How to breed African pygmy hedgehogs?

 Hedgehogs are animals that consume insects. There are hedgehogs from Europe, Africa, Asia and New Zealand. They do not live in the wild in North America; they are kept as domesticated pets by many people. All hedgehogs are spiky and thin. Hedgehogs have very smooth, brush-like quills. This makes them look more like a lovely pet than a predator. Often known as the four-toed hedgehog, the African Pygmy Hedgehog is the tiniest of all hedgehogs, so it's a perfect companion.

Getting this sort of hedgehog as a pet is one of the many attractions; they are quiet, funny and low maintenance. They make perfect pets for you if you have a 9-5 job, as they are nocturnal. Hedgehogs do not like human affection, but many are already trained by hand, so they will be used when necessary to pick them up.

They'll still need some time to get used to you, even though the African hedgehog has been hand-tamed. This implies that when you attempt to pick them up, they will curl up into a small spikey ball. If you are careful, you can cradle the hedgehog in your hand in its ball to encourage them to unroll and start exploring, and they will begin to explore more and lay their spines flat as they know that you will not cause them any harm.

If you have a more active hedgehog, you'll need more space to explore, which is at least 2 to 3 square feet. The larger the room, the better it is for your pet! As they can try and squeeze through it, it is best to avoid cages with wire floors and large spaces. Using a big tank or plastic storage box with air holes in it is an option so that the hedgehog can roam around.

Shavings or recycled paper produce perfect bedding, as the contaminants can be harmful to small mammals, you also need to avoid cedar shavings. Instead of using loose shavings, it might be useful to think about an indoor and outdoor enclosure, using a fleece carpet to line the bottom of the cage. Always, make sure there are no loose ends on which your pet will get stuck if you want to use carpet or fleece.

There are a few threats that you should be mindful of and mentally prepared for breeding hedgehogs. Breeding females who are too young/old can result in the loss of the babies through the mother's natural death or cannibalism. This can literally happen if there is undue tension on the mother hedgehog as well.

Not only that, but hedgehog breeding can also pose a danger to the mother. Complications from pregnancy can threaten your mother hedgehog's wellbeing, similar to what any other animal faces. While this does not come as a surprise, it's good to be aware of it.

You will also have to watch for aggression between females and males that have breeding potential before hedgehog mating even starts. Having an experienced breeder to speak to who has done this many times before is crucial for you. 

No more than three times a year! To prevent fatigue, health issues, and to improve your chances of breeding successfully, give mother about four months between each litter. If the female does not get enough food or rest, by eating them, she could decide to reabsorb nutrients from her babies. She is still an animal struggling to survive, after all.