quill loss-seasonal?

beachy_keen · Apr 6, 2010

Background: My hog was JUST in the vet for a swollen eye and what possibly could be an ear mite problem. He's just finished his oral meds for his eye (yes!) but is still getting revolution 3 times every 3 weeks for his ear.

In the past week he has been shedding a lot of quills , could be like 20, (along with a little fur too) and I find them all over the cage (espescially where he sleeps). Now this is very strange for him since I almost never find his quills. The weather has gotten drastically warmer in our area (up to 94 today!) and his cage is near a window. I just gave him his second revolution treatment today so that will take care of anything possible mites. I have not heard or seen him scratch and I do not see any noticible bald spots, though it's kind of "thinning" out on his back BUT not very much.
Thanks for any help!!

Melissa · Apr 7, 2010

Since he is being treated for mites quill lose it totally normal. I have had Needler loose quills for over a month after is first treatment. The bad/damaged quills are now falling out and making room for new ones to come in.. When you look in between the quills do you see little ones poking through his skin?

smhufflepuff · Apr 7, 2010

His quill loss could be either from mites or the stress associated with the swollen eye. They'll lose quills when stressed. Poor little guy

Can I ask what happened to his eye? An injury? Sign of a tumor?

Provided the eye is (or soon will be) okay with treatment, I'd stick with the Revolution as prescribed and anticipate that he'll stop losing quills in the coming months.

It's a good sign if you're seeing new quills growing in. Not so good if you're not seeing any new ones.

beachy_keen · Apr 7, 2010

Melissa: I haven't noticed any poking through, I'll look a little closer. He does not have any bald spots though, but I'll check closer.

smhufflepuff: The vet thinks that his ear started to itch from possible mites (there was a red scratch in it) and that he got something in his eye while itching his ear. His eye cleared up real fast (it was red and irratated, no cuts or bleeding) and he stopped itching his ear.

He is not losing a lot of quills now, but we called the vet and they said they just shed it like hair. I only found about 2-4 in his cage and he seems to be in a good mood also. Thanks everyone for your help! He sends his thanks as well!

Nancy · Apr 8, 2010

Yes they do shed quills similar to our hair and how many they shed per day/week depends on the individual hedgehog. I've had ones that lost maybe a couple per year and others a couple per day.

Many also do a seasonal shedding in the spring and can loose quite a few over a period of a few weeks to a few months. Again, if they loose quills in the spring and how many depends on the individual hedgehog.

Mites do damage the quill bed so they can continue to loose quills for a month or even two after treatment. They have to loose a lot of quills before thinning or a balding area becomes noticeable.

Chances are, his quill loss is a combination of all three and should end soon.