Skin Hedgehogs may get a skin disease often caused by mites.
It is a fungus and not an actual worm. Symptoms include hair or quill loss, flaky or dry skin, scabs, redness, and excessive itching.
The first step in treatment is to look at a clean, completely dry hedgehog. New lesions appeared immediately after she handled her pet hedgehog. A few hedgehogs lose so few quills that it’s barely noticeable.
If you're looking for hedgehog dry skin solutions, you've found the right place. External Parasites: The most common skin disease in hedgehogs is mange. The most common infestations that occur with these hedgehogs … Treatment Overview. Teeth & Gums Hedgehogs can have tooth and gum disease. One of the most common problems that pet hedgehogs suffer from are mites. In addition, the patient developed more persistent itchy papules in the same areas. You may notice movement of little white dots on the hedgehogs skin, these dots are are the actual mites. When a hedgehog is too cool, they will be very unsteady and will begin to tremble or wobble.
; Various owners and breeders treat simple dry skin with various over-the-counter remedies and other items usually found around the house. Hedgehogs can get mites from other infested hedgehogs, which they may contact at the breeders, in pet stores, shelters or previously contaminated bedding. This condition can be caused by either sarcoptic or psoroptic skin mites. Our Bathing Articles describe an oatmeal bath, how to bathe your hedgehog, dead skin removal, and simple skin care tips. ECTOPARASITES AND OTHER SKIN PROBLEMS Fleas: some wild hedgehogs carry large numbers of specific hedgehog fleas (Archaeopsylla erinacei), these do not appear to harm healthy hedgehogs and will not stay on humans, pets or infest your house, as they breed in the hedgehog’s nest. Symptoms to watch for are excessive scratching, dandruff, and loss of quills. The same goes for pet hedgehogs. Hedgehogs can suffer from a variety of medical problems; some of the more common issues include skin infections with fungus (ringworm), and mites. Both ringworm and mites can cause dry, flaky, crusty skin and quill loss. Do not use the common flea treatment sprays or powder that you usually use for your dogs and cats as they might result in respiratory issues in your hedgehog. Sick, hypothermic, hedgehogs do not Clinical signs include heavy dandruff, quill and/or hair loss, crusty thickened skin, thickening of ear margins, easy plugs in ear canals, and overall itchiness. Some babies have thinner coats than others. Mites or mange disease. Hedgehogs living in the wild are often infested with ticks, fleas and mites, which are small insect parasites causing itchy, irritating skin issues.
If not, the hedgehog could have an ear infection and you should seek medical attention promptly. While a hedgie might lose a lot of quills, the coat shouldn’t look too sparse or have bald patches. These were extremely pruritic and were described by the patient as welts that lasted for less than an hour. Symptoms can be loss of appetite, drooling, bad breath, and red or swollen gums.