New female hedgie owner....please help

[PenelopePricklePants]

I have had Penelope for about a week now. She has a cage with lots of warm blankets and a litter box, she also has a heating pad and a CHE light so it stays between 75-82 degrees on the "sleeping" side of her cage. I also bought her a large hedgie safe wheel and a ball to run around in. She is only 10 weeks old so is still quite small.

I've noticed a couple things which have bugged me a little and im just basically wondering if its normal behavior.

She sleeps A LOT and if you wake her she seems grumpy, I know they are mainly nocturnal animals but it seems like she sleeps all night to and now she isn't even sleeping in her castle anymore [ which she slept in for the first couple days and has cut up pieces of fleece inside for her to borrow in]. But the even weirder thing is she isnt even sleeping on the side with the heating pad anymore, but on the opposite side next to the poop box [which has Yesterdays News in it]...which brings me to the next thing

She is going to the bathroom everywhere but in the box. I clean up the cage every morning and put the waste in the box but it doesn't seem to be working...I even found a few pieces of waste in the castle...

and I noticed a lot of hedgie owners have males....is a female hedgie a little harder to work with?

 

[Kalandra]

Baby hedgehogs will sleep a lot. They need their sleep to grow. Are you certain she's not getting up at night? How is her appetite?

Some hedgehogs will not litter train. However, being she is still a baby, she may not have control yet to go consistently in the litter box. Babies eat a lot, and with as much as they eat, it all has to come back out eventually. Babies, especially those that are new to you, may also go to the bathroom in their sleeping areas.

Most of the pooping issues will get better as she gets older. However, keep in mind that not all hedgehogs litter train, and poop happens.

Sex of a hedgehog doesn't matter when it comes to dealing with them. Each hedgehog can be very different, its all on the individual. I've had social girls and boys, defensive girls and boys, super clean girls and boys, and girls and boys that were complete slobs.

Ditch the ball.

 

[Lexington]

I've only had my hedgie for about a couple months but i figured i'd share what I've learned so keep in mind I'm no expert. I agree with Kalandra, get rid of the ball, there isn't enough air flow in them and their little feet can get stuck in the holes.

you keep the heating pad on one side of the cage so they can choose what temperature they like, my guess would be she wanted it a little cooler, that's why she isn't sleeping on the heating pad. when my hedgie runs around he likes to fall asleep on the cold tile, i don't let him stay on it long but if that's where he wants to sleep i'll let him be for a little.

I have also heard that using new paper for lining isn't a great idea because they are walking around on the dye all day, i haven't heard anything about using it for litter though

smile