What's this weird pink growth around quill?

6789 Views 16 Replies 9 Participants Last post by iamdbf, Apr 4, 2009

3141

Discussion Starter · Mar 31, 2009

Hello everyone--I'm new here and new to hedgehogs.

Mine has what looks like soft pink skin
encased around a quill on his back.
It doesn't resemble an ingrown quill
as it doesn't look like a bump on the surface
of his skin, or a pimple.
It's the same exact length of his other quills
and is basically the same size, it just looks like
it's wrapped in pink--almost like a skin tag or something.

He's not a baby and is not losing quills,
he's eating sleeping and messing his cage as normal.
His bedding is fleece, but browns and greens,
but the strange quill does look like pink fleece around it.

I didn't try to remove it or pull at it,
but I did brush my thumb against the quills
surrounding it, thinking it might dislodge
if it was something just stuck in there,
but it didn't move.

I'll try to attach a photo, though I've never done that before.

Thank you for any advice and help.

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hedgieMate

· #14 · Apr 3, 2009

Since I haven't had much first-hand experience with hedgehog ailments (touch wood), I have no idea what this unusual "growth" is, and I haven't seen or heard of anything similar to this in the past 3+ years of my hedgie parenting. :?

The fact that bathing changed the colour makes me think it is attached to your hedgie's skin -maybe blood gushed into it changing the colour from pink to red? Did the colour change back to pink a few hours after the bath? My understanding is that hedgie's quills are like our hair but made up with multiple air compartments inside, so this "thing" can't be a quill if blood is gushing into it. Is it possible it's like a wart of some sort?

At any rate, I'm sorry I can't offer any answer to your question. I'm very curious as to what it is myself. Are you taking your hedgie to a vet to check this out? If so, please keep us posted on the diagnosis. I hope it's nothing serious... Good luck.

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hedgieMate

· #16 · Apr 4, 2009

3141 said:
My husband and I were wondering just what "quills" were--
it's insightful to know that they're hair.

I knew I read a good article about their quills somewhere, so I looked into my bookmark holder and found it on none other than this very Hedgehog Central website!

I'm sure you and your husband will find the article very interesting [click on the line below to view the article].

Those Amazing Quills

As for the strange-looking "pepper" growing on your hedgie's back, I would take him to a vet for close examination so that you know what it is. It may be nothing, but it could also be something that requires an immediate treatment. Leaving it may cause it to rupture and get infected. So please do consider getting veterinary attention for your little one sooner than later. Good luck with your search for a hedgie-savvy vet! (I know it's not easy...)

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