Do you want to discover how hedgehogs raise their young?
My first interaction with a young hedgehog occurred when I visited my cousin some years back, who kept hedgehogs as pets and whose hedgehog had recently given birth to pups. I must admit that they are rather lovely animals since they appear to be both wonderful and charming. I’d like to tell you more about this and recommend that you read my post on How Long Do Hedgehog Pet Live which will provide you with the best ways for your pet to live a long and healthy life.
Let’s go,
How Does A Baby Hedgehog Pet Appear
The baby hedgehog at birth is pink, without quills, and blind, immediately after birth, darker and sharper needles begin to grow in the hedgehog, and generic white needles gradually fall out. A newborn hedgehog weighs around 25 g and is 5-9 cm in length. At the age of two weeks, the grown hedgehogs already outwardly resemble adults: the prickly babies open their eyes and begin to cut their teeth.
Newly born hedgehogs are what are called altricial pups; this means that they are born blind, with very little mobility, closed ear canals, and almost no hair. They are very fragile
The fur develops in the second week. The eyes will not fully open until the second week. The baby hedgehog does not have a thermoregulatory system during the first two weeks, which makes it very vulnerable and dependent on its mother, because she remains alone to take care of the little ones. Thermoregulation will be fully developed after one month of life. Mortality is quite high in each litter.
Be careful never to disturb the mother the first days after birth, as you would modify their smell and their mother could react badly, rejecting them or even eating them. During their first few weeks, newborn hedgehogs must stay with their mother. As its owner avoids touching them. Do not disturb the pups or their mother for the first few days.
How To Tell If Your Baby Hedgehog Is Healthy After Birth
The young, when they are well, emit screeches. If they are silent for more than 12 hours, they may have died or been eaten by their mother. To see what happens, you will need to inspect the nest:
- Go very carefully, without being rough or invasive.
- The best time is when the mother is outside the nest, for example, eating.
- Remember that you should not touch the pups.
- Always try that the mother does not stray too far from her young. It places its water and food near the nest.
Don’t inspect the nest, only if you think the pups might have died. Why? This could put the mother under a lot of stress and end up eating her young
Hedgehogs can be handled after 10 days of life if the mother allows them. Try picking up a single pup and see how the mother reacts; if she reacts badly, it is better to leave her where she was and wait; if not, the whole litter could end up being rejected.
How Do Hedgehogs Care For Their Young During Breastfeeding Period
Lactation lasts 4 to 6 weeks. Very rich, hedgehog milk allows the baby to double its weight from the first week. The teeth grow after 3 weeks which allows a mixed meal based on breast milk and tender larvae or small slugs. After the lactation period, it is important to provide the baby hedgehog with additional food, as they suckle less. This beauty can be given wet cat food or dry kitten food soaked in water to make things easier for them. After seven weeks, it is okay to remove the baby hedgehogs from their mother’s care as weaning can take place
How Hedgehogs Wean Their Young
Weaning will only be effective after 38 to 45 days, the mother then chases her young from the nest and they will have to fend for themselves, this period is delicate because they are still novices in the face of predators, however, they can this stage curl. The mother weans naturally around a month and a half of life, a maximum of two months. This happens once the baby hedgehogs are eating on their own, enjoy it, and lose interest in breastfeeding.
The most important thing is that the baby hedgehog receives the proper care to become a healthy adult. They then proceed to play with each other like kittens. Jumping, pushing, and rolling are all activities. And if there is danger, they are safe as long as they have their mom nearby. If they receive a threat repeated by predators, the hedgehog moves the cubs to a more secure location, she teaches them how to acquire food, defend themselves, and distinguish between friend and foe.
The mother is solely responsible for the offspring for 4-6 weeks. The young leaves her permanently once they reach the age of independence. Hedgehogs reach puberty between the ages of 10 and 12 months.
What to do If Mother Dies Or Her Babies Are Rejected
There are two possibilities if the mother dies or abandons her pups;
- A foster mother that is about at the same stage of breastfeeding as the orphaned puppies can be convinced to accept the orphaned pups.
- If a foster mother is not available or rejects the newborn, you will have to nurture and feed the infants yourself. I’ll show you how, but keep in mind that it’s a difficult process that demands a lot of patience, and the puppies may die, especially if they’re extremely young. This will be done by placing the puppies in a box with a vegetable hay-type substrate and polar fabric. The most essential thing is to keep the temperature about 25°C since babies are extremely sensitive to cold and quickly lose heat, and they no longer have their mother to keep them warm.
Conclusion
Just like the young of any pet, hedgehogs take good care of their young. Mother and infant hedgehogs must be left alone for five to ten days following birth. If a mother hedgehog is under undue stress, she may devour or reject her young, do not stress your pet. Protect the young if you perceive it is not safe with its mother I will like to recommend you read my post What Do Hedgehogs Pets Eat And Drink which will give you the best varieties of food and drinks appropriate for your pet for a long, healthy and worthwhile life