Hedgehogs are mammals, so it’s a typical question to ask. Do hedgehogs have periods? In this article, we’ll answer that for you and talk about what to expect when your hedgehog does go into heat and if you decide to breed.
While hedgehogs can go into heat, it tends to be different from humans. While women will usually have a period every month or so, this isn’t the case for a hedgehog.
Your hedgehog won’t have a period, nor will they have a monthly menstrual cycle. If you see your hedgehog bleeding, you must contact your vet as soon as possible.
What Happens When A Hedgehog Goes Into Heat?
Hedgehogs don’t ovulate in the same way as most mammals. If you don’t have a male hedgehog around your female hedgehog, it’s likely that she’ll never go into heat.
Female hedgehogs only go into heat when they’re around a male, and their cycle typically goes from nine days on to seven days off.
Although this isn’t the case for all hedgehogs, you’ll need to watch this.
If they get along well, there might be a chance for your hedgehogs to have baby hedgehogs within thirty or forty days.
However, if you want to breed your hedgehogs, you should consider all the risks of breeding them.
What If I Find Blood?
If you see that your hedgehog is peeing blood, it might signify a Urinary Tract Infection. It could also be a sign of bladder stones or even cancer.
When a hedgehog bleeds from any part of its privates, it can turn into a much more severe condition.
If you see your hedgehog bleeding at any point or find any blood in its cage, it’s best to contact your vet as soon as possible to make sure your hedgehog has the best possible chance of treatment.
At What Age Can A Female Hedgehog Go Into Heat?
If you have a female hedgehog, it’s best to keep them separate from a male unless you’re sure that you want any baby hedgehogs.
They can start breeding from eight weeks, but you shouldn’t do this.
They still need time to mature and grow. If you try to breed her before then, she may stop developing, affecting her metabolism.
If you decide to breed your hedgehog, then it should be done after they’ve done developing after around five months of age.
What Can Happen When A Hedgehog Is Pregnant?
If your hedgehog does become pregnant, she’ll likely gain more weight and have more of an appetite.
She may even come out during the middle of the day to feed. Considering the nocturnal habits of hedgehogs, this would classify itself as unusual behavior.
Like with all creatures, there’s a risk of significant complications if things go wrong. There’s always a chance that your female hedgehog or her babies will die in childbirth, so you need to consider whether you want to take the risk or not.
When Will A Hedgehog Go Through Menopause?
Hedgehogs typically go through menopause when they’re around two and a half or three years old. If you regularly breed hedgehogs, you’ll notice that their litter is regularly getting smaller.
Once they’re around this age, it’s best to leave them alone, or any complications they’ve managed to avoid so far might come back to them.
Should I Spay My Hedgehog?
Spaying your hedgehog can help avoid the risk of losing your hedgehog in childbirth. Fixing your hedgehog can also stop her from getting any reproductive cancers.
Female hedgehogs tend to have reproductive issues, so spaying them could help to prolong their life.
What Do I Do If I Want To Breed My Hedgehog?
Before you do anything, check if you need a license to breed your hedgehogs. You should also make sure that you’re prepared for what having hoglets entails.
I’ve already talked about the risks that tend to come with childbirth, but there are other factors to consider.
If you want to breed your hedgehog, you’ll need to consider how much it will cost and if you can find suitable homes for them.
If you want to keep your baby hedgehogs, you’ll need to make sure that you have cages for them.
If there are any complications, it will be expensive, and in some states, breeding without a license is illegal.
If you’ve considered all of these, you need to check the temperament of the hedgehogs you want to breed.
Temperament is important, and ideally, you want your hedgehogs to get along. You just need to put them in the same cage and let nature take its course.
Separate them every four days or so, then repeat the process. It takes around thirty-six days for a hedgehog to gestate, so you’ll need to watch them.
There’s no guarantee that your hedgehog will get pregnant. But, if they are, then you should know in about forty days.
What To Do When A Hedgehog Is About To Give Birth?
When a hedgehog is about to give birth, you should ensure that it’s left alone in the time leading up to and after the birth.
You don’t want to stress the mother out even if you can tell they’ve had their hoglets.
They should be left undisturbed and in a quiet spot of your house. If she is disturbed, she may end up injuring or killing her young.
Summary
A hedgehog goes through induced ovulation which means they won’t go into heat unless there’s a male present.
Female hedgehogs don’t have a period, and if you do find blood, you should contact your vet immediately.
Signs of blood could be the signs of a Urinary Tract Infection or something more serious, like cancer. There is no way of knowing for sure, and only a vet can diagnose why your hedgehog is bleeding.
If you have one hedgehog, and you have it live alone, you won’t have to worry about having any baby hedgehogs running around.
