A hedgehog lying flat, often called "splooting" or "pancaking," usually means they are either very comfortable and relaxed, or they are trying to cool down because they are too hot by pressing their belly to a cool surface. However, if it's accompanied by lethargy, unresponsiveness, or a lack of curling when touched (especially in cooler weather), it could signal serious issues like illness, injury (like Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome), or dehydration, requiring a vet visit.
Hedgehogs who overheat lie flat and press their bellies to the ground, which is usually a cooling surface. If this doesn't work, they go into a state called aestivation. This is a bit like hibernation.
Check if the hedgehog:
This is what we call 'splooting'. Spreading themselves out to increase their surface area to cool down.
Signs of dehydration in a hedgehog: Dull eyes Shaking/wobbling Collapse Out during the daytime Pale gums Sitting with hunched back Skin tenting What to do if you find a dehydrated hedgehog? Either stay with the animal or if this is not possible pick the hog up in a blacket/towel/jumper and place in a secure box.
It is caused by air getting trapped under their skin, and can hinder the hedgehog's ability to curl up and move easily. It is treatable, so, please, pick up the hedgehog, using thick gloves or a towel, place it in a box and take it to your local wildlife rescue centre.
Five key signs of dehydration include extreme thirst, dark/infrequent urination, dizziness, dry mouth and lips, and fatigue/lethargy, though symptoms vary, with babies showing no tears or fewer wet diapers. Recognizing these signs, like dark yellow urine or feeling lightheaded, helps indicate your body needs more fluids.
Signs of stress
Many hedgehogs are busy and want to try to explore but a stressed hedgehog will be much more persistent and not easily distracted. The stressed hedgehog may also twitch or shake its head nervously. It is almost as if the hedgehog is saying “Sensory overload. I can't take it anymore.”
During extreme muscle exertion, the 'purse-string' muscle can fold up over the pelvis and get stuck: the pop-off syndrome (Bexton, 2019). The muscle goes into a spasm, which leaves the hedgehog unable to roll up and causes the pelvis and hind legs to remain visible. This is very dangerous for the animal.
Coccidiosis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by a protozoan. Clinical signs include diarrhea (with or without mucus), hematochezia, lethargy, weight loss, vomiting, signs of abdominal pain, pallor, and anorexia.
A hedgehog shouldn't usually be pottering around in the daytime as it is against their natural rhythm and routine. If you are concerned about a hedgehog that is active all day, particularly in bright sunshine, or not moving very much, report them to a rescue centre which will advise you what to do.
Common conditions of pet hedgehogs include internal and external parasites, ringworm, cancer, pneumonia, gastrointestinal disease, and obesity. Signs of illness or disease are often vague and non-specific, such as lack of appetite and lethargy.
If your hedgehog is unusually still in the evening—sleeping in short, restless bursts, waking and dozing repeatedly, or staying sluggish when they would normally explore—it can be a sign of unhappiness or even illness.
Gently cover the hedgehog with an old towel or fleece to make it feel more secure and offer some meaty cat or dog food and water. Once you have the hedgehog settled somewhere quiet indoors, call the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) on 01584 890 801.
Hedgehogs tend to bond with their owners. They will remember your voice, your smell, and even your appearance.
Badgers are hedgehogs' main predators in the UK. They are the only animals strong enough to tackle a hedgehog's spiny defences. Hedgehogs and badgers share what's known as an asymmetric intraguild predation relationship.
Diagnosis of lungworm can be achieved by microscopic examination of hedgehog faeces to look for Crenosoma larvae or Capillaria eggs. Not all hedgehogs infected with lungworm will develop signs of disease. A clinical examination by a veterinary surgeon is necessary to diagnose the disease in a live hedgehog.
Symptoms. WHS most commonly shows up in hedgehogs that are between 2 and 3 years old, but it can appear at any point in Hedgie's life. Usually, the first thing you will notice is weakness and a lack of coordination in the back legs. This causes the telltale wobble the disease is named for.
In human years, a five year old hedgehog is about 76 - this is called the 'founder's effect' and can be seen in other animals as well. So, if a hedgehog lives 5-7 years it has lived a full life.
Symptoms of stress
A hedgehog has the strange habit of 'self anointing'; when it comes across a strong smell or taste it twists its head round and, using the tongue, covers its spines and fur in a frothy saliva - looking as thought it is covered in soap bubbles! This behaviour is quite normal but no-one knows its purpose.
Wobbly hedgehog syndrome (WHS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Spongy degeneration of the brain and spinal cord is the diagnostic feature of WHS. WHS affected brain and spinal cord show extensive demyelination and remyelination. Axonal degeneration is accompanied by loss of neurons in WHS.
Is it dehydration or something else?
The fastest way to cure dehydration involves replacing fluids and electrolytes, with Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS) (like Pedialyte) being best for vomiting/diarrhea, while water works for mild cases from heat/exercise; for severe dehydration, IV fluids in a hospital are needed, but for home, small, frequent sips of ORS or diluted sports drinks (for older kids/adults) are key, avoiding sugary drinks and caffeine.
9 healthy and hydrating alternatives to water