[abbys]

For the past 6 weeks Piglet has been sleeping in the corner next to his wheel (half on the base of the wheel, half on the floor of the cage) and I'm worried something is wrong.

- I stopped using vinegar when I washed his pouch and liners to see if he was just smelling that and didn't like it.
- I thought it could be that he was uncomfortable with the summer heat because his cage temp was sitting around 77 degrees. Over the course of a week I slowly lowered the temp to 74.5 - 75.5.

His activity level/food/water are all normal as far as I can tell. This past week I've noticed that he's started moving his food bowl and pouch around the cage, which he's never done before. Could he be agitated or just bored? I'm worried that he's sick and I'm just missing the signs.

Even with anti-pill fleece, have you ever known a hedgehog to suddenly stop using their pouch because the fleece isn't as soft as it used to be from normal wear and tear?

I want to get this igloo to see if that would help. Will the Medium size be big enough?
http://www.petco.com/product/9190/Petco-Small-Animal-Igloo-Hideaways.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

 

[Annie&Tibbers]

My hedgehog goes through brief spurts of "camping" around his cage, abandoning his pigloo in favour of sleep-sacks, his sacks in favour of liner-diving, and everything in favour of a bare, cold, hard tube. I was worried about it (sudden-onset camping?!), then he just as suddenly started using his pigloo again during the peak of a local heat-wave. Several weeks later, he started yanking all his bedding out of his pigloo to camp directly beside it, and today I woke up to find him liner-diving under his wheel.

So, no idea if it's normal hedgehog-behaviour, if he's taking a summer vacation, or what, but this weird-sleeping has been ongoing for about 2 months now. During the heat wave he had brief spurt where he boycotted his wheel, which had me totally freaked, but he's started wheeling again now, so... uh, I hope everything is fine?

Not particularly useful beyond, "Piglet is not the only one."

 

[abbys]

Not particularly useful beyond, "Piglet is not the only one."

That's just about the most useful thing you could say, actually. Knowing other hedgehogs do some of the same things he does is incredibly reassuring!

It's just so sad seeing him curled up on an uncomfortable, hard surface (he's halfway on the baseboard of his wheel and half on the fleece liner). I want him to be soft, warm and cozy 24/7!!

 

[cavalcante]

To add to the "Piglet is not the only one", Francisco likes to dump his sleeping bag and sleep by his wheel on occasion too. I think he he gets paranoid that I might take his wheel away again and he wants to guard it. Or just gets so tired that he plops down wherever he is!

Plus you say he is eating, drinking and pooping. A good sign in all healthy animals!

 

[abbys]

That's good to hear, cavalcante! I just don't get it. If he did it for a couple weeks I'd think it was just a phase, but 6 weeks later I can't help but think he's unhappy with his current setup.

I've washed his fleece pouches so many times that they're a little rough, so maybe I'll make His Highness some new ones from fresh, soft fleece and see if that makes a difference.

 

[cavalcante]

It might! You never know what goes through these little guys' heads! Plus, it's an excuse to buy cute new fleece!

 

[cavalcante]

Any luck with the new fleece? I'm curious to know if he gave up his snuggle sack strike!

 

[abbys]

Any luck with the new fleece? I'm curious to know if he gave up his snuggle sack strike!

Well...it's been a rough week and I haven't been able to get around to it yet. :-? I'm gonna try to get at least one done this weekend.

He still starts the night out sleeping in the corner, and he's back to his pouch during the day. Although now he's started to just sleep under the pouch... He's such a booger.

 

[Mel_W]

Ever since I upgraded my hedgie's cage it seems she is trying out everywhere to find the most comfortable area to sleep. For the past 2 nights she started sleeping behind her wheel. Maybe Piglet finds it comfortable sleeping by his wheel so he can have a quicker access to it.

 

[verucacherry]

you're definitely not the only one. Sometimes I find P.B.'s castle or sleep sack moved halfway across her cage. Apparently, she's a better interior designer than I am.

 

[Tom]

I want to get this igloo to see if that would help. Will the Medium size be big enough?
http://www.petco.com/product/9190/Petco-Small-Animal-Igloo-Hideaways.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

That size is good. The Large is pretty huge and is mainly for one or two guinea pigs.

 

[Stellara]

I would definitely try the igloo. I've had two hedgehogs who will get sick of the sleeping bags and then rotate between them and the igloo. I believe I use the medium and that is the standard size for hedgies unless I'm mistaken. It must be because I always get the second largest size at the store and it's definitely not the small or XL so it's gotta be the medium.
I usually end up leaving the igloo and a sleeping bag in the cage and a lot of mine will prefer the igloo with bedding in it or will rotate as I mentioned before. My current boy NEVER uses his sleeping bag so he always has his igloo and one of the tubes I made him. Basically I'll see what they like at the beginning, but then offer at least two separate areas in their cage pretty much all of the time.
I have had hedgies that did sleep in odd places when they weren't completely satisfied with a sleeping area I provided, which is why I ended up letting them choose after time. It seems to help if you let them be the boss of their sleeping quarters