The MALE hedgie I rescued is a Girl!

[ktgrok]

I rescued/bought Hedgie 4 weeks ago, and was told it was a one year old male. the guy couldn't even remeber it's name, he had been ignoring it so long. We took Hedgie to the vet the same day we got him, and the vet did a full exam with gas anesthesia. Felt all over "his" belly for tumors, etc. Well, today I was giving "him" a bath, and decided to take a look at his tummy to make sure everything looked ok, clean, etc. And realized I didn't see a penis/bellybutton looking thing anywhere. I have spent the rest of the day annoyinng poor hedgie trying to get a good look, and it is a girl for sure! I can't believe the poor girl has been called a boy for the last year of her life, and even the vet didn't notice, or forgot I said it was a boy. (I work for a vet, and the second posibility is more likely.) There is a new vet a few towns over that runs a bird and exotics only hospital, I think I will take hedgie there next time. I have read their handout on Iguanas and it was excellent, they are making their own pamplets on all sorts of exotics, giving seminars, etc. Anyway, thought i would share the news, I have a little girl! And that makes me feel better too, since I thought he was awful small for a boy, at just 250 grams.

Katie

[teela1342]

:laugh: I bet she is thrilled someone finally figured it out. Whatcha gonna name her?

[kaiteedyd]

Sex doesn't really effect size. She may just be small because she's small, not because she's a girl. (I prefer the little ones anyways :D )
Good luck with her, what 's her name?

[paris26]

I've got a boy who is about ~240 grams. A perfect palmful :)
At least your hedgies identity crisis is over!

[ktgrok]

Well, since the idiot that had her before us couldn't remember what he had named her, my 5 year old named him/her Hedgie. When I told him today that he was actually a she, he said that Hedgie was a good name for a girl hedgehog too, so I think the name sticks. Thats what you get when you have the kid help pay for the hedghog, you have to let him help name the critter. I still can't believe I paid for her, she was such a mess, mite infested, neglected, etc, but the guy wanted 100 dollars and I couldn't bear to leave without the poor creature. So I gave him the money and ran. Of course, it was "such a good deal" because he included the cage, which I am not using because it is too small, and a whole bag of pine shavings, which I threw out, and a big box of Vitracrap, which I also threw out. Oh well. I am going to find a way to sanitize the cage and then sell it, or keep it on hand for emergencies.

Katie

[teela1342]

Keep the cage for the next poor baby that you can't pass up. There WILL be more. Hedgehogs are addicting. :laugh:

[Ododad]

Well, since the idiot that had her before us couldn't remember what he had named her, my 5 year old named him/her Hedgie. When I told him today that he was actually a she, he said that Hedgie was a good name for a girl hedgehog too, so I think the name sticks. Thats what you get when you have the kid help pay for the hedghog, you have to let him help name the critter. I still can't believe I paid for her, she was such a mess, mite infested, neglected, etc, but the guy wanted 100 dollars and I couldn't bear to leave without the poor creature. So I gave him the money and ran. Of course, it was "such a good deal" because he included the cage, which I am not using because it is too small, and a whole bag of pine shavings, which I threw out, and a big box of Vitracrap, which I also threw out. Oh well. I am going to find a way to sanitize the cage and then sell it, or keep it on hand for emergencies.

Katie
You've done a very good thing here. Be proud of yourself! :)

[Kalandra]

I first found it amazing how many rescues come into rescue stations that are misidentified as male when indeed they are female. Now it doesn't seem to phase me. I have a female whose previous owner stated she took 'him' to a vet and got a clean bill of health... the vet never noticed he was a she.