Litchi cheewing her quills... now blood

[FiaSpice]

In the past, I noticed Litchi cheewed her quills. I tought it was resolved and the munched down quills were just old one. Tonight, after a bath, I noticed there was more cheewed quills and some of them where pinkish, like if there was blood on them. I'm scared she might hurt herself doing that. No new sent in her cage and I bathe her with unsented Aveno wash. It could also explain why sh sometime go on hunger stikes, she stop eating or eat less for a day or 2, maybe it's because she wounded hersef in the mouth? But I've never noticed blood coming out of her mouth or elsewere in her cage. Should I bring her to the vet? I don't know what to do.

 

[FiaSpice]

Here's a picture, it's not very clear, it's on her side, near the fur.

 

[smhufflepuff]

Oh my... I see what you mean. I'm not sure what would cause her to do that. The closest thing I've seen to that is my hedgie nibbling/sucking on her feet... but she doesn't bite into them and I think her behavior serves a self-soothing purpose.

My guesses are all over the place for Litchi: nutritional problem, boredom, anxiety, insect bite or other skin irritation that she was trying to get to, something tasty on her quills???

 

[FiaSpice]

Those are my guess too. I'll try to give her more vegie and fruits for a more complete nutrition. She doesn't seems boring, I add toys in her cage but she ignores them, only the wheel keep her interested.

It might be dry skin. Her skin is dry and I've tried to put vitamin E on her, but that's when I started to see chewing, so I stoped. I'm not sure what I could use to hydrate her more. I try to put Vaseline on her ears (when she allows me) but I don't know about her back.

My main concern is her mouth, if she's poking herself and wounding her, I don't want to see infection getting in there. And unless gased there no way to know if she has wound inside her mouth, and then... what can the vet do??? I'm lost.

 

[smhufflepuff]

Vit E... I've used that before with my hedgie and noticed that if I get it on my fingers, she tries to chomp on me wherever I get it on myself. Perhaps it is very tasty to some hedgehogs? You could try flax seed oil instead of vitamin E. It seems to spread more easily than the vit E and my hedgie hasn't tried to bite me when I get that on my fingers.

I sure hope Litchi isn't poking herself with her own quills. I would guess that she'd stop if she poked herself. Can you catch her yawning? Maybe I'm just lucky in this respect... so I don't know if it will work for you, but... when Hedgiedaddy or I turn Satin over so we're cupping her with her back to the palm of our hands, she often makes a really big yawn and we can see all her teeth and gums.

 

[FiaSpice]

I never see her yawning, never. I posted the same topic on hedgehog central and I was suggested to go to the vet to be sure it's not fungus and that she doesn't have an infected mouth. I was suggested to try Rescue remedy, if it's because she is anxious, I might try that. I hate the fact that she always seem to be ill when I'm short on money, but I never compromise on her, she didn't chose that.

 

[LucksAngel28]

Poor Litchi! You will have to keep up updated on what the vet says, and if things get better for her!

 

[FiaSpice]

I'm back from the vet. She took a quill and hair sample for fungus and gave me Revolution so I can treat her for mites. She doesn't believe it's either that the problem, but likely behavioral. She said she never saw something like that. Her mouth was fine, she didn't hurt herself.

 

[shetland]

It kind of makes you want to find something so minor but that it can be easily fixed. I hope we get some good news. Thank you for the update.

 

[FiaSpice]

yeah I kinda wish it would be mites, because if it's not mite or fungus, I don't know what else can I do. If it's truly behavioral I might try Rescue Remedy in hope of improvement. I feel kinda bad because she might be stressed because of me and my stress: moving a lot in the past, breaking up with the boyfriend (big stress) and she'll be moving again in a month. I feel a bit at loss because neither the vet or anyone her witness an hedgehog doing that to her/himself.

 

[Chinniechantel]

I am glad the vet did not find any other problem though, so that is good news. Just because a vet has not seen it before does not mean it is unheard of. I think I would try the rescue remedy and see if that helps. Good luck!

 

[Melissa]

Needler bites his quills after a bath. But its just enough to annoint with. And he doesnt do any damage. Is it possible there is somethign on his quills that may taste good?

 

[FiaSpice]

I don't think it's about something on her quill. Before (like over a years and half) it was just one side and it was straight after I tried to apply Vitamie E, witch I stoped after that. Now she chew both side, before or after bath, no mater. I often hear munching/licking sound in her hedgie bag and I'm like, "no she's doing it again". The damage is really apearent, she even have one quill stil half bent/chewed.

 

[Kalandra]

Has anything in her life changed prior to this behaviour restarting? New bedding, wheel, food, rearrangement of room (outside of her cage), new sounds?

I'm wondering if maybe it is a nervous habit or something similar. I seem to remember reading about a hedgehog that when something changed in her life she would chew on her feet. I can't remember where I read about her or who owned her at the moment though. I seem to remember that changes varied in what caused it, but it always seemed to coincide with something that may have stressed her.