[trufflesparents]

Hi, everyone!

My husband and I after 3 years of careful considering and research got a little hedgie we named Truffle. He is the sweetest little thing, and we hope he is getting adjusted to his new home. He is 9 weeks, but we noticed two things we were concerned about:
1. Sometimes his heart rate is a little fast, and he starts to shake a little bit, and this scares me. he doesnt wobble, it is more of a forward and back motion that keeps him from walking for a few seconds, but then he carries on like normal. Food consumption and stool look good, though.
2. When he has to pee, he gets a little irritable, and then seems to get embarrased afterwards, burying his head. Does anyone else's hedgie do this?

Please help, especially #1!!

Thanks

 

[Lilysmommy]

Actually, number one sounds like he might be taking care of "male business" if you know what I mean... :lol: I don't know for sure, though, I only have a female hedgie. Maybe someone else who has males might be able to tell better if that's what it is or if it's something else.
And I've never heard of a hedgie being embarrassed about peeing, lol. Is it only when he pees on you, or is it just whenever he pees?

 

[Immortalia]

Hmmm, I'll have to agree and say that #1 seems like a "male thing" to do. Mine will just stand there, hunch his back and...ermm... move back and forth a few times, before finding me and sleeping on my pants.

Here, he's hunched over, looks almost like he's sitting:

Then, we get the "after" and he partially yawns and....well...ya... :roll:

 

[trufflesparents]

Yeah, the embarassment comes only after peeing on us... and as for the #1 thing, i have seen him do that, but this shake is a little less vigorous...and he doesnn't do the yawn after...hopefully it just means he is a little tired, not as into it!

 

[Nancy]

Babies often shake, quiver or rhythmically twitch. No clue why but they grow out of it.

 

[azyrios]

lol, if you want to be sure if its a twitch or not, after he does it pick him up and look at his "belly button". if there is a small amount of white fluid (about the tip of a pencil amount) he was prolly taking care fo business.

Some hedgehogs will lick themselves, and some will shuffle and twitch quickly rubbing themselves against the floor. Vex does it every time i take him out of that cage in the same corner.

At first i thought he was seizing, but nope. White fluid on his tummy every time. Gross i know, but it's a fact of having a male.

 

[sebian]

If you wake him up and let him hang out in his cage a little bit, he'll pee in the cage and you should be alright.. at least for a little while

My boys will hold it until they find a place to hide their heads. We've gotten very good at knowing when they have to go potty and always either put them in their litter boxes or at least put a t-shirt over them.

My girl, however, will pee and poop wherever she pleases. She could care less if she has an audience or not. She's the same way when she gets sleepy-- she'll just lay down and close her eyes, even if there's nothing covering her and all the lights are on!

As far as the shaking, babies do a lot of weird things they grow out of... I wouldn't worry about it too much, especially if it only lasts for a few seconds. As far as the yawning thing goes after it, none of my boys ever yawn (they usually head to the litter box right away :lol: ).

 

[basmati]

As Bas is a female, I cannot add anything to #1, but as far as embarassment with urinating and defecating, she is all about privacy. When I let her out to explore, I have an area set up with newspapers in a corner in addition to a large metal container that contains her food. This is her spot to go, only if she thinks I am not watching her. At bath time, once she did do both--and she was extremely embarassed. She hung her head She has never peed on me, but did poop twice, when I first got her (a year old). I've never caught her doing her business in the cage, but as the wheel is proof, she is all over that one :lol:

 

[Nancy]

I have a couple of girls that would not use a litter box but use an igloo as a potty area. I give them two igloos, one is to sleep in, the other has paper towel on the bottom for their potty. Works great. I'd try it with your girl.

 

[Mattplusness]

Man, I hope my Shredder won't be a sexual deviant..

 

[trufflesparents]

thanks everyone for your help, and by the way, our math was wrong! we double checked truffle's b-day, and he was born Jan 4th. The breeder gave him to us a little younger than expected, so now that i know how little my little boy is, i will try to worry less...first time mommy...typical!

 

[basmati]

Thanks for the advice Nancy. Reading these threads is a fantastic way to learn . I don't think I would want to add another female to Bas' cage. I brought home a new door mat last night. Bas rarely balls up (once or twice over the two months I've had her), and last night, I caught her all balled wandering around the mat, super-sized, and she proceeded to attack it, biting it, a grip lock as I've read described by others here. I expected her to self-annoint, but no, she kept on attacking the mat.... I petted her, she relaxed, and she decided the mat could stay. I have not read anything about territorial behavior, but I think she is queen bee here. Has anyone ever experience this?
Thanks.