Read me please

[kiwi]

Oliver and Mika have been in the same cage for 7 days. they were great for 3-4 days but now she has become mean towards him I don't know if I should seperate them or let them stay together i think she may be pregnant she has not developed a temper towards me, just towards Oliver I need advise

[MurE]

Out of curiosity, are you trying to breed them on purpose? Hedgehogs of the opposite gender are not normally kept together. In fact, most hedgehogs live in their own cages irregardless of their gender. Hedgehogs are solitary animals by nature.

They should definitely be separated for many reasons, including the fact that they do not get along.

I'll let the breeders on here comment further since I am not as familiar with this area if you are breeding on purpose.

[Lilysmommy]

Yes, they need to be separated. As far as I've read (though I am NOT and don't intend to be a breeder), 7 days is more than enough time for them to have bred if you're trying to breed them. If not, you need to keep them separated from now on and keep her on pregnancy watch anyway. She's very likely pregnant already. Make sure you have the pedigrees for both to keep an eye out for WHS, that you've done your research and reading and know what to expect, what to do, etc., and it's best to have a mentor, an experienced breeder who can answer any questions you may have, even in the middle of the night.

[kiwi]

Thank you I will be sending Oliver back to his cage and I never had a hedgehog before so when I found out my cousin had a hedgehog too. I thought it would be nice to have them meet so now that I see Mika acting like this it is Kindof making me wonder if this was such a good idea The first day they met they seem to like each other but I didnt know how long they should be together do you guys think what i did was wrong for both Mika and Oliver?

[MurE]

Well, now would be a good time to do some researching into what is involved in caring for a pregnant hedgehog. You are taking a big risk if you're breeding two hedgehogs that you don't have a lot of family history on. Hopefully, they are not related and they do not have any diseases in their family that might become dominant in their children, such as Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome.

There is a lot of special care involved in taking care of a pregnant hedgehog, so make sure you read up on the breeding information available on this forum https://hedgehogcentral.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=25

Ask lots of questions, and get some help from a breeder like Lilysmommy recommended. Hedgehog babies are very cute, but they are also a lot of responsibility. Just make sure you are prepared in case Mika does have babies.

[Lilysmommy]

If this is your first hedgehog, then yes. I'd say that was a very bad idea and you should not do it again. However, it's over with now and can't be changed.

The best thing you can do for Mika now is read, as MurE said. The Breeding & Babies forum has a lot of threads that contain at least the basics of what you'll need to know - how to care for Mika for the next 50 days or until she has her babies, what to look for, what to do when the babies come, etc. We have several great breeders on here that will be able to help with other questions you may have, even after reading through threads. Make sure you have an exotic animal vet around that you can take Mika to - complications can happen with pregnancy and labor, and if you don't have a vet and the ability to get her there, you may lose both her and babies.

Also, I'm going to move this to the Breeding & Babies forum so that our breeders will hopefully see it and be able to weigh in as well, if they choose.

[kiwi]

Oliver is albino Mika isnt could that possibly have any risk on the babies if Mika is pregnant?

[MurE]

That would affect the colour of the babies...

[kiwi]

will some of them be albino? im not even sure if she is pregnant yet how will i know?

[Lilysmommy]

Color doesn't matter, it's just color. Please go read on the breeding forum. At the top of the list, the first two topics will provide you with some basic information. You may or may not get signs that she's pregnant - some signs are gaining weight, getting a harder belly (later on in the pregnancy), eating more, grumpier behavior, and so on. But sometimes they have no signs whatsoever. Regardless, she'll need to be on pregnancy watch for the next 50 days before you can declare her baby-free.