Pregnant girl help?

[Yoleeeen]

So, I've had this girl for about a year now. The breeder and I are good friends and she's been trying to breed her since April with no luck getting her to term. The week before I got her back, (tomorrow makes two weeks) she got out of her cage. The breeder thinks that she's knocked herself up because of it. She acts more huffy and puffy towards me, but not mean. Just kind of like meh don't touch me, and she has NEVER been that way. Her stool seems to be smelling a lot more, and the breeder says she nesting. She is still eating what seems the normal amount and is forever drinking massive amount of water. Can you guys help tell me what I should be expecting, and looking for? I've never delivered babies and I'm just a little nervous about it. Anything can help!

[CThogs]

First off, do not take this the wrong way, but I do not agree with anything that you are doing. Even if you are friends with the breeder, I hope you realize that you could lose your hedgehog in childbirth which is about the worst thing ever to go through. I assume no one knows who the father is either. That means the babies could be closely inbred which is not an ideal situation. The time to find out about breeding would have been before you bred the hedgehog not after. Not much you can do about that now so now you just have to learn all you can

There are a lot of articles in the breeding section of the website http://www.hedgehogworld.com/list.ph...ing-and-Babies Read everything and ask any questions you have. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here who can help

[Yoleeeen]

Actually, the breeder is the one who bred them. She put them next to the boys cage that she was breeding. If she had known that my girl was pregnant she wouldn't have taken so lightly to giving her back. And I can't make the 140+ mile drive back to her. I don't want any negative feedback, which is exactly what it was. I'm asking for help and what to expect. Not what was done wrong, or who was at fault. I'm trying to learn what I can before she is due so I don't get worried over the smallest of things. But thank you, anyways.

[Cardianharle]

I wouldn't say that Ann was giving you negative feedback, I think she is just concerned for the safety of the hedgie, and if there isn't much for paperwork on the breeding, then there could be a lot of poo flinging involved. I am not a breeder myself, but I honestly think that she is looking out for the best interest of everyone involved.

There are a lot of knowledgeable people here, and if the information is wrong, they will tell you so, and it's not to make you mad or anything, it's so you can file that info away for future reference. I wish you the best on the little one and hopefully the articles will help out.

[Yoleeeen]

I didn't really see anything other than what I've already read on other sits as far as a hedgie being pregnant. There's only so much I can ask the breeder before she doesn't talk anymore, so I'm trying to reach out in the hopes that someone else can help me. The breeder said on Tuesday she thought she was at about 28 days. I've noticed that she's fussy occasionally, but that's really all, and that she has managed to keep her little hit house covered as well as pull the cloth into her home, which I assume is nesting? I just don't know what else to look for. That's what I need help with.

[CThogs]

Often hedgehogs show no signs of being pregnant. You cannot rely on physical appearance, weight gain, behavior or anything else to accurately predict whether the hedgehog is pregnant or not. You have to just assume that she is pregnant and treat her like she is pregnant. Take out her wheel. Make sure she has a hiding spot/nest box and lots of nesting material. She will do the rest. Read these articles-they really do go into detail about what you need to do or not do through the whole breeding cycle

Conception-to-28-days
http://www.hedgehogworld.com/content...days-gestation

28-days-gestation-2-weeks-post-birth
http://www.hedgehogworld.com/content...eks-post-birth

Week-two-to-weaning
http://www.hedgehogworld.com/content...two-to-weaning

[HamorHollow]

So, I've had this girl for about a year now. The breeder and I are good friends and she's been trying to breed her since April with no luck getting her to term. !

I'm confused. If you've had this girl for a year and the breeder has been trying to get her pregnant, then the breeder should be mentoring you through the entire process. Weather she escaped and got knocked up or it was purposefully done, it sounds like it was the intention to get this hedgehog pregnant.

ANY time a a female is with a male OR a female escapes the cage and could have been with a male, you need to assume that the hedgehog is pregnant and treat it as such.

So if the hedgehog had gotten knocked up by the chosen father, would the breeder still have sent the hedgehog home with you.

Your breeder needs to be holding your hand through this. If you have a question, she needs to answer it. She is responsible for this situation, and it would be irresponsible and rude of her to blow you off. So don't feel bad about overloading her with questions. If she gets annoyed with you ro refuses to help, just sic us on her and we'll set her straight.

She definitely could be pregnant. The less you interfere, the better chance the babies have of surviving. If you keep popping in to look at them, then mom will most likely kill them. It isn't uncommon for a mother to cannibalize one or all of her babies for no apparent reason. It happens to first time moms as well as experienced moms. If mom has a particularly rough or bloody birth, she may destroy or ignore the litter. If her milk doesn't come in, she may destroy the litter. If she gets freaked out, she may destroy the litter. If a baby is malformed, she may destroy just that baby or the entire litter.It is a pretty common occurrence, and it doesn't matter what you do or your level of experience.

Sorry to scare you, but it is reality. Your breeder should have gone over this with you.

The best advice I can give you is: the less you interfere, the better. Leave mom to care for, or not care for the babies. You aren't going to successfully hand raise them, it's extremely difficult and even experienced breeders have a 90%+ loss rate. DO not try to see the babies for the first 2 weeks. Just leave the cage alone, do not clean it. The only thing you can do is add food and water, and the less ofter you have to disturb the cage to to that, the better.

K

[HamorHollow]

Also, if the breeder is a good friend, then she shouldn't mind your questions. If she does, then she is a bad friend as well as an irresponsible breeder.

K

[Yoleeeen]

Thank you guys for your help, I really appreciate it.
I haven't picked her up at all since I found out she could be. I didn't know that she had gotten out of her cage until after I had brought her home for a week or so. I asked the breeder if what she was doing is signs of being pregnant and she said yeah and then said she had gotten out a week prior. I've been leaving her alone and making sure she's okay, only lifting the cloth of her house very slightly. I haven't picked her up because the breeder said not to, that it would be bad. But I picked her up tonight because she let me and she does seem a little heavier. I've noticed that shes eating a lot more and drinking a lot more. Her nipples seem to look a little more pronounced as well. Is that a sign? I looked to see if maybe she had bruising towards the center of her tummy and it looked a tiny tiny bit bluish/purplish but nothing major. I've put another piece of cloth in there for her to nest with assuming that she is. I haven't changed her bedding since last week. I spot cleaned and it's already pretty fowl smelling. Apparently I just have a stinky little girl. :3 I just wish I knew how far along she could be. Assuming that she's getting close, do I not give her any attention at all? I'm sorry for all of the ridiculous questions. I'm such a noob! I've always been this way, and I hope I don't sound like a kid who doesn't know anything, because I've definitely done so so much research on these amazing little creatures before I considered getting them. I've never had any problems, I'm just wanting to make sure that I do, and take all of the right steps towards her being safe and healthy during and after this whole birthing assuming that she is. Thank you all so very much for your help and advice!

[Yoleeeen]

Also, as of right now I don't have a heating pad under her or on her because the weather has been pretty warm. Should I put a heating pad under her? I don't want her to fry because of it, or be too cold because I don't have one for her. Also, I was thinking about switching cages to a bigger one, and giving her a offer nesting box. Assuming she is about 3 weeks or more, is that too late to do some last minute touch ups?