Mites or Stress?

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Hammie

Well-known member
Joined
May 27, 2011
Messages
175
Location
Illinois
From what I've read, stress can cause mite outbreaks to go from 0-60 and can also cause quilling. How do I know the difference? One of my guys is quilling like crazy and both are itchy. We just had an cage change, so I know stress is a factor. I've never had to deal with mites or really stress quilling to any worrysome degree. I've made an appointment with a vet but they couldn't get me in for 2 days. Also, one of my guys' health is declining anyway, as he's nearly 5, so I really don't want to put him through a vet visit if I don't have to especially if it's stress to begin with. Any suggestions on telling the difference?

Note: we are a fleece family, so no shavings here!
 
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Sorry it's mites. Hopefully, you can get your hands on some Revolution quickly and get him the relief he needs.
 
Hi! My name is Isabella and I just wanted to post my story. I just got done taking my hedgehog Pickles to the vet today and it was not good news.

My hedgehog was acting very immobile, wasn’t eating as much, had bad smelling poop and HIS EYES WERE SQUINTY WITH NO DISCHARGE!

The vet had told me Pickles had an ear infection and a bad case of MITES!

I was shocked... he said hedgehogs are born and live with mites their whole lives but it doesn’t become a problem until they get sick... sort of like good germs/bacteria for humans. Since Pickles got very cold with my ceiling fan on and the temperatures outside being abnormally cold ( since I’m located in Florida and it’s always hot) he caught a cold. This caused him to contract and ear infection and for his mites to produce with no problem from the hedgehogs now weak immune system.

The reason his eyes were squinty is because of the mites all over his face preventing him from seeing.

The reason for everything else ( almost immobility, lack of eating and bad smelling poop) was his ear infection/ cold.

The vet gave me oral antibiotics for his cold and a preventative medicine to put on his back for the mites.

The vet told me if I would’ve waited a week, he could of possibly passed away.
PLEASE keep ur hedgehog warm, add a heating pad and extra blankets if u really want ur fan on in ur room/ house to be cold!


Also while on the subject, vet told me a hedgehogs diet is mainly insect pellets and of course LIVE INSECTS. I never gave him live insects daily as I thought the meal worms were fattening... he said it’s a myth and that they really them. ALSO that hedgehogs can die from lack of calcium because it’s vital to digest their food and keep their bodies healthy. So I started adding calcium dust with D3 in it ( very important) on the live insects he receives daily now.

I’m hoping he will get better.
Vet visit was $167 ( wellness exam, anesithia, antibiotic, antimites)
When I go back for a check up in two weeks it will most likely if everything is better will be $100 ( wellness exam (60), anesthesia (38)) they need to use anesthesia as my hedgehog won’t be held and they need to take samples for the mites progress!.
 
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