Hedgehog Breeders Alliance|

Perhaps one of the cutest small mammals, there are several species of hedgehogs that can be found in numerous areas including Africa, Asia, Europe, and the British Isles. Hedgehogs are most commonly known for their white and brown spines that make up the upper part of their body. When threatened, hedgehogs will often roll into a ball and erect their spines in order to appear sharp and dangerous.

Upon being born, hedgehogs are usually around an inch long, and when mature, weigh about a pound and are approximately six to eight inches long. Hedgehog species that are bred to Read the rest of this entry »

Choosing to breed hedgehogs is a huge step and requires a large amount of thought and care. One of the most important considerations is breeding stock– choosing which animals you are going to breed. Quality breeding stock is important to produce healthy, happy hoglets that will make good pets.

Breeding stock should always be acquired from another responsible hedgehog breeder. These breeders breed because they love hedgehogs, and they do everything possible to make sure that each generation is at least as Read the rest of this entry »

When a person has a love for animals like hedgehogs, it is natural for them to want to open up their hearts and homes to the little bundles of joy, However some people want to take things further and would like to try breeding hedge hogs on either a part time or full time basis.

While to some this may be a hobby others may take it very seriously and do it professionally, in either circumstance, the motivations of a person must be to ensure the animals well being comes first. That requires some research into the breeding habits of Read the rest of this entry »

In the wild, hedgehogs spend all night searching for food and they enjoy all types of tasty fare. They eat insects, snails, baby mice, very small snakes and the occasional root or vegetation. At your home, your hedgehog will probably enjoy, and thrive on other kinds of food.
Unless they are pregnant or nursing, Hedgehogs don’t eat a lot. You want to think in tablespoons when preparing their meals. Make sure that water is always available and then two tablespoons daily of a high quality cat food can be the base of their Read the rest of this entry »

When breeding hedgehogs placing the female hedgehog into the males cage is clearly the best option, this way he will feel more in control and be more likely to make an advance on the female, which by the way can get quite noisy. When putting the two together it’s best to take out all of his toys, tents or anything else that may be a distraction to her or give her somewhere to hide from him.
Once the hoglets are born I suggest placing Read the rest of this entry »

Healthy female hedgehogs may be bred after they are 6 months old, healthy males may be bred when they are 4 months old. Since breeding can occur within just seconds, males and females should never be kept together for too long.

Once bred, gestation can take anywhere from 35-49 days. Female hedgehogs should not be disturbed after giving birth for 2 weeks, with the exception of changing her food and water. The male hedgehog should not be kept with the female when she gives birth because he is likely to eat the babies. Read the rest of this entry »