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Subject: Hedgehog FAQ [6/7] - Advanced Topics in Hedgehoggery
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Summary: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions and general information
         about pet (African Pigmy) hedgehogs.  Should be helpful to both
         prospective and current hedgehog owners.
   Part VI - advanced topics in hedgehoggery
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HEDGEHOG FAQ (part 6 of 7) -- ADVANCED TOPICS IN HEDGEHOGGERY
Compiled and edited by Brian MacNamara ([e-mail])
Additions, corrections, and suggestions for this file are welcomed.

This document is copyright 2004 by Brian MacNamara.  See section [0.6]
for authorship information and redistribution rights.  In short, you
can give it away, but you can't charge for it.

The basic Hedgehog FAQ has seven parts, all of which should be available
from wherever you obtained this one.  A complete table of contents for
all seven parts is given below.

Please note:  While my knowledge of hedgehogs has grown (far beyond my
wildest expectations when I began the FAQ), my knowledge is still quite
limited, especially in areas of health care.  I did not write, or verify,
all the information in this FAQ.  I have done my best to include only
accurate and useful information, but I cannot guarantee the correctness
of what is contained in this FAQ, regardless of the source, or even that
it will not be harmful to you or your hedgehog in some way.  For advice
from an expert, I recommend you consult the books listed in part 2 [2.1],
or, especially in the case of a suspected medical problem, a veterinarian
who is familiar with hedgehogs.

------------------------------

Subject: CONTENTS OF THIS FILE

10. *** Breeding, babies, and advanced issues ***

   <10.1> Breeding
   <10.2> General care for babies
   <10.3> Hand feeding baby hedgehogs
   <10.4> Colours, types, and species

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

10. *** Breeding, babies, and advanced issues ***

------------------------------

Subject: <10.1> Breeding

Breeding hedgehogs can be both the most rewarding, and the most
heart-wrenching of endeavors.  Few activities can come close to matching the
wonders and pleasures of having babies, but at the same time the dangers
involved, and problems that can arise are very great.

I'm not going to try and cover all the basics of animal husbandry, here --
that's a topic better left to many books on the subject.  I'm only going to
address hedgehog issues.  Besides, if you don't know the basics of husbandry
and breeding, you should not be considering it -- at least not yet.

Baby hedgehogs are nothing short of addictively cute.  If you think an adult
can steal your heart, beware that a mother being followed by a litter of
adorable little hoglets is many levels of magnitude cuter.  The reason for
this warning is that it can be very easy to fall into the trap of breeding
just to enjoy the babies.  There is an immense responsibility that goes with
breeding, and it should not be undertaken lightly -- these are living,
feeling animals, and that thought must always be at the forefront of your
mind.

If you are going to breed, make very very sure of the following, first:

    (1) That you are willing to risk losing the mother, due to
    complications!

    (2) That you can find good, caring homes for ALL the babies.  This can
    certainly include you, but remember, you may need as many as 8 new
    cages or enclosures to keep the results of one litter!

    (3) If there are complications with the birth, or problems with the
    babies, it might entail some not inconsiderable veterinary bills.

    (4) If mom rejects the babies, you might have to take care of them (a
    very considerable effort), or have them put to sleep.


Okay, you've considered the points, above, and you want to breed your
hedgehog(s).  The following will cover various points of breeding.  For
actual caring for the babies (with or without mom), please see sections
[10.2] and [10.3].

    [Credit for much of what follows is largely thanks to various breeder
    friends that I've met over the past few years, and some of my own,
    minor experiences.  I hope you will forgive me for not listing you by
    name, as the points are `mostly' a blend of all your wisdom! -Ed.]

I would strongly recommend that you seek out an experienced hedgehog breeder
and spend some time talking with him/her.  I don't have the experience or the
space to cover all the information that you really should know.  Also, having
someone you can turn to with questions will prove more than invaluable.

First, a few guidelines for deciding who, of prickly nature, to put together
for the romantic event.  To breed hedgehogs, obviously, the minimum you need
is a male and a female, but there are many other points to consider.
Breeding of ill tempered hedgehogs is not a good idea, breeding of related
hedgehogs can also be a bad idea.  Choose the hedgehogs to be bred with some
care.  This can be for colour, temperament, or other values, but don't be
indiscriminant.

Females should not be bred before at least 5 months of age, as they have not
finished growing and maturing themselves.  Once bred, the hormonal changes
will basically stop further maturation, and the drain on their metabolisms
caused by having babies while still trying to grow themselves, can have
permanent adverse affects on their health.

Males, too, should not be bred before about 4-5 months, although the side
effects are not as problematic for them.  The biggest problem is that they
just may not be up to the task, at least as well as they should be.

Also, don't breed a female for the first time, if she is beyond 1.5 years
old.  If you do, there is a very good chance that the bones in her pelvic
area will have fused, such that she will not be able to have the babies.  If
you are not sure how old she is, but suspect she may be beyond 1.5, don't
risk it!

There is also a point at about 3.5 years of age, when many females become
menopausal.  Breeders will often note that litter sizes may taper off as this
age is approached.

Finally, after each litter, it is important to give your female a break to
recover from the effort.  I would not recommend any more than 3 litters per
year.  Beyond that is going to place an unnecessary drain on the female, and
affect her health (and her ability to produce and care for ongoing litters).
More than this number of litters per year really suggests that you are not
breeding hedgehogs, but trying to run a production line.


Breeding hedgehogs is not difficult, but it does come with a wide variety of
problems.  Probably most notable is that mother hedgehogs will tend to eat
the babies if disturbed at all for a few days prior to, and for up to about
10 days after the birth.  This can be heartbreaking and very frustrating to
would be breeders.

By our (human) standards, this sort of thing is unthinkable, and very hard to
accept.  Before you think too badly of hedgehogs for this, take a look at
their natural environment.  In the wild, any kind of disturbance is all but
certainly a predator that WILL eat the babies (mom can and will try to defend
them, but in a burrow, there's only so much she can hope to do).  Because
finding enough food and energy to develop the babies is a very difficult
thing in the rather harsh conditions in which our little friends are native,
mother hedgehogs cannot afford to lose all of that.  In the end, it's a
matter of survival to ``reabsorb'' the babies, in this way, then to lose all
of that to a passing predator.  If all are lost, try again in 3 months.  If
losing litters continues to happen, it might be that the female is just not
cut out to be a mom, and it would be better not to breed her.


So, for the actual amourous encounter, what is needed?  Actually, not that
much.  Simply put the two loverhogs together, sit back, and watch the fun.
Male hedgehogs know what to do (females do as well, but will often play hard
to get).  Males will usually squeak very loudly and plaintively when they
encounter a female -- and the actual courtship antics are usually VERY
entertaining.

There are opinions both ways on whose cage (hers or his) to use, but most
breeders seem to prefer to use the male's cage, under the assumption that the
female will be more receptive, and the male will feel less out of place and
more inclined to do his `duty.'  It is wise to remove as many items from the
cage as is reasonable, while they are together, such as wheels, extra dens,
and items that make good hiding places for a female who wants to defend her
honour.  Even so, you can pretty much count on the entire cage being severely
`redecorated' frequently and often!

Hedgehogs DO have a `heat,' or estrus cycle, and are not entirely induced
ovulators, as had been previously thought.  The cycle is typically about 9
days on, followed by 7 days off, but is not absolute.

In order to catch the cycle, many breeders will put the male and female
together for about 4-5 days, separate them for 4 days, then put them back
together for another 4-5 days.  Others breeders have suggested using a single
10-day period, while others still will use only a single 3-day get together,
observing the female to see if she is responsive.  Experience and trial and
error will likely be your best guides here.  If you have spoken to a breeder
with experience, try the schedule that they use, or one of the schedules
mentioned here.  In most cases, the pair will get along quite well, but do
watch out as sometimes fights will occur.


Once the romance has passed, it is now time to separate the pair.  Now that
mating is over, the father to be, can drop out of the picture, as he plays no
further role in what follows.  Keeping the male in with the female when the
babies arrive is virtually guaranteed to have them both eat the babies.


Is your female pregnant?  Well, this is another place that I can only offer
theory.  Personally, I have gotten it wrong (both ways) far more often than
right!  As you might guess, it can be quite difficult to tell if a hedgehog
is pregnant, but there are some clues to look for.  Probably one of the best
methods is to weigh her every few days, and watch for a weight gain.
Obviously, this goes part and parcel with an increase in appetite.  Next, if
you are very careful, and gentle, you can palpate her abdomen, and you `may'
be able to feel the babies as she gets closer to the birthing date.
Achieving good results with this is very difficult, even for experienced
breeders, so don't be dismayed if you can't tell anything from it.  Another
sign to watch out for is that her teats or nipples (which run in two rows
along the sides of her tummy, will become more enlarged, and more obvious.

As time gets closer to the birth, typically within about the last week, there
are a few more signs.  One of these to look for is the odour from her urine
often becomes noticably stronger.  She may also exhibit signs of `nesting'
where she may make piles of bedding material, or even block up her den
entrance.  She will also likely lose appetite in the day or so prior to the
babies being born.

In spite of these signs, it's easy to be wrong in thinking she may be
pregnant when she is not, or that she is not pregnant when she is.  Trust me!
This is one place I have AMPLE personal experience to speak from!  Because of
this, I strongly recommend that you always assume that she IS pregnant until
WELL past her last possible due date.


Speaking of the due date, the gestation period for hedgehogs is approximately
35 days.  I have heard of births happening from about 33 days through to
about 42, so the 35 is not absolute.  Most will be within the 34-37 day
range, however.


This generally brings us to the end of the actual breeding topic.  I will add
a few further comments, here, as they relate to the mother, and health
issues, but I would direct you to section [10.2] on general care for the
babies which really takes up where this description leaves off.


After the birth, mom's appetite will likely skyrocket.  Give her all the
high-quality food she wants.  This is not a time for diets, as she is trying
to produce enough milk for her hungry hoglets.  She will also go through a
lot more fresh water than normal.  Just be careful about disturbances as you
go into her cage to feed or water her.  If mom appears overly exhausted, or
wobbly, extra vitamins or supplements, such as KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement)
may help.  Also treats (not too much) of cottage cheese or sour cream may
help keep her calcium levels up, as she produces large quantities of hedgehog
milk.

The good news is that there really isn't much for you to do -- it's largely a
case of mom knows best.


Following the birth, keep an eye on the mother for possible complications.
If mom either loses the babies (not that unusual) or seems very inactive,
possibly lying out of her den, and/or not eating, it may be that she has
suffered a problem during birth, or that one or more babies are still caught
inside her.  If you think this might be the case, get her to a veterinarian,
quickly -- especially if she lost her babies, and is acting like this.  There
is much a vet can do to help in a situation like this, but it is imperitive
that you get her there quickly.  The longer the problem exists, the greater
the likelihood that you will lose the mother in addition to the babies.

------------------------------

Subject: <10.2> General care for babies

As the due date approaches, mom will often stop eating the day before, and
will also often go into nesting mode, and may go as far as to wall up her den
against access.  It is very important that you do not disturb her for a
couple of days before she is due, and for several days after the babies
arrive.  Doing so will often result in the babies being eaten [10.1].

A couple of days before you expect that she is due, it is a good idea to give
her cage a thorough cleaning (without stressing her too much), as you will
not be able to, again, for several days.

The babies will `usually' arrive during the night, and may be announced by a
slight scream or squeak, although I've never heard this, myself.  You will
probably be able to hear the babies squeak from the nest, after they have
been born.


Here are some guidelines on dealing with new hoglets.  In general, the two
main things are to avoid disturbing them (and mom) and that mother knows
best.

As a reminder, the gestation period is approximately 35 days.

You should avoid disturbing a pregnant female or new mother for about 5 days
before and 5-10 days after the birth.  During this time, be careful and quiet
during feeding and cleanup.

The babies will usually announce their presence with squeaks.  When you hear
this -- it's time to go into tiptoe mode.  The babies can be born over a
period of several hours, and maintaining absolute quiet during this time is
important.

Mom should have a safe, secure-feeling den to have the babies in.  This will
help her feel safe and relaxed.

For the first 5-10 days, don't peek!  And I mean don't peek!!!  After this
time, depending on how mom reacts, you can start handling the babies.  If you
do want to check on the babies, do it when mom is out eating, or better yet,
lure her out with a treat, and remove her from the cage for a romp while you
check on the babies.  But do wait until the babies are at least 3-5 days old
before doing this.  Take your cues from mom.  If she gets hostile, vocal, or
visibly upset, by your presence, don't push it.  Some mothers are very secure
and don't mind leaving the babies alone for a few minutes, while others get
frantic when separated.

Make sure that mom has as much food as she wants.  She will eat a LOT more
than usual at this time.  You might even want to supplement her diet with
some cottage cheese, sour cream, or the like, to help boost her calcium
input.  This can be especially important for very young (e.g., accidental)
mothers, who are still growing themselves, and who may end up drawing on
their own calcium reserves, that they need for bones and teeth, to produce
enough milk.

If mom does not seem to be eating, put her food dish near the doorway to her
nest box or tube -- she may be reluctant to leave the babies.

Once the babies are born, you might want to pile up the wood shavings under
the end of the tube or nest box where the doorway is, to prevent any babies
from rolling out by mistake.  Generally this is not a problem, but if you
find a baby outside the nest, you might want to consider doing this.

If you see a baby out of the nest and away from the rest (some mothers will
take their babies out of the nest, but will keep them together -- this is
normal and depends on the mother), you can put it back with the others by
using a small spoon.  Remember not to touch the baby, or mom is liable to
reject it.

If mom seems to be rejecting a baby, keep trying to put it back with the
others (using the spoon method).  If the practise continues, and the baby
appears not to be getting any mother's milk, you may want to consider hand
feeding the rejected baby [10.3].

Babies will begin to venture from the nest when 2-3 weeks old about the same
time they start sampling mom's food.

Babies are weaned at 4-6 weeks.  They start to eat solid food around the 3rd
week.  If the food you are using is quite hard, you can offer some that has
been dampened to make it softer to help get the babies started.

Babies raised in a cage with a litter box will usually learn to use the
litter box (especially if mom uses it).  If mom doesn't use a litter box, you
might need to do a little coaxing (scooping up some of the droppings and
adding them to the litter box).

Remember to separate the babies by sex [10.2] after they are weaned so you
don't accidently start on yet another generation.  Make sure you do this
before they reach 8-weeks of age!  Make sure that they are eating solid food
and drinking on their own.

Above all, if you lose any or all the babies, or if Mom happens to eat any or
all, don't let it bother you too much.  This sort of thing, especially the
latter, is very hard for people to deal with but it is perfectly natural for
hedgehogs.


Some of the reasons why mother hedgehogs might kill, eat, or reject their
babies are as follows:

They were disturbed.  In the wild, almost any kind of disturbance means a
predator is there and it will almost certainly eat the babies.  Rather than
lose the very hard won nutrients that she put into producing the babies,
mother hedgehogs will `reabsorb' them herself in the hopes of being able to
use it for another litter later on.  This seems very harsh, but it's only a
reflection of the environment that they developed in.

Mom thinks something's wrong.  If mom thinks one or more babies are not right
(deformed or if they otherwise have problems that she can detect), she may
kill or `reabsorb' them with the understanding that they wouldn't have
survived long anyway.

Mom's not secure.  If mom feels conditions are not right for bringing up
babies (not enough food, or not the right nutrients/vitamins/etc.) she may
feel that they are not likely to survive, or that she won't be able to
provide for all of them.

Mom's too young or immature.  If mom is too young, or often with her first
litter, she may just not know what to do, or can't deal with the babies.
This doesn't necessarily mean she will be a bad mother -- I've heard of many
who after losing a first litter, or even a second, went on to be excellent
moms with later litters.  If a female eats more than two of her litters, it's
probably not a good idea to keep trying.

Again, if worst comes to worst, and you lose some or all the babies, don't
let it get you down.  Just concentrate on what you do have.


As the babies grow, various events will begin to take place.  This is a very
rough timeline on baby African pigmy hedgehog growth:

Early on the `birth' quills will be replaced by the first set of baby quills.

The eyes will open by around the week 3.

At about week 3-4 the babies will begin to start tasting solid food.  You can
help things out here by offering dry food which has been dampened to make it
softer, or by using some canned food.  Generally, though, most babies will
manage very well in very short order -- it IS food after all, and these are
starving baby hedgeHOGs!

By about week 6, the babies should be well on their way to being weaned.
Some will hold out until week 7, but by then they should all be on solid
food.  No doubt much to mom's relief!

Finally, by the time the babies reach week 8, they need to be separated from
mom -- at least you need to separate any males, or you risk both mom, and any
female babies becoming pregnant -- neither of which are in any condition to
handle it at this stage!

------------------------------

Subject: <10.3> Hand feeding baby hedgehogs

One of the most difficult times for hedgehog owners comes if a new mother
hedgehog rejects some or all of her babies, or otherwise can't manage to
provide for all of them.  Unfortunately, it is fairly common for hedgehogs to
eat their babies [10.1], and/or reject them, especially if it is a first
litter, or if the mother was disturbed (mother hedgehogs need considerable
peace and quiet).  Many hedgehog owners are bothered quite badly by these
actions on the part of the hedgehog, as they are extremely foreign concepts
to humans, but they are (sadly) perfectly natural and normal amongst
hedgehogs.

Before deciding to hand feed, try returning rejected babies to the nest
(using a spoon to avoid getting your scent on them), or if possible by
fostering with another mother who is nursing (rub the babies in bedding from
that mother's cage to have them smell familiar).  Many breeders will
purposely breed two females at the same time for this purpose, though I
caution that fostering does not always work.

All that having been said, what do you do if you decide you need to hand feed
baby hedgehogs?  The first thing is to convince yourself that sleep is an
undesirable luxury, as you will be feeding the babies every 2-3 hours (yes,
that means night and day) for about 3+ weeks.  If you're still up to trying,
what do you feed them, and how?

I'll address the easy part first -- how.  For this, among the best items are
plastic syringes (without needles), eye-droppers, or plastic pipettes (the
type with the suction bulb at the end).  The idea is to be able to provide a
minute but reasonably available stream of 'milk' to the baby in a controlled
manner.

Next is the question of what to feed them.  Generally, the rule about
avoiding or limiting cows' milk for adult hedgehogs also applies to babies,
and maybe even more so.  That having been said, I have heard of one little
tyke who wouldn't drink anything else, and at last word was doing just fine.

Robyn Gorton, who was studying hedgehogs in New Zealand, passed along the
following information on caring for babies.  Although her work is with
European hedgehogs, the information is quite applicable to African pigmy
hedgehogs as well.

   I find that caring for the young is simple enough as long as you have a
   good milk to feed them.  I have discovered that sheeps' milk is the
   closest in composition to hhog milk and acts as an excellent substitute
   when mixed with raw egg.  It may for the first few days cause swelling of
   the anus, but as soon as they start teething (3 weeks) you can add mashed
   banana for fibre and their problems clear up.  It's a very high protein
   diet but one must watch for a vitamin B deficiency which can be caused
   by too much raw egg.  I had my two hoglets suckling on a syringe for the
   first week and 1/2 until their teeth erupted (this takes three days for a
   full set to emerge!!) then simply start using a saucer and they will
   naturally feed from it themselves.

I've also heard of using goats' milk, similar to what Robyn suggested above,
though I trust her research as far sheeps' milk being closer to hedgehog
milk.  I do need to caution, however, about the use of raw eggs, as they can
cause problems of their own [6.2] -- this, however, may be one situation
where bending those rules is worthwhile.

What do you do if you don't have a friendly goat or sheep, or can't easily
find sheeps' or goats' milk?  Many pet stores and pet supply stores carry KMR
(Kitten Milk Replacement).  It's usually in powdered form, which makes it
handy for the small quantities you will need.  I've seen quite a few articles
from breeders who have used this with great success, some go on to recommend
that most hedgehog breeders should keep a container of KMR around, just in
case.

I've also heard of Esbilac (human baby formula) being used successfully, to
offer yet another option.  Anja van der Werf pointed out to me that when you
are trying to use human formula, make sure it is soy-based rather than based
on cows' milk.


One thing to watch out for in feeding baby hedgehogs, is that after each
feeding you must stimulate them to defecate and urinate, otherwise their
bladder and bowel will swell up and can even burst.  To do this, simply
stroke along their tummy towards the anus, which simulates a mother licking
and grooming her babies.  You can also do this with a warm damp tissue or
cloth.  The idea isn't to squeeze anything out, just to stimulate the baby to
do it's business.


Remember that hand raising baby hedgehogs is very difficult, and if you try
and meet with tragedy, remember that you gave them much more of a chance than
they would have had without you.  Whatever happens, don't give up and decide
that hedgehogs are bad, or that it's not worth having hoglets -- it's just
hedgehog nature, and next time may well be nothing short of magical.

------------------------------

Subject: <10.4> Colours, types, and species

As was noted back in [3.1], the hedgehogs kept as pets throughout much of the
world are a hybrid of Algerian and White-Bellied hedgehogs.  Most of the
colours, and variations that we see can be traced to these two species, and
many are the result of the interbreeding of the various original species.

Of course, Long-eared hedgehogs are also kept as pets in various places, but
I regret that I don't have enough knowledge to offer any useful comments on
them.  The same applies to those other species which are occasionally kept as
pets.  As a result, most of this section will focus on the
Algerian/White-Bellied hybrid type.

At last check there were roughly 100 colour variations known, and others
which were hypothisized.  So far, this is all without mutations being a
factor.  Here are some examples of hedgehog colours.

White-Bellied Hedgehog Colours

    Dominant Colours:

           Salt & Pepper
           Dark Grey
           Grey
           Chocolate
           Brown
           Cinnamon
           Dark Cinnicot
           Black-Eyed Cinnicot
           Ruby-Eyed Cinnicot
           Champagne
           Apricot

    Snowflake Colours:

           Silver - the recessive of Salt & Pepper
           Silver Charcoal - the recessive of Dark Grey or Double rec. of Grey
           Charcoal - the recessive of Grey
           Chocolate Chip - the recessive of Chocolate
           Brown Snowflake - the recessive of Brown or double rec. Choc. Chip
           (Cinnamon) Snowflake - the recessive of Cinnamon
           Silver-Cinnamon Snowflake - the double recessive of Cinnamon
           Dark Cinnacot Snowflake - the recessive of Dark Cinnacot or the
                                     double recessive of Black-Eyed Cinnacot
           Black-Eyed Cinnacot Snowflake - the recessive of Black-Eyed Cinnacot
           Ruby-Eyed Cinnacot Snowflake - the recessive of Ruby-Eyed Cinnacot
           Champagne Snowflake - the recessive of Champagne or double recessive
                                 of Ruby-Eyed Cinnacot
           Apricot Snowflake - the recessive of Apricot
           Pale Apricot Snowflake - the double recessive of Apricot


White Colours:

    The White category comprises those animals that possess almost 100%
    solid white spines.

    The few banded spines that these hedgehogs have are localized to the
    forehead area, with a few possible across the remainder of the
    back. These few banded spines on the back, however, should count no
    more than 10. Any more than this and it is categorized as a Snowflake.

    White is a dilute (prime) of the recessive snowflake. Although not all
    are listed here, there is a total of 15 White possibilities in the
    White-Bellied colour spectrum.

           Platinum - the dilute of Salt & Pepper
           Silver Charcoal White - the dilute of Dark Grey
           Charcoal White - the dilute of Grey
           Chocolate White - the dilute of Chocolate
           Brown White - the dilute of Brown
           White - the dilute of Cinnamon
           Albino - Albinos are unique due to the total lack of pigmentation.

Algerian Colours:

           Black Algerian
           Dark Grey Algerian
           Grey Algerian
           Chocolate Algerian
           Brown Algerian
           Cinnamon Algerian
           Champagne Algerian


Just a reminder that this is not a comprehensive list of colours, but is
intended more as a guide.  Also, when breeding for colours, it is imperative
that you make sure you do not lose sight of temperament, and basics of good
husbandry in pursuit of a colour goal -- doing so is not gaining anyone, or
any hedgehog anything.


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--
Brian MacNamara - [e-mail]
Hedgehog Hollow:  http://HedgehogHollow.COM/