Breeding African Pygmy Hedgehogs

Guidance for New and Experienced Breeders

Breeding Basics

Successful hedgehog breeding requires knowledge and preparation. Ensure both the male and female hedgehogs are healthy, of appropriate age, and have compatible temperaments. Provide a stress-free environment and monitor their interactions closely.

Selecting a Mate

When choosing a mate for your hedgehog, it is essential to ensure that both the male and female are healthy, have compatible temperaments, and are genetically compatible. A hedgehog’s temperament is often inherited, so it’s ideal to select parents who are friendly and alert. Additionally, ensure that the male and female are not related to prevent inbreeding.

Male Hedgehog: Males reach sexual maturity as early as 5 weeks old, but it is recommended to wait until the male is at least 5 months old. This ensures that he has developed physically and can produce a sufficient quantity of viable sperm.
Female Hedgehog: Females should not be bred until they are at least 6 months old and weigh over 300 grams. Breeding before this age can risk the health of both the mother and the offspring, as her cervical bones can fuse, making birthing difficult.

Understanding the Hedgehog Heat Cycle

Hedgehogs have a heat cycle that lasts approximately 9 days, followed by 7 days off. To maximize the chances of successful mating, it’s best to put the male and female together for 10 days. Alternatively, you can place them together for 4-5 days, separate them for 4 days, and then reunite them for another 4-5 days.

To facilitate mating, remove all hiding spots in the enclosure except for food, water, and bedding. This encourages the female to remain accessible and prevents her from hiding from the male.

Gestation and Birth

The gestation period for hedgehogs typically lasts between 34 and 39 days, but it can extend up to 45 days in rare cases. To calculate the average due date, count 30 days from the first time the male and female were together, and 45 days from the last time they mated.

Pregnancy Monitoring: Assume the female is pregnant until she reaches her due date. Once pregnant, avoid placing her back with the male to prevent rebreeding as it may result in her miscarrying her hoglets.
Litter Size: Hedgehogs can give birth to 1-10 hoglets, with the female having 8-10 nipples to nurse her young.
Separation at 5 Weeks: Once the hoglets reach 5 weeks of age, they should be separated from their mother and the male to avoid inbreeding and reduce stress on the mother. Male hoglets, in particular, should be kept separate to prevent harassment of their siblings or the mother.

Courtship and Mating Behavior

Hedgehogs exhibit various behaviors during courtship. A female in heat may curl into a ball or show interest by lowering her quills and standing still. Male hedgehogs produce vocalizations such as squeaking sounds to indicate excitement or attraction. They may also produce huffing sounds to signal their presence or to attract the female.

Breeding Morphs and Coloration

When breeding hedgehogs, the morphs (color and pattern) of both parents play a significant role in determining the offspring’s coloration. For example, breeding darker morphs with one another will likely result in darker babies, while breeding lighter morphs will produce lighter offspring.

Post-Breeding Care

Female’s Comfort: Once pregnant, place the female in the male’s enclosure for mating. This allows the male to feel comfortable and increases the likelihood of successful mating. After mating, the female may not want the male’s scent in her enclosure, so it’s best to keep them separated.
Breeding Limitations: The first time you breed a female should ideally be before she reaches 12 months old to prevent complications due to fused cervical bones.

Caring for Pregnant Hedgehogs

Pregnant hedgehogs need special care. Provide a quiet, comfortable space and maintain a nutritious diet. Monitor her health and behavior closely, and prepare for the arrival of the hoglets by having a nesting area ready.

Signs of Pregnancy

Hedgehogs typically do not show significant pregnancy symptoms until the final stages, but some early signs to watch for include:

Weight Gain: The female may gain weight as the pregnancy progresses.
Increased Appetite: A pregnant hedgehog will eat more to support her growing babies.
Daytime Activity: Pregnant females may become more active during the day, which is unusual for hedgehogs.
Movement in Belly: You may notice subtle movements in her belly as the hoglets develop.
Changes in Stool: Her stool may appear different as her body adjusts to the pregnancy.
Strong Urine Odor: Increased hormone levels may cause a stronger urine scent.
Moodiness: Pregnant hedgehogs may become more irritable or exhibit different behaviors.
Nesting Behavior: The female may start preparing a nest, which is a clear sign she is nearing her due date.
Enlarged Nipples: Her nipples will become more prominent as she prepares to nurse the hoglets.

Preparing the Nesting Area

To ensure your pregnant hedgehog is comfortable, provide extra bedding for her to build a nest. Lightweight paper bedding is an excellent choice because it is absorbent, warm, and easy for the mother to move. Make sure she has access to at least one hide or more, as hedgehogs are prey animals and feel safer in enclosed spaces. You may find that she prefers to build her nest inside one of these hides.

Clear plastic hides are particularly useful because they allow you to monitor the health of both the mother and her hoglets without disturbing them.

Exercise Wheel Removal

As the due date approaches, remove the exercise wheel from the enclosure. Rest is crucial for a pregnant hedgehog, and keeping the wheel can pose a risk to the hoglets if she picks them up while running or tramples them during exercise.

Nutrition and Diet

A nutritious diet is vital to ensure the health of the pregnant hedgehog and the developing hoglets. Here’s how to maintain a balanced diet:

High-Quality Kibble: Provide unlimited access to high-quality kibble that is rich in protein, low in fat, and contains fiber from insects. A combination of at least three different types of kitten kibble will ensure a balanced intake of nutrients. Some good choices include:
- Royal Canin Mother and Babycat
- Iams Kitten (Chicken Flavor)
- James Wellbeloved Kitten (Chicken Flavor)
Scrambled Eggs: Offer scrambled eggs (cooked without butter) as a source of calcium to support her health and milk production.
Wet Cat Food: Wet food, such as Lily’s Kitchen Poultry Mix, can be offered to expand her diet and add variety.

Monitoring and Weighing

Weighing the female hedgehog regularly will help you track her weight gain, but be mindful that this should be stopped as she nears her due date. Weighing too frequently can cause unnecessary stress, which could affect the health of both the mother and her hoglets.

It’s essential to always assume the female is pregnant, even if she shows no outward signs. Since pregnancy can sometimes go unnoticed early on, it’s safer to prepare for the arrival of the hoglets and provide her with the best care possible.

By providing a calm environment, proper nutrition, and observing her closely, you can ensure that your pregnant hedgehog is well cared for throughout her pregnancy and is ready for a successful delivery.

Next mating session

The mother hedgehog should not be bred for at least another 6 months after her birth as any more than this shows you are dong it unethically.

Hedgehog Birthing

Hedgehogs typically give birth at night, and as a result, the birthing process often goes unnoticed. During labor, the female may lick her genitals while straining from contractions. The hoglets are born covered in a membrane, with their quills encased in a fluid-filled pocket. This membrane drains shortly after birth, allowing the mother to give birth to her babies, either head or tail first.

Post-Birth Care

Placenta Consumption: After the birth, the female will eat the placenta and begin licking her hoglets to clean them.
Hoglet Characteristics: Hedgehogs produce altricial young, meaning hoglets are fully dependent on their mother. Newborn hoglets are born with their eyes closed, no hair, and their facial features and ears are not fully developed. They have soft quills that harden quickly after birth. Many people describe a newborn hoglet as looking like a “swollen tongue.”
Feeding and Temperature: Hoglets are highly dependent on their mother for survival. They are fed every 2 hours. The ambient temperature for the mother and hoglets should be maintained between 70-80°F (21-27°C), but you may want to provide additional heat to ensure the babies stay warm, as they have difficulty regulating their body temperature. This is crucial, as they use much of their energy trying to keep warm, rather than using that energy to grow.

Acceptance of Hoglets

If the mother accepts all of her babies, the best approach is to minimize interference with her and her hoglets. Ensure she has access to water and food, but avoid opening the enclosure for cleaning or any other reason during the first 2 weeks. Disturbing her could lead to her rejecting or even eating her young. This behavior is instinctual and occurs in many animal species when the mother feels threatened or believes the young may be ill. Hedgehogs, like many animals, may eat their young if they feel they are unwell, as this prevents wasting resources (such as milk) on them.

Quiet Environment: Place the hedgehog enclosure in a quiet, low-traffic area to reduce stress on the mother. She may become stressed by excessive noise or disturbance, which can lead to rejection or consumption of the hoglets.

Breeding /pregnancy