Hello, I've had my hedgehog, Howie, for about five months now. He was a rescue, and I got him when he was about a year old. He's been entirely grumpy since I got him... still balls up whenever I try to hold him, talk to him, or make any sort of movement. Now, he's resorted to biting. Despite my efforts to bond with him every day using all sorts of different techniques with treats, scent, etc., I am convinced he really just doesn't want anything to do with me. Maybe this is just his personality, and I need to give up and leave him alone? Any sort of advice would help, I love my Howie to death and just want him happy, even if that means me leaving him alone.
Should I give up?
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Don't leave him alone. Don't give up. Some hedgehogs take longer, some shorter, and some may never completely come around. Even so continue to bond with him.
For his biting:
http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/foru...r/100362-so-your-hedgehog-biter-now-what.html
For his biting:
http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/foru...r/100362-so-your-hedgehog-biter-now-what.html
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It can take a year or more to bond with an older hedgehog. I have a boy I took in when he was 3 and I've had him over a year now and he still hisses and pops at me but I still handle him daily. He's been slowly getting better but only by very small steps.
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My Qwilbur is 3 and we just took him in. He is letting me hold him but does puff up. I built a huge play pen for him and he is not interested in it yet. I am prepared for whatever he will allow, on his terms. I just want him to be happy. I understand the disappointment that elklein21 must be experiencing. I say don't give up. Even if he never comes around, you know he is safe and well taken care of in a good home. He deserves to be loved and you certainly do.
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I agree with what everyone else said: don’t give up! It can take older hedgehogs a very long time to bond. Also, if he ever needs to go to the vet, it will be much easier for the vet to handle him if you are handling him regularly (even if he doesn’t seem to enjoy it). Good luck!
You are trying too hard, elklein21, just as I did when I received a hedgehog that had been inappropriately handled. Mine acted just as yours is acting. I finally decided to leave him alone while I took care of his needs and provided a nice environment for him.
He would always run and hide whenever I entered the room, burrowing down into his wood shavings and curling into a defensive ball. Then, as time went by, he slowly accepted me. He would stand and stare at me for longer periods of time before hiding. I let this go on for several weeks and then held my finger to his nose one day before he could run and hide. Each time I did this he would stay longer, licking my finger and attempting to make a meal out of it, although his teeth are so small he couldn't do any damage. I simply let him go when he wanted to end our little love fest.
Eventually, I started sliding my hand under his body, forcing him into my hand. I just let him sit there until he was ready to leave. I then would start moving him to other locations while I cleaned his cage and he gradually understood that I would not harm him in any way.
He is getting better as each month passes but I'm not going to push it. I'll let him be himself instead of forcing him to adjust too soon. I understand his fear so I'll just take it nice and slow until he realizes that I'm there to help him, not hurt him.
How long have I been working on this? Almost two years, but I wouldn't have it any other way. He's just a little pygmy hedgehog but he's my bundle of joy. One of these years he'll make the big decision and decide that he can walk all over me and play with me and not be harmed in any manner.
He would always run and hide whenever I entered the room, burrowing down into his wood shavings and curling into a defensive ball. Then, as time went by, he slowly accepted me. He would stand and stare at me for longer periods of time before hiding. I let this go on for several weeks and then held my finger to his nose one day before he could run and hide. Each time I did this he would stay longer, licking my finger and attempting to make a meal out of it, although his teeth are so small he couldn't do any damage. I simply let him go when he wanted to end our little love fest.
Eventually, I started sliding my hand under his body, forcing him into my hand. I just let him sit there until he was ready to leave. I then would start moving him to other locations while I cleaned his cage and he gradually understood that I would not harm him in any way.
He is getting better as each month passes but I'm not going to push it. I'll let him be himself instead of forcing him to adjust too soon. I understand his fear so I'll just take it nice and slow until he realizes that I'm there to help him, not hurt him.
How long have I been working on this? Almost two years, but I wouldn't have it any other way. He's just a little pygmy hedgehog but he's my bundle of joy. One of these years he'll make the big decision and decide that he can walk all over me and play with me and not be harmed in any manner.
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I'm not sure if I would recommend Sichuan's method. Sichuan, probably the reason he started licking you a lot after you left him alone for a long time is he forgot your scent and wanted to anoint with it. Basically, you started the bonding process all over again. It seems the reason he came around to you was because you kept trying to interact with him, not because you left him alone.
Elklein, please continue to handle and be around your hedgehog every day.
Elklein, please continue to handle and be around your hedgehog every day.
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AutumnFox is completely correct. The last thing you ever want to do is desocialize your hedgie. He very well may NOT decide to warm up to you after such time away.
Oh, don't give up on him! My little hedgie was the same when I first got him; he was the biggest grump always curled up on a corner of his cage, hissing and snapping every time I so much as talked to him. But slowly, after some time he warmed up to me, and he became the sweetest little thing.
Bath time was a favorite of his and it made for some excellent bonding time. What I used to do was grab him in his towel (he had his own towels that weren't washed with strong detergents, they were exclusively for his use, they had his sent) even when he was a puffed up ball of quills, give him his bath, (he liked music. so i would put on music sometimes. his favorite was Davy Jones Music Box with Rain, it's on youtube. it would always calm him down), then after his bath I would wrap him up in his towel and carry him around the house with me for a while with him close to my chest, talking to him. Sometimes I'd take him to watch tv with me.
Now, you can't bathe a hedgie everyday, so on the days I didn't bathe him, I would still grab him in his towel and take him with me to watch tv. I'd place him on my chest, and eventually he would unravel and poke his little head out, or relax enough for me to rub his quills and get my hand close for him to smell me with out him hissing.
I did this every day, grabbed him for at least 5 minutes, and as he got used to his new environment and to me he went from a grump, to the sweetest little, kiss giving, attention-seeking hedgie. Well, he was still a bit of a grump, but he was a sweet grump.
Please, don't give up on your hedgie, just give him time.
Bath time was a favorite of his and it made for some excellent bonding time. What I used to do was grab him in his towel (he had his own towels that weren't washed with strong detergents, they were exclusively for his use, they had his sent) even when he was a puffed up ball of quills, give him his bath, (he liked music. so i would put on music sometimes. his favorite was Davy Jones Music Box with Rain, it's on youtube. it would always calm him down), then after his bath I would wrap him up in his towel and carry him around the house with me for a while with him close to my chest, talking to him. Sometimes I'd take him to watch tv with me.
Now, you can't bathe a hedgie everyday, so on the days I didn't bathe him, I would still grab him in his towel and take him with me to watch tv. I'd place him on my chest, and eventually he would unravel and poke his little head out, or relax enough for me to rub his quills and get my hand close for him to smell me with out him hissing.
I did this every day, grabbed him for at least 5 minutes, and as he got used to his new environment and to me he went from a grump, to the sweetest little, kiss giving, attention-seeking hedgie. Well, he was still a bit of a grump, but he was a sweet grump.
Please, don't give up on your hedgie, just give him time.
Members so Respectful to Hedgies!!
The emotion from every one of the above is sincerely from the heart. Wonderful!!!!! I also liked the following statements from Sichuan," I'll let him be himself; he's my bundle of joy; one of these years he'll make the big decision and decide that he can walk all over me and play with me and not be harmed in any manner."
The emotion from every one of the above is sincerely from the heart. Wonderful!!!!! I also liked the following statements from Sichuan," I'll let him be himself; he's my bundle of joy; one of these years he'll make the big decision and decide that he can walk all over me and play with me and not be harmed in any manner."
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