Keep your hands flat while holding your hedgehog with their feet facing downwards. A scared hedgehog is extremely unlikely to unroll with their face pointed up as they're basically upside down. Stay very still and don't try to pet their
Gently push your hands underneath your standing hedgehog. You can even scoop up a bit of bedding to protect your hands a bit more if you are nervous about getting pricked. Cup your hands and lift your hedgehog up while they are cradled in your hands.
Talking to your hedgehog while holding, snuggling, bathing, and other enjoyable activities will help your hedgehog associate the sound of your voice with comfort and enjoyment. Over the years we have found the radio and music very soothing for a variety of different animals.
Encourage the bonding process
The first two weeks with your hedgehog are the most important in shaping your new companion's personality and how they will react around you! Once home, you may notice a temporary personality change from when you picked out your hedgie, and this is completely normal.
It is important to keep the hedgehog in the dark and quiet but also warm, as this will help with the shock of being picked up. A hot water bottle can be placed under or in half the box, alternatively a drinks bottle can be filled with warm water.
Caretakers note that it takes a lot of time and effort to get a hedgehog to tolerate being held. Like porcupines, hedgehogs have sharp, prickly quills that they use to fend off predators. When they feel anxious or threatened, these spikes stand up in all directions, making the animals difficult to handle.
Their quills become more spread out, ready to do harm if required. Since the quills are more spread, they will become sharper to the touch. Though the quills should not break through your skin, they could be more painful to touch. Some owners describe the feeling as touching a bunch of toothpicks.
Screaming Like a Baby
If you hear a hedgehog scream you may well think the sound is coming from a very upset human baby. This noise is only made by hogs in severe distress and pain. The hog will be injured or maybe trapped somewhere.
Hedgehogs will generally try to run away from people or if shocked will curl up in to a spiky ball. They have sharp needles all over their backs which can penetrate the skin. It will often itch if a needle does and may cause a rash.
Don't leave black sacks lying around. Don't use slug pellets or other chemicals, they may poison hedgehogs and other animals. Don't light a bonfire without checking to see if a hedgehog or other wild animal has moved in. Don't fork over compost heaps in case hedgehogs or other animals have taken up residence.
Gloves. Quite a few hedgehog books and owners recommend the use of rubber or leather gloves when handling hedgehogs but gloves are NOT a necessary part of hedgie handling. The rational behind using gloves is so that you will be more comfortable handling your pet and that the spines will not poke you.
First lift your hedgie from above or the side. You can use either your bare hands or a towel. I suggest using a towel because hedgie's quills will be directly on your hand.
Keep the box in a quiet, warm place: a hot water bottle filled with hot tap water wrapped in a towel can provide a gentle heat source – make sure it doesn't go cold! You can provide some fresh water and meaty cat or dog food, but don't try to feed the hedgehog directly.
Long-term elevated stress levels, as in humans, can have serious physiological consequences for hedgehogs. The higher level of stress shows that being handled and placed in captivity can cause long-term stress in the animals. This highlights the importance of periods of captivity being as short as possible.
Handling Frequency
Pet hedgehogs do best if handled every day, even if it is for just a short amount of time. We recommend handling your hedgehog for at least half an hour a day. The easiest way to accomplish this task is 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening.
Defensive Adaptations and Hibernation
Hedgehogs have a coat of stiff, sharp spines. If attacked they will curl into a prickly and unappetizing ball that deters most predators. They usually sleep in this position during the day and awaken to search for food at night. Hedgehogs hibernate in cold climates.
Like many pocket pets, hedgehogs love to explore mazes and tunnels. This will keep Hedgie active, and offer him mental stimulation. You can buy labyrinths, or make your own out of shoeboxes or PVC pipe. To make your pet's explorations even more fun for him, hide a snack at the end of the tunnel.
A Huff And A Puff …
An unhappy hedgehog, on the other hand, will show his disdain with a hiss or a clicking sound. Throw in a quick lunging motion, and you are witnessing one really upset hedgehog.
All hedgehogs take time to adapt to a new environment or their new home. They sometimes get scared easily from noises, disturbances, and changes to the environment. So bringing them home for the first time, might still get their defenses up.