Breeding is definitely not for the lighthearted..

[ShelbyRay]

So i walked in the room that mommy Holly is in, and I went to fill her water bottle, and when I got back, my hedgie was poking her head out of her nest box, so I kind of lifted it up to get her out because she really looked like she wanted a mealie... when she put her front paws on my hand, she quickly retracted and then curled up and pulled something out from under her and slurped it up..SHE ATE A BABY. ONE THAT SHE PULLED OUT HERSELF. I didn't suspect she would be having her babies till a little later this week, because her due date is next week... but yep. she definitely ate a baby. I sat down and started crying because i didn't know what else to do. i then turned off the lights and left her alone and i will for the next few days besides feeding and watering her. i hope the rest of her babies survive since i just killed that one

[gracefulchaos01]

Nope. You didn't kill it. Hedgehogs just do that. It's pretty awful. But you probably had nothing to do with it.

[ShelbyRay]

I guess i just feel like i caused it because i disturbed her. I think thats why she's been bleeding lately though. i think she was miscarrying and having premature labor. i wish this litter would have survived because that means she would have had about 7 babies! Only a hunch though. i can still kinda feel a baby in her belly, so maybe theres one in there that might make it. if so, ill be keeping it and not adopting it out to someone. hopefully my hunch was wrong and she just prematurely delivered one or two and the rest will survive. I'm trying to be optimistic about everything, trying my hardest.

[gracefulchaos01]

I wish you luck on that. Just keep in mind, one of the main reasons hedgies cannibalize is to retain the vital nutrients necessary to procreate again if there is something wrong with the hoglet, such as it is born prematurely, or any number of a host of other reasons that we feeble minded humans cannot comprehend.

[pricklyprincess620]

Don't be too hard on yourself, it's nothing you did! Keep your head up and hope for the best. This is unfortunately very common with hedgehogs.