Spike freaking out

It's been 12 hours now.... no change. Still going crazy. Just under the blanket. Hasn't slept yet.

... The first thing I'd think of was an overactive hedgehog. Cuda goes nuts every so often, and he just runs and runs and destroys whatever is in his path. But since it's been ongoing for 12 hours, that can't be the reason.

You're sure that there is no possible way that a quill has bent over and is jabbing him? You mentioned that he is scratching or rubbing his hind end... he doesn't happen to have a cut or insect bite, does he?

When you were at the vet, did s/he happen to give your little one an antihistamine or something of that effect? When Cuda had his allergic reaction, he was very agitated and spent HOURS pacing across his cage, scratching and quivering. The first night, I didn't notice anything but in the morning... he had welts all over. The vet gave him a hedgehog-strength antihistamine and within 2 hours, he was much calmer. A minuscule dose over the next 10 days eliminated the itching and freak outs completely.

Have you tried putting him in a very bright room? Sometimes, that causes a jittery hedgehog to calm down. Dim rooms signal that it's almost time to play and bright rooms tell them it's time to sleep.

Best of luck!

this is quite the mystery--please keep us updated!!

Philo I put vitamin E on my hedge for the first time an hour ago and she is doing the same thing. I'm freaking out over it. Let me know what you find out.

Thank you for the thought Courtney!!

He's been in the brightest room of the house all day. He would *never* come out even with a room light on, which is why I'm so worried about him...

The vet said she had no antihistamine for hedgies... I just got Metacam and Revolution.

He's still not better, it's 6 pm now... going on 15 hours of no sleep or relaxation for Spike.

I just got a sedative for him though... while I was giving it to him, I noticed his back feet were fairly worn... very red and bad looking. Not bleeding though... maybe the smell started him freaking then the running all night made his feet bad and it's just s vicious circle.

I'm hoping the sedative will get him some sleep.

So I just got home from work... I gave Spike a dose of butrenorphene before I left... I was hoping to sedate him some. I came home to him sleeping!!!

So I don't know if he's feeling better, but he's finally getting some rest. I don't even know if it's the sedative that's working on him, since I didn't get the whole dose in him.

Either way, he's not jumping around like a banshee.

On a side note... does anyone have a remedy for hurt feet? I want those healed up too right now... not sure if that's hurting him as well and causing the freak out.

I don't know if it's open, or just sore, or if he's prone to poopy feet, but maybe polysporin?

How is the little one today?

Well, I gave him the sedative last night around 6 and went to work... he was sleeping when I came home. I was worried that the sedative would wear off around 2 am and that he'd be all batty again. So my boyfriend let me keep his cage next to the bed all night He slept beside me for most of the night, he woke up for a bit for a snack, then shuffled around in the blankets going dig, dig, dig, dig, dig... which are happy hedgie sounds to me. We both went back to sleep after that. He's still sleeping now... which to me is a good sign, since it's light out. In a couple hours I'm gonna wake him up and see how he reacts. So I don't really know if he's any better or if he's feeling better, but I do know that he's finally calmed down and got some rest... which makes me feel better at the very least. I can't really help him when he gets me all riled up and worried.

Maybe he just had a bout of hedgie insomnia. I do hope the sleep helped him out and set his schedule back to where it should be.

How's he doing today?
I hope his little feet are healing!!

Still doing well... haven't needed to give him anymore meds. Feet look better. Not totally better, but much better than Wednesday. I gave him his wheel back tonight. Usually he won't run himself that harshly, but given his hyperactivity, he had no other choice I suppose. I trust him enough not to hurt himself if he gets in the mood to run... he's normally a good hedgie like that. Jack on the other hand....

Thanks for asking!!