Hedgehog w/ chicken mites? *Pictures of my Nutmeg*

[Emzyyy]

Ive had my hedgehog Nutmeg for a yr now, my apricot male Popcorn just recently died from cancer, I cried. Well my mom got a bag of woodshavings for bedding at atwoods because its cheaper in the big bags. They we're stored outside Im thinking they're were mites in them because now my I see them on Nutmeg. Ive been giving her baths everyday and they seem to be going away. No exotic vet in Kansas I know of. Do you think they're may be mites in the bedding?

Lol this is when my Boston Terrier first met Popcorn. His eyes got all wide in amazement.

AWWW! Nutmeg and Popcorn fell asleep w/ noses touching.

Nutmeg

Popcorn, and Nutmeg

I just got Nutmeg a new wire cage much bigger she loves it.

Lol Nutmeg is curious she was trying to see what I was doing.

Nutmeg enjoying her log.

 

[chickenannie]

wow, I didn't know you could have hedgehogs as pets. Are they prickly or dangerous to pick up?

 

[Emzyyy]

wow, I didn't know you could have hedgehogs as pets. Are they prickly or dangerous to pick up?

No I was afraid of them when I first got one for my birthday but I got used to it. The prickles you get used to they don't come out in your skin or anything and once the hedgehog gets used to you it lays its quills down for you to pick up. They reconize their owner's scent. Yet my brother learned the hard way wash your hands after you eat because they smell the food and like to nibble, and once he didn't pay attention and one crawled up his pants kinda painful.​

 

[Emzyyy]

Though trimming their nails IS painful. Trying to get them to hold still they don't like you touching their feet and they POOF! and their in a complete ball spines out and everything.

 

[BirdBoy88]

I've always wanted a hedgehog but never could find a place here that sells them

I hope your babies are ok.. i couldn't see the pics that good

 

[missa28]

I love those little boogers!!! I used to have them and they would crawl inside my button up shirts lol I never wore another one after that!!! So very cute!!
Just keep giving baths and watch where you get the shavings from for now on and you'll be good

have fun with those guys they are priceless!!!

 

[fowltemptress]

Yes, the mites could have come from the bedding, so I would throw it away and buy a new bag, or they could have come from other pets in the household, so you should treat them for mites, as well. Ivermectin is the most common treatment for mites in hedgehogs, and I've heard of Revolution being used. Of course, you'd need a vet to advise you on the use of these medications. I've never been a fan of natural remedies for the purpose of mite and flea control, but I'm sure there are other people on this forum who are well versed in the natural remedies that might work.
In addition to treating the hedgehog, you should clean its cage and all its accessories in hot water. I would also vacuum the house, but be sure to throw the vacuum bag away as soon as you are done or else any mites sucked up will crawl right back out, or any eggs sucked up could hatch and also crawl back out.
Good luck with your hedgehog, and I'm sorry about the one that died. I've always loved the little guys, and used to beg Mom for one when we went into pet shops. They sure are cute!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Beautiful baby you have there! Love the pics!

 

[warren]

I have kept small hedgehogs in my greenhouse over winter as they were too small to survive the cold. We are not allowed to keep them as pets here in the UK, I believe, so I always let them go in spring when they have put on weight and there is plenty of natural food around.
They do have fleas. If I understand it right parasites are host specific, so if your hedgehog has mites it must have got them from a wild hedgehog, or a hedgehog has been sleeping in your shavings and has left some behind. You could try a mild permethrin based insecticide, but if baths have helped and the hedgehog does not mind them, then perhaps that is the best answer. Hedgehogs do have their own smell so perhaps the baths will help with that as well.
Hedgehogs are expert climbers and eat spiders so they clean out my greenhouse very well.

 

[fowltemptress]

Some mites are host specific, but there are mites that are mammal specific, bird specific, etc, so a dog could give a hedgehog mites. The common mites specific to hedgehogs are small, white, don't move around much and extremely difficult to see. Hedgehog owners will usually see the symptom, and not the mites. That's why I suspect they're either a different mite spread by a different mammal, or else lice or fleas being mistaken for mites.