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Breeding basics

69174 Views 64 Replies 30 Participants Last post by  Petlover500, 
Hedgiepets
A female should NOT be bred under the age of 6 months, nor bred for the first time over the age of one year. The gestation period is about 35 days, but can be as long as 49 days. If you happen to find that your female has given birth, DO NOT disturb her for 2 weeks, with the exception of giving her food and water. How do you know there are babies in the nest? You will hear squeaks or chirps. Take out the wheel. Do not try to clean the cage until babies are weaned. Babies will start to eat out of mom’s food dish at about 4 weeks old. Babies will need to be weaned at about 6 weeks old. The males need to be separated from mom and sisters by 7 weeks of age.

How old should a male be before breeding? Males should be about 4 months old. But males and females alike, are capable of breeding at 7 weeks, but it is not healthy for them.

It only takes a couple of seconds for a male and female to breed, so never allow a male and female playtime together. Never house a male and female together. If they are housed together, the male will constantly be mating with the female. If they are together when she has babies, they will eat them.

Don’t breed your hedgehogs, because you want to experience babies, or you have friends that want a baby hedgehog. Breeding is not an easy, fast, money making proposition. You risk the life of your female, everytime you breed her.
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Kobe
So you guys wouldnt recommend breeding them for the first time after one year? Is that simply to get them used to breeding when they are kindof young (between 6-12 months) so it doesnt negatively affect them after they are 1 year old and relatively stable?

The reason why i ask is that I have a lot of stuff going on right now and will for the next while, but eventually would like to expand my litter by breeding my girl (I do not have a male but thats a whole seperate issue). This would probably be at around 1 year from her birth (currently 8 weeks old).
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Kobe
I got her from a breeder that services pet shops in the GTA but lives in roughly Parry Sound. This is my second hedgehog and i would want to breed to have many hedgehogs (not for making money). I would plan for just one litter and do not have a mentor. I dont know much about my hedgehogs past but would that matter if i would have no intention on selling?

I am not locked into this idea and it would be a long time in the future. I was just toying with the idea and wanted to learn more about the 1 year limit. It makes sense! I could see how it could be fatal for an older hedgie to give birth for the first time. Thanks for the advice.
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Kobe
oh really, wow! okay well before i even think about it i will figure it out. thanks for the advice. (I most likely wont breed, i was just curious on some info. Just to put that out there)
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