hi guys! and girls. so i'm considering to get a hedgehog as a pet or my unused 2ft tank (previously petted hermit crabs) so i hope you guys could tell me what will be wrong with my ways or just some comments
1. the tank will be placed in my room which has windows facing the yard, so plenty of oxygen and brightness, no sunlight i know, just brightness during day.
2. just keeping 1 of course and the bedding i'll get it soon. temporarily i'll use some newspaper at the corner to teach it to poo there. i'll toilet train it.
3. for food i'll probably feed it human food? rice with some meat and veggie but not always, maybe fruits sometimes.
4. as for bathing i think i'll prepare a cup of warm water and soak half of its body in and wash it.
5. yeah i will handle him with care and spend time with it. and there will be some toys in the tank.

so for now any advice for the quilling? cus i dont get that process also for its disease. and any further heads up is appreciated. thanks in advance!

visit a vet they will give ur hedgehog antibiotic if confirm sick, but before feel your money wasted, think if there is any changes u made these few days it might be the factor that made your hedgehog sick. if so try and change it back and see if it continues.

these few days keep rain, it might be that factor too if so u could set up a light bulb above your cage and warm the hedgehog.

or simply just take out all snacks, and ONLY feed it nutritious food for some time and wait and see how it goes.

if its a baby hedgehog maybe its just quilling, just leave a light bulb there to keep it warm and disturb it less.

cus it likes you! they only curl up if they're afraid. or simply just too lazy/fat to curl up

no offense but petsmore is overpriced, in fact 90% of retail stores are OP. i feed mine rc fit 32, i dont think it makes any diff, but others beg to differ as fit (diet) less fat, and others are like normal fat as fat to hedgehog is somehow fatal if in excess, liver disease. however dog foods are arguably better for hedgehogs as they contain more fiber for 'em saw it off some website, such are blue buffalo, nutram, chicken soup for smth smth.
well that is just in theory, as long as u really take care of your hog anything is ok

how old isit? if it is about few months old, then u have no choice but to "feed" it such that, rubbing it at its mouth (gently tho not forcefully) let it know that it is food, if it is too hard then wet it abit. because they are somehow too slow witted to notice it is edible.

or if it is a grown up then u have no choice but to use back the same brand

well u could try petsmore, or those pet shops around TS or 1U. well no matter what u do, they WILL insistently pee and poop on you (they had ONE JOB!)

well personally i think female is better (less teritorial and aggressive) but that is just me, others say its all the same but i still do think female is better. well for starters u could look for breeders who sell them, but i dont think its gonna be a package. however, i currently am selling a package not purposely advertising as u see it was just posted up just now before me seeing this question. https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=2975828&hl=

just mix the antibiotic drops into the water as said. dont force it, u might accidentally poke its eye him with the syringe.

or u could let it run around/ on a wheel let it tire out, then let it drink the antibiotic mixed water. dont put the water in yet so that it wouldnt rest and drink, and so on. let it get really tired then let it drink lots of it

well, how old isit? how long have u had it? has it been long since u approach it?

as for that i wouldnt give an exactly best answer, but there are numerous ways of helping dry skin in my opinion is by olive oil, although some would disagree. refer for further information http://www.hedgehogcentral.com/forums/65-s...4-dry-skin.html

well since all the conditions did not fullfil for a "sudden change of diet/afraid" i think.. it might be that it is related to:-

1. pollution? (new construction project around housing area) the noise/vibration/dirty air
2. drinking too much water? (note that if drinking from a water bottle, it might be that the hog loves to chew on the bottle hence, excessive water consumed)
3. try feeding some (NOT MORE THAN 3) mealworms for it to gain some nutritions (NOT EVERYDAY PLEASE, just weekly). probably due to insufficient nutritions that it might be a sign that it is about to get sick
4. is the surrounding getting too cold? (weather change)
5. at least 10hours of lighting? too much darkness would lead to hibernation

if none of them happened. do update, or finally u should bring it to visit the vet, but i wouldnt as this COULD probably be solved with just a finger snap.

u could put a tupperware cover (not transparent ones, eg. blue or very obvious dark colours) let the hog walk around it, scratch itself awhile, then lift up the tupperware and have a look. if the white spots (looks like dandruff) if somehow similar to mites, then it is confirmed.

do not confuse normal quill drop with quill drops due to mites. a very efficient method to determine is pick up the quill gently and place on a tupperware cover as above and observe if there is a small ball (eg. like human hair we have a small piece of "meat" that sticks to the hair if we forcefully pull it out). if there is, congratulations there is no mites, just normal quill drop. if there is no "white ball" on either end of the quill then, sorry IT IS quill loss due to mites.

i'd prefer to say it like an "encouragement" yes it does have alot of nutritions, BUT at the same time fattening, although nothing serious but if something tends to happen when it is too fat (ie. injured leg,bath) will be unbelievably hard to handle with as the hog can hardly move so u'll have to assist it with basically everything.

but i wouldnt really feed it more than 4 per week. each a day is already enough nutrition

well naturally, hedgehog does have really dry skin which means they can keep themselves clean. if u're really worried u can proceed with the medication prescribed (of course u will, i mean u've already visited the vet).

i may be wrong, but yeah its just a home-made treatment anyway.

also, referring to your previous posts..

i think your hog is OKAY, the problem is he just got a new home it is NORMAL to scratch alot (this may seems like it is infested with mites) due to the following reasons:-
1. itch? not getting used to surroundings yet, not used to new beddings yet
2. green poop? not used to a sudden change of food OR stress due to sudden change of place of stay
3. as for the skin that u've mentions (scratch off) i think it might be better if u show a picture cus i think u might be overreacting. also if there really is mites, why not take back to the person who sell to u and complain?

lady, u gotta stop panicking and start thinking straight

lastly the solution that u might be happy to see:-
1. leave him alone in his new home, give him a PLASTIC hidebox where there is NO CONTACT with the bedding (this may be ice cream boxes)
2. again, green poop is probably due to stress, it is not used to u yet, leave him alone if it shows some threat signs (quilling up) just touch it, dont hold it.
3. as for this i cant tell yet, but if u're using aquarium tank like me, it is best to leave all the bedding out if that is a cause of itch. and see how it goes

p.s it is extreamly difficult to detect mites on a hog before it is obvious unless u've work with hogs with mites countless of times, u cant tell with just a look, the doc is just playing safe so antibiotic is given. as u said too "the doc suspects". also if i were a doc i too will precribe one for your hog *cough*yourmoney*cough*

This post has been edited by WhyNotYouTeachMe: Sep 30 2013, 06:25 PM

yes they tend to be okay during cod but not during the post cod

use the cloth in hidebox method the they'll be friendly sooner but remove it during night else they'll poop on it. fed it with your handpalm and it be much more happier to smell you (no finger please else it'll take your finger as food, be prepared for bites cus it doesnt know its your hand just brace yourself and pull back abit but dont jump) also, they do most of drinking and eating during the night do update if that doesnt happen

finaly, no no for aircond a room temp is already enough. well a quiet clean environment would be enough, they sleep most of the time so.. 0 f's given

yes i do means it that way, or if your cloth is precious to you try using handkerchief, sleep with the hanky one night and then throw it in there

if they dont eat then i think u have to contact the seller and inquire about what its used to eat, cus they are still too young to know what to eat. it is probably their mom who taught the lil hog that a food is edible, so u have to stick with the food it is used to, then slowly change to the food u bought. it is usually royal canin 32 or 38 (and no i dont think there is a diff but probably in terms of diet, yes a little)

then i'd say give a mx of iams and rc36 say, 1/4 rc 3/4 iams. slowly make it to 50/50 iams and rc. then when u feel its done then u can go ahead with all rc. as for mine it still doesnt know how to eat mealworms and i'm slowly teaching it.

u can just get a mini packet of iams to save $$

well i cant really give an exact answer for that but i could say why not give it a try, as hedgehogs grow up they would prefer some things to spice up their life so a change of food would be an option. u could always get a small packet if u're afraid that it doesnt accept it. but somehow some hogs would just prefer to stick to their baby food

as said, it will be easier to feed the same food then slowly change it to the one u want it to eat.

it is same for us if i say "what if i told u, grass is edible?". u never knew it is edible because u never bother trying to. same goes for them, they dont know that it is edible, it will be a rather long time to teach it. it would be better to enquire from the previous owner what it is used to eat.

yep, u can get at some pet shops, but usually they dont just display it for sale, u gotta ask for it. but i dont think all pet shops do that.