During the last week I have been hedgehog sitting for my co-worker while she is on vacation in Hawaii for two weeks. I felt a little obligated since I was the one who found the little guy for sale on craigslist in the first place and her boyfriend was really not keen on the prickly addition to the family. Plus, she is bringing me back some Kona coffee. Yum.
Included in Norman's belongings (a playpen, a ball for rolling around, gloves, food, treats, and cage with wheel, [UNUTILIZED] litter box, half log, house and water bottle) was a hedgehog care book which I perused. It was then that I discovered, to my great dismay, that hedgehogs should not be moved from home to home when sitting occurs. Oops.
I tried my best to make Norman very comfortable and cozy. In response, he hissed and defecated everywhere. I retaliated with hedgie treats, bits of carrot and some wet catfood. He ate them in the dead of night and hissed. I tried to hold him on my lap on a towel while I watched TV so we could get to know each other like the book said. He tried to run blindly off my lap (over the knees, onto the floor) over and over and hissed when I stopped him. And defecated. I tried putting him in his ball to roll around so that he could get exercise. He hissed and curled up, refusing to move. I put him in his playpen. He, yes, hissed and defecated.
Finally, we had a breakthrough. He ran around in his ball for about 15 minutes and seemed very pleased. He ate some carrot from my fingers. He had a jolly time rooting around in a towel in a bin looking for food. I thought, yes! we've made it! The next night I was ready for another evening of play and good times, maybe even being able to hold him without the gloves.
Nope. He acted like we had never met. Pooped more than I could believe could fit in his body. Was horrified that I had attempted to put him in his ball.
I give up.
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