Breeding experience in hedgehog birthing and rearing of baby hedgehogs

The gestation period of the mother hedgehog varies somewhat. Under normal feeding and management conditions, the expected due date of the mother hedgehog is 60 days±1.5 days. The expected due date is counted from the last mating. About 1 week before giving birth, the mother hedgehog's vulva is somewhat swollen, the mammary discs are enlarged, and the nipples are exposed. About 3 days before giving birth, the mother hedgehog begins to carry grass to make a nest. At this time, if a male hedgehog is present, the male hedgehog can be moved out. When the mother hedgehog is about to give birth, she behaves restlessly, shows symptoms of abdominal pain, and from time to time makes “zhi……zhi……” sounds. She refuses food for 1 to 2 meals before giving birth. When the mother hedgehog gives birth normally, the head of the fetus comes out first. After giving birth, the mother hedgehog immediately bites off the umbilical cord, eats the placenta, and licks dry the amniotic fluid on the baby hedgehogs. Two to 4 hours after giving birth, she passes oily black placental feces. This is a sign for judging whether she has given birth. The normal birthing process is generally 2 to 4 hours, fast in 1 to 2 hours, and slow in 6 to 8 hours. If it exceeds 8 hours, it is regarded as dystocia. After giving birth, the mother hedgehog is both exhausted and thirsty. At this time, some dilute brown sugar water should be given promptly for her to drink in time; otherwise, because the mother hedgehog is thirsty after giving birth, she will bite the baby hedgehogs to death. After giving birth, the mother hedgehog should still be fed the nutritional level of the diet for the gestation period, as this helps her secrete milk. From birth to 10 months of age, under normal feeding and management conditions, a hedgehog can generally develop into a young hedgehog and begin to have sexual desire and the urge to court, but at this time the body has not yet fully matured and it cannot yet be mated and bred. Generally, baby hedgehogs born in the spring of the first year have already reached sexual maturity by the breeding season in the spring of the second year, but they should not be mated in this breeding season. Waiting until autumn to mate and breed is beneficial to the body of the breeding hedgehogs, and the baby hedgehogs produced are also relatively strong and have a high survival rate. Production practice has proven that the growth of baby hedgehogs supplemented with feed at 30 days of age and those not supplemented is very different. After baby hedgehogs are weaned at 40 to 50 days of age, they completely leave mother's milk and rely on artificial feed to obtain the nutrients needed by the body. They still have a process of adapting to artificial feed. At this time, they still need to be fed feed with high nutritional value and easy digestion, such as a portion of milk or milk powder plus cornmeal and bean cake meal steamed into and minced, adjusted into a thick consistency. In addition, each young hedgehog is supplemented with vitamin D 300 international units, vitamin B1 1 mg, and vitamin C 5 mg. For every 20 young hedgehogs, add the yolk of 1 egg.