days when their new quills are coming in all at once. Other hedgehogs will quill over a month or two, and some hedgehogs can quill for a few months.
One of my girls quilled for four months :shock:

 

[Ash88]

Wow! :shock: hehe... then is tempting to try and bath them during this time a bit "risky"?

 

[Melissa]

Wow! :shock: hehe... then is tempting to try and bath them during this time a bit "risky"?

During quilling is the better time to bathe them. The slightly warm water and the oatmeal bath soothes their skin.. Its probably the best thing you can do for her right now..

 

[Zalea]

Bathing actually helps them relax. They don't ball up when in water, so odds are you're actually less likely to get poked (although I can't say anything about bitten if your hedgie is a biter ). Mine won't ball up for at least five minutes after getting out of a bath. When I picked him up from the breeder, he'd just had a bath and she was trying to show me how he was quilling but he wouldn't ball up at all because he loves those baths.

For a full bath during quilling:
Use Aveeno Oatmeal bath (some people buy the shampoo, I just bought a packet of the powder you mix into the water for while mine was quilling). Put 1-2 inches of WARM (not too hot or too cold, be SURE you check it to be sure before putting hedgie in) water in a sink or the tub (or in a foot pan type container...basically anything that holds water and won't hurt hedgie). Put the hedgie in, give him/her a few seconds to figure out what's going on and play around, then take a cup and gently pour water over their back. Be sure not to pour it over the face or too close to the visor quills. Do that a couple of times then just let the hedgie walk around for minute or two, then take them out and dry them off with a towel. Be sure the hedgie is dried COMPLETELY before you put them back in the cage. This is a great time for snuggle attempts.

The oatmeal is soothing for the skin and helps the new quills come through. But don't do it every day, just maybe once or twice a week during quilling, because hedgies get dry skin really easily from too much bathing.

*edit* Here is a post Nancy made about bathing. It's got great info, you should check it out.
http://hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=74&p=210
*/edit*

 

[Ash88]

During quilling is the better time to bathe them. The slightly warm water and the oatmeal bath soothes their skin.. Its probably the best thing you can do for her right now..

I believe that olive oil also helps does the trick....? Or is oatmeal the best option?

 

[Melissa]

Oatmeal seems to be the best for quilling. You can get some Vitamin E and put it on after a nice bath.

I use olive oil for when they are not quilling and have really dry skin(with no cause).