# Warning: Hedgehogs & Rats, Emergency



## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

I was woken up about half hour ago by screaming coming from the hedgehogs cage. Not unusual to hear a few squeaks but this sound pretty severe. Husband got out of bed and shouted for me to come quick. Apparently an adult female rat had him full on by the face and was dragging him around, inside his own cage.

I keep my rats in the large Nero 4 Deluxe cages - I've seen small weaner sizes get out of the cage before, but never an adult female, she was pregnant too, which may have contributed towards her aggressive behaviour, I just don't know. She had gotten out of her own cage and climbed up towards the hedgehog cage, gotten inside his cage, and obviously attacked his face, the only soft part she could reach, even when balled up (he's quite fat), she could get at his nose.

There was a lot of blood, more blood than I thought a hedgehog could ever give. The bite on his face is severe, it has gone straight through the entire nose, come out into his mouth, and down into the chin below. As I left him he could hardly breathe because of swallowing blood and it was bubbling out of his nose, I'm soaked in it.

He is at the emergency vets now obviously, undergoing anaesthetic and hopefully now once uncurled the vet can fully assess the damage. I couldn't really see how bad it was because of him curling up, all I could see was the blood and the bubbling and the horrible choking noise.

The vet was very good, managed to get to the surgery in 15 minutes, although I doubt he's ever been called out at 1am for a hedgehog before. 

He is 4 years old and my second oldest hedgehog, I've had him for his whole life and I am absolutely devestated by this. I never thought an adult rat would be able to get out of the cage or enter a hedgehogs cage, nor did it ever occur to me that they would be that aggressive towards a hedgehog. I've put all the rats in 50L tubs now and will be going shopping for cages with smaller bars in the morning - but I've kept hedgehogs and rats in the same room for 3 years.

I've also seen pictures of people with rats out at the same time as hedgehogs. My rats are all tame, none have ever bitten people or shown any aggression. After seeing the massive damage a rat can do all I can say is please think twice about ever having them anywhere near each other, and double check the cage bars if you use the Nero range, as apparently even a full size rat can squeeze through the bars if determined enough.

Fingers crossed for Fela, hoping to hear back from the vet soon. I'm completely on edge and know I won't be sleeping tonight.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

He is back home. The vets done what she can for him, I've got to give him some fluids and keep him warm, she said the wounds are mostly superficial but he's lost a lot of blood and it's most likely shock that will get him. He's got an appointment tomorrow for more painkillers and a checkup if he makes it.


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## Catherine896 (Jul 27, 2007)

I hope he will be OK  Goodluck with him.


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## maddragon29 (Oct 16, 2008)

awwh let us know if he's okay


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## JulieNoob (Jul 9, 2008)

I do hope he is OK


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## smurf_nom (Sep 7, 2009)

I hope he is ok. Poor little guy


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

Get well soon little guy.

This is why I dont recommend inch bar spacing to doe owners. Inch bar spacing is only suitable for big adult bucks. Even big does can get out through it (I had a roughly 450-500g doe escape easily from a Superpet cage, with inch bar spacing).


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## Krista (Jul 18, 2009)

Athravan said:


> He is back home. The vets done what she can for him, I've got to give him some fluids and keep him warm, she said the wounds are mostly superficial but he's lost a lot of blood and it's most likely shock that will get him. He's got an appointment tomorrow for more painkillers and a checkup if he makes it.



Hi,

I really do hope your little Baby is ok xxx 

Berty (one of my many ratties) escaped through the bars of her cage once.... had a good old munch on my fruit, flowers and a few cables and telephone wires for good measure.... she was in a cage that I too thought she could not get out off. I put chicken mesh all around and foiled her next attempt of getting out!!! I watched her...it was almost like she had flattened herself right out to fit under her door!!!!!

 Sending best wishes to you :grouphug:


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## midori (Aug 27, 2006)

I am so sorry to read this, I really hope your boy pulls through and can completely recover from what has happened. 

I have 1cm bar spacing on my cages, so the rats can't get through that, but one of my does can open the cage door. The first time I thought I must have left it open, but then she escaped again and I have seen her do it while I have been there since. I have to keep it 'locked' now.


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## ladyboid (Nov 25, 2007)

I am so sorry to hear what you had to go through last night. I really hope the little hoggy makes it xxx


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## berkshirereptile (Oct 5, 2009)

awww hope hes better soon and you never have a reoccourance, that brought a lump to my throat (yes im a big soppy)


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## vonnie (Aug 20, 2007)

Hope the little guy has made it through the night


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Thats so sad, fingers crossed hes a bit better this morning


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## marthaMoo (May 4, 2007)

How upsetting for you and your little man ((Hugs))

I hope he is doing ok this morning?

I would of never of thought a rat could of reacted to a Hog in such a way : (


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

Thanks guys. He's still with us this morning, he's at the vets now as they didn't have an appointment so hes waiting to be seen this morning. His face is really swollen this morning, his chin is bruised and he is still blowing blood bubbles out of his nostrils when he breathes but he wasn't huffy and seemed bright & alert. He will get more antibiotics, painkillers and an anti-inflammatory this morning and his wounds cleaned and I will pick him up at lunch time.


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## berkshirereptile (Oct 5, 2009)

Glad to hear fingers still crossed


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## Crownan (Jan 6, 2007)

Blimey. Good to hear there is positive progress. What a nightmare!

Best of luck with him


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## diamondlil (May 7, 2008)

So sorry to hear this, what a terrible shock! Hope your little man recovers asap


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## KathyM (Jan 17, 2009)

Glad to hear he's still with you, that's promising at least!



marthaMoo said:


> I would of never of thought a rat could of reacted to a Hog in such a way : (


Rats are naturally predators, so it's just natural behaviour, especially for a pregnant animal that's more likely to be defensive about animals in her safe space. I agree with Lisa on bar spacing too, very few does are large enough not to get through 1", although it's amazing she did it while pregnant.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

OMG that sounds dreadful! Poor wee hedgehog. You must have had a helluva shock finding that!!!

I'm pleased he's still with you this morning, as that augers well, but I doubt he's out of the woods yet, poor thing.

Fingers crossed for the wee man.


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## midori (Aug 27, 2006)

KathyM said:


> Glad to hear he's still with you, that's promising at least!
> 
> 
> 
> Rats are naturally predators, so it's just natural behaviour, especially for a pregnant animal that's more likely to be defensive about animals in her safe space. I agree with Lisa on bar spacing too, very few does are large enough not to get through 1", although it's amazing she did it while pregnant.


 
I have to admit, I have a couple of does that are she-devils when pregnant. I have to keep any free roaming rats away from their cage, as they attack their feet through the bars and get very stressed out.


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

What a wake up call  I hope your little hedgiepig manages to pull through!! Please keep us updated xx


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## *H* (Jun 17, 2007)

I hope the little man makes a full recovery, poor little mite must have been awful to find him like that  Fingers crossed and sending lots of healing vibes your way xx


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## x Sarah x (Nov 16, 2007)

One of my friends had an entire batch on newly hatched quails killed by a mouse (yes mouse not rat!)!

and 2 other have had rat attacks from wild rats, one in a rodent shed, where it slaughtered most of his multi colony, and another where a rat killed several guinea-pigs in a run...

They can be very aggressive animals when they want to be and will naturally attack smaller animals, my rats are lovely and tame but when the rabbits go near their cage, they go mad and grab the rabbits with their paws trying to pull them closer and bite them!

I'm glad your little hog is showing progress, you caught them just at the right time i think, any longer and the rat probably would have killed him


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

He's back from the vets now and off to bed for him. He's on antibiotics twice a day and painkillers/anti-inflamatories once a day and I have hibiscrub to keep the wound clean, and back to the vet in 3 days. Quickest £200 I ever spent but worth it!

Just hoping he can start eating again, the vet said he's most likely going to lose his sense of smell for quite a while and because of the amount of blood vessels in the nose will be tasting blood everytime he breathes too heavily or sneezes so is likely to lose his appetite. I have to try and find the strongest smelling tastiest delights for his dinner tonight.

Im looking at the Liberta Explorer Cage for my ratties, anyone have any comments on it? http://www.justcages.co.uk/products/the-explorer-rat-and-chinchilla-cage


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## connor 1213 (Apr 6, 2009)

get well soon!




and remember to keep us updated!


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## animal addict (Jun 1, 2008)

holy crap!!!! what a shocker!!!!!!!!!!! 

poor little hedgie - fingers crossed for him - I really hope he pulls through x


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## naz_pixie (Oct 6, 2008)

how devastating!! thats just awfull!!

i know like people have said that rats can be aggressive when threatened, especialy pregnant does, but for her to actualy escape from her own cage and struggle into something elses cage to attack it seems totaly nuts to me!! almost like she went out of her way to be aggressive!! very shocking!


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## smurf_nom (Sep 7, 2009)

Athravan said:


> He's back from the vets now and off to bed for him. He's on antibiotics twice a day and painkillers/anti-inflamatories once a day and I have hibiscrub to keep the wound clean, and back to the vet in 3 days. Quickest £200 I ever spent but worth it!
> 
> Just hoping he can start eating again, the vet said he's most likely going to lose his sense of smell for quite a while and because of the amount of blood vessels in the nose will be tasting blood everytime he breathes too heavily or sneezes so is likely to lose his appetite. I have to try and find the strongest smelling tastiest delights for his dinner tonight.
> 
> Im looking at the Liberta Explorer Cage for my ratties, anyone have any comments on it? Liberta The Explorer Rat and Chinchilla Cage | Just Cages


 
As far as i know that cage is brilliant. Haven't used one myself but thats an explorer which i hear people raving about on all the rat and animal forums i hav been on. 
I would get one if i had the space.


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

I'm pleased your little hog seems to be getting better.

As for the nero's for rats....I use them for some of my rats on ocassion.....I cover the bars with 6mm mesh or 10 mm mesh so that the does can't get out.
I've even had an adult buck bend the bars to get out and open the doors as well.
I use those screw link things to keep doors closed.


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

I've had an explorer, didnt think much of it, my girls ate the plastic trays and replacing them with metal would cost a fortune (more than the cage did). Much prefer my Brios!


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## BARDNEYLOCK (Aug 31, 2006)

ohhhhh what a story im so sorry to hear about your hog hope he gets better soon and you get over the shock.


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## fletch (May 26, 2008)

Similar thing happened to me a few years back, only with a tortoise. By the time I found the tortoise he had no front leg as the rat was sat there eating him alive. Tortoises can't scream so he had no way of letting me know what was happening to him. Had to have him PTS. After that I will never have rats again (sorry rat lovers). Had nightmares for months about it, so know exactly how you feel.

Claire


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## Choggie (Apr 27, 2009)

I am so sorry to hear about your hedgie - I hope he continues to do well and makes a full recovery.:grouphug:


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

Thanks to all for the good wishes. He's doing well. He ate some wet food last night and has mostly stopped sneezing blood, although when he drinks he gets bubbles coming out of the holes on the top of his nose which looks a bit weird but doesn't seem to be bothering him. Luckily he really likes the taste of his antibiotics so he's being an ideal patient.

The vet cut off all the top of his quills though, sheared them flat during the original emergency appointment, around where he would usually ball up and they'd cover his nose, because she didn't want to keep him sedated as it's quite danagerous for small animals but couldn't clean his woudn when he was balled up so now he has half spikes around his face and looks a little dopey!


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## quilson_mc_spike (Dec 27, 2008)

im seeing this in my mind and im crying and sending healing vibes for your lil' guy im so sorry to here this i hope he gets out of the woods sooner rather than later thank god i dont have rats, im a heavy sleeper and can sleep through a bomb! xxxxx:flrt::flrt::flrt:


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## elle.bee (May 26, 2009)

Aww no i'm so sorry to hear this! I hope he has a quick recovery fingers crossed for him. You did a really great thing getting him to the vets so quick


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