zip1purrs
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New babies, surprise!! Mama freaking out!!! - 2008/04/28 06:57
Hi all, in need of some advice/help.
I got a new hedgehog last week. This is our second hedgie. We took one as a rescue 2 years ago and she passed (at the ripe age of 7!) last summer. The new one, named Erpei - HE had a terrible attitude, but he was so cute (albino) and what I was searching for (also the very last one the store had). Well, since he had an attitude, decided to leave him alone until he got used to his new surroundings. Hadn't had the chance to socialize with him much and then.... 5 days later HE had babies. Now I have to add that HE was purchased at a pet store, and I know that is a bad thing to do... but I have to tell you about the phone call conversation I had with the 'manager'. I called telling him that eh male hedgehog we purchased was female and had babies. He said, I'm sorry, please bring her and the babies back and we will give you a male hedgehog when we get more in (we got the last one they had). I blasted him stating that she needs to nurse and I can't move the family for a few weeks- AND the pet store gets a good deal. He said that we would 'work something out and he would 'buy back' the family, but warned if any of them died in his care that he would ask ME for a refund. I told him they weren't for sale and I was VERY angry with the store for even suggesting such a thing. SO...
I know basic stuff... don't touch, leave alone, feed, water only 2 weeks or so. When I got home I heard the squeaks and knew there were at least 2. I peeked later on and seen 3. That was Thursday, I'm assuming she had the babies Wednesday nite (4-23-08). Now last night (4-27), I went in to feed her and change water and noticed by the food bowl was a dead hoglet. I scooped it out (she was in her igloo with the others sleeping) quietly - not sure if that was the correct thing to do - and examined it, it wasn't harmed in any way, I am assuming she abandoned it. Then I buried it. About two hours later - went in the room to get something and she was on her wheel with one of the babies IN HER MOUTH!!! I peeked around the door and sure enough. Then she started to freak- don't know if she noticed me (I was a distance from the cage) or not, but she got off the wheel with the baby and ran around the cage with it. Even lifted up the back side of her igloo with her snout to get in. I left the room. This morning, I could hear squeaks and she was in the igloo with them so all seems ok.
So, I need some advice on what to do, I'm guessing that by me taking out the abandoned hoglet, that could have freaked her out. What really hurts here is that we didn't have a chance to socialize with her before she had the hoglets, so her trust is in question with us. I was told by one person to take the wheel out, and another said ANY changes to her current environment would be putting the hoglets at risk. I guess it's just a matter of letting nature take it's course
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CThogs
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Re:New babies, surprise!! Mama freaking out!!! - 2008/04/28 07:47
I would take out the wheel when you change the food and water next. You don't want to distract her from taking care of the babies and a wheel is a huge distraction. Other than that, just change food and water once a day. Do not peek in to see how many babies there are-just leave her alone.
If you haven't already, read the two articles mentioned here
http://www.hedgehogworld.com/content/view/102/40/
Ann
Connecticut Hedgehogs
We had a great time at Hedgehog Fest 2008!!! |
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zip1purrs
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Re:New babies, surprise!! Mama freaking out!!! - 2008/04/28 08:36
thanks, but there is a problem with getting the wheel out NOW anyway. Unfortunately, I cannot get the wheel out without disassembling the cage... I have her in a very large pen. To take it out would cause more of a disruption. Should have done this a few days ago... right now even the snapping of the door to put fresh food and water in she huffs. 
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aislinsadia
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Re:New babies, surprise!! Mama freaking out!!! - 2008/04/28 20:04
What kind of cage/pen is she in?
*~*Steph*~*
Cotton, Noodles & Cocoa (hedgehogs), Kuruku & Kimiko (kittehs), Sushi & Lily (Ryukin Goldfish), Rosy & Ruby (beagle sisters), and Archie & Rocky (African Dwarf Frogs). |
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zip1purrs
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Re:New babies, surprise!! Mama freaking out!!! - 2008/04/28 20:45
she is in a large guinea pig cage with two openings on opposite sides, the top doesn't open. I used to use a modified wire crate system with the top open with Lexi (the hedgie we lost last summer), but she used to climb out and get in all sorts of trouble (er she would get my two cats in trouble), so I got this one for her and have cleaned it and disenfected it for this little mama.
So far so good, fed and watered mom and babies tonite, while she stayed in her igloo, she huffed just a bit, not too terrible like she had done in the past few days. I'm trying to keep feeding on schedule as much as possible so she knows when to expect a disruption. I did a quick check and didn't see any abandoned babies in the cage outside of the igloo, so all seems ok.
I'm not cleaning the cage, but can I put fresh bedding in at least? Someone told me to tear up a paper towel or toilet tissue so she could use that for nesting material... but I wonder if I do that, that paper would have my scent on it, or am I just going too far with the scent issue?
Thanks..
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CThogs
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Re:New babies, surprise!! Mama freaking out!!! - 2008/04/29 09:36
[quoteI'm not cleaning the cage, but can I put fresh bedding in at least? Someone told me to tear up a paper towel or toilet tissue so she could use that for nesting material... but I wonder if I do that, that paper would have my scent on it, or am I just going too far with the scent issue?]
You can put a little fresh bedding or toilet tissue in when you feed her.
Ann
Connecticut Hedgehogs
We had a great time at Hedgehog Fest 2008!!! |
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zip1purrs
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Re:New babies, surprise!! Mama freaking out!!! - 2008/04/29 21:15
SAD Erpei lost another hoglet this evening.
At 6pm I fed and watered her and everything seemed ok. I put in toilet tissue like suggested. I had to leave for a few hours and my daughter called me and said she found a dead hoglet near the food bowl.
When I got home sure enough. This one was a lot smaller than the first loss, and again, no mutilation or any indication that she did any harm to it at all. This was not the same baby she had in her mouth when she was freaking out 2 days ago, that one was pure white, this one was white with a few gray patches - although from what I understand they are just about all white when they are first born (I am probably wrong about that), however Erpei is marked in the same way (white with few gray patches).
I was thinking that maybe there's something wrong with the hoglets and although she's trying to be a mama, for some reason they die and she just places them where we can find them - does that at ALL make any sense? She's a pet store hedgie and I'm sure she bred with one of her siblings, so there is probably a good likelihood that something is wrong with her babies.
She still has the remaining one with her in her igloo. She did not touch the toilet tissue at all. She huffed only once when I fed her and then the other time (removing the hoglet) she got up and just looked at me with her little red eyes then laid back down by her baby again.
Oh well, sad, but I understand this is nature. Just trying to do the best I can ...
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dzmeadows
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Re:New babies, surprise!! Mama freaking out!!! - 2008/05/02 16:03
Sometimes, babies die. It sounds like she is making a good effort, and when she realizes that the baby is gone, she moves it out to where you are able to take care of it. I would come up with a way to remove the wheel if at all possible, or if not possible, do something to block the wheel so it won't turn. You don't want her taking the babies for a jog on the wheel. :-P
Becca
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