How big do pygmy hedgehogs get?

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6 to 10 inches
The African pygmy hedgehog has an oval-shaped body covered in brown or gray spines with white tips. They range from 6 to 10 inches in length and 8 to 21 ounces in weight. Their legs and tail are short while their nose is long and pointy.

Can hedgehogs be overweight?

A healthy hedgehog looks a little rounded and plump, but hedgehogs with fat waddles at the “arm pits” and who can not roll completely into a ball are obese. Obesity in hedgehogs is linked to increased risk for health problems like fatty liver disease and heart attacks.

How much should an African pygmy hedgehog weight?

Normal physiologic values

Body temperature (see Metabolism below)17	95.7-98.6°F	35.4-37.0°C
Respiration	25-50 bpm
Body weight	Adult male	400-600 g 17
	Adult female	250-400 g 1
Mean life span	3-5 years	4-6 years 17 Up to 10y recorded

How fat should a hedgehog be?

We suggest that a hedgehog should weigh around 600 grams before going into hibernation to ensure it has a good body fat resource to see it through the long sleep. Hedgehogs much smaller than this will still try and hibernate, but if the body fat is too low, it will not survive and would not wake up again.

Are hedgehogs cuddly?

In the wild, hedgehogs are solitary animals and they spend most of their time alone except during mating season. They tend to be shy and wary of people. It takes patience and a gentle hand to form a trusting bond with a pet hedgehog. Once a bond is established hedgehogs can be quite playful and occasionally cuddly.

Why is my hedgehog so fat?

But they can become so obese if they are fed inappropriate, high-fat foods (such as excess amounts of carbohydrate- and fat-enriched pellets) that they become too big to fit into their wheels and too short of breath to run.

What is the lifespan of an African pygmy hedgehog?

The average lifespan of an African pygmy hedgehog in the wild is 1-4 years, and 5-10 years in captivity (provided diet and husbandry are optimum).

How big is a 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 big is a 4 month old hedgehog?

Hedgehog Size and Growth Chart

Age	Weight Range	Length Range
2 months	7–9 ounces	2–4 inches
3 months	10–12 ounces	2–4 inches
4 months	13–15 ounces	4–12 inches
5 months	1 -2 pounds	4–12 inches

How do you know if a hedgehog is overweight?

An overweight hedgehog cannot ball fully, so some of their belly fur will still be showing. There may be fatty deposits located under its chin, on the knees, and yellow rolls of fat in the arm pits.

How do I know if my hedgehog is malnourished?

You can tell if a hedgehog is too thin by holding it on its back (wearing thick gloves) and looking at its rear end. A hedgehog that is underweight for its size will have a tapered ‘v-shaped’ rear end like in the picture above. It may also appear ‘baggy’.

Do hedgehogs get a period?

For the record, hedgehogs do not have periods and shouldn’t bleed throughout their reproductive cycle. Hedgehogs do have heat cycles, but it is not the same as a dog or even a human’s menstrual cycle. If you notice blood in your hedgehog’s cage, it’s an indicator that something else is going on.

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.

Age	Weight Range	Length Range
1 month	4–6 ounces	1–2 inches
2 months	7–9 ounces	2–4 inches
3 months	10–12 ounces	2–4 inches
4 months	13–15 ounces	4–12 inches

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.