Unexpected babies?

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G

Greell

Guest
Hello,

So my lil hedghie Apples started to gain weight since we bought her, and at first I thought nothing of it, and then it became obvious that she may be pregnant but we weren't entirely sure.

Last night she gave birth to 5 hoglets and since before then I did research and everything about setting up a nest, and additional food etc.

However, she didn't give birth in her nest, she did it in her shavings! and she won't go near the nest...

I also noticed that the babies are roaming away from the mother slowly...to the point where she has to go fetch them sometimes...but I have had to use a table spoon several times to move them to her because they got so far away...

is this typical behavior for them to roam so far from the mother? and should I help her re-locate into a better nest or something (without touching babies, i know), because I am concerned that they will get lost in the shavings and die?
 
50 readers and no comments: (

well, doesn't matter too much now, 4 of them died---she doesn't look like she's feeding them because she spends all of her time trying to get away from them..guess she's rejecting them.
 
I am sorry. I am one of the ones who read and didn't comment. I unfortunately have no advice for you because I have no idea what you should do. I am so sorry for your loss. You were and are in my thoughts.

I really have no idea what happened to this forum in the past year. It is sad.
 
Oh it's alright don't feel bad!

It's just a really sad to lose 4 of 5 of them (hopefully, i hear the 5th one squeeking a lot which is good)

I've bred chinchillas before, and man that is so much less stressful I think...it's far less predictable with hedgehogs sadly :(

hopefully this one little guy is strong and makes it!
 
Is she rejecting the last one? I would start hand feeding and maybe even separate so she doesnt end up killing the last baby if she is rejecting it.

I dont know too much about babies and what to do but I forwarded this to a some people who may be able to help out with your last wee-one.
 
I am not really certain...he's the LARGEST of the babies, and seems fairly active...she keeps trying to burrow down under this blanket I gave her (well, a small piece, but it's as big as a blanket to her) that she has had, and she keeps trying to burrow under it, while the babies are on top

at first, I thought nothing of it...she fed them, then she'd burrow..but after like 5 hours, she wouldn't come out to feed them again...leads me to believe she is ignoring them
 
Happy well fed babies do not squeak very much. Squeaking is not necessarily a good sign. Babies squeak when they are hungry and if mom is attentive, you won't hear very much squeaking.

Don't use a spoon to pick up the babies. You need to be able to tell if the babies are warm which you can't do with a spoon. If the babies are cool, mom will think they are dead and reject them. If the baby is cool, warm him up by putting him next to your skin. Warm babies wiggle, cool/cold babies don't and are like they are hibernating, same as adults. Pick baby up with your hands. Moms are used to our smell on them, their cage and everything they have.

First time moms sometimes don't know what to do. Pick up baby and put him under the blanket with mom. Put him near a nipple. She may or may not take him but if he is active, warm and squeaking, she probably will. At this point in time, it's up to mom so give him to her and then leave the room for about 30 minutes. Then take a quick peak and if he has wandered away, give him back to her again.

Babies are active and they do wander away from moms. It's too bad she chose not to use the nest box but sometimes they do that and it's her choice. If she is going to fetch them, she is not rejecting them. Babies that wander from the nest do get cool and often that is the problem.

Whenever you enter the room she is in, speak softly to her so she knows it is you that is there. Tell her what you are going to do before you do it and as you are giving her the baby, tell her he is hungry and needs to be fed and ask her to please take care of him. Sounds silly I know but sometimes I think they understand.
 
I'm very sorry for the loss of your little ones. I too read this thread, but having zero experience with hedgehog babies, I had no comment to make.

I really have no idea what happened to this forum in the past year. It is sad.

I assume you mean because nobody answered? A forum is only as active as it's members. You'll notice the chin side is always hopping, that's because there are people constantly posting there. If you want a more active hedgehog side, then start making it active. We can only provide the venue for posting, we can't force you to do it.

The old saying "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink" comes to mind here.
 
well of course......thats obvious........

The point is that it's frustrating.
 
She ended up rejecting the last one. In a last ditch effort I attempted to hand feed, but it would not eat at all, I spent a good hour trying to get it to at least have something, but unfortunately it appears it was too little too late.

Perhaps if she ever breeds again, she'll know what to do, it's mind boggling to lose all 5 in a litter because most say "it's common to lose a couple"

Makes me feel terrible, that we lost all 5 of them :(
 
It is really hard knowing what to do with a new mom, a first time mom, and not having any breeding experience. What works for one mom, may make things worse with another.

First time moms sometimes don't know what to do. It doesn't always come naturally to them and sometimes we have to intervene. Of course, sometimes our intervening will stress mom to where she will kill or abandon the babies.

Sometimes the calmest girls turn into total nut jobs once the babies are born and sometimes those girls we think will be head cases, are the most laid back and relaxed as a new mom.

We never know how mom is going to react and sometimes we have to intervene and hope for the best. Hand raising is rarely successful and not everyone can feed newborns every two hours round the clock for 3 weeks.

You did your best.
 
I appreciate your kind words <3

My wife and I did our best, and everything we have read did warn "be prepared for heartbreak" because hedgehog breeding isn't always easy.

I think this experience, as sad as it is, gives good insight should we choose to breed her ever in the future and things won't be a "surprise" in the future, if we actually do breed her intentionally.

Thanks for your thoughts all <3
 
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