please help! not running! less active

MarleeG · Feb 21, 2014

Hello everyone,

I know I have posted something similar to this before. But my hedgehog daisy is still not running, and not very active in general at night.

A little background on her: Daisy is 6 months old, and her cage is kept at a consistent 75-76 degrees with a consistent amount of light as well. I also make sure to trim her nails, so I know that is not the issue. About a month ago I traveled back to my house for winter break (I got to college away from home), and I brought daisy with me. While I was at my house she was running and eating fine. I would hear her up wheeling for a good portion of the night. After I brought daisy back to my apartment at school she stopped running at night. At first I thought that maybe it was just her adjusting to the travel and being back home. However that was over a month ago, and she is still not very active and does not wheel at all most nights. Some nights she will climb on her wheel long enough to go to the bathroom, and then climb off and go back to sleep.

I am really worried about her and do not know what could be causing this lack of activity. Have you ever experienced anything like this, or know what could be causing this? Thanks so much in advance!

Lilysmommy · Feb 21, 2014

Is there a window in the room her cage is in? Is there any possibility there's light coming in through that at night, even with a shade on it? Are there any noises that frequently go on at night at your apartment?

MarleeG · Feb 22, 2014

There is a window, with shades on it. However, there are no new lights outside that are shining in or anything like that. Any minimal light that comes in has always been that way :/

Annie&Tibbers · Feb 23, 2014

Try putting a blanket covering her cage tonight anyway -- sometimes hedgehogs get more techy about light at they get older.

Other reasons my tiny friend has stopped running before has been his nails are too long, the wheel is angled inappropriately, the wheel smelled funny (clean with vinegar to deoderize), and the wheel was wobbly (weigh down the base, or attach to cage).

Any chance the temperature is a bit lower than she likes?

MarleeG · Feb 23, 2014

I will definitely try covering her cage tonight and see if that helps. If that doesn't help I will try cleaning her wheel! Thanks so much!

LufaMouse · Feb 24, 2014

I'm having the same problem with my hedgehog where she gets on her wheel just to go to the bathroom and gets right off. I recently changed her heating bulb to a new type of bulb and am wondering if that's the cause. Otherwise, nothing has changed.
Let me know if you find an answer, please. Best of luck!

dog&hedgehog · Feb 25, 2014

I have noticed my boy is doing the same thing! I recently bought a bigger cage for him where I can put toys in and a tube or two. I also got him a litter box that he was using GREAT for the first week or two but then started eating his poop, not eating his soft food treat I give him each night, and not running on his wheel as much. I am so parainoid because this is my first hedgie experience and I can't stand the thought of something being wrong with my baby!

lilsurfergrlsp · Feb 25, 2014

I used to have the same problem with my girl - I tried introducing her to the wheel, she would sniff around, poop/pee, then get right off. This was at nighttime, with only a dim lamp on in her room.

I noticed she started using her wheel only when it was really dark in her room. No lights on (there aren't any windows in her room), and the door cracked just a tiny bit to let some of the light from our living room in. Then I started waking up to a messy wheel :lol:

I also tilted it just a tad to make sure she won't fall off it when she was running.

So maybe a dark room and tilted wheel would help?

please help! not running! less active

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