Age

[064ldingla]

Hi, this is my first post here, and I just wanted some advice about lifespan and old age. I believe my hedgie is over 4 years old now, (havnt got exact age) and i cant help but worry and trick myself into thinking something is wrong. Am i right in thinking 4 is quite old for a hedgie? He is still eating the dried cat food and nightly mealworms and he still runs on his wheel every night. Are there any signs i should look for? I cant help but be nervous and expect the worse. I'm also going to give him an aveeno oil bath tomorrow as he has gotten a bit dirty

thanks

[OllieTheHedgie]

From what I have heard they usually have a lifespan of 4 years but don't be discouraged by that! my Dad's friend who used to breed hedgehogs had one that lived to ten years!

[JulieAnne]

4- 7 years is the average

[Nancy]

3-5 is the average lifespan. There are some very rare ones that live to be 9 or 10 but they are rare. Most of the ones that have passed on here have been 4, some at 5 and a couple 6. I have a 6 year old boy right now and he is doing okay. Had a scare with him last week when he quit eating but he'es back to eating now.

What him eat and keep track of his food intake. As they age their jaws can become weaker and tooth issues can happen. If you notice he is not eating as much, you can dampen his kibble, break it into smaller pieces or give him canned food. When jaw or tooth issues start often they will chew on the mealies but then spit them out.

As they age, they often require warmer temperatures so if you notice him not being as active, try increasing the cage temperature a couple of degrees.

Some people start giving them a pinch of glucosamine on their food after age 3 to help with any arthritis they may be developing.

Keeping track of his weight is also a good idea as weight loss is often the first sign of something going on.

Cataracts are also common as they age.