# African Pygmy Hedgehog Breeding?



## plaiceandchips (Jan 18, 2011)

I am looking to breed my APH's in the near future and was just looking for a bit of advice. The female is 11 months old and the male will be 4 and half months old. I have been told that I should put the female in the males enclosure for about a week and take everything out apart from the bed and that I should count approx 33days and then babies should be born but I shouldn't look for them or handle them for another 3 weeks

Is everything I have been told correct and anymore advice?


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## Rach1 (May 18, 2010)

i would seek further advice on this one as your female is getting very very close to the age when if she hasn;t had babies before it would be potenially dangerous to breed her..as their pelvises fuse...
please try to check this our first as you could really harm her!


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## grizzlymonkyboy (Jan 15, 2011)

i have also just stared breeding my hogs and i have put my female in with the male they have been together now 2 days he is 7 months and she is 9 months

My question is what is the best age for a female to have her 1st litter i have found lots of info online but lots contridicitng each other one states over 12 months so she is mentaly mature enough some say 6-9 months


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## kellogg (Aug 15, 2010)

i think generally she needs to be breed by 10 months ish and over 12months is definitely to late as her pelvis fuses so it's dangerous for her to have a litter


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## nikki_alaska (Apr 10, 2009)

Females must have given birth to their first litter by the age of 12 months as their pelvis fuses together and makes birthing potentially dangerous- even fatal in some cases.

This would mean that a female must be successfully mated (and pregnant) by the age of around10 months (give or take a week) to allow for the 50 day pregnancy period and birthing by the time they reach 12 months of age.

Hope this helps!


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## angeldog (Mar 12, 2006)

at 11 months your female is too old to have a first litter.
the minimum age is 6 months but some need a little longer and depending on the female she may never be right for breeding anyway.


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## plaiceandchips (Jan 18, 2011)

Cheers for the heads up guys :2thumb:
I checked her birthday and she was born on 17 august so shes like 10 months and two weeks is this still to late to breed or just in time if I put her in tonight?

Obviously her health takes presidence over breeding!


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