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My new baby...
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Pandora II
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He''s totally miserable poor little thing!
He''s quilling, which is when his adult spine come through. It''s a bit like cutting baby teeth all over your body and puberty rolled into one and it makes them itchy, huffy, bad tempered and grouchy. You have to keep handling them as otherwise they can remain like that afterwards. I felt awful though as it seemed like I was really hurting him.
I read up a bit on the internet and then gave him a nice warm bath (he didn''t think it was nice at all!
) and then poured a tablespoon of olive oil over him and rubbed it in.
He now smells like a salad and seems much happier - he sat wrappped in a towel on FI''s knee all cuddled up last night and seems a bit chirpier today.
It can take from 4 days to 3 weeks - knowing my luck it will be 3 weeks of bad temper!
He is refusing to take any interest in toys at all - but eats like a pig. He had a tiny bit of coffee off my finger tonight and went crazy over it. Then he noticed FI was drinking single malt whisky and went nuts (expensive tastes this one) trying to get a taste - never seen a hedgehog beg before. FI wouldn''t let him try it - sooooo mean
.
I had a cat that was mad about alcohol - beer, wine, spirits ... he''d even eat fruit salad if there was some booze in it. He only got plastered the once which was how we found out about it. He polished off a glass of sherry left in the sitting room while my parents were eating dinner.
My mother then found this poor cat unable to walk and falling over everywhere - she rushed him to the vet who said, Madam I am sorry to tell you, but this cat is drunk! We were careful never to leave glasses lying around after that - he''d still sit on your knee and try and claw the glass down if you were drinking anything though. I don''t think the odd tipple did him any harm as he was over 18 when he died (and it wasn''t liver failure!).
He''s quilling, which is when his adult spine come through. It''s a bit like cutting baby teeth all over your body and puberty rolled into one and it makes them itchy, huffy, bad tempered and grouchy. You have to keep handling them as otherwise they can remain like that afterwards. I felt awful though as it seemed like I was really hurting him.
I read up a bit on the internet and then gave him a nice warm bath (he didn''t think it was nice at all!
He now smells like a salad and seems much happier - he sat wrappped in a towel on FI''s knee all cuddled up last night and seems a bit chirpier today.
It can take from 4 days to 3 weeks - knowing my luck it will be 3 weeks of bad temper!
He is refusing to take any interest in toys at all - but eats like a pig. He had a tiny bit of coffee off my finger tonight and went crazy over it. Then he noticed FI was drinking single malt whisky and went nuts (expensive tastes this one) trying to get a taste - never seen a hedgehog beg before. FI wouldn''t let him try it - sooooo mean
I had a cat that was mad about alcohol - beer, wine, spirits ... he''d even eat fruit salad if there was some booze in it. He only got plastered the once which was how we found out about it. He polished off a glass of sherry left in the sitting room while my parents were eating dinner.
My mother then found this poor cat unable to walk and falling over everywhere - she rushed him to the vet who said, Madam I am sorry to tell you, but this cat is drunk! We were careful never to leave glasses lying around after that - he''d still sit on your knee and try and claw the glass down if you were drinking anything though. I don''t think the odd tipple did him any harm as he was over 18 when he died (and it wasn''t liver failure!).
Skippy123
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Oh Pandora, sounds like you are in for a long siege of hedgepig nursing, bless him! I am drooling over the thought of him snuggled in his towel, warm and cosy after his bath! Thanks for the update!
Speaking of boozer cats, I remember reading about a cat named Brooklyn Jack, who was around during the Depression era. Brooklyn Jack lived in a bar and was partial to a daily tipple which consisted of a saucer of milk laced with Pernod. As time went on, he demanded stiffer and stiffer saucers of 'milk' until in the end, it was more Pernod than milk! Brooklyn Jack, not surprisingly, died of liver failure at a medium age for a cat! However, it doesn't sound like your cats wee drams did him any harm!
What a funny cat he was, I can't even bear the smell of Pernod, it makes me want to hurl
Speaking of boozer cats, I remember reading about a cat named Brooklyn Jack, who was around during the Depression era. Brooklyn Jack lived in a bar and was partial to a daily tipple which consisted of a saucer of milk laced with Pernod. As time went on, he demanded stiffer and stiffer saucers of 'milk' until in the end, it was more Pernod than milk! Brooklyn Jack, not surprisingly, died of liver failure at a medium age for a cat! However, it doesn't sound like your cats wee drams did him any harm!
What a funny cat he was, I can't even bear the smell of Pernod, it makes me want to hurl
Pandora, if he''s grumpy, will he bite? He is so darn cute. I love reading your updates on him. I researched hedgehogs b/c now I kind of want one.
How was he when he got his bath? Do you clip his nails? I read that you have too and that kind of scares me. I''d be afraid I''d hurt them.
Hope your baby is feeling better.
Hope your baby is feeling better.
Pandora II
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Hi Morticia!
The only time he bites is if you have something he thinks is yummy on your fingers - he''s lick them and then chomp down. It''s not painful - but would be if you didn''t move your hand pretty quick!
He seems much better at the moment - I finally got his wheel installed last night. He wheeled for 4 hours non-stop, I know as I could still hear him at 2am and he was wheeling when I got home tonight! I am not allowed to see him wheeling - he stops if I come into the room, I''ve been tiptoeing in with no shoes and he still hears me coming...
It''s bath time tomorrow - he''s very good but trys to climb up my hand, and poops in the water so I have to keep changing it. I have him in the basin so I can plonk him in the bath between rinses without him escaping under something - and if he poops I can just hose it down. (They poop more when they are stressed and bathtime is stressful it seems!) He does seem to be litter trained now though - only they don''t bury it like cats and he does rather like digging or sleeping in the litter tray. Eeeewwww!
I haven''t done toenails yet - the breeder kindly did them the morning of the day I picked him up, but I think I''ll have to do it next week as they are getting quite long. It doesn''t look like it will be too difficult as it''s easy to see where the pink bit that is paw begins - but holding him still will be fun. Roll up in blanket time I think...
He still amazes me that something so tiny can be so perfect - little eyelashes, little toenails, so cute. And so endlessly amusing to watch - like a little spiky mouse!
As long as you don''t mind cleaning up after them they are great pets and such fun.
The only time he bites is if you have something he thinks is yummy on your fingers - he''s lick them and then chomp down. It''s not painful - but would be if you didn''t move your hand pretty quick!
He seems much better at the moment - I finally got his wheel installed last night. He wheeled for 4 hours non-stop, I know as I could still hear him at 2am and he was wheeling when I got home tonight! I am not allowed to see him wheeling - he stops if I come into the room, I''ve been tiptoeing in with no shoes and he still hears me coming...
It''s bath time tomorrow - he''s very good but trys to climb up my hand, and poops in the water so I have to keep changing it. I have him in the basin so I can plonk him in the bath between rinses without him escaping under something - and if he poops I can just hose it down. (They poop more when they are stressed and bathtime is stressful it seems!) He does seem to be litter trained now though - only they don''t bury it like cats and he does rather like digging or sleeping in the litter tray. Eeeewwww!
I haven''t done toenails yet - the breeder kindly did them the morning of the day I picked him up, but I think I''ll have to do it next week as they are getting quite long. It doesn''t look like it will be too difficult as it''s easy to see where the pink bit that is paw begins - but holding him still will be fun. Roll up in blanket time I think...
He still amazes me that something so tiny can be so perfect - little eyelashes, little toenails, so cute. And so endlessly amusing to watch - like a little spiky mouse!
As long as you don''t mind cleaning up after them they are great pets and such fun.
Lynn B
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Oh Pandora! It is SOOOOOOO fun to get updates on him!!! Keep ''em coming, please!!!
So he''s using the litter???! That''s AMAZING! But he still has accidents when you have him out or are holding him? Oh well, probably no biggie, I wouldn''t imagine his poopies are much bigger than a mousie''s, huh?
The little cutie-pie!
OH! He is just SOOOOO stinkin'' cute!
I can''t wait to hear how the Cutting of the Toenails goes!
And, um... more pictures, pleeeeeeeeze?!!!
So he''s using the litter???! That''s AMAZING! But he still has accidents when you have him out or are holding him? Oh well, probably no biggie, I wouldn''t imagine his poopies are much bigger than a mousie''s, huh?
OH! He is just SOOOOO stinkin'' cute!
And, um... more pictures, pleeeeeeeeze?!!!
Pandora II
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OMG!!!! He is sooooooooo cute... words cannot even describe.
I have only seen one once IRL and I think it was a dwarf type. It was really small, but still just a cute and perfect as you describe yours.
I have only seen one once IRL and I think it was a dwarf type. It was really small, but still just a cute and perfect as you describe yours.
I would love to see some more pics (if you are up to it) this little guy just makes me go "aaawwwww" every time I look at him.
Lucky you!!!
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We have allergies and I'm not loving the fish option. Do you think one of these would do well with kids? My kids are pretty well behaved....but he looks so small I might worry.Date: 7/11/2007 7:04:17 PM
Author: Pandora II
Adult size is 5' to 8' and from 0.5lbs to 1.5lbs. So still pretty tiny.
The really great thing is that they are very unallergenic. FI is horribly allergic to cats, dogs and horses which meant we only had reptiles as pets - not very warm and cuddly. Anyway, he's been playing with this one all evening and not a sniff or a sneeze so far. Hooray!
They are quite prickly on top, but very soft and furry on their tummies - they don't much like being turned upside down though! The prickles don't hurt though and most of the time they lie flat so you can stroke them. They make the most lovely little noises and their noses are very snifferly.
I am in love
Ah the poop thing would bother me but my kids would be OK with that!
Pandora II
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I would be a bit worried about kids for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, he rarely wakes up till 10.00pm and they are super grouchy if you wake them up in the daytime. Which is a bit sad for kids if they never get to see them awake.
Secondly, the prickles really hurt if they put them up and a child could easily drop the hedgehog because of it. They also have quite scratchy nails!
I think they're more of a teenager/adult pet really.
Have you considered a ferret? They are amazing pets - play endlessly, walk on leads, love kids! The babies are a bit nippy when they get excited and very, very wriggly!
My FI wasn't allergic to them at all - if we had a garden or bigger house we would definitely have got one.
Firstly, he rarely wakes up till 10.00pm and they are super grouchy if you wake them up in the daytime. Which is a bit sad for kids if they never get to see them awake.
Secondly, the prickles really hurt if they put them up and a child could easily drop the hedgehog because of it. They also have quite scratchy nails!
I think they're more of a teenager/adult pet really.
Have you considered a ferret? They are amazing pets - play endlessly, walk on leads, love kids! The babies are a bit nippy when they get excited and very, very wriggly!
My FI wasn't allergic to them at all - if we had a garden or bigger house we would definitely have got one.
Pandora II
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He didn''t much enjoy the trip to my parents, but was great on the way back - sat up in his box and looked out of the window of the train!
My parents are in love with him. He spent every evening asleep in my mothers arms wrapped in a baby blanket. He wasn''t too keen on sharing her knee with one of the cats though. The prickles went up like crazy a few times.
I took him out into the garden as he''d never seen grass before. It was so cute - he''d run in a little circle and then come and sit on my foot, and then run in a bigger circle and come back again. Eventually he sat there and put his paws up my leg - which is what they do to ask to be picked up.
He''s finally learnt his name as well. He was playing under the sofa last night and I needed to catch him to go to bed. Normally this takes ages. Last night I just called his name, he was at the furthest point away from me, and he turned round and came running over and put his paws up to be lifted up! I was so amazed...
Next Saturday I''m picking up Lego - 7 week old chocolate female. Yay
My parents are in love with him. He spent every evening asleep in my mothers arms wrapped in a baby blanket. He wasn''t too keen on sharing her knee with one of the cats though. The prickles went up like crazy a few times.
I took him out into the garden as he''d never seen grass before. It was so cute - he''d run in a little circle and then come and sit on my foot, and then run in a bigger circle and come back again. Eventually he sat there and put his paws up my leg - which is what they do to ask to be picked up.
He''s finally learnt his name as well. He was playing under the sofa last night and I needed to catch him to go to bed. Normally this takes ages. Last night I just called his name, he was at the furthest point away from me, and he turned round and came running over and put his paws up to be lifted up! I was so amazed...
Next Saturday I''m picking up Lego - 7 week old chocolate female. Yay
Lynn B
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Pandora II
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Lynn B
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LOL!!! Especially the "humpff!" part!!! HOW FUNNY!!!
Lorelei, I know! I want one, too!!!
ETA: Pandora, are you getting Lego from the same breeder? Is she Mr. Sticklebrick's "sister", then? CANNOT wait for photos.
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Pandora II
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Lego is coming from Birmingham as I wanted two unrelated hedgehogs so we can have babies next year!
I''ve spent a hideous amount on a new superduper Tommy cage complex for them. It can be one big 3 storey or you can take the ladders out and have 3 single stories.
Hedgehogs are not known for celibacy so they will be living apart until she is old enough to breed (about 8 months).
I will do some more photos in the next couple of days and def of the new baby. She is half the age Sticklebrick was when I got him, so supertiny. I''m hoping she''s a cuddler rather than an explorer like he is.
I''ve spent a hideous amount on a new superduper Tommy cage complex for them. It can be one big 3 storey or you can take the ladders out and have 3 single stories.
Hedgehogs are not known for celibacy so they will be living apart until she is old enough to breed (about 8 months).
I will do some more photos in the next couple of days and def of the new baby. She is half the age Sticklebrick was when I got him, so supertiny. I''m hoping she''s a cuddler rather than an explorer like he is.
gwendolyn
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Heeee!!!!! I only just discovered this thread, and I love it!! Mr. Sticklebrick is the most adorable thing ever! J and I have argued a bit in the past about whether we''ll get a cat or a dog first, because he''s a dog person and I''m a cat person, but now I''m thinking THIS could be the answer! We could compromise with one of these!!!
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