Am I doing this right?...

[kitty-kat-kazoo]

I've gotten alot of helpful advice with my little Squee,
I'm trying to make him more social so I'm handling him everyday, and trying to make him comfy, trying to bribe him with treats, and all that kind of stuff.
However, i know alot of ppl say some hedgies just might not like to be handled, which would make sence, as soon as he uncurls in my hand - which is usually pretty quick- he is straight at the fingers chewing till blood is drawn.
I'm wondering if maybe were going about this the wrong way?
I pet him all the time, trying to get him use to me and my feel. He gets all huffy for a bit but then he relaxes - his quills go back so he's soft to touch, but while i'm petting him, he'll be going to town on anything around him that he can bite, and if i get a little too close to his face he'll whip around real fast to try and bite my hand. When I stop though he'll give me his cute face and stare up at me, so I'll put my hand down, and he'll purr and reach towards my fingers - but as soon as he's close enough - CHEW CHEW CHEW.. lol HELP!

 

[shetland]

I just looked at Squee's albumns. Such a cute little devil he is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kitty-kat-kazoo]

Cute but SO grumpy! I'm absolutley in love with his little face, but he doesn't love me yet :'( I hope soon!

 

[smhufflepuff]

Sounds like you've become a delightful chewing toy. Perhaps you smell yummy to Squee. Does his behavior change if you wash your hands really well with unscented soap?

 

[kitty-kat-kazoo]

I was wondering that too.. but i've washed myself down with everything possible, yet he still loves to chew on me haha. Maybe it's just me?

 

[kitty-kat-kazoo]

I know they bite sometimes to be put down, but then putting him down incourages this behaviour - gives him what he wants. So i don't put him down i keep on holding, and he keeps on biting. and it's ALWAYS the fatty part of my thumb, he'll peak over the edge of my hand, then start chewing on the fatty part, or turn around and peak over the other side, then start knawing on the tips of my fingers - and boy does he have sharp little hedgie teeth!

 

[kitty-kat-kazoo]

.. I just want to make sure I'm not making him worse by petting him even though he's not always happy with it. Or if i'm doing the right thing and getting him use to be touched. (he wasn't held at all for two years when I got him), I know he's shy but I don't want to make it worse, but also don't want it to not get better doing nothing.

 

[smhufflepuff]

Sounds like you're doing a good job with him.

Squee, be a dear and stop chomping on your human, okay?

I think he'll eventually come around, but sorry for your thumb in the meanwhile!

 

[kitty-kat-kazoo]

Haha thank you

 

[Kalandra]

Does he lick and bite, latches on, or just nips?

As silly as this will sound, try to watch for signs that he intends to bite and move your fingers away from his mouth. Also keep him on a schedule. Socializing shouldn't be stopped because of biting, it will only encourage him. Also, use a blanket if necessary to protect your fingers at first. Sometimes the blanket also makes them feel a bit more secure.

Cooper is an owner give up I received in July. His old owner had no time for him so he was very defensive hedgehog, to the point he would bite, latch on, and grind his teeth. For him I noticed that he would start to "buzz" (a very soft vibrating feeling inside his body), just before he would bite. If he started to buzz, I moved my hands away from his head. If he was buzzing and my hands weren't near he would bite at anything, which was usually the blanket I was holding him in (much better than my skin).

Over time I have continued to keep him on a schedule. I take him out of his cage at the same time, hold him the same amount of time, etc. He has not bitten me for about a month now and while I think we have a ways to go, I can say he trusts me now. My fingers don't trust him, but in time I'm sure they will.

It can take a long time to gain trust in overly defensive hedgehogs. Cooper socialized much faster than I thought he would. I had another biter (was abused) that took over 6 months before we started to see him start to trust us. It took almost a full year to say he really bonded with us. He turned out to be a total sweetheart though.

Be patient and keep your fingers away from his mouth!

 

[kitty-kat-kazoo]

Haha thankyou, I've noticed the 'Buzz" almost feels like he's purring - for a sec or two. But he'll do that anywhere, I'm not 100% on schedule all the time, but it's always roughly the same time. I go visit him as soon as I get home, then I have supper, then after supper I hold him on my lap in a blanky for him to roam around in. He's smart, it really feels like he's 'looking' for my hand to bite. He'll chew on the blanket, but he'll move his mouth all along to the edge of the blanket and then find my hand.
The only thing is I can't let him walk around in my hands yet, it's not of matter of keeping my fingers away - he'll bite anything. He knows he's in my hands, as soon as the blankets gone, he'll bite the palm of my hand, my wrist, my fingers, the fatty part of my tumbs.. he'll bite what ever is closest to him, and whip around and bite a new spot. But as soon as I put the blanket on my hands while i hold him - he stops!
I do know he's going to take a while, I mean he's improved tremendously in 3 months, but yes we still have a very long way to go. But now I can actually enjoy his beautiful little face.
For the first month he wouldn't uncurl at all, even when I put him back into his cage, he'd stay all ball like and run for his home. Now he'll come out and play, and look at me. He'll let me pet him while he's eating or chewing, but as soon as he's done it's like he all of a sudden remembered i'm touching him, and will start hissing and popping.
He's funny when it comes to toys too. Most his toys he loves, but I found this little 'person' - it's a little voodoo doll key chain. I took it off the chain and as soon as I put it in his cage he attacked it. Then last night when we were attempting to play he noticed it a foot away from him, stopped what he was doing, ran to it and ramed the poor thing merciless against the side of his cage. Then when he was sure he made his point, came back to his chewing toy. It was quiet funny.

 

[Kalandra]

He sounds a lot like Cooper. He wouldn't uncurl if you held him and getting to see his face was a real treat. Keep at him. It sounds like you are doing ok. Hopefully he will figure out that biting isn't helping and he will give that up soon.

Hedgehogs can be a real challenge when it comes to gaining their trust. When you finally get them to understand that life is good here, this person isn't going to hurt me, it seriously feels like a huge accomplishment.

 

[kitty-kat-kazoo]

Oh it will be an accomplishment. I know i'm going to be beside myself once Squee learns i'm here to love him - not eat him.