A hoglet's normal weight and feedings by week
| Age | Weight | Formula Feeding Amount |
| <1 – 2 weeks | <1 – 3 oz / 9 – 85 g | 1-3 mls every 2 -4 hours |
| 3 – 4 weeks | 4 – 6 oz / 110 – 170 g | 3-6 mls + meat baby food or wet cat food ... |
| 5 – 6 weeks | 7 – 9 oz / 200 – 260 g | – Day feedings stop – 5 mls + wet cat fo ... |
| 6 – 7 weeks | 10 – 17 oz / 300 – 500 g | – Self feeding on demand – Should be on ... |
How much should a baby Hedgehog eat?
Baby hedgehogs need to small amounts and often. Initially and in the first 3-4 weeks of life, they will or should feed exclusively on milk before transitioning into larger servings and onto solid meat-based foods. Below, you can see a general guide on how much a baby hedgehog should be eating by age and weight.
What can I Feed my Hedgehog instead of food?
Feeding. If a commercial hedgehog diet is unavailable, it can be substituted with a high quality, high protein/low fat cat food. This can be offered with small amounts of mixed fruits and vegetables. As a treat, hedgehogs will go “hog wild” for live insects, like crickets, mealworms, or earthworms.
How to feed a baby hedgehog with a syringe?
How to feed a baby hedgehog with syringe Hold the syringe in one hand and the hoglet in the other. For tiny new borns, hold them in your palm on an angle so they are sort of on their backs, with your thumb under their chin. Bring the syringe's nipple tip right to their mouth if they are still too young to see it.
How do you feed a baby Hoglet?
NEVER feed the baby on its back as it may inhale the feed and drown. Put the tip of the syringe, or rubber tube if it's a very young hoglet, under the lip and gently squeeze out a drop.
What do you feed a 7 week old hedgehog?
ItemsGoats milk (fresh or powder)Soft syringe with nipple tip.Baby bottle/food warmer.Boiled filtered water.Multivitamin drops.Puppy pee pads.Warm fleece blanket or hide.Microwavable heating pad.More items...
What can you feed baby hedgehogs?
You can try offering food to a young hedgehog, but make sure you feed them something suitable:Dog or cat food - tinned dog or cat food, and cat biscuits or crushed dog biscuits, make good hedgehog foods.Good quality, meaty specialist hedgehog foods - these can be bought from wildlife food suppliers.More items...
How big is an 8 week old hedgehog?
In captivity hoglets put on weight much more quickly than in the wild. Weight guides given are for wild hedgehogs, hand reared hedgehogs can weigh 500 or 600gms at 8 weeks.
How much should a 6 week old hedgehog eat?
Make sure to keep their food in an air tight container and feed them about 1-3 tablespoons once a day. The 3 tablespoons usually consists of a small handful or palmful of food.
How big is a 3 month old hedgehog?
While there are over 17 different kinds of hedgehogs, there are only a few that are consistently kept as pets....Hedgehog Size and Growth Chart.AgeWeight RangeLength Range1 month4–6 ounces1–2 inches2 months7–9 ounces2–4 inches3 months10–12 ounces2–4 inches4 months13–15 ounces4–12 inches3 more rows•May 8, 2022
Can baby hedgehogs drink cat milk?
Products such as Cimicat are acceptable for a short time with the very young hoglets but are not substantial enough to make the hoglets grow. We have found that Shirley's Lactol, Welpi, Canilac and most Kitten milks, as well as human baby formulas, are completely unsuccessful and will always advise you not to use them.
At what age can you handle baby hedgehogs?
15 days oldBaby 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.
What age are hedgehogs weaned?
six to eight weeks oldA hoglet will typically have doubled its birth weight in the first seven days and will be about ten-times its birth weight by six weeks old. Indeed, the hoglets are considered fully weaned by six to eight weeks old, with the adult dentition complete by four months.
What is the best age to get a hedgehog?
It is best to select a hedgehog that is between 6-12 weeks old. Young hedgehogs usually adapt to a new environment more easily than older animals. Older animals may still make good pets with extra precautions. All hedgehogs should be easy to handle at the time of purchase.
How many mealworms should a hedgehog eat a day?
Your hedgehog should never have more than one or two mealworms in a sitting and never more than four in a week. Mealworms can be an occasional treat, not the main part of their diet.
How long does it take for a hedgehog to adjust to a new home?
Encourage the bonding process The first two weeks with your hedgehog are the most important in shaping your new companion's personality and how they will react around you! Once home, you may notice a temporary personality change from when you picked out your hedgie, and this is completely normal.
What does it mean when a hedgehog licks you?
What does it mean if a hedgehog licks you? As we discussed above, licking is a natural behavior for hedgehogs to display and is almost always never a cause for concern. More often than not, your hedgehog is most likely licking you because it likes the taste of the salt on your skin.
How do you take care of newborn hedgehogs?
Mom and babies should be kept in a quiet, secluded spot in your house. Supplemental heat should always be provided to hedgehogs and is especially important for new moms and hoglets (see HH care sheet for more info). Recycled newspaper bedding can be provided for nesting.
What should I do if I find a baby hedgehog?
Keep the hedgehog somewhere warm and quiet indoors, offer them a small amount of suitable food and water, and contact your nearest wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible. It's often faster to take an animal to a wildlife rehabilitator yourself, as our officers may be out of the area attending other calls.
What human food can hedgehogs eat?
Apples, bananas, berries, and melons are popular choices among hedgehogs. Vegetables: Fresh tomatoes, fresh green beans, and cooked squash are some options that your hedgehog may enjoy. Starchy vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, and carrots should be avoided as well as dried vegetables.
What should you not feed hedgehogs?
Feeding hedgehogsLeave out foods like tinned dog or cat food and crushed cat or dog biscuits. ... Never feed hedgehogs milk or bread - milk can cause diarrhoea and bread isn't very nutritious.Check the food and water bowls each day to top them up with fresh water and food, and remove any food that hasn't been eaten.More items...
How to feed a hedgehog?
How to feed a baby hedgehog with syringe. Hold the syringe in one hand and the hoglet in the other. For tiny new borns, hold them in your palm on an angle so they are sort of on their backs, with your thumb under their chin. Bring the syringe's nipple tip right to their mouth if they are still too young to see it.
How to keep hedgehogs from gaining weight?
Weigh them daily to keep tack of their progress. If they are not gaining weight, increase the amount given at each feeding and feed more often . Of course, by now you should have sought extra advice from a reputable breeder, a hedgehog rescue center, or veterinarian that knows hedgehogs well.
How often do hedgehogs massage their babies?
So mama hedgie massages their bellies to help their digestive tract do its thing! The mama hedgehog is also usually around to feed on demand and she nurses every 2-3 hours every time the baby wakes up from napping. This goes on usually for 3-5 weeks. She provides warmth and comfort by laying on top of them while they sleep. If you have found yourself in need of having to know how to feed a baby hedgehog, then you too will need to massage them, feed them formula every 2-3 hours and on demand, and provide warmth for them to thrive and grow.
How to toilet a baby hedgehog?
Since the baby hedgehog is not being groomed by their mama, they need your help with their digestion. Grab a cut piece of puppy pad into 2″ x 2″ / 5cm x 5cm squares and wrap it around their bottoms. This is to catch any excretions that can happen.
What temperature should a hedgie cage be?
Their cage temperature also needs to be the same as adult hedgies, between 74° and 80° with a CHE set-up. Utilize a fleece snuggle sack in between feedings to keep them comfortable. For extra warmth, a microwavable snuggle safe pad can be used. Place it under them during feedings.
How long does it take for a hedgehog to walk?
By 3-4 weeks they should be able to walk up to it so the hedgie will attack it with their new forming teeth and lick it. So hold it a few cm away from them and let them come to it. The best advice regarding how to feed a baby hedgehog is to gently squeeze the formula out and never squeeze too much, too fast.
How to make goat milk for hedgehogs?
Try to use only filtered boiled water for the mix. Follow the directions on the goats milk powder and measure out 3 mls for the syringe in a separate container. Place covered excess formula in the fridge for up to 48 hours. A hedgehog mother's milk is body temperature, so you'll need to serve the formula at 35°c / 95°F. Formula can be re-heated by placing it inside a baby bottle and then into a bottle warmer. You can also place the formula inside a sealed container and sit it in boiling water for a minute. Always swirl rather than shake it to mix it to avoid disrupting the colostrum too much. Before feeding, make sure the formula is a safe temperature by placing a drop on your inner forearm and/or using a thermometer. Making sure you have exactly 3-5 mls in your syringe, depending on age chart below, you can now move on to the next step.
What is the diet of a hedgehog?
The rest of their diet consists in fruits and vegetables. However, we must bear in mind that their diets will vary depending on their species and which part of the world they are from. When it comes to the nutrition of a hedgehog. Their diet consists of: Protein: should be around 22% of their diet, always less than 35%.
What do wild hedgehogs eat?
Some are capable of traveling enormous distances at night. They eat considerable amounts of insects of any kind, especially underground ones, such as:
Why are hedgehogs important?
Wild hedgehogs help in pest control as they mainly eat insects. When adopting a domestic hedgehog, it's important to imitate their diet as close as possible to what they would eat in the wild. This way, we make sure they live a long and happy life. You may also be interested in our article about why hedgehogs bite.
How long do hedgehogs drink milk?
Hoglets will consume only milk until they are approximately six weeks of age. Then, they will begin eating the same foods as their mother, which we have mentioned above.
What are some forbidden foods for hedgehogs?
Here is the complete list of forbidden foods for hedgehogs: Dairy products. Fatty foods.
Can hedgehogs be domesticated?
Nowadays, they can also be domestic pets. However, many hedgehog companions ask themselves what pet hedgehogs eat. In this AnimalWised article we're going to explain what hedgehogs eat. We'll go through their nutrition and complete food list.
Do hedgehogs drink their mothers milk?
Baby hedgehogs, also known as hoglets, are mammals and therefore drink their mother's milk as babies. If they are with their mother, she will take care of feeding them and providing all the care they need. Humans shouldn't intervene or stop this process as it's very important for their health and wellbeing.
How to get a hedgehog to eat solid food?
Initially, try mixing solid foods along with the liquid that you provide to your little hedgie. Liquid and solid foods mixed make it very easy for the hedgehog to consume the food they have given very easily.
Why do hedgehogs keep an eye on their newborn?
Keep an eye on the newborn while its mother feeds it to ensure that the mother hedgehog does not harm her child.
Why are hedgehogs prone to infections?
While a hedgehog is young, it is prone to many infections and diseases because of the baby hedgehog’s digestive system’s sensitivity. The sensitive digestive system is why many rules come into play when hedgehog owners feed their baby hedgies.
How old are hedgehogs when they start growing?
When a hedgehog is at least two weeks old, its spines start pushing up, and it starts showing immense growth. At this age, hedgehogs are completely blind and deaf. They need continuous guidance in their food consumption.
Can hedgehogs be fed?
All of the methods of handling and feeding premature and newborn hedgehogs are unknown to the common person. Hence, it is advised that you take your hedgehog to an expert as soon as you can to ensure that your hedgehog is fed and cared for properly without causing any harm to its sensitive body.
Can hedgehogs eat milk?
Milk is regarded as the usual staple given to your pets because of the amount of nutrition it contains. Like adult hedgehogs, baby hedgehogs can not be given milk or any food with lactose present in it as an ingredient.
Can you feed a hedgehog lactose free milk?
Ensure that the milk substitute you are using does not have any traces of lactose present in it. Once you have decided on a feeding plan, make sure that you feed your hedgehog religiously.
What do hedgehogs eat?
So, hedgehogs will devour almost whatever happens to cross their path if it looks or smells tasty. For example, they’ll eat insects, beetles, worms, slugs, millipedes, spiders, and ants.
Why do hedgehogs eat wet cat food?
They had a lot of experience with their native hedgehogs. They used wet and dry cat food because it was nutritious and widely available, and it worked well. It contained a good amount of protein and fat, similar to the hedgehog’s natural diet, and those organizations still recommend it.
Why do hedgehogs like crickets?
Crickets are a great choice if your hedgehog is prone to gain weight because they’re lower in fat than mealworms.
What happens if a hedgehog eats too much phosphorus?
If there’s too much phosphorus in your hedgehog’s diet, it could cause a calcium deficiency. This calcium deficiency, Metabolic Bone Disease, is a weakening of the bones. It’s not only painful but can also be fatal. So, it’s crucial to maintain a proper proportion of calcium and phosphorus in your hedgehog’s diet.
Why is fiber important for hedgehogs?
The thing is that fiber is an essential element of your hedgehog’s diet as it helps the digestion of protein and fat. In the wild, they get their fiber from insect exoskeletons, which contain chitin. Hedgehogs have a particular enzyme called chitinase, which enables them to use this chitin as their fiber intake.
Why do hedgehogs eat all night?
Because in the wild, hedgehogs forage all night searching for and consuming food. In captivity, they’re not burning energy in this way, but the high-fat content of insects, coupled with the hedgehog’s relative inactivity, means it’s prone to putting on weight. Also, in the wild, African Pygmy hedgehogs are aestivate.
What is the recommended protein level for a pig?
Suggested Nutritional Content. But, from the information available, when in captivity, the recommended levels are around 30-50% protein and 10-20% fat, with about 15% fiber. The protein and fat contents are often refined to a maximum of about 35% for protein and 15% for fat.
How Much Do Baby Hedgehogs Need To Eat?
Baby hedgehogs need to small amounts and often. Initially and in the first 3-4 weeks of life, they will or should feed exclusively on milk before transitioning into larger servings and onto solid meat-based foods.
What is the best food for a hedgehog?
The diet of a baby hedgehog primarily depends on their age and weight. Milk, preferably mothers’ milk, is the ideal food source when they are very young.
How do hedgehogs start feeding?
The mother hedgehog will begin by massaging her hoglets and getting their digestive systems prepared for feeding.
How often do hedgehogs eat?
The younger the hedgehog, the more frequently they should be feeding. As they age and get bigger, hedgehogs can go longer without food until they will only eat once, per night.
When should a hedgehog be weighed?
It’s also essential that a baby hedgehog is weighed routinely in the early weeks of life.
When is on demand feeding important?
On-demand feeding, as it is known, is essential in the early weeks of life.
Do you need to prepare goat milk first?
Depending on what your offering, be it puppy replacement or goat milk, you will likely need to prepare it first.
What is the best food for a hedgehog?
Of the 14 foods we have listed as safe to feed your hedgehog, most would agree the high-quality cat food is the best choice as it’s inexpensive, easy to find, and contains all of the necessary ingredients in the proper ratios. If you have access and unlimited funds, hedgehog food is the obvious choice. Hedgehogs enjoy a varied meal, so you may want to stock up on several of these items. Keep a constant watch over your pet’s weight because hedgehogs love to eat and can quickly become obese.
What do hedgehogs eat?
The hedgehog is an omnivore and feeds on a variety of insects and small animals, as well as plants, berries, and vegetables. Some of the foods they like to eat in the wild are as follows.
Can hedgehogs eat insects?
Unfortunately, your pet hedgehog will not get the exercise that a wild hedgehog gets. Also, some of these foods are hard for the wild hedgehog to get, so they eat very little. Even though insects contain Chitlin, which is an important nutrient for hedgehogs, it can gain weight if fed too many, so it’s better to give these foods as treats.
Do hedgehogs need water?
All life needs plenty of clean water to stay healthy, and the hedgehog is no different. We recommend you always keep a constant flow of clean water within the hedgehogs reach so they can stay hydrated at will, reducing urinary tract infections and other problems associated with dehydration.
Can hedgehogs be pets?
Hedgehogs are not commonly kept as pets, and many new parents may not have a clear idea of what types of foods are best to feed them and what foods you should avoid. We’ve researched this topic well and own several hedgehogs ourselves. We will list as many foods that they can eat as we can, as well as tell you a little about them and how to find them.
Is grape poisonous to hedgehogs?
Grapes – Grapes are also toxic to hedgehogs and should not them to your pet.
Is chicken good for babies?
Chicken, as well as several other flavors, make a great snack. It’s difficult to find out the percentages of protein and fat, so it’s best to relegate baby food to the snack or occasional meal.
What is the best food for a hedgehog?
If a commercial hedgehog diet is unavailable, it can be substituted with a high quality, high protein/low fat cat food. This can be offered with small amounts of mixed fruits and vegetables.
What do hedgehogs eat?
Hedgehogs are classified as insectivorous (insect eaters) but appear to be very opportunistic eaters in the wild eating a wide variety of insects, mollusks (worms and snails) small animals and vegetation, fruits. and greens. Using this information, commercial hedgehog diets have been created to adjust to their dietary needs in captivity.
What to put in hedgehog cage?
Cage bedding should be nontoxic, absorbent, and relatively dust free. Avoid cedar or pine shavings as they cause respiratory problems in hedgehogs. Shredded paper works well and is cost efficient. Our hospital recommends Carefresh, a paper bedding that is soft, absorbent, and easy to clean. Hedgehogs need a shelter, or a hide box in their cage. Offering a PVC pipe, plastic pot on its side, a tissue or shoe box, or another form of shelter, will give your hedgehog a place of security and a place to sleep.
How to tell if hedgehog is sick?
Dehydration associated with diarrhea is a major concern with these small patients. Soft stool that lasts more than a day or diarrhea associated with other signs that your hedgehog is sick (not eating, inactivity or other change in behavior) should be brought to your veterinarian immediately.
Why do hedgehogs need exercise?
Hedgehogs require exercise to satisfy their desire to forage and to avoid obesity. This is easily achieved due to their curious and inquisitive nature. Hedgehogs love to push, chew, and manipulate toys, such as hard plastic balls, and paper towel rolls. An exercise wheel made for a hedgehog or chinchilla will be used.
What to do if your hedgehog is overweight?
If your hedgehog becomes overweight, limit the quantity of food and treats given, and increase exercise.
What are the quills on a hedgehog?
Handling. The quills on the hedgehog are stiff and sharp to the touch. The quills provide protection when the animal rolls up in a tight ball. When attempting to handle your pet, approach it slowly and quietly.
What to do at week 8 of a hedgehog?
There isn’t much to say about week 8 except, that if you have your baby at this age, you are one of the lucky few. Enjoy your new baby and cuddle him or her often. Daily attention is very important, as it will help you and you hedgehog get to know each other. Remember that babies need a lot of sleep so allow your hedgehog some alone time. Your baby will even fall asleep in your hands or on your lap. Enjoy this time — it goes by way too quickly!
How old should a baby hedgehog be before handling it?
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 does it take for a hedgehog to open its eyes?
This is the week the fun begins and the babies go from being tiny whiny blobs to cute active little hedgehogs with personalities! The eyes start to open slowly, generally between day 15 and 18, and the babies become curious and start exploring their surroundings.
What happens to baby quills in a peach?
Some of the baby quills will begin to fall out and be replaced with a slightly harder and longer set of quills.
How to feed a baby hoglet?
Place the baby on a warm towel on your lap, on a heat mat, or wrap it in a warm cloth and hold it upright , different hoglets prefer different methods. >. NEVER feed the baby on its back as it may inhale the feed and drown.
How to keep hoglets warm?
Use your daily weights to track progress. Make sure the hoglets are kept very warm. If they are cold they will use most of their energy trying to keep warm and will not gain weight. Most rescues recommend around 35c for the first couple of weeks until they can maintain their own body temperature.
How long does it take for hoglets to weigh?
Once hoglets are a week old there can be a significant weight difference between litter mates and the more there are in a litter the lighter they are likely to be so weights are not given for anything from 1 week - 4 weeks. Weigh the hoglets at the same time each day and make a note of it.
Can I use cimicat for hoglets?
Products such as Cimicat are acceptable for a short time with the very young hoglets but are not substantial enough to make the hoglets grow. We have found that Shirley's Lactol, Welpi, Canilac and most Kitten milks, as well as human baby formulas, are completely unsuccessful and will always advise you not to use them.
Can you feed hoglets cow milk?
Hoglets should be fed with a milk substitute such as Esbilac which contains all the fats, vitamins and minerals they need. Under no circumstances should you give them cow's formula which will kill them. Goat's milk with Goat's colostrum may be used for a short period of time if nothing else is available.
Can you raise hoglets?
No matter how much you believe you can raise them, I would beg you to seek expert advice. If you go to a good carer they will normally assess the hoglets and then agree a care regime with you. It does not automatically mean you will have to give the animals up. It may be they will be given straight back along with a care sheet, or possibly kept at the rescue for a few days and then returned to you if that's what you want.
Do hoglets need to be tidied?
The youngest hoglets (pinkies) will need to be toiletted when they come in. If you haven't seen them passing urine or faeces by themselves then you MUST do it for them. A cotton bud dipped in almond oil then gently but quickly tickled around the genital area should do the trick but the tinies have paper thin skin and you can make them very sore.
