Hope .x

I think all hedgehogs have different characters Jo . I would say my Nelson is shy ..x

I sooooo can't wait to meet her! Little Djem too less him...

Thanks heaps for all your help Helen xx

xoxox

Just reading through all these posts again... I've not yet observed Hope's twitch Lou....

She really is lovely though....

Lou, would it be possible to put all Hope's photies together on the same thread or do you think that is too much messing around?

xoxox

Hey everyone, just a little update on our little sweetie pie Hope....

Hope arrived on Monday and after seeing that she was okay and having a little cuddle with her I left her to settle.

On first approach she's a little prickly and gives a huff... As soon as you touch her she goes all soft and melts and let's you pick her up.... Aaaaah bless her.... I think she just tries to put up a half attempt of a "leave me alone" but then doesn't seem to know how to carry on being huffy and prickly! I've never seen her ball up yet.... Not sure she has it in her... She really is lovely.

Once you have her out, she likes to have a good run and nosie around... Then she poops and once that's done, she's happy to chill out with you.

I am 100% sure she's still not used her wheel but she is quite an active hoggie, I can tell by the way her toys are everywhere when I go in to check on her in the morning. Whilst watching her during playtime, she has a right runaround, she sniffs about at everything if i put her fleece pouch in she's happy to hide under it. Ive had her in a bonding bag too but she just keeps popping her head out all the time, whether its because shes not used to it or just because she's just plain nosie....So... Not sure if she's still getting to know everywhere before she settles... Remember Helens post the other day?... About thinking your Hedgie has gone nuts?... Maybe she's just checking things out...

The other thing that hasn't settled properly yet is her eating... From what I can see she's only eaten a very small amount of chicken... This was whilst I was trying to take photies of her, so she's not shy in eating in front of me... I just can't seem to see her biscuits going down at all... She'll also eat her mealies too... Which hoggie doesn't?! I'm going to limit these though until I know she's eating properly.

Hope is very, very clean... She uses her kitchen roll to poop on..... The fact that's she's going to the toilet must mean she's eating something anyway

So... Up to now I feel that she's still settling in... She is definitely a right little sweetheart and will make an ideal pet for somebody who is new to hedgehog keeping....

xoxox

Thankyouu for a lovely update Mel .. the wheel is it a Larry wheel? maybe try her on a flying saucer .. see if that helps .. i don't think she had a wheel and i suspect her diet wasn't great either so trying her on different things to see what she likes . The cage was tiny and i remember seeing a gravy on the bowl she had in there .. so wonder if she was on a wet cat food before we got her .x

Glad she is doing well once she settles and your confident she is ready to go we will put her up for adoption .x

Helen's already sent her to me with a flying saucer Lou... Just not sure she knows how to use it... She'll love it when she does though... I'll try and encourage her over the next couple of days... Maybe during playtime.

If she has just been fed on wet food, maybe I'll get some and mix her biscuits in it until I can gradually reduce it to biscuits only... What do you think?

xoxox

Yes Mel that is what i would do .. just mix in some gravy to see if it will intice her and reduce over a week or so .x

Will do Louvain, I'll pick some up tomorrow missus, thanking you xx

xoxox

I originally gave Hope a silent spinner which she didn't use and then swapped her to the flying saucer to see if that made a difference.

Food - try the applaws brand of cat food if she is not eating properly yet - it took her a few days to settle with me Mel -

Found this for you Mel

Not Eating

It is not uncommon for hedgies to skip their first meal in their new home. Sometimes hedgehogs are just too busy sleeping or exploring to take the time to eat. I do recommend taking the wheel out of the cage for the first couple of nights so your hedgehog can adjust to its new home. Make sure your hedgehog is warm and comfortable and that they have easy access to their water bottle or dish. It is a good idea to keep your hedgehog on the same diet for at least a month to make sure it is well adjusted to its new home. Try new foods gradually instead of introducing a new food “cold turkey”. If a hedgehog doesn’t like a new food it simply won’t eat.

beautiful x

Thanks Helen, I tried to encourage her onto her wheel last night during playtime but she just wanted to get off all the while... I'm sure she'll learn.... I just can't believe that as nosie as she is, she hasn't realised what it's for!

I'll pick up the Applaws food later and try her with that this week. She did have a little more chicken last night but didn't have all her mealworms, they were still there this morning.

I've checked the temp and she still has her heat mat on anyways... all is fine there.

It took almost 2 weeks before Ernie Holt would eat properly so I'm not too worried yet.

xoxox

oh she sounds lovely melody.hope she figures out the wheel soon.

She's a right little sweetie Gem, I'm sure she'll get there in the end... It may be once I introduce her to Little Miss Daisy Splat at playtime that she watches her and then gets the hang of it xx

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For me Hope was the saddest case we have had .. she came in a cage so small with nothing in there but a rag ... no wheel poor diet .. I am glad she will be with you Mel for a few weeks /longer till she improves then we can find her a wonderful home .x

She can have all the time she needs Lou... she is lovely xx

xoxox

you not tempted to keep her?

You never know long term Gem....

However, as she is such a lovely natured hoggie, she would be a fantastic pet for somebody and it would make more sense for me to let her go to a forever home. This means that I can save any space I might have for any hedgehogs that come in that are unlikey to ever be re-homed... like Puddin' for example.

xoxox

yeah i suppose thats true melody. i will watch this space.

I have to say that Mel is an excellent foster carer - she knows that Pudding Features will not make an ideal pet for everybody so is willing to take her on full time and give her that TLC she deserves - if she feels that Hope will make somebody a loving pet then Melody will do what is best for Hope - I originally asked Mel to take on Junior as he was one of my babies and I didn't want him to end up with somebody that I didn't know, Elaine offered him a home and after a long conversation with her I made the decision that she would give him a great home leaving that space with Mel should another deserving hoggie needed her special care. x

that is very nice of melody to do that.

Aaaaaah Helen... Thats such a lovely thing to say Missus.... Thanking you very kindly muchly xx

As Helen said, if Elaine hadn't have come along, then I would gladly have given a loving forever home to Junior.... and if the right person doesn't come along for Hope, then obviously she will stay with me... but it really is important that we rehome those that can be whenever possible and keep that much needed precious space for the poor little hoggies who may need that extra TLC...

xoxox

i like the fact you are willing to give the hogs a home that are antisocial.shows you really care.

It's just nice to know that at least they can have some sort of quality of life after what some of them have been through... Fortunately Puddin' isn't as bad as some that we have had through... such as Helen's Alfie Boy who is a biter....

xoxox

And I has the teethy marks to prove it!