Simple Hedgehog Facts

Classification	CLASS: Mammalia
	ORDER: Insectivora
Number of Genus	4
Number of Species	14
Domesticated Species	African White-Bellied Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)
Average Life Span	3.5 years
Maximum Life Span	9 years
Common Life Span	4-6 years
Heat Cycle	Ovulation induced by male
Estrous:	2 - 5 days
Diestrous:	2 - 5 days
Gestation period	35 days
Litter Size:	average 4, up to 9
Eyes open	14-16 days
Weaning age	5-7 weeks
Time to remove from mother:	6-7 weeks
Complete Physical Maturity	10 - 11 months
Average Adult Weight	9 - 19 ounces
	255 - 540 grams
Recommended maximum number of litters per year per female hedgehog	2
First Sexual Capability
Male	7-9 weeks
Female	8-12 weeks
First breeding best	6-7 months
Female fertility ends	Approximately 3 years
First quilling	4 weeks
Second quilling	6 weeks
Third quilling:	9 weeks
Adult quilling	12 weeks
Adult color quilling	9 weeks
Best Room Temperatures	72 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit
	20 - 27 degrees Celsius
Hibernation	Hibernation can be lethal for pet hedgehogs
Sexes	Males and females should be housed separately
Quills	Quills are modified hairs, they are not very sharp and do not have barbs
	The average hedgehog has 5,000 -7,000 quills
	Quills are hard on the outside, filled with soft air pockets on the inside
	There are 2 large muscles on either side of a hedgehog's back to raise and lower its quills and curl into a ball. This is a hedgehog's only defense.
DIET
Diet in the Wild	Beetles Ants Termites Grasshoppers Moths Centipedes Earthworms
Diet in Captivity	Dry Cat food Mink and Ferret food Cooked poultry (never raw meat) Cooked egg (never raw)
Diet Supplements (treats)	Insects (mealworms, crickets, etc) assorted fruits and vegetables
Dairy Products	Hedgehogs are mildly lactose intolerant. Dairy products should be fed sparingly or not at all
Suggested Nutritional Requirements	Protein Suggested requirement - 22% Fat Suggested - 5% Fiber Suggested - 15% Calcium Suggested - 0.9% Phosphorus Suggested - 0.9% Iron Suggested - 75 ppm Copper (mg/kg) 4-23 7-16 3-7 Manganese (mg/kg) 11-146 11-70 5 Zinc (mg/kg) 20-175 100-190 30
Recommended Caloric Intake	70-100 calories per day
HOUSING
Min. Recommended floor area	4 sq feet
	0.37 sq Metres
Cage Floor	Solid - NO Wire
Exercise	Hedgehog Wheel (solid running surface, no wire) Toilet Paper Tube (for hedgehogs over 3 months of age only!) Small child-safe toys Ferret-size ball under supervision Daily Handling
COMMON AILMENTS
Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome (WHS)	A genetic disorder that causes progressive paralysis similar to the human form of MS. There is no cure and the afflicted hedgehogs slowly and eventually become totally paralyzed. The disease appears to be carried by a recessive gene making detection and eradication difficult. Breeders should avoid using hedgehogs with any WHS in their family lines.
Cancer	Hedgehogs can suffer from cancerous growths and lesions to the same extent as other comparable species. Common to female hedgehogs are ovarian, uterine and mammary tumors; and to males, jaw and testicular tumors.
Eyes	Eyes can be lost to quill pokes, most commonly when multiple hedgehogs are housed together. Infection is common if not treated immediately.
Teeth	Tooth loss and wear can occur in older hedgehogs. Weight loss can occur in extreme cases. There is some speculation that an all-hard food diet can cause premature tooth wear. Hedgehogs with poor dentition should be fed a soft food diet to compensate and prevent weight loss.
TERMINOLOGY
Males	Males
Females	Females
Young	Hoglets or pups
Breeding Group	Herd
Quills	Quills or Spines
Anointing or Self-Anointing	The act of frothing at the mouth, arching the head back over the shoulders and depositing the frothy saliva onto the quills. Triggered by pungent smells and new tastes. The exact purpose of anointing is unknown.