Sunday, January 23, 2011

Hedgehog care sheet

PREPARATIONS: 

1. 
Plastic Bin - [with good ventilation, light weight thus easy to clean]
2. 
Woodshavings - [with no fine dust]
3. 
Catfood - [for staple diet ie., Iams, Friskies, Whiskas, Etc.]
4. 
Water Bottle or Dish Bowls - [for water and food]
5. 
Treats - [3x a week ie., Super worms, Meal worms, Crickets, Etc.]
6. 
Exercise Wheel - [If available]



BREEDING: 


- 6 months is the best breeding age, though depending on your hedgehog’s temperament she can be bred as early as 5 months [
MINIMUM].
- Male and Female should be in optimum health before breeding.
- Male should have no female visitor on his cage for the last 2 weeks prior to breeding.
- Weigh the Female before the stud starts [very useful in determining on the 4th week]
- Put the Female into the Male's cage and remove all obstacles that might get on their way.
- They have an average of 35 - 37 days gestation period.
- Clean the cage and prepare a nest box that has enough space for the Mom and your expected hoglets a week before her expected due date.



SIGNS OF PREGNANCY: 


- Enlargement of her tummy [very visible on the 4th week, especially if your female is thin from the start of breeding]
- Nipples will be bigger than the usual and somewhat more pink.
- Eating and drinking more than the usual
- Weight increase [if she has gain weight of about 50 grams or more, then probably she is pregnant
- If the entrance is almost blocked by woodshavings, then she is about to give birth



Care of: ronnfive.

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