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Kane123

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Posts: 241

Hibernation? - 2008/04/20 01:51 it's weird to ask this question by me because Thailand is warm country ,but I wonder if there're different between African hedgehog and European hedgehog? I heard that African Hedgehog will never be REAL hibernated ,but it's just another step before hibernate. IS THAT TRUE??? Click!!! >>> http://kane123.picturepush.com/

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Meralex

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Posts: 40

Re:Hibernation? - 2008/04/20 07:31 No African Pygmy Hedgehogs will hibernate but shouldn't be allowed to as pets. I'm not sure if in a "wild" situation they could and come out of it but in captivity they don't feed up enough to make it though the hibernation and will probably die if allowed to go fully into it.

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Kane123

User

Posts: 241

Re:Hibernation? - 2008/04/20 10:27 Umm... let see why I asked.

I heard from Thai doctor that African Pygmy Hedgehog will never be hibernated.

The metabolism process from food will adapt the temperature of the hedgehogs. So when it getting in the cold temperature, it will be in the "semi-stuporous" state but not hibernation state. he found that African hedgehog will have the higher metabolism level than hibernated animal (include European hedgehog).

Anyway, when it's a low temperature, the African hedgehog still come out of the hole, but normally just 1 time a week. In this state, African hedgehog will not move their body (Aestivation). So if it too cold, the African hedgehog will be died from hypothermia or lack of food.

In the other side, European hedgehog has the long evolution to face up with cold temperature. The metabolism in the body will lower than African hedgehog, and this is the real state of hibernation.

So he said it's will not be the real hibernated as we think. Click!!! >>> http://kane123.picturepush.com/

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Aaria

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Posts: 359

Re:Hibernation? - 2008/04/20 11:09 Kane you are right. It is called a state of torpor I believe. Torpor is not a state that comes before hibernation in the sense that if you leave them long enough they will be fully hibernating. The difference is the drop in metabolism rate, the ability for the animal to be aroused, and the increase in metabolism during the arousal period. In the case of torpor those are all less severe than in true hibernation. Becky
Mother of Peanut the hedgehog

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HamorHollow

Admin

Posts: 2180

Re:Hibernation? - 2008/04/20 14:33 We refer to it as a 'false hibernation' in the African Pygmies because it isn't the same type of hibernating that the European hedgehog or a bear would do. If you leave an African Pygmy hedgehog in the 'false hibernation' state, its body will eventually shut down.

I'm not sure if it is actually considered to be a torpor. I get the impression that a torpor is something that is supposed to happen to certain animals to assist in survival in their natural habitat. Hedgehogs come from a warm climate, and I don't believe their bodies are ever really meant to be in the torpor state. I could be wrong; I don't know a lot about animals in torpor.

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Kane123

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Posts: 241

Re:Hibernation? - 2008/04/20 16:41

so, we haven't had a conclusion yet?? Click!!! >>> http://kane123.picturepush.com/

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Aaria

User

Posts: 359

Re:Hibernation? - 2008/04/20 17:50 Torpor is not usually induced by cold. Bats are said to go into torpor during the daytime. I get the impression that it is basically semantics. Scientists like to have neat little categories to file everything in the universe into. Some things don't fit into categories so neatly. I've read that bears don't go into true hibernation either. They only go into "winter sleep" because their body temperature doesn't drop enough. If you ask me (even as a scientist) it's all a load of crap. It's the same deal as pluto not being a planet. Moral of the story... african pygmy hedgehogs die when they get too cold so don't let them get too cold. Becky
Mother of Peanut the hedgehog

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Kane123

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Posts: 241

Re:Hibernation? - 2008/04/21 11:54 Oh! I get it now

Click!!! >>> http://kane123.picturepush.com/

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Aaria

User

Posts: 359

Re:Hibernation? - 2008/04/22 12:55 Woah I just found this random fact: The European hedgehog's heart beats at 190 beats per minute. When it hibernates, it's heart rate drops to just 20 beats per minute! Becky
Mother of Peanut the hedgehog

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