Help! He hates me =[

[steffw89]

After getting Brian's new cage set up yesterday morning i spent some time handling him near the cage on the floor with a few things such as his new snuggie he had slept in for two nights and the new igloo which was his and he was absolutely fine a bit huffy as usual at first but he soon calmed down. after about half an hour i let him go in his snuggie then put the rest of his bits in his cage. when sorted i gently coaxed him out and handled him for about five minutes where he was perfectly calm then put him in his new cage, with his snuggie, then i left him all night and today to get used to it all.

I've just got him out again to try a bit more bonding and see if i could coax him with some of his favourite treats (tips from the breeder) and he wasnt interested either curling up, huffing and jumping at me or trying to run away. In the end he was getting so stressed out and frantic to get away ive just put him back in his bed in his cage because im so confused. what has changed over night to make him like this? i know the new cage is a lot for him to take in but he wasnt this bad even the first day of being in my house a completely new place to him. Help! I'm so upset, especially since he bit me really badly i have bite marks three days later, and i dont know what to do to fix this =(

 

[Kalandra]

Change in his life can stress him. If he is new to your home, and had just started to settle, then you changed everything again, yes it could be causing him to stress.

When he bites, or acts badly, do not immediately put him in his cage? He will learn that such behavior will get him back in his cage.

Get a snuggle bag. When he is out with you and starting to get upset, see if he will go inside his snuggle bag and calm down. Laying in a snuggle bag with you is a good way to bond with a shy/defensive hedgehog.

How often are you taking him out during the day? He should be getting long periods of down time to sleep during the day time. I wake mine first thing in the morning to check on them, but otherwise leave them alone all day to let them sleep. In the evening I wake them, give them insects, and we either interact, or they go in their snuggle bags to cuddle for at least 2 hours.

 

[steffw89]

yeah i did expect the new cage to be difficult especially having only had him for a week or so but i made sure he had familiar things like his snuggie/food bowl/igloo etc. and on his first night in the cage i sat by quietly and watched him explore he seemed interested in everything even trying out new toys/wheel for the first time ever. was quite funny watching him get confused when it moved.

when he bit me the first time i blew lightly in his face as this seems to be the most humane form of reproof ive found as i gently moved my hand away and he let go. the second time i did the same and whilst he continued nibbling and licking my hands he soon settled and about 15 minutes later went back in his cage. the next day was when his new cage arrived and he was perfectly fine no problems whilst i had him out for half an hour.

he does have a snuggle bag i just didnt know if him sitting in that with me on the sofa would help get him used to me as ive seen confused messages on other websites, will definitely try that tomorrow.

As i work shifts at the moment its worked out well as i have been on day shifts. i check on him in the morning and either remove poop or move it to the litter tray and check his food and water. if he is in his snuggle bag he usually has a sniff to see what is happening then goes back to sleep if he is out and about he gets very huffy and curls up and jumpy. so when i have handled him it has been in the evening on the same fleece blanket with dim lighting after talking to him for about five minutes before i pick him up out of his cage and he has been getting better and better at being handled until tonight. But he still will not accept any form of food from my hand even though he eats very well in his cage (his appetite surprised me).

I am just really worried because i am a first time owner and he is not the only one who is a little scared and tentative i want to do the best i can and look forward to the day he is more relaxed with me so we can play etc but right now it seems so far away with him being so aggressive one minute and frantic to get away the next. =(

 

[Kalandra]

I have a rescue that needs a lot of re-socializing at the moment. He recently got out of quarantine and was moved into the room with the other hedgehogs, his first couple of nights was like we had gone back to stage 1 (4 weeks earlier), him being very huffy and clicky at me. After the second night, we were back to where we had left off, still huffy but at least uncurling after 10 minutes. Be patient, some hedgehogs don’t do well with change and some just need lots of time and patience.

The best method for dealing with biting is to not get bitten, keep fingers away from their mouths, etc. However, once bitten, I don’t recommend blowing in their face or doing anything negative to them, as I don't want them associating me with negative actions. I have actually had a hedgehog that only bit harder because you blew in his face. As bad as it sounds, the best method I have found of dealing with a bite, once bitten, is to just deal with it. I think it confuses them and they let go faster when you don’t react, the problem is, not reacting.

I’ve seen some people recommend gently pushing your finger in their mouth, I know someone who did that and yes the hedgehog let go, however it was so mad it bit the blanket it was being held in and the owner found blood on the blanket afterwards. Which is why I continue to recommend just dealing with the pain, it really isn't that bad.

Snuggle bags are perfectly fine for bonding. Ollie, the rescue mentioned above, does wonderfully with his bag. The bag helps them to feel secure. Ollie has even started to let me put my hand in the bag with him. Next step is to put the hand in the bag and be touching him.

Just remember to take it slow, and be patient. If you can get him in a routine, do that too. Hedgehogs do very well with routines.

Will he eat mealworms? I started Ollie out by putting mealworms in a bowl in his cage. Next I started to offer them to him while he was on my lap (mealworms still in the bowl), after 5 weeks he is now letting me put them in front of him one at a time. He no longer gets them in his cage, as I want him to associate me with tasty bugs.

 

[steffw89]

Yeah I've tried him with meal worms in his food bowl and he scatters them around his cage but doesn't eat them. I've counted to make sure. It's a bit odd but he just seems to move them around and leave them there.

Will try again tonight so hopefully should be able to start making some progress with him. To be honest I've got two German shepherds which are the fourth and fifth ones we have had as well as belonging to an extended family who holiday togehthor all 25 people and kids and all 18 German shepherds. So I'm used I having to work to gain respect and bond with strong willed and sometimes difficult animals i suppose I'm just more nervous with Brian as he is my first hedgie and I've no point of reference in my own skills or experience to use with him.

Will just keep smiling and keep on as I am determined to give him a full and happy life even if it means a few more bite marks =D

 

[lillybug29]

My biggest advice is to be patient. I got Khaki and she was a sweetheart and calm the first two days. She then turned into a sea urchin. She still is a huffy poppy thing, but I can tell in little subtle ways that she knows me. I will sit and talk to her while she's in her cage and she'll look at me and put her nose up in the air at me. She will only take a mealie from me, not from the floor or bowl. I have had her since September, and only a few times has she let me rub her and her stayed still and truly cuddled with me. It's really hard and upsetting sometimes, but you learn to notice the little things and enjoy them in all their huffy glory. One thing, that I think Kalandra actually told me to do which was a breakthrough for a while (until she got sick) was to put her in her hedgie bag and lay her on my chest and sing and hum to her. I had her on me for probably 2 hours, and she was so calm the whole time. After that she'd almost come to me to go cuddle. I hope my poor baby gets better soon, I miss cuddling with her. I love my mace too, but Khaki is my first...she has a special place in my heart.

All in all, don't give up. Keep trying, and you'll notice the subtle changes and cling to them.

 

[steffw89]

i think he is just generally a bit of a huffy little chappy. but we seem to be getting into a rhythm and he is much happier to come out an have a little wander after he has been in his snuggle bag for a little while - sometimes hours but im learning to be patient. the only thing that upsets me is that he does bite a lot. not me for a while, usually my clothes if they are new he just clamps down on them. but will see if that eases of now he has finished his quilling.

 

[xxwildfirexx]

Help! Biting Hedgie!

My albino hedgehog, Quilliam, is 8 months old. I have had him for over a month now. At first he never once bit me or boyfriend, or my roommate. He just runs around our laps. Lately he's been biting. Now he chomps me and does not let go. He doesn't bite and then relax as if tasting something, he holds on for dear life. I have washed my hands and not washed them before handling and both times he bit me. Today he bit me twice drawing blood both times. I want him to stop and I don't want to have to get rid of him. I have tried the push method to make him let go as well. What should I do?

 

[charlie]

the only thing that upsets me is that he does bite a lot. not me for a while, usually my clothes if they are new he just clamps down on them. but will see if that eases of now he has finished his quilling.

This is fairly normal. Some hedgies just like to bite down on clothing (especially if it has a scent of some kind) and pull, like tug o' war (very gently of course). I have one albino who just sucks on my clothes. He gets so into it, that he relaxes and closes his eyes while he does it. We can now gently pet him while he is pre-occupied with his sucking/biting, which is something we could never do before as he just couldn't stand to be touched. Long story, this was perfectly normal for him and we found ways to work with it.

 

[charlie]

My albino hedgehog, Quilliam, is 8 months old. I have had him for over a month now. At first he never once bit me or boyfriend, or my roommate. He just runs around our laps. Lately he's been biting. Now he chomps me and does not let go. He doesn't bite and then relax as if tasting something, he holds on for dear life. I have washed my hands and not washed them before handling and both times he bit me. Today he bit me twice drawing blood both times. I want him to stop and I don't want to have to get rid of him. I have tried the push method to make him let go as well. What should I do?

I don't know what the push method is to be honest, but biting can be a result of many things. He either loves something he is smelling, is associating you with food (do you ever feed him from your hands, in which case I would stop), is stressed (and is trying to tell you something like "I want to go back to my cage or I need to go to the bathroom") or he just likes to bite down on things. Try letting him run in a supervised environment instead of on your lap. Try a different time in the evening or try a shorter visit, with a return to his cage with a treat (and maybe he'll go to the bathroom) and then take him out again. If biting continues, don't give him the opportunity to bite your hand. Offer him a blanket (with no threads, so not a towel) or a t-shirt when he wants to bite and play gentle tug o' war with him. Sometimes that works to let them gently get out frustrations and for some it is soothing. (See above comment). Be sure of course that it isn't causing any damage (check the blanket after, any sign of blood then the activity should perhaps be discontinued).

 

[lillybug29]

I actually got a video last night of Khaki biting down on a recyclable bag that had her new liners in it. I'll post it here when I get home. It makes me giggle.

 

[Aushy]

My hedgehog also likes to bite on things, like blankets and boxes and this small stuffed animal I have. He also found one of my mom's work gloves by accident and dragged it around the house for about an hour. Usually when hedgehogs bite it's play, or perhaps they smell something on you. My hedgehog bit me today, but it was really light and playful.

If yours are biting you, make sure you're not wearing a new perfume or anything that he doesn't approve of. Something like that could upset him.