# African pygmy hedgehog problem please help



## bug man (Aug 4, 2008)

Hi, just a quick question my African pygmy hedgehog normally sleeps under his tea towel but has stopped it for a couple of days so now i am able to see him sleep. 
Iv noticed that hes breathing fast in his sleep say a breath per second i was wondering if this is normal for a African pygmy hedgehog thanks zac


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## animal addict (Jun 1, 2008)

I think mine breaths quite fast too so either it must be normal or we have the same problem lol!!! Theres no other funny noises accompanied with the breathing?


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

Has the temperature changed or the substrate, perhaps the towel is a bit stinky, has he been going to the bathroom over there perhaps and doesn't want to sleep there anymore? Could try a change out and offer a few different places to sleep and see if he chooses somewhere secluded. 

Not sure about the breathing, most of mine seem to breathe fairly fast and if you use a stethoscope on them have fast little heartbeats but if you think it's abnormal to the way he usually breathes a vet check couldn't hurt.

Is he still eating, drinking, going to the bathroom, seem lively in all other respects, behaviour hasn't changed?


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## Tan (May 7, 2008)

When they leave the nest to sleep and it is not due to illness then it usually due to them not liking what they have through odour.

As I am sure you have noticed they are not them selves a smelly animal and are quite nose friendly and although they do really enjoy getting those Jacobsons organs going they do not like to sleep in a smell.

Fast breath are common but just like many mammals the rate does drop once the bodies is resting and I am assuming you keep him on shaving. If you do this can be a cause and the best thing to do is change him onto paper for a week and if his rate is still what you consider fast then this would be deemed normal for him. Once there is no wheezing, mucus discharge around the nostrel and the eyes are clean and rectom then I would say he is fine.

If you are worried then bring him to a vet but be warned many vets havent a clue as you really need an expert in the field if you will and they need a full APH data base also to refer to and unfortuatly the APH does not have one yet so they will have to go on 'does it sound normal' in general mammal terms which in most cases is OK as apposed to whats the rate for this perticular animal.

Leaps and bounds are being made with the APH medically but in my opinion having dealth with everything from ringworm to lower resp infections and tried so mnay dif enclousures, hides etc...in them it sounds like you need to offer a completely non-transparent hide with shredded kitchen roll as nesting material and no shaving underneath.

Another thing is males can and do 'practise' love making on material based items and if he is over say 5months old then he could very well be doing this a lot especially if there is a girly near by. They really do not like to sleep in their mess so check for pockets of sperm on the towel too.


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