Please look at these pics.....

Too cut a long story short, a friend of a friend of my daughter rang me at 7am one morning last week, panicking cos her hog hadn't been up that night, food uneaten, wheel clean, "hes not dead, but he's not jumping and huffing like normally does" unfortunately, my phone was switched off, and I was in bed, and didn't get the message till 9am, by which time she was at work......I returned her call and suggested hibernation, she said she would get her Mum to go in with a hot water bottle which she did, but not until 2pm, and apparantly hog was then up eating biscuits! but she left botttle anyway
Then Fri. afternoon I get a phone call, "he's not been out last night, but he's out now again eating!" Well it turns out that while she was at work the last week, she had covered the cage with a blanket to stop draughts, and keep him warmer, cos heating not on! I explained about light levels and his body clock, and not knowing if it was day or night.......{and she had bought a heat mat for him}
Then, yesterday she rang again, would I please come and see the hog, she was worried.......

When I got there it was abit chilly in the room, but I could see a heat pad in the igloo, so I thought its ok, he'll be warm, then she took me over to show me, I put my hand on the pad and it was cold, she had bought a microwavable one, but didn't have a microwave she took the igloo off, and I thought he was dead, til he rolled off the pad and woke up. I went to pick him up, and the bottom of the cage felt wet....it wasn't, but she had him on what looked like cat litter type stuff, horrible and cold, but she insisted it was special dust free stuff.....

Anyway,...This is Sidney...















As you cas see, he's not in very good shape, I didn't realise how bad, till I looked at these tonight, Sidney has never been handled without a towel, and then only to put him on the floor for a run about.... He huff, and pops, and jumps and is not at all friendly....He apparantly lost his spines last year, but got them back during the summer, but has now lost them, plus more again now!
Because he is never handled, she has never noticed his feet......
In the last photo, it looks like his ear is sore, and his mouth, but it could be the flash.....

I must stress, the lady is lovely, and has not knowingly mistreated him in any way.....It seems to be a case of lack of time, and lack of knowledge..

She asked me last night if I would take him, and I said no, cos I don't have room, cage etc yet.... but after seeing these pics, I have told her that if she still wants me to, then I will.........So it seems Sidney is coming to me tomorrow sometime, cage and all, she wants nothing for him, just to be able to come and see him sometimes!!

oh dear those feet dont look good!!!!! defo book the vets appointment in readiness and whack that heat up!!!

keep him away from rose also and change clothes in between handling him