Please help me

[chuckwb]

Hello everyone, I am a first time hedgehog owner, and wanted to get some feedback on experience owners about how my hedgie is acting. I got him 3 days ago, from a pet store. He is six months old, just got checked at the vet 2 days ago and everything checked out fine. The first day I brought him home, he was scared and getting used to the new things in his environment. The second day, he woke up, and seemed sick. He wobbled for a minute, then started walking around his cage in sort of a slow walk, and he was shaking a little bit. From the research I've done on the internet, I thought maybe it was the Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome, so I rushed him up to the pet store just to get him checked on (Theres a vet at this pet store). Mysteriously, he was fine when we got to the store. He was just running around and let me pick him up and was extra cuddly. So I took him home, and after about 4 hours of running around his cage, he fell asleep. He didn't wake up for almost 16 hours after that, and I was a little worried... he woke up this morning and did the whole routine again... wobbled for a second, started shaking for a couple minutes, and as soon as I took him out, he was fine. Cuddly and energetic.

So my question is, do you think there is something wrong with my hedgie? The fact that he shakes when he wakes up worried me I guess.. but my mom thought maybe it was because he was just waking up and still a little tired? Or maybe he's still getting used to his new environment and he's still scared?

I really would like some feedback.. I don't want to have to keep worrying about him being sick :/

 

[Kalandra]

What is the temperature in his cage? He sounds to me like he is getting chilled. If the temperature is less than 72F, you need to increase the temperature.

 

[chuckwb]

The temperature is right around 72f, but in case it's still a little chilly, what do you recommend to warm it up?

 

[Kalandra]

Check his tummy the next time you pick him up and he wobbles. If it is not toasty warm he is a little cold.

For heating, there are a variety of ways to accomplish it. It all depends on what type of cage you are using and what you are comfortable with. I use a space heater since I have multiple cages/hedgehogs. If your cage will allow it, others really like using ceramic heat emitters. Take a look in the housing section and do a search for heat. You'll find a variety of threads.

 

[charlie]

Temperature is key. Most prefer closer to 75 (consistent temperature is also important so make sure it isn't cooling off at night. Otherwise make sure he is drinking and eating as dehydration also causes wobbliness (though hopefully a vet would have noticed that).