Sweater Crazy

I discovered another one of mom's interesting tasting sweaters today. I especially loved how delicate and fine the fabric was. It felt like I could easily pull on a thread and the whole thing would unravel. I wonder how amusing mom would find this....?? Very tempting!!!

Mmmmmmm..... sweater.....

I quite like mom's sweater.....

Huey's Idea of Cozy

Now that Huey is on antibiotics and his tummy is upset, mom has laid down some paper towels for easier cleaning. Huey would much rather sleep in it than walk on it......

This is what it is supposed to look like:

Huey Vet Visit #2

When Huey isn't sleeping deep within the fleece strips of his house, its seems like all mom does is examine his face and legs for signs of change and hopes of improvement.


Mom and Dad took Huey to the vet tonight to have the bumps and scabs on his face and legs looked at. The vet agreed that it is very possibly linked to a food allergy. The scabs did not look like they were due to an infection (staph). Huey is now on his second round of antibiotics in order to heal the scabs that he has scratched 'raw'. The antibiotics are to help heal his skin. This time around, NO BAYTRIL!!!! He is on Antirobe twice a day for two weeks.


The vet also provided mom some Hill's Prescription Diet z/d. This food has been developed by using a process called Hydrolyzation. This is the same process used to create baby formula for human babies who are allergic to milk protein. Basically, the proteins in hydrolyzed food is broken down so small, that they do not create allergic reactions.


The vet said we should start seeing improvement in Huey's skin within 3 days due to the antibiotics. If the irritation is due to a food allergy we should see his skin clear up in two weeks due to the new food. Once his skin has improved, he is to remain eating the Prescription Diet z/d for two additional weeks before mom re-introduces (one food at a time, with a two week gap) his current kibble. This will help determine what it is that he is allergic to. The Prescription Diet is a bit high in protein, but the vet said it should be OK for 4 weeks.


We're all really hoping this is the answer to all his skin woe's.

Food Allergies?

Mom and I wanted to share a really great article we read together (ok.. maybe she did the reading and I just stared at the screen...) about hedgehog food allergies. Mom has been reading up on a whole lot so that she can be as informed as possible when she and Huey visit the vet to talk about the bumps and scabs on his face and legs.

All hedgie owners, or to be owners should read this article from Hedgies.com:

http://www.hedgies.com/allergies.htm

Mom really wishes she had read this sooner as she would have allowed for much longer gaps of time between introducing us all to new foods. This would have helped her monitor Huey's skin and new food intake for any signs of a reaction. She says she would have also kept her already detailed hog log more detailed and very specific.

Lesson learned!

My, What Big Teeth You Have....

Here's a photo of Huey chomping on some of his kibble. Mom was finally able to find some low fat cat food to mix in with the higher fat food she is trying hard to wean us off of. Our mix currently consists of Royal Canin Kitten, Eagle Pack Holistic Select Duck and Oatmeal formula, Fromm Mature Gold for cats and Now! Senior Weight Management. So far so good.... we all seem to like this mixture. Mom is trying to track down some Natural Balance Green Pea & Duck formula for us, because she has this obsessed notion that we will love it. Some really nice people at Global Pet Foods in Oakville are ordering some samples for us to try. It should be in quite soon!

P.S. The cause of the scab under Huey's chin is unknown. Mom thinks it is a staph infection as he has developed the start of new sores on his legs today. Mom's taking him to the vet either tomorrow or Monday, depending on which vet is available, to determine the cause. My little (though chubby) Huey is definitely my special needs little hog!

Horatio Meets Couch Animals

Horatio met the couch animals all at once yesterday. He cautiously maneuvered his way around them as he sniffed his new found friends. Mom said he made little high pitched squeaking sounds a few times, similar to babies in their nest wanting more food from mom. We're not really sure what that means but he didn't seem stressed out about the situation, so it must have been good!

Quilling

My boys are going through their 8-12 week old quilling stage. They are just over 10 weeks old now and have been terribly huffy for the last few days. Even Horatio the cuddle bug has been quite sensitive when it comes to being held.

Quilling is the term used for the process of shedding a set of quills in order for a new set to grown in. In other words, their 'baby quills' are shedding, making room for their strong manly adult quills. The fallen quills are quickly replaced by new quills which break through quill points in their skin. It is easy to see why my little guys are irritable and moody. Hopefully this stage only lasts a week, but it is possible that it can last up to 3 weeks or slightly longer.

Run Away!!!!

Even when I give mom my best evil eye, she still doesn't get it...

Oh, how they grow.....

Mom and I were looking through old photo's and found this great shot of Huey taken February 2, 2008, when he was just one month old.

Mom Went Fabric Shopping!

Mom went fabric shopping and bought a new stash to make us new cage liners. She bought two types of really cute dinosaur flannel and fuzzy fleece to ensure we stay as dry as possible. The fabric cage liners ensure our spaces stay dust free and keep us breathing healthy. It also makes cage cleaning a whole lot easier. Mom changes our liners every 2-3 days. By the end of the week she has a great big load of liners, hedgie bags and snuggle blankets to wash. We love the fact that liners also create less waste, meaning they are "environmentally friendly". Every little bit counts!

Huey Update

Huey is finally finished his stint with his antibiotics. He managed them with absolutely no adverse reactions. YAY for my little guy!!


His skin looks a lot better and his problem areas are drying up quite nicely. He also seems to be a whole lot less itchy and uncomfortable. I feel so happy that he is feeling better. He has been a real trooper. He hasn’t complained or slowed down one bit. He wheels around all day while Horatio and I are trying to get some sleep. He also tests me by staying up as long as he can, pretending like he doesn’t need to sleep. What a guy!!


I am sharing a shot mom took of him as he was getting acquainted with Big Chester the Hobby Room sheep!

What's with the Shoe??

Ok.... so it looks like I am not the only one that like's the shoe......

Play Time

Play time always almost equals worm time for me. I love a good old larva of the mealworm beetle or Tenebrio molitor. These pests of stored grain do just fine in my belly!!





Mom tries to bribe me with mealworms in order to come out and play with all the colourful (and what she thinks are fun) toys she got us. This does work just briefly until the worms are gobbled up. At that point I go and 'play' in my favourite toy. It happens to be one of dad's old shoes. As you can see, the only playing that happens is a game of hide and seek..... Mom tries her hardest to entice me out and to make sure she can see me run about and play, but I'd much rather take a nap and leave all the running around and cage rearranging to when she and dad are asleep in bed. I think she is onto me though..... She caught me wandering around in my space when she came home today. I was somewhat confused. Usually mom and dad are home Sunday afternoons but I hadn't heard a peep out of either of them since after lunch today so I thought it was safe to come out for a brisk walk...... Well.......... in a much different way than mom's usually unstealthy self, she snuck up on me as I was having a wander. She was so happy to see that I was out and about, that she briskly placed me in my pen and I suppose couldnt resist snapping some shots of my cute little face!