New owner at a loss please help

[tazin2001]

Hi all,

Firstly thanks for taking the time to read its really appreciated.

I have had Boo for around 2 months now and we are still no closer to bonding, I feel I have tried everything, worn T-Shirts, Mealworms, Handling her regularly.
Everytime I go near her she hisses at me and balls up before my hand is even close, she will un-curl if on my lap but if I move or my hand moves she curls up and hisses, like I mentioned this has been going on for 8 weeks, could she just be a grumpy one ?.
She just won't bond, help please :banghead::hair:

Thanks
Sarah x

 

[charlie]

Sometimes it is just a case of figuring out what she likes. Not all hedgies like to cuddle. Some prefer to play with tubes and toys, others like to play jungle gym on you, others like to have supervised runs in a hedgie proof area like a livingroom. Once you find something they like, they may warm up to you in other ways. She may also be quilling and just feels a tad sensitive at being held during this time.

 

[shetland]

Such a beautiful little girl!

 

[Kalandra]

Honestly, 2 months is not much time at all for a hedgehog who is defensive to learn to trust you and to bond with you. I have one currently that I got at the end of July. He was not handled much and was extremely defensive. After 3 months he is a lot better, but we have a long ways to go before I'd call him social.

Also keep in mind that some hedgehogs are more defensive than others. While you see some people talk about how trusting their hedgehogs are, some may never reach this point. It just isn't in their personality. But we still need to love them for who they are... even if they are a quill ball sometimes.

 

[Wickle_Man]

Do you try to hold the hedgie right after it's woken up? My hedgehog was the same way and I'm still working on warming up to him. A lot of times I just watch him play around or pet him while he's eating. it's helped him to warm up to me. Yours might be the same way.

 

[kitty-kat-kazoo]

I have had Squee for 2 months now, he's exactly the same way. He's a little bouncing quill ball. I have noticed over the 2 months - all though he is not social in the least, he's MUCH better than the first day I brought him home. I'm desperatly trying to win him over. About the whole not holding him when he first wakes up - that would be impossible!!! Squee is sleeping, or atleast hanging out in his nest all the time. He's a lazy boy.. if he's not in their he's hanging out under his truck. I get the impression he feels safe with something over him. I find when I just include him in everything i do he's starting to warm up. I put him on the counter while i'm making supper and just ignore him. He'll his and pop at everything i'm doing - but i just ignore him. After 5-10 min, he'll decide nobodys listening to him anyways and uncurl and start exploring. He still doesn't like to hear my voice AT ALL, but I still talk to him, softly and with as little "sssss" as possible Keep Trukn' and maybe one day our grumpy pants will love us as much as we love them!