Still a huffy hedgehog nearlly a year on?

[Stella1234]

Hi, I don't know if anyone can help me but I have an African Pygmy hedgehog and he is still very unsociable, huffy and jumpy nearlly a year on after getting him. I bought him in April 2010 and I have bought him many toys - ball, wheel, pen and other things 2 amuse him. I get him out every night for at least half hour and have tried 2 play with him aswell as leave him 2 his own devices but still he seems distressed. I have read about leaving items of clothing in the cage 2 get him used 2 my scent and loads of other stuff but he is still incredibly jumpy (even my vet said he is the jumpiest hedgehog he has ever seen) he still anoints on me and quite often bites me. I was expecting it to take a while but think this is maybe longer than i anticipated. Does anyone have any other advice they can give me 2 help us getting along better! I love my baby freddy but get the feeling it's not quite mutual.

 

[Nancy]

Some of them are just overly sensitive to their environment. Have you tried leaving a radio on near his cage 24/7? Sometimes the different sounds, voices and music helps them get a bit more used to things.

Annointing on you is totally normal and a good sign. What are the circumstances of his biting?

 

[Stella1234]

Thanks Nancy. I haven't tried the radio but definately will. The annointing doesn't bother me as I think it's quite sweet, but just thought that was 4 new smells etc and thought the fact he does it all the time is like he doesn't recognise me or something. As 4 the biting, it's just random. I could b picking him up, moving him or just simply have my hand lying next 2 him. I always make sure my hands are clean 2 so they don't smell of food. Do you think his behaviour could be because his handling as a baby wasn't as good as what it should have been?

 

[Nancy]

It is hard to say if his shyness is lack of handling or if it is just his personality. Like shy people, some are just born shy.

Do you offer him something to eat when you get him up? Often they are hungry and giving him a treat will not only help in bonding but may help his biting if hunger might happen to be the reason. Is it a hard bite or just a little nip? If it's a nip, he is possibly trying to tell you something such as let me down, I'm hungry, gotta poop or he wants to chew.

Some of them have particular likes of what they chew and annoint over. Many love the neck or armpit area of our t-shirts. Some like sweat pants. I've had many that each evening would spend as much time chewing and annointing over my t-shirt as I allowed. :hilarious:

 

[Kalandra]

When he bites, does he act overly interested in the area. Does he lick at it first? I know you said you wash your hands, but sometimes soap will leave a lingering odor that our hedgehogs may find interesting. Lotions, perfume, deodorants, cigarettes, etc can leave behind smells for a long time and may make our hedgehogs want to taste it.

 

[menagerie]

To get lingering scents off your hands, "wash" them under warm running water with a metal spoon. It will remove the most stubborn smell, even gasoline. You can get special stainless steel gizmos shaped like bars of "soap" but any metal utensil will work the same.