Hiss n pop

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pickles

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Hi I've just gotten a new hedgehog, I'm not expecting him to love me straight away but I was wondering what the best way is to go about bonding with him?

At the moment he curls up hisses and pops every time I touch him, should I ignore his hissing and popping and pick him up anyway to teach him that hissing and popping doesn't scare me or should I pick him up in a different way like with a pipe or hedgie bag???

Thanks ;)
 
You should try to hold him for a bit every night to get him used to you. One way to bond is let him rest on your stomach/lap or whatever with a blanket over him and let him explore you so he feels safe and allow him to get used to your scent. He needs to associate your scent with safety.

Just gage his stress level with the hissing and popping. If he seems too stressed put him back.
 
Thanks for the advice, I've spent a bit more time with him and he is actually quite friendly he will let me pick him up and won't ball up most of the time. He just doest like being touched on his back unless I pet him starting from the brow and rubbing him along his back.

I've been doing the blanket on my lap thing and he cuddles up and goes to sleep every time so everything is going well with bonding :thumbsup:
 
I've had more hedgehogs that didn't like their head quills being touched than those that allowed it without a peep. Instead, try rubbing him behind his ear. He may not allow it right away, but I have had some that would get a total look of bliss on their faces.

And the blanket method of bonding is one of my favorites.
 
Yeah blanket bonding is great for harvey cos all he wants to do is burrow under things and sleep.

He is scratching quite a lot he is nearly 8 weeks im pretty sure he is to quilling, might be partly why he doesn't like his quills being touched. I'll try scratching behind his ears next time I take him out not sure if he'll stay still for long enough though thanks :thumbsup:
 
Yeh, 8 weeks is a fun time. He may be more cranky about everything for a while.

Another fun place that doesn't touch quills is along their skirt. Its one of Rose's favorites. Of course Rose is an odd ball. My husband can roll her on her back and rub her tummy. She'll cross her front paws and let him do it for quite a while. Poptart will allow skirt scratches, but only if she is hidden under a blanket. She does not like any type of light.
 
Thanks for the advice harvey seems to really enjoy being scratched behind the ear its actually the 1st time hes stayed still

Had his 1st bath yesterday and I managed to cut his nails he defo seems more relaxed and confident now
 
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