# Can someone tell me is this true



## Nic123100 (Jun 13, 2009)

Coming from my previous post about my friend's hog looking pregnant, I am needing even more help, just to add she is currently in the vet's over night awaiting test's tomorrow however I found this on an american site;

'You should not breed a female if she is or may be over 18 months of age and has never had babies before'

Now I am very confused as all the english site's state APH should not be bred under 12 months because of the pelvis bones moving and fusing etc, so which one is right?

I'm just looking for hope just in case my friends poor hoggie is expecting as we're very worried that she's going to have complications. However he is lucky that he has money for a C-section if one has to and can be performed.

EDIT, forgot to add, in case anybody did not see my preveious thread we have been told she is 16 months old.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

The specific site I use is Hedgehog World - A community for African Pygmy Hedgehog Owners and Breeders - Home

and an article on breeding there says



> The ideal age for a first time mom is between 6 and 12 months. Any younger, and she is probably not physically mature enough. Female hedgies can conceive when they are as young as 8 weeks old, but it's not healthy for them and can cause nutritional deficiencies and other problems. Older hedgies can become first time moms, but in our experiences they tend to have more problems with abandonment or cannibalization of their babies. Female hedgies do go into menopause at approximately 2-1/2 to 3 years of age, and many of the females we have seen people breed at older than 2-1/2 have had problems with nutritional deficiencies or childbirth related deaths, so typically our females are retired from breeding at around age 2-1/2.


I think like any animal the older they get the more risks. I did hear 18 months for virgins in hedgehogs from one site, I can't remember which one though, because of hip fusing and the likelihood of tearing during birth and complications - but if she's already pregnant, you're aware that she needs to be monitored and already seeing a vet you've probably done the best you can do.

I just googled and found a site that says



> Never breed a female hedgehog for the first time after she is 18 months old as by then, her pelvic bones will fuse. This means that if she needs to deliver, and her bones are fused, she will die without a Cesarean section as the babies will not fit to get out. The same thing happens with guinea pig sows.


But I've never known anyone who's bred an older hedgehog for the first time so I don't know how accurate it is.


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## Nic123100 (Jun 13, 2009)

Athravan said:


> The specific site I use is Hedgehog World - A community for African Pygmy Hedgehog Owners and Breeders - Home
> 
> and an article on breeding there says
> 
> ...


Hedgehog world is where I found the quote, on this page
Hedgehog World - A community for African Pygmy Hedgehog Owners and Breeders - General Breeding Information

A lot of American site's suggest it's safe but god knows, I'm just trying to find hope for this poor girl. My friends in pieces at the moment poor guy.
Hopefully the vet will have answers for us tomorrow, fingers crossed.


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## Callia (Aug 8, 2009)

Nic123100 said:


> Coming from my previous post about my friend's hog looking pregnant, I am needing even more help, just to add she is currently in the vet's over night awaiting test's tomorrow however I found this on an american site;
> 
> 'You should not breed a female if she is or may be over 18 months of age and has never had babies before'
> 
> ...


I have no experience with hedgehogs but know that it is commonly said that female guinea pigs also cannot ever be bred after they are 12 months old due to the pelvis bones fusing. I have never had any problems though and have bred sows as old as 3 with no problems whatsoever :2thumb: I just hope the same is true for the little hedgehogs.


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## NaomiR (Jan 26, 2009)

as above (and as I commented in your previous thread) it is totally untrue that pelvic bones in guinea pigs fuse there is no evidence to support this it's nothing more than a theory.

I (also) hope it's true for hedgies :notworthy:


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## Kare (Mar 9, 2010)

Surely as it appears the hog is already pregnant this is one of those cases where you smile, and tell him everything will be fine and hope for the best as there is no changing it.


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## Nic123100 (Jun 13, 2009)

NaomiR said:


> as above (and as I commented in your previous thread) it is totally untrue that pelvic bones in guinea pigs fuse there is no evidence to support this it's nothing more than a theory.
> 
> I (also) hope it's true for hedgies :notworthy:


I'm hoping so too, poor little girl. 



Kare said:


> Surely as it appears the hog is already pregnant this is one of those cases where you smile, and tell him everything will be fine and hope for the best as there is no changing it.


Trouble is he's trawled through pygmy hogs and seen the bones fusing at 12 months issue so I'm going through the american webbies (as they seem to have bred them for longer) to try and find some hope. Will know what her condition is tomorow so fingers crossed : victory:


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## hogs'n'hisses (Jun 24, 2009)

good luck with the vets today fingers crossed for the hog


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## angeldog (Mar 12, 2006)

aph should not have a first litter after the age of 12 months as its believed the pelvic bones fuse.
can i ask what shes in the vets for?


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## Nic123100 (Jun 13, 2009)

Vet's keeping her overnight to run some general tests and I think they might be going to attempt a scan from what I've been told.

Here's the previous thread 
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/exotic-mammals/512154-help-please.html

He only had her for about a week, and she started looking considerably fatter so he is suspecting pregnancy as he can't find any other information on what could cause her to balloon like she has.

EDIT; just to add, she is considerably large round the abdomen area then both my girl and boy, hence the worry about the poor little hog. I should have an update later on today so fingers crossed for starlet


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