Despite your best efforts with the rheostat, it sounds like it's just getting too cold for her. If she's cool/cold to the touch, she needs to be warmed up and carefully monitored to watch for hibernation (a bad thing... it leaves her open to illness; she could die from it if left too long). It's likely the reason she's less active & not eating is because she's too cold.
I would look at a different heating set up: use a thermostat instead of a rheostat. It will be more able to precisely control the temperature in her cage.
Also consider the amount of light she is getting - as the days grow colder and shorter, she may need a bit of a boost to help forestall hibernation. What's worked out best for me is setting up a light on a timer... that way I know she has a regular schedule and a good number of hours of light.
I know it's too late now, but I found a great solution for syringing medicines... I talked to the pharmacist at a compounding pharmacy about my problem syringing my hedgie meds. At first, she thought I was joking, but I came in with her meds and a pic on my phone. The pharmacist gave me an oral syringe full of roasted chicken flavoring. I put a tiny, tiny bit of the flavoring on the tip of the medicine syringe and my hedgie was all over it, sucking and gobbling the meds without anointing. Anyhoo... if yours ever needs meds again, check out a compounding pharmacy.
I would look at a different heating set up: use a thermostat instead of a rheostat. It will be more able to precisely control the temperature in her cage.
Also consider the amount of light she is getting - as the days grow colder and shorter, she may need a bit of a boost to help forestall hibernation. What's worked out best for me is setting up a light on a timer... that way I know she has a regular schedule and a good number of hours of light.
I know it's too late now, but I found a great solution for syringing medicines... I talked to the pharmacist at a compounding pharmacy about my problem syringing my hedgie meds. At first, she thought I was joking, but I came in with her meds and a pic on my phone. The pharmacist gave me an oral syringe full of roasted chicken flavoring. I put a tiny, tiny bit of the flavoring on the tip of the medicine syringe and my hedgie was all over it, sucking and gobbling the meds without anointing. Anyhoo... if yours ever needs meds again, check out a compounding pharmacy.
