How do hedgehogs reproduce

Hedgehog is a small animal with spines all over the body. Recently, many people like to raise hedgehogs as pets, so how do hedgehogs reproduce? Let's take a look.

How do hedgehogs reproduce?

Hedgehogs begin to marry and give birth in April every year, giving birth to 1-2 babies a year, each giving birth to 3-6 babies. Every year in the spring after hibernation, hedgehogs look for a mate. Before the female hedgehog accepts courtship, the male hedgehog spends several hours around her, and then it completes its mission. The mother hedgehog began to look for a safe and quiet place for herself and the baby hedgehog to be born in 30 days' time. The hair on the back of the newborn baby is sparse and soft, and it has no vision in the first two weeks after birth, but it can gradually harden into spines after a few days. 4-8 weeks after breastfeeding, the mother hedgehog teaches how to find food. Two months after birth, the mother hedgehog stops taking care of the baby hedgehog, leaving the baby hedgehog to live alone. About 90% of the young hedgehogs live less than a year.

The reproductive life of hedgehog is generally 4-7 years, and the suitable age for reproduction is 2-4 years old, and the hedgehog is sexually mature after 2 years old, so it is necessary to consider whether it meets its own conditions in order to reproduce hedgehog. Hedgehogs have a mortality rate of 90% when they breed cubs in the wild because the cubs have limited viability and die before they reach adulthood. Under artificial breeding, as long as they are managed and taken care of, the cubs can generally survive 100%. Hedgehogs are born with fewer diseases, so there is no need to worry that the cubs will suffer from disease, as long as they provide good fresh food and keep the hygienic environment clean.

How to raise hedgehogs?

The hedgehog is gentle, and some species are only slightly larger than the palm of the hand, so it is kept as a pet in Australia and England. Ordinary hedgehogs are not easy to keep as pets. The hedgehog as a pet is bred by a cross between a common hedgehog and an African "four-toed hedgehog". It is not hibernating, small and not hardy.

Family raised hybrid hedgehogs can be prepared with their own feed, with meat feet, grain and by-products, green vegetables and other proportion of feeding. In addition, caterpillars, beetles, snails, earthworms and other small animals and fruits can also be fed. Hedgehogs are sensitive to lactose, so dairy products should not be fed.

Hedgehogs have strong adaptability, fewer diseases, no infectious diseases, and will not bite people at will. It usually survives for 4-7 years. As long as the feeding management and hygiene measures are proper, hedgehogs rarely get sick and can be treated with corresponding human drugs.