Post by Cool Man Exotics on Oct 17, 2011 17:32:23 GMT 11
Things Needed Before Having a Hedgehog:
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 in 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.
OATMEAL BATH:
1. buy a ready to cook not instant oatmeal. any brand will do. the price for this brand is only less than 40 pesos. if you have 4-6 hedgehogs a 500g will lasts more than a month if you bathe your hedgies in a weekly schedule. Half cup of oatmeal is enough for two hedgies.
2. look for an old foot sock (wag lang yung butas butas na!), lagay niyo lang yung oatmeal then buhol yung end.or a fine strainer will do...
3. soak it for a minute or two in clean water, then squeeze until the water becomes milky. then set aside.
4. clean your hedgie with clean water. used a sort toothbrush for scrubbing the quills.
5. pour the oatmeal "juice" to the hedgehog. let him/her soak for about 2 minutes. quick rinse with clean water.
6. let you hedgie snuggle in a towel to dry.
NOTE: This method really helps hedgies that turns into huff ball when quilling. it soothes their skin and relaxes it from stress during quiling. this can also becomes a bonding time for you and your hedgies.
it is important to let your hedgies to completely dry before putting it back into its cage especially if you are using wood shavings as substrate.
LIST OF GOOD FOOD & BAD FOOD FOR YOUR HEDGEHOGS:
[Generally fruits will be given raw and veggies cooked. Frozen food is too hard for hedgies so make sure that if frozen fruits/veggies are used that they are thawed out well.]
GOOD FOOD:
Fruits - [Cherry, Apple, Watermelon, Banana, Pears, Strawberry, Cantaloupe, Papaya,
Mango, Peaches, Pumpkin, Squash, Honeydew, Cranberries, Raspberry, Blackberry,
Plum, Blueberry (remove the skin it can be a choking hazard.)]
Veggies - [Carrots, Sweet Potato, Raddish, Turnip, Green Pepper, Asparagus, Corn
(unseasoned), Broccoli, Peas (the mushy part inside)]
BAD FOOD:
Fruits - [Grapes, Raisins, Avocados, Oranges, Lemons, Lime, Grapefruit, Pineapple.]
Veggies - [Onions, Lettuce, Garlic, Chives, Mushrooms, Tomatoes]
NOTE: Anything with small seeds presents a choking hazard and overly acidic fruits are definitely not good for hedgies.
THINGS NOT SURE OF:
[Cucumber, Beans, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Cabbage, Celery, Pomegranate, Coconut, Kiwi, Starfruit]
BITING: ;D
- Any animal with teeth CAN bite. The only pets we are aware of that never bite are millipedes, goldfish, and earth worms (yes, there are people who raise worms for fun!).
- Hedgehogs are not typically biters, and their main line of defense is to curl themselves into a ball.
- We don’t want to make you fearful of a hedgehog bite but we do want to make you aware that it can happen, what to do, and how to understand your hedgehog’s biting.
- Hedgehogs can nip if they don’t recognize your scent or if they are nervous.
- They also may use biting as a form of communication since they have limited vocalization skills. Hedgies will use biting as a way to express their needs, frustrations, feelings, or desires.
- Biting may start when they are quilling as a means to express their discomfort.
- Some hedgehogs can be provoked by waking them up too early or by trimming their nails.
- Other hedgehogs only bite certain people or if their owners have been gone for a period of time. This type of biting is hedgie frustration or pouting.
Note: If your hedgehogs bites you, don't return them on their Bin or house right away... we don't want them to conclude that (bite=back to cage or home)... You can put them on the floor or any safe place just not to their Bin... and just wash your hands after the bite with clean water and soap.
Source: Hedgehog Central Forums, PPF and istorya.net Forum
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 in 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.
OATMEAL BATH:
1. buy a ready to cook not instant oatmeal. any brand will do. the price for this brand is only less than 40 pesos. if you have 4-6 hedgehogs a 500g will lasts more than a month if you bathe your hedgies in a weekly schedule. Half cup of oatmeal is enough for two hedgies.
2. look for an old foot sock (wag lang yung butas butas na!), lagay niyo lang yung oatmeal then buhol yung end.or a fine strainer will do...
3. soak it for a minute or two in clean water, then squeeze until the water becomes milky. then set aside.
4. clean your hedgie with clean water. used a sort toothbrush for scrubbing the quills.
5. pour the oatmeal "juice" to the hedgehog. let him/her soak for about 2 minutes. quick rinse with clean water.
6. let you hedgie snuggle in a towel to dry.
NOTE: This method really helps hedgies that turns into huff ball when quilling. it soothes their skin and relaxes it from stress during quiling. this can also becomes a bonding time for you and your hedgies.
it is important to let your hedgies to completely dry before putting it back into its cage especially if you are using wood shavings as substrate.
LIST OF GOOD FOOD & BAD FOOD FOR YOUR HEDGEHOGS:
[Generally fruits will be given raw and veggies cooked. Frozen food is too hard for hedgies so make sure that if frozen fruits/veggies are used that they are thawed out well.]
GOOD FOOD:
Fruits - [Cherry, Apple, Watermelon, Banana, Pears, Strawberry, Cantaloupe, Papaya,
Mango, Peaches, Pumpkin, Squash, Honeydew, Cranberries, Raspberry, Blackberry,
Plum, Blueberry (remove the skin it can be a choking hazard.)]
Veggies - [Carrots, Sweet Potato, Raddish, Turnip, Green Pepper, Asparagus, Corn
(unseasoned), Broccoli, Peas (the mushy part inside)]
BAD FOOD:
Fruits - [Grapes, Raisins, Avocados, Oranges, Lemons, Lime, Grapefruit, Pineapple.]
Veggies - [Onions, Lettuce, Garlic, Chives, Mushrooms, Tomatoes]
NOTE: Anything with small seeds presents a choking hazard and overly acidic fruits are definitely not good for hedgies.
THINGS NOT SURE OF:
[Cucumber, Beans, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Cabbage, Celery, Pomegranate, Coconut, Kiwi, Starfruit]
BITING: ;D
- Any animal with teeth CAN bite. The only pets we are aware of that never bite are millipedes, goldfish, and earth worms (yes, there are people who raise worms for fun!).
- Hedgehogs are not typically biters, and their main line of defense is to curl themselves into a ball.
- We don’t want to make you fearful of a hedgehog bite but we do want to make you aware that it can happen, what to do, and how to understand your hedgehog’s biting.
- Hedgehogs can nip if they don’t recognize your scent or if they are nervous.
- They also may use biting as a form of communication since they have limited vocalization skills. Hedgies will use biting as a way to express their needs, frustrations, feelings, or desires.
- Biting may start when they are quilling as a means to express their discomfort.
- Some hedgehogs can be provoked by waking them up too early or by trimming their nails.
- Other hedgehogs only bite certain people or if their owners have been gone for a period of time. This type of biting is hedgie frustration or pouting.
Note: If your hedgehogs bites you, don't return them on their Bin or house right away... we don't want them to conclude that (bite=back to cage or home)... You can put them on the floor or any safe place just not to their Bin... and just wash your hands after the bite with clean water and soap.
Source: Hedgehog Central Forums, PPF and istorya.net Forum