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Two weeks ago, I bought Lulu from someone on Craigslist who said she didn't have time for a pet anymore. Lulu was described as a 2 year old white male hedgehog who hadn't been handled much recently and might be shy. She came with a 10 gallon glass tank and was eating "whatever cat food was on sale". I met the seller in a parking lot, and when I asked questions about the hedgehog, the seller and her mother would start arguing about which hedgehog did what.
The first few days, Lulu was nothing but a smelly ball of spikes. I replaced her cedar bedding with aspen, and bought some diet cat food, along with some fruits and veggies and baby food, and a pvc pipe for her to hide in. I started holding her for about an hour a day even though she wouldn't unroll. Now she will let me pick her up without rolling into a ball. I've given her two baths and she let me trim her nails, some of which were badly overgrown, to the point that I couldn't trim them as short as they should be and will have to wait for the quick to recede so I can trim them shorter. I was also able to look at her underside and she's definitely a girl.
I have a couple of questions, though. Is there some way to determine how old she might be? The previous owner said that she was 2 years old, but since the girl also said Lulu was a boy, and white, she might have gotten the age wrong too. Lulu seems quite small.
Also, I almost never find poop in Lulu's home (upgraded to a 120 quart clear plastic tub). Sometimes she'll poop while I'm holding her and then she's very interested in smelling it. Is it possible that she's eating her poop, and would that indicate a nutrient that she needs and isn't getting?
The first few days, Lulu was nothing but a smelly ball of spikes. I replaced her cedar bedding with aspen, and bought some diet cat food, along with some fruits and veggies and baby food, and a pvc pipe for her to hide in. I started holding her for about an hour a day even though she wouldn't unroll. Now she will let me pick her up without rolling into a ball. I've given her two baths and she let me trim her nails, some of which were badly overgrown, to the point that I couldn't trim them as short as they should be and will have to wait for the quick to recede so I can trim them shorter. I was also able to look at her underside and she's definitely a girl.
I have a couple of questions, though. Is there some way to determine how old she might be? The previous owner said that she was 2 years old, but since the girl also said Lulu was a boy, and white, she might have gotten the age wrong too. Lulu seems quite small.
Also, I almost never find poop in Lulu's home (upgraded to a 120 quart clear plastic tub). Sometimes she'll poop while I'm holding her and then she's very interested in smelling it. Is it possible that she's eating her poop, and would that indicate a nutrient that she needs and isn't getting?
