Adopting a baby hedgehog looks like an adorable experience. But, it’s not so simple to take care of a baby hedgehog. Especially, if you have found an orphan baby hedgehog (hoglet), then first research its habits, food, environment, and health.
But it seems like a risky business if you go for a baby hedgehog business. As the major reason is only fifty percent of babies touch their maturity.
Firstly, it’s important to understand the steps of a baby hedgehog from birth to maturity. Before birth, you need to know when baby hedgehog is in season.
Secondly, whether the mother hedgehog is not going to have an abundance of her babies. If it happens, then you need to know about how you will manage to raise hand-raising baby hedgehogs. We would try to cover every aspect of cute baby hedgehogs and the things that are essential if you want to keep them as pets.
What are Baby Hedgehogs Called?
At birth, baby hedgehogs look like a bubble with not much activity in their body. Also, they felt like a swollen tongue that in the start stayed in their quills. Baby hedgehogs are called hoglets.
You may not see them out of their nest. Mostly, they shut their eyes, ears, and their facial features most of the time. Also, the birth facial features include undefined wrinkles. They may not be active when they are born but they grow out to be active before you know it.
When is the Mating Season for Cute Baby Hedgehogs?
A question that arises in the mind of most people while adopting or doing when talking about baby hedgehog pets is, what month are baby hedgehogs born? Or It’s important to know when baby hedgehog is in season?
This is an important thing to know about if you plan to keep a cute baby hedgehog as a pet for a long time. Then you must know about the sexual maturity of a hedgehog. Hedgehogs become able to mate with their partner after one year of maturity. After they breed almost every year until their death.
However, the meetup season is between April and September. Notably, in Britain, the greatest meetup activity happens in May and June.
What to Know About Newborn Baby Hedgehogs?
Notably, if your pet mother hedgehog is going to deliver hoglets, then you must look after her. Because, in some cases, if she is disturbed by any reason, then she may eat her babies or she may try to take them to any other place by gripping them in her mouth to any other location.
Normally, the hoglets leave their nest after three or four weeks and go with their mother for foraging trips. However, after 8 to 10 days of foraging the hoglets will then wander off to live their life by themselves.
So, before the newborn baby hedgehogs are matured the mother must be kept with the babies in a quiet place.
Pregnancy to Giving Birth
Hedgehogs are cute little creatures. But they can be brutal when the mother is pregnant and about to give birth. Any type of disturbance can make the mother stressed.
This is why it is important that when a hedgehog mother is near to the time of giving birth you should put it in a separate cage. Things can get ugly if it has a cage mate when mother hedgehogs go through pregnancy with a cagemate around.
During this time, and after the mother has given birth to cute baby hedgehogs you should place them in a place where nothing can bother them. Also, make sure the place has optimal warmth as well. This will ensure the survival of newborn baby hedgehogs. Keep it going for 8 to 10 days and everything will be just fine.
Baby Hedgehog Just Born
Baby Hedgehogs look like a swollen tongue when they are born. They are also born blind with no spines on their skin. This is the reason why their mother protects them from predators until they are mature enough to take care of themselves.
Normally, they weigh less than an ounce when they are born and some have a weight between 3 grams to 25 grams.
Are Hedgehogs Born with Spines?
Yes, the cure baby hedgehogs have spines at the time of their birth. But they are usually concealed under their skin. So when they grow up the spines start to come out of their skin.
When Does Baby Hedgehog Have Spines?
At the time they both they do not have any. But as soon as they start to mature a little bit after 3 to 4 weeks that’s when the spines start to grow. They keep growing and shedding as they grow. It keeps them protected from any predators if they are in the wild. Also gives them protection from other dangers as well.
Are Hedgehog Spines Dangerous?
The spines of the hedgehogs are stiff and hollow from the center. The main thing is that they are not poisonous and do not detach from their body like the quails of a porcupine.
Hence they are not headly but they can be dangerous. As these spices are sharp and can pierce through the skin easily, they can cause cuts. These spines are filled with bacteria and can sometimes cause fever, stomach pain, and a rash if proper precautions are not taken.
What Do We Need to Know About Hoglets?
Cute baby hedgehogs are beautiful creatures and even better pets. There is much to learn about them to handle them perfectly. Here we have listed some of the important things that you need to know. It will create a better chance of you taking care of your pet baby hedgehog.
Can You Bathe a Baby Hedgehog?
Bathing is important and you can bathe a baby hedgehog properly. There are certain things you need to know about if you want to bathe it perfectly.
You can set up a bath for the baby hedgehog in a big bowl. Make sure you use some unscented soap and shampoo to clean out all the dirt on your pet. Do not let them drown and make sure water flows on their whole body.
Lastly, It is important to make sure your cute baby hedgehogs stay dry and comfy after the bath. Usually, the spikes make it difficult to dry the hoglets completely. This is why you need to make sure that the temperature around stays optimal.
Also, have a comfy snuggle bag for your pet which will help in drying them and keeping them warm.
How to Feed a Baby Hedgehog?
Usually, the mother feeds their babies for almost three to four weeks duration. At this time you do not need to worry about feeding them. But keep an eye on them after the second week and if they are not fed then make proper arrangements.
Mostly, you can use sheep milk which is an efficient replacement for hedgehog milk for babies. It contains all the essential nutrients for baby hedgehog development; hence proves to be the best substitute.
How to Handle a Baby Hedgehog?
You need to take care of the cute baby hedgehog with a lot of care at the start. This requires keeping the mother and hoglets together in a place where they cannot be disturbed.
When it comes to handling baby hedgehogs, you should also do it with care. Make sure they are relaxed with you handling them. Keep your hands steady and let them sniff it. This will give baby hedgehogs a chance to recognize you. You need to take precautions while touching their belly. Keep your hands away from them if they are rolling into a ball.
Baby Hedgehog Life Cycle
When they are in the wild their life span is between 2 to 3 years. During this process, they stay with their mothers after birth for 3 to 4 weeks. After that, the mother leaves them to be out on their own.
During this time they breed from April to the ending days of September. After that period they go into hibernation. Some unfortunate hedgehogs are not able to gain enough weight to hibernate for a long duration.
Baby Hedgehog Lifespan: Usually, the lifespan of a normal hedgehog can go up to two years. They can live up to three years as well if better nurturing and care are given to them.
Baby Hedgehogs, like all other living creatures, require a lot of love and care. With all the essential nutritional needs fulfilled, they can easily live up to three years. This means proper diet and regular visits to a Vet. It will help in keeping them healthy and ensure their longer lifespan.
Baby Hedgehog Size
When a baby Hedgehog is born it weighs just under 25 grams. Most of them are less than an ounce. This is why their mothers protect them from any kind of danger and predators.
When they are mature enough after 3 to 4 weeks they start to grow rapidly. Usually, an adult-size hedgehog can grow up to a size of 10 to 14 inches. They can normally weigh two and a half pounds when they are fully grown. They can even grow more in size but if they are kept healthy and well-fed they stay your pet.
What Do They Like to Eat?
At the time when cute baby hedgehogs are born, they survive solely on their mother’s milk. If you are keeping them as pets then sheep’s milk can be the perfect replacement for hedgehog’s milk.
Once they reach the age of maturity worms and small insects are their favorite meal of the day. They also love to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Anything rich in nutrients can be great for them.
If you are keeping them as pets then you should avoid giving them any kind of starchy vegetables or dried ones as well.
Hedgehog Handling Tips and Basics
There are some basic tips and tricks that can get you a long way with your pet. If you have a pet you should know these hedgehog handling tips and basics to make sure you do your job well.
It will not only help you build a better connection with your pet but also help you handle your cute pet properly.
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Try to Handle Them in the Evening
It is important to know when to interact with your pet baby hedgehogs. This is because if they are grumpy then it wouldn’t end well for you. You should try to handle them in the evening because they are fully rested at that time. It will make sure that they stay in a good mood and stay playful with you.
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Don’t Pet Until Your Hedgehog is Relaxed
This is one of the most essential things that you need to look out for. While you are handling your hoglet and also when you pick up your pet hedgehog, never pet them until the hoglet is relaxed
This is because if they are not relaxed they will roll into a ball and see you as a threat. So make sure you give them time to relax before you pet them.
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Allow Them to Sniff Your Hands
You need to make sure that your pet hoglet recognizes you when you pick it up. It will sniff your hands to make sure that it’s you who is carrying him. So allow them to sniff your hands to give them a sense of security and comfort while you are handling them.
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Offer Treats If Necessary to Build a Connection
These little pets do not always respond to the love and affection you give them. At this point, you need to look for other options like bribing the hoglet with food.
It will give you a chance to build a connection with your pet. Bribing them with Mealworms can help them to open up and feel relaxed around you. It is because these cute baby hedgehogs love MealWorms.
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Keep Your Hands Away From Their Belly
Until hoglets are relaxed when you are handling them, make sure you keep your hands away from their belly. It is not a pretty feeling if your fingers or hand get stuck when the hoglet turns into a ball.
The spines or the spikes on the back of the hedgehog can do serious damage if you do not take precautions.
When a Baby Hedgehog (Hoglet) Needs Special Care?
Usually, after giving birth the mama hedgehog makes sure that its little ones are kept away from any danger. But if it senses some danger then it can even eat its offspring.
At this time cute baby hedgehogs need special attention and care. You need to place them and their mother in a place where they will not be disturbed in any way.
Also, make sure that the mama hedgehog has all the supplies along with the warm surroundings that it needs. When this is done you need to make sure that cute baby hedgehogs get all the essential nutrition that they need.
This is because after four to six weeks the baby hedgehog does not have a suckling. After all, the mother stops feeding them. These are the two times when a baby hedgehog (hoglet) needs special care if you are keeping them as pets.
Where Can I Purchase a Baby Hedgehog?
By now you know how much a baby hedgehog costs. And as you have made up your mind of purchasing a baby hedgehog you should know where to buy a baby hedgehog. There are various ways to know where to buy a baby hedgehog. The most common is finding the right one for you on Craigslist.
Yes, you heard it right, you can buy it there and you will also have a large variety to choose from. The second way is going to a local pet store and choosing the one you like the best. If you are interested in buying a cute baby hedgehog according to your preference then you can also contact an online breeder.
The option of finding a local breeder is also on the table who is within driving distance from the place you live. You can also look for a baby hedgehog for sale if someone wants to give away their old pet.
How Much Does a Baby Hedgehog Cost?
If you plan to breed then it is an opportunity because they are worth a lot. If you didn’t know how much a baby hedgehog costs you should know now. They cost at least $100 to $300 easily.
It gets better folks!
Take the time to find the right buyers. You can get more than $500 if you play your cards right. This can be an amazing thing not only to have a cute baby hedgehog but also to create a side hustle as well.
Wrapping It All Up!!!
Keeping a hedgehog as a pet is a complete responsibility. This is the reason why you should know everything regarding how to care for a baby hedgehog.
As you have gone through all the information regarding cute baby hedgehogs, you will have understood all the things you need. But if there are some things you are still confused about then do let us know.
We would love to assist you in clearing up any confusion. Until then we wish you to have an amazing experience of keeping a hedgehog as a pet.