Moody or something wrong???

[xwhateverx92]

So today when I took out Annie to play, she was super curled up & pokey and wouldn't uncurl much at all. Usually she's a little grumpy from me waking her up, but she usually starts to get hyper and run around like a maniac within 15 minutes. Today though, she wouldn't uncurl. I thought maybe she was cold, so I tried warming her up, which didn't seem to do anything. Then I tried to coax her out with some treats, but that didn't work either.
My mom said she's just being grumpy and I'm overreacting.
But do you think there could be something wrong?

 

[pricklesnquills]

How old is she? If she's a baby, she's likely just quilling, which would make her uncomfortable and grumpy.

She could be cold as well. You can put her on a heating pad set on low to help warm her up. But if you've already tried this and her environment is pretty warm, it could just be the quilling.

I wouldn't be too concerned yet, but if she's cold, you definitely want to keep her warm.

 

[Nancy]

Is she in a silent curled up ball not reacting to anything? If so, she is probably cold and either hold her on you or put a heating pad on low on you and put her on it until she is responsive.

If she is curled up and huffing, she is probably just being grumpy.

 

[xwhateverx92]

She is about 7 months old I believe.

She was very quiet while she was curled up, which is what concerned me, because when she's just not happy she's huffing and puffing like crazy.

But maybe she was just cold.

 

[pricklesnquills]

But remember, 'just cold' is not non-important. 'just being cold' can lead to death if the hedgie is too cold for too long. So be sure to warm that hedgie up and keep her warm!

 

[xwhateverx92]

Right, I understand that being cold can be a serious issue when it comes to hedgehogs. I am doing whatever I can to make sure that she's as warm as possible.

 

[shetland]

How is Annie? Is she more responsive now?

 

[xwhateverx92]

Well, I couldn't sleep this morning because I kept worrying about Annie, so I got up and checked on her. After only a minute or two, she was all hyper and racing out of my hands to run across the floor...so I guess she's back to herself. I'm so glad!! I cranked the heat up last night and even more this morning (don't tell my mother!) because her cage thermometer was reading a bit on the low side, and I've got a little mini heater running in my room to try to keep it warm.

 

[pricklesnquills]

Great! I'm glad she's back to normal =)

 

[Melissa]

Sounds like it was temperature. Maybe you are going to have to talk to your mom and explain to her that Annie needs it a bit warmer. And maybe disguss a space heater or something so you dont have to heat the whole house.

She will eventually notice that the heater was raised behind her back and lower it with out mentioning and Annie will attempt hibernation all over again. And once they attempt a first time from my understanding it will be really easy for them to do it again.

 

[xwhateverx92]

Yeah, I talked about it with my mom and she's not happy about the house temp. being turned up as high as it should be for Annie. So for now I have a space heater in my room, and I am trying to figure out what I am going to do about the heating situation for Annie. I am thinking about getting either a ceramic reptile heater or a little under the cage heater.

 

[Nancy]

You can't use a ceramic heat emitter with a bin and you also can't use a reptile under tank heater with plastic.

 

[xwhateverx92]

Well, I was thinking about making Annie a C&C cage and using the heater with that. That would be ok, right?

 

[Melissa]

My only thought with a C&C is that is will not hold the heat in.