Daily Health Inspections - For a Healthy Happy Hedgehog

In most posts on the internet when I am doing my research, I find there are always questions of concern for determining if a Hedgehog is ill.  Other research about diet and nutrition, common ailments i.e. why isn't my Hedgehog eating much.  This post focus' on the general good health of a Hedgehog or (Pog as they are commonly referred to.) 

As the owner of a Hedgehog you should make a normal part of your day to day activities spending a minimum of 10-15 minutes to do a visual inspection of the entire animal.  Normal day to day inspection of a Hedgehog may help to identify illnesses early, at least those that are visible to the naked eye and audible to the human ear which may indicate health issues. i.e.  Sounds such as a wheezing, or goop in the eye or visible scabs can be described as minor ailments, however, if left unattended may amount to more serious illness.  The ability to see only the outward signs of good health in Hedgehogs through daily inspection, provides you peace of mind to know visible sicknesses are not apparent or present.  Keep in mind that Hedgehogs are well known for hiding illness extremely well. This list may not cover all possible outward signs for a daily visual inspection of your hedgehog but represents some of the most common and is provided solely as a guideline as follows:

• clear eyes, no obvious swelling or goop present
• clear nose (no runny nose or obstructions)
• no litter/clay or shavings or (bedding materials)attached to the genital area's
• no fecal deposits caked under the toe nails (foot bath to clean with toothbrush)
• check ears for mites or crustiness
• visual scab's on the body
• skin is pink and appears healthy or dark (breed colour dependant)
• jagged ears
• flaky or dry skin
• eating and drinking normally

Looking into the ears for mites can be difficult, however, it is possible to see mite infestations, jagged ears can be a sign as can excessive scratching.  To aid in the relief of dryness of the animals skin and jagged ears, I use an eye dropper and put one drop of Olive oil on the ears, and for flaky skin I use this throughout a few strategically placed drops along the quills or place the oil in their bath water (this is after a vet has shown me how to administer and is not recommended if you are not experienced). If your hedgehog allows you to, it can help to gently massage a single small drop of oil in and around the ears, this creates a slippery slope for mites and they cannot get a solid hold to the ear hairs (for experienced owners or vet).  This may be done by experienced individuals only (vet or trained person) to help clear the mites out gently.  The oil may also be put into their bath to help with flaky skin or dryness on the ears or body.

When you have your hedgie out of his/her normal pen area to play, this is a good time to conduct your inspection of his/hers quills, skin, fur, teeth, ears and feet.  The Hedgehog's fur and quills should appear to be relatively clean and not smell unpleasant.  The hedgie's fur should appear clean and non matted, as matted fur on the hedgie's belly may be a sign of a problem starting. 

At times a detection of a strong urine smell on the body/quills of the hedgie (generally the avid wheeler who does not stop wheeling when h/she urinates or defecates) may be the cause of a smelly pet hedgehog.  Hedgehogs do not normally give off any type of offensive odour, however, their living area may if not cleaned daily.  It is important to clear the fecal matter from the toenails of your pet as the bacteria may make your hedgehog ill from bacterial infection.  Your hedgie's pen/area where your Hedgehog spends its nights and days should always be cleared/cleaned of any fecal deposits and urine from litter box or otherwise to maintain a healthy environment and aid in preventing bacteria growth or infection to occur.  One simple cleaning method to clear the toenail area and help to prevent bacterial infection is to simply put a small amount of warm water into the hedgie's bath area, let the fecal matter in his/her toes soften from being placed in the water and walking around or simply sitting, then scrub the toenail(s) gently with a toothbrush to remove stubborn pieces from under them.  This may also be an opportune time to clip/trim the hedgie's nails as they will be soft from being in the water.  The pen area should be cleaned regularly to help prevent infection with a non-toxic disinfecting cleaner.  There are several commercial products that are non-toxic or free of chemicals, however, be sure to read the label before buying any for use in your pets pen,on their food dishes, toys or other items requiring cleaning or disinfecting.

Healthy eyes are another outward visible sign generally easy to assess for eye health issues.  A hedgehogs eyes should be clear and not have any type of crust, goop or swelling in or around them.  They should always be clear and if there are any of these adverse signs you should have your Vet check your hedgehog over. 

Hedgehogs skin is generally pink but there are some hedgehog types with a darker skin tone.  If you see visual discolouration on the hedgehogs skin schedule your hedgie for a Vet visit right away.  Generally your hedgehog should be active from dusk to dawn, during the daytime if you scheduled time for waking hours you will see them at these times.  He/she should have clear eyes, eat recommended regular diet foods to maintain its health and be responsive to your voice, touch or sounds within its environment.
 

A few days after bringing your new pet home, you should schedule a once over with a reputable EXOTIC animal vet to ensure your hedgehog is healthy and to get your Vet familiar with your hedgie. This information is provided as a guide and is not to be construed to be otherwise and is simply meant to be helpful hints from experience and research.  Until next posting "Stay Quilled (c)2010.

This and all blog posts referring to the care and management or health issues are not substitutes for a Vet's care when required.  The posts are meant to provide a guideline and to answer FAQ's and are not absolutes nor should any be construed as "gospel".  The answer/information is provided through research, knowledge and experiences through the ownership of these cute little creatures/animals and is meant to help identify and offer possible suggestions/solutions for known health issues of a frequently asked nature.  Hedgie Whisperer's as the editor of this content offers this information as a guide and does not offer the information as a Vet nor would these posts be a replacement for proper Vet care in any form whether written or verbal. Copyright (c) 2010