Re-establishing a friendship

[damik]

When I got my hedgie he was just starting in the quilling stage and he was a grumpy little boy. Still I tried to take him out and interact with him so he wouldn't get anymore anti-social.
I'm pretty sure that his quilling time is over and like I feared he hasn't gone back to being the sweet little loving hedgie I picked out. Now he pops and hisses, rolls up into a ball. He will go in his hedgie bag and relax some, while he's in his cage he will look at you in the face. I want to resocialize him. I tried to get him meal worms to become my friend but he won't have anything to do with meal worms. Maybe I could give him some other treat when I bring him out. I don't know, what is the consensus on bribing your hedgie to like you when you pull him out?
He doesn't curl up when I stick my hand in his cage, hoping he'll be brave enough to climb on. The most I get though is him sniffing my hand and deciding it is a great smell that he has to lick off and spread all over himself. I find it cute, except he gets so into it he bites me and I'm not a fan of that.
My last hedgie was an angry little thing that I never go to trust or like me. I don't want Shay to feel the same way, I want him to like me. The hedgie before last was the sweetest thing sense chocolate dipped pixie sticks. He would sit in my lap and watch TV with me. I was able to take him to the preschool I worked for at the time and all the little kids were able to touch him and he didn't get scared or nervous at all. He had a good time. He was blind I don't know if that makes any kind of difference... But I want Shay to feel that comfortable with me.
I don't know where I am going and I don't know what I am saying, any tips on how to make friends with frightened hedgehogs would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Raindog]

I would start by putting something with your smell on it, like a t-shirt you have worn (checking that there are no loose strings first) for Shay to get used to your scent. My hedgehog, as sweet and cuddly as he is never climbs on my hand, unless he is trying to get away from something worse, like the bath. If you are having a hard time picking him up you can use a small fleece blanket and then when you hold him you can put the blanket over his so he feels safer. Also talk to him, get on a predictable schedule if possible. And something that made Quinn go from a jumpy hedgie that likes only me to the social butterfly he became was a lot of patience and someone else holding and playing with him somewhat regularly. That made a huge difference.

I am not above bribery if you can find something that he likes. You may have to offer the mealies a few times before he figures them out.

Also, just in case do a quick body check to make sure something isn't hurting him, like a quill sticking him or a scratch or a cut.

 

[smhufflepuff]

It's great that he's coming over to your hand and licking. Though the biting isn't so good, eh?

I'm with Raindog on ensuring he knows your scent, being patient, and spending time holding and playing with him. And, yep, bribery is good too if you can hit upon just the right kind of treat.

I love how you described him looking at you from the safety of his cage. That's great!

When you get past the part where you're taking him out of his cage, how does he act when he's with you? What do you do? What does he do?

 

[damik]

When I get him out of his cage he cowers in the safety of the hedgie bag for about three minutes and then he will poke his head out. when he feels safe he will start crawling in me. He will crawl to the crook of my arm and start licking my shirt. He will let me hold him sometimes but more often than not he will pop and hiss. He won't try to explore anything except me. He will let me hold him to take him back to the cage about 1/3 of the time otherwise I am taking him back to the cage in the hedgie bag.

 

[smhufflepuff]

There are some great signs in there -- the fact that he pokes his head out of his hedgiebag on his own and starts crawling on you -- that's great! I actually think it's pretty good that he'll explore you - means there's at least some trust.

I think if you remain consistent with him, you'll see more of him poking his head out and snuggling with you and less of the popping and huffing. All but Bella (who is wary of everybody and everything) love(d) to snuggle in the crooks of peoples arms. It's a very hedgie thing to do