That Time of the Month??

[SherAlana]

My male hedgie passed away this past January, and I am in the process of getting two females. My question is, do they have a heat cycle each month? Is their bleeding, PMS, behavorial change? And if so, how long does the period to last. Thanks you guys for humoring me.

[mrgew]

Hmm, i do not believe so, as I have never seen that with my girl Oda, and I have had her for almost a month now.

[HedgieSpirit]

I have had Chloe since August, no periods :)

[giry76]

When we first got Doris... I had her out playing with her. When she moved there was some blood on my clothes. I turned her over and it was coming from that area. It was just a little bit and never any more. I tried to find out if it was possibly menstral blood. What I found out is that insectivores can bleed but if they do it is very little and very rare to observe it. Most of their menstral blood is reabsorbed.

[SherAlana]

Thank you giry76 for that information! I appreciate it :)

[Nancy]

Hedgehogs do not have a heat cycle and do not bleed like other animals. They come into heat when they are placed with a male. The name for this escapes me at the moment though. :rolleyes:

When females reach the age of 2-3 they can start having reproductive area problems and cancers. One of the first symptoms is blood. Blood can also signal a urinary tract infection.

I would be concerned about any blood in the genital or anal region of male or female. It is not normal. :)

[Kalandra]

*helps Nancy find the term* They are induced ovulators.

[giry76]

Interesting... the bleeding hasn't happened again and if it does I will be sure to take her to the vet asap.

I wish I could find the article that put my mind at ease... I might have to look again.

[giry76]

"A few mammals (rabbits, ferrets, and mink) are induce ovulators; ovulation is induced by coitus.
Hormones also mediate changes in the uterus and vagina.
As the ova are maturing, the inner lining of the uterus proliferates and becomes more vascular in preparation for receiving developing embryos.
Proliferation of vaginal mucosa is accompanied by external swelling in the vaginal area and increased glandular discharge.
No bleeding or sloughing of uterine lining usually occurs."
from
http://www.snow.edu/~allans/biology1320/mammalia.html

Ok this isn't what I was looking for, but it pretty much answers your question.

<Colleen trys to think of how she found the other thing before...>

[Nancy]

*helps Nancy find the term* They are induced ovulators.

Thanks Julie. :) Eventually it would have come to me. :laugh: