Baby hedgehogs (hoglets) are irresistibly adorable. If you believe that an adult can capture your heart, be warned that a mother accompanied by a litter of gorgeous hoglets is another level of beauty.
This caution is necessary since it is too easy to pet domesticate a hedgehog to own the cute hoglets.
A tremendous amount of responsibility comes with reproducing, which should not be done lightly.
Hedgehog Breeding
If you want a hedgehog to reproduce, first ensure the following:
- That you are prepared to lose the mother if issues arise!
- You can locate loving homes for ALL infants. You may require as many as seven other cages or shelters to house the offspring of a single hedgehog.
- If there are issues with the delivery or complications with the newborns, there may be substantial veterinarian costs.
- If the mother rejects the infants, you may be required to care for them, which requires a great deal of work.
IMPORTANT: Typically, hedgehogs bear children in June and July; however, the hoglet season may start as early as spring after a warm winter and last until fall.
How Many Babies Can a Hedgehog Have?
A hedgehog can have an average litter size of four to five hoglets, but this can increase to seven. But they typically wean two to three hoglets successfully. Some mothers can desert or even eat their hoglets if disturbed.
What Age of Female Hedgehog Is Ideal to Breed?
Females should not reproduce before the age of six months. Any younger than this are still developing. It suggests they will likely be unable to adequately maintain themselves and their offspring throughout the breeding season.
When breeding a hedgehog for the first time, you should avoid waiting until she is older than one year of age. This delay increases the probability that her pelvic bones may fuse. In most circumstances, this makes the birth process more difficult and risky.
Female hedgehogs experience menopause between 2.5 and 3 years of age. The closer the female hedgehog approaches that number, the fewer its litters are likely to become, which has severe health risks.
What Age or Character Is the Ideal Male Hedgehog for Breeding?
Breeding males should not be closely related to the female hedgehog with whom they would ideally mate. Inbreeding dramatically raises the likelihood of infants developing health issues.
Males may be bred at any age, although they are often not sexually mature until around four to five months old. Experts suggest waiting until they reach this age to guarantee that the mating process goes more smoothly.
How To Determine Whether A Hedgehog Is Pregnant
There are four typical and significant indications when a hedgehog is pregnant:
- Excessive weight gain
- Teats enlarge and a tighter/larger abdomen. Occasionally, you will be capable of feeling the infants in Mama’s tummy if you softly touch her stomach and search for them. However, only do this when the mother does not exhibit any signs of stress!
- Appetite and eating patterns increases. Supply them with more food than usual. She is currently eating enough to sustain a whole litter!
- You begin to see nesting behaviors. Examples include the female creating mounds or securing the entrance to the cage with bedding.
How Often Can You Breed a Female Hedgehog?
Naturally, you will not desire to breed your female continuously. It is advisable to breed them up to three times every year. Since she is a creature and pet trying to live, allowing her at least four months between litters is preferable.
You should care for your hedgehogs like you would anyone else pet, regardless of whether they are for reproducing.
What Are the Risks During Hedgehog Reproduction?
Similar to any other mammal, there are hazards associated with breeding hedgehogs. You must be prepared for these threats; thus, we will discuss them below.
If you breed your hedgehogs before they are mature enough, there is a potential that the mother may consume the offspring, or they will be stillborn. It may also occur if the mother is anxious.
Pregnancy complications may pose a threat to the mother regardless of species. When both female and male hedgehogs reach reproductive age, you must also keep a close eye on them to ensure they do not engage in harmful behavior.
The best thing to do when contemplating breeding these creatures is to speak with an expert breeder who can take you through the process and provide advice on how to breed them safely and correctly.
Final Thoughts
Breeding hedgehogs is not necessarily a frightening task. Knowing what to do eliminates ambiguity, even if it requires you to pay close attention and act correctly.
If you have doubts about the reproduction or mating procedure, you should contact an expert hedgehog breeder. Speaking personally with a previous participant may make all the difference!
