Why is my hedgehog eating her babies?

A mother hedgehog will eat her newborn babies when she thinks that her environment is not safe. It may seem counterintuitive for the hedgehog to eat the babies herself when she feels as though they are unsafe, but this behavior stems from their survival instinct.

Why do hedgehogs eat their kids?

Why hedgehogs eat their babies? Hedgehogs are very vulnerable creatures. And, the male plays no part in childbirth so the female is alone to fend off all the predators advancing for her babies. This is why they end up eating many of them to secure their chances of remaining alive.

What would kill a baby hedgehog?

Pine martins, weasels, stoats and rats sometimes harm young hedgehogs.

Why are hedgehogs cannibals?

Hedgehogs can exhibit cannibalistic tendencies on occasion; however, they are not the only animal species to perform this behavior. Scientists are not certain of the cause, but this behavior could be influenced by a number of external factors, including limited food supply, overcrowding, or the presence of a predator.

How long do baby hedgehogs stay with their mother?

The mother hedgehog will stay in one nest with her family of hoglets from 4-6 weeks in total. At about 6 weeks the baby hoglets normally start to become independent and will often follow the mother outside the nest starting to forage with her.

What do newborn hedgehogs eat?

What do young hedgehogs eat

• Tinned dog or cat food, and cat biscuits or crushed dog biscuits, make good hedgehog foods.
• Very young hoglets that weigh less than 300g can’t eat dry food, so the biscuits would need to be soaked in water first.

What do baby hedgehogs eat?

What is hedgehog food?

The most important invertebrates in their diet are worms, beetles, slugs, caterpillars, earwigs and millipedes. As well as these, they also eat a wide range of other insects. More infrequently, they will take advantage of carrion, frogs, baby rodents, baby birds, birds’ eggs and fallen fruit.

When can I touch my baby hedgehogs?

15 days old
Since a mother hedgehog that thinks its nest is in danger may abandon or kill off the litter it’s advised to wait until babies are at least 15 days old before handling.

How long is a hedgehog pregnant?

Woodland hedgehogs: 30 – 40 days
Desert hedgehog: 30 – 40 days
Hedgehog/Gestation period

When can I handle baby hedgehogs?

Baby hedgies are cute but shouldn’t be handled Since a mother hedgehog that thinks its nest is in danger may abandon or kill off the litter it’s advised to wait until babies are at least 15 days old before handling.

Do hedgehogs eat their babies when they are born?

Hand Raising Baby Hedgehogs. Unfortunately, it is fairly common for hedgehogs to eat their babies and/or reject them, especially if it is a first litter or if the mother was disturbed (mother hedgehogs need considerable peace and quiet). Many hedgehog owners are bothered quite badly by these actions on the part of the hedgehog,…

How do you wean a baby Hedgehog from its mother?

In an effort to stave off hunger, the baby hedgehogs will begin to take food from mama’s dish. This behavior increases as the mother avoids them for longer and longer periods as the little ones grow. The length of the weaning process varies from litter to litter.

When do baby hedgehogs start teething?

Baby hedgehogs usually begin teething around 3 weeks after they were born. As you can imagine, this can be irritating or painful for mama hedgehog as they nurse, so she becomes anxious for them to wean. An interesting piece of trivia: Other than baby hedgehog or hoglet, some people call them a cub or urchin.

When do baby hedgehogs leave the nest?

After Three Weeks: it is weaned and may move around. Fourth Week: The mother begins to take the baby outside on foraging trips. After reaching the age of 5-6 weeks, the baby hedgehog begins to put on weight rapidly. In fact, it gains 10x more compared to the weight when it was born. This is the time when they abandon the nest.