Do you have a baby hedgehog pet, and he is growing faster? Over time, you may become curious to know whether your pet is male or female. There are many traditional facts to know, it is like what most pet owners observe in their hedgehog. The one I would be anxious to tell is the behavior if your hedgehog looks aggressive, habitation, temperaments, and more.
It’s important to know about the sexual health of your hedgehog. Notably, hedgehogs can mate in the first 8 weeks. But it is not recommended by breeders because it can be dangerous for females and can cause health issues.
Do You Know Your Baby Hedgehog As a Boy or a Girl?
In general, physical differences show us whether the baby is male or female. If your hoglet contains a penile sheath in the middle of the hedgehog belly, then it’s a boy hedgehog. Instead, the female hedgehog has an anus and urine valve very close to each other.
While buying a male or female hedgehog depends on your choice. In actuality, there is no major difference in attitude, body structure, and hedgehog habits of both genders. When you become familiar with them, they never become aggressive or don’t feel any threat.
What Is a Male Hedgehog Called?
Mostly, male hoglets are termed as boars. Similarly, if you’re having the curiosity of the question; what is a female hedgehog called? and the answer is female hoglets are called sows. You may not feel any odor difference in male and female hoglets. Notably, the female hedgehog does not contain a menstrual cycle.
While Exploring The Male Hedgehog, What’s Important Discussion Could Be Made?
Undoubtedly, by exploring male hedgehogs, we will find many discussions on the Internet or in hedgehog groups. There are a number of articles we can get on the Internet but as experience makes the men perfect, so we have collected the data from fifty owners of the Hedgehogs.
Hedgehog penis structure, disorders, and habits
Basically, Hedgehogs are tiny, spiny-shaped creatures. As they hold a low body with less weight, easy maintenance, and calm characters, therefore they are considered lovely pets. So, it’s worthwhile to know about their health issues, reproduction, and habitats.
Also, it’s important to know about their anatomy to understand the medical care and nutrition needs, including surgery if needed.
Hedgehog penis is an important topic to discuss as it’s directly related to the health of a male hedgehog.
Hedgehog penis structure
When you start collecting data about the hedgehog penis, it is a must to become amazed by how all systems are set in their little penile sheath. It’s a wonder how in the penile sheath, the structure of a penis has been covered in the foreskin. Also, the penile structure that makes an appearance from the prepuce is a pole at the end and that is called meatus also termed as glance penis. There are lateral horns on each side of the meatus.
- The penis of the European hedgehog is the glans penis. It’s a glance penis, having no corpus spongiosum.
- The end of the penis has a urethra, which keeps the urethral process.
- On both sides of the hedgehog penis, there are two black-structured nail-like spots. You can observe them clearly.
- The lower part of the penis has rounded formed, contains a blind sacculus urethralis. Also, there is median splitting below the urethra.
- Microscopically, the extended penile bulb does not seem corpus spongiosum gland, but they can be seen in the free part, in the beginning.
Below we have uploaded the pics of Hedgehogs and penis graphics as well.
Hedgehog Testes
Mainly, the male hedgehog does not contain the structure of testes like other mammals. In a research, researchers took eight sexually mature European Hedgehogs (male), to get the anatomical characteristics. Different aspects were thoroughly explored, including gross penile diameter and length, by using digital calipers.
- The European hedgehog contains invisible oval testes that are found in the inguinal region. Notably, they do not contain true scrotal acinus.
- Also, the testes are pinpointed in the craniofacial command having dorsolateral epididymis fitment.
- The vesicular glands are the largest associated sex glands. These are loculated structured, having ventro-lateral and dorsomedial parts founded on each side.
Sperm Count
Below, we have illustrated a table for you to better understand the value of dicks sperm count according to its body weight and testes. We have selected big Hedgehogs as well as small ones. The results are showing the more body mass, the lesser sperm count. There is no defined mystery behind it yet.
| Body Mass (grams) | Testes Mass (grams) | Sperm Count |
| 292 | 1.24 | 151,200,000 |
| 375 | 1.04 | 115,700,000 |
| 402 | 1.05 | 163,300,000 |
Hedgehog erection
In the season of mating, the absence of a partner female hedgehog results in an erection. As the pets can’t tell us, so this is the way they make us feel about their season. Even though erection can happen in babies and also toddlers, but at that age, it does not mean they need sex. It’s the symbol of sexual maturity in hedgehogs. But also, it’s not an exact cause of the erection.
Images of a hedgehog
Health Care Of Hedgehogs
Male and female hoglets and hedgehogs contain obvious dissimilar reproductive and urogenital systems. Let’s have a brief look.
Health Tips For Male And Female Hedgehogs:
The male hedgehog penis is placed in the penile sheath. Only the way it is exposed is the duration of urination, occasion self-stimulation, and also breeding.
As male Hedgehogs are low near to the ground, therefore the hedgehog dick may become closer to the floor. Undoubtedly, there is a chance the bedding may stick to the appeared hedgehog penis, and it results in any sort of irritation. Also, it may cause infection in the penis hump or result in swollen dicks and redness of the hedgehog penis.
Recommendations:
- The owner of the hedgehog must do good bedding. Consequently, this action reduces the incidents and serious damages.
- Secondly, gentle cleaning and bathing can be sufficient resolution of this problem.
- If the situation of the hedgehog penis area is not looking satisfactory, then you must take your pet to veterinary care.
- As female Hedgehogs are also close to grounds, so they also can be affected by bad bedding. It can cause reproductive and urinary issues.
- The female Hedgehogs contain induced ovulators. Therefore, their reproduction cycle is restorative only in the presence of male hedgehogs. It’s simply opposite to human cyclic ovulation.
- Notably, it is observed that breeding significantly increases the danger to health, especially in birth and pregnancy.
Is Your Hedgehog Suffering From Any Urogenital Disorder?
Urogenital disorders are very common in Hedgehogs. If you observe, you will come to know that bad or unhealthy food and environment can affect the urinary system of Hedgehogs. So, here are some urogenital disorders that you need to know as:
Urinary Tract problem:
Some bacteria when attack you hedgehog, they start to cause inflammation. It is mainly common in female hedgehogs because they have small urinary tract and the anal area is very close to the outside part of the body. Moreover, to detect the problem, you need to look keenly few things as:
- Is there any blood spots or blood in urine?
- Does your hedgehog change the way of urination?
- Does your hedgehog start spitting small amount of urine at different places?
- Is there any straining of urine?
These types of problems are detectable easily. And also, there is a good and recoverable cure of urinary tract issues. You just need to concern the doctor on proper timing.
Genital itching:
All the time, you need to keep an eye on your hedgehog because these creatures are very sensitive. Specifically, the urinary system and penis have extreme level of sensitivity. Therefore, you have to see either your hedgehog is getting irritated due to genital itching or not. The genital areas are very low to the earth, during breeding, their genital parts can get stuck that causes pain and irritation. Moreover, you should not use cat litter or any non-clumping clay, it can easily cause itching to your hedgehog’s penis.
Furthermore, the penis of hedgehog is present at the lowest part of the body. When they get down to urinate, the urine can fall on the penile sheath. It causes severe irritation and smell usually. The stuck bedding stops the urination process as becomes a cause of genital infections.
The solution to this problem is that you just need to make your hedgehog walk on the warm water. It will soften the genital part and remove the waste from the penis completely.
Yeast attack:
Dirty and unhealthy bedding makes the immune system of hedgehog weak. Also, it damages the frightening cells so that yeast gets enough space to attack the genital system of the hedgehog. Moreover, the yeast mainly attacks female’s vagina. It is because, during bedding, there is excretion of material that can easily get mixed with yeast. So, to prevent it, provide a clean and hygiene surface to your pets.
Cancerous diseases:
When the bacterial or yeast exceeds the limit of infection, it can change into cancer. This is the last and the severe stage of hedgehog’s penis diseases. Specifically, the yeast and fungus make fiber walls inside the penis and block the urine. It is commonly present in female hedgehogs, so prevent your hedgehog to breed with such partner. Otherwise it can be transmitted from one hedgehog to other easily.
FAQs
Q1- What makes a difference between male and female hedgehog?
Ans: The Male hedgehog has a penile sheath in the middle of the belly, while the female has a vagina and anus.
Q2- What is the structure of a Hedgehog’s penis?
Ans: A foreskin covers the penile structure of the hedgehog. There is a pole at the end of the penile, which is known as meatus. And there are lateral horns on the sides of the meatus.
Q3- What is the other name of male hedgehogs?
Ans: Usually, we call male hedgehogs as boars. Notably, male hedgehogs have no menstrual cycle.
Q4- What are the diseases that you can see in Hedgehog’s penis?
Ans: You can usually see genital problems, itching, urinary system leakage, yeast attack diseases, cancer, spitting of urine, and bacterial attack.
Q5- What is the basic solution of hedgehog’s penis diseases?
Ans: If the problem is the critic and there is a change in your hedgehog’s urinary behavior, then just try to make him pass through warm water. The warm and hygienic water will soften the penis and makes it leave the waste from the penis.
Q7- Does a hedgehog contain testes?
Ans: From the research, you can find that the male hedgehogs have no testes balls. Eventually, after different experimentation, it is stated that they have invisible balls but no true scrotal acinus. The vesicular glands are the largest associated sex glands, as present on each side.
Q8- What are the basic tips to keep your hedgehog healthy?
Ans: The basic tips include:
- Neat and clean bedding
- Give bath to hedgehog
- Make the wheel bucket clean
- Make him walk from warm water
- Provide beneficial food
Q9- Does bedding affect the hedgehog’s penis?
Ans: Yes, bedding can affect the hedgehog’s penis severely. If the bed is dirty, it can capture yeast, bacteria, and fungus that cause severe disorders. So, you need to clean it twice in a weak to prevent your hedgehog from diseases.
Q10- Is there any connection between weight and the sperm production of the hedgehog?
Ans: If the body mass of the hedgehog comes under 300grms, he will produce 151,200,000 sperms. When the body weight increases and the testes weight decreases. While the production of sperms increases with the body weight.
Conclusion
I conclude that it is very important to keep the genital of your hedgehog healthy. Hedgehog penis is quite sensitive and tricky to handle. You just need to keep your hedgehog clean and check his body after two to three days. Majorly, if you notice any change, bring your pet to your veterinary doctor.