My hedgehog is sick: gaining weight, losing quills. What should I do?

Thanks for reaching out about Hubert and including photos. The lump on the skin could be a cyst, abscess or tumor. Not sure if this is part of the anorexia problems or a second problem, but a veterinary visit is recommended. Try wetting the food and offer through a syringe. Try and maintain hydration also, until a veterinary visit is scheduled. Good luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be a benign or malignant growth. This could even be an infection or nothing serious. This cannot be completely assessed just by looking at pictures and usually requires sampling such as fine needle aspiration to determine its origin. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have him evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

It sounds as if your hamster is very sick. Usually when hamsters become so ill in such a short period of time there is not a good outcome. There could be several different things going on that have caused Comet to become ill so quickly. My best recommendation is to have Comet examined by a veterinarian to give him the best chance of recovery. I hope this helps. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Swelling and changes in behavior could indicate Kozmo might be having some illness that is causing hind end irritation as well. It is best to have a vet take a look at him, especially if this has been happening for more than a day, or Kozmo is showing signs of illness such as changes in behavior, lethargy, loss of appetite, etc. Male hedgehogs don't go into heat as they aren't the ones that carry a pregnancy. A heat cycle occurs when a female is ovulating and ready to mate and create babies. Males instead produce the sperm to impregnate females. Males that are intact and excited may have some swelling of the hind end, however you indicated Kozmo was neutered.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If you can have little Henry seen by a veterinarian, this would be best, because it sounds like he may be suffering from internal & external parasites. A stool sample would show if Henry has a parasite called coccidia, or other parasites such as lungworms, tapeworms , or other species of nematodes. The rubbing could result from the presence of the common mange mite of hedgehogs, although they can also harbor other mite species, fleas & ticks. Keeping his environment very clean ( every 2 days ) will prevent reinfestation once he receives treatment. Hope all is well soon with Henry.

I would recommend an exam at a veterinarian who sees exotic pets. Quill loss and dry skin can be a sign of mites in these little guys. The vet can check for these mites and to see if the quill loss is excessive/abnormal (some quill loss can be normal but it sounds like you are describing excessive loss) and prescribe medication if needed.

Thanks for reaching out about Peggy and including a photo. The skin does appear a little flakey. Dermatopathies such as quill mites, skin infections, vitamin A deficiencies or other nutritional problems needs to be investigated. Monitor her for being itchy. If you continue to have problems or the condition progresses, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.