Is lily normal? PLEASE READ!!!!!!!!!!! - Paw Talk

animalchic24/7 · #1 09-16-2006, 07:58 PM

HEy I have a question about my hedgie,lily. She's almost a year now and she's still really scared of me and especially other people. She still spikes up at every little sound I make or that she hears and any movements I make around or towards her. In her cage or not she doesnt let me pick her up without curling up and jumping and making the popping and hissing noises(none of this scares me or keeps me from picking her up its just a pain). She gets really paranoid. It takes awhile for her to come out of a ball, she doesnt like to interact,she kind acts like she's scared of me and she likes to go around our house alone. she wont come out of able to let me clip her nails. But baths are fine, but after the bath I used to be able to clip her nails but now I can't! Does any body have advice?!?!!?!?! Should I get another hedgie(maybe older to show her how to interact and behave) for her because she was with her brother at VIPets. Or does she have a nervous system problem because the other hedgies I held and plyed with liked to be held and didnt curl up or have and defensiveness toward anyone. PLEASE HELP ME TRY TO FIGURE THIS OUT! DOES ANYONE HAVE ADVICE!?!?!? hopefully I can understand what my baby wants!

Mud · #2 09-16-2006, 08:53 PM

ok,i'll see if i can be any help.
First of all, how much do you hold her and how often are you around her? Does she unball and let you pet her after you pick her up? Does anyone other than you ever hold her?
i don't think its anything with her nervous system, and i don't think another hedgehog would help.
My hedge Mr.Prickles,(who we have had for almost a year) still acts the same as your hedgie but Lady Velvet is very friendly and is ok with being held. we try to hold them like every day so they get used to it but Mr.Prickles still does not like it.
I think different hedgehogs just like people more than others, we have had 2 or 3 litters of babies and all of them have been different,some of them really like people and some just don't.

Maybe just try to hold her as much as you can and just keep her around people whenever you can and she might get better about being more friendly.she might just be really shy like my Mr.Prickles so its VERY NORMAL.

hope i helped but i'm sorry if i did'nt.

good luck.

Fertmom · #3 09-16-2006, 10:48 PM

I agree with Mud. Hedgies have very different temperments and some never get over being huffy. You will need to hold her and let her out to play daily for at least 30-60 each day. Offer treats when she unrolls on you. If you have a hedgie bag you can pick her out of the cage with the bag, set the bag on your lap in a quiet, semi-dark room and sit quietly until she comes out to explore. Try to avoid quick and sudden movements and loud noises. Eventually she will figure out that you are not all about trying to kill her and she will be more comfortable.
I have had a hedgehog that never spiked up her quills and have had a huffy hedgehog that no one could hold without him becoming a popping hissing quivering ball and 2 other hedgehogs that were somewhere in between those two. The more they are handled in a calm and gentle manner, the more you can start to build trust. It just depends on the hog how friendly they may become. Good luck, but I would love her for the way she is as she may not ever be a super friendly hedgie.
I also agree that a friend would not help. Most hedgehogs prefer to live in solitude.

animalchic24/7 · #4 09-17-2006, 02:15 PM

k thanks guys, I'll try the treats and quiet room thing. I know anyone else would have given her away by now but I love all my animals for the way they are and I'll keep working with her.thanks again!