Basic Breeding Info

[Biggles2188]

Hi,
I am the new proud owner of a standard male Hedgehog that I named Mr. Bigglesworth (biggles for short). I plan on breeding him in the future, but I really don't know anything about it. For instance: What kind of cages would I need? Can the male and female live together before, during and after breeding? And how do you breed for tabaino? I think I spelled that right. I know I have a lot of questions but I plan on doing a lot of reading. I hope this ins't too much to start with.
Thank you so much!
Sincerely,
Charity

[kaiteedyd]

Hi Charity,

Is this your first hedgehog? If so I would suggest not getting into breeding any time soon. Breeding takes alot more knowledge then simply putting two animals together.

I suggest if you want to breed first you need to make sure hedgehogs are even for you.

Also do a lot of research on your own. It's amazing how you can learn from reading peoples websites. If you do research on your own I promise you'll be able to answer all those questions you've asked and more.

Just a little info for you:

No a female and male can not live together ever. They should only be put together for a short period of time (like a week) for the actual breeding and then seperated.

Also to get a tobiano (what Vickie calls pinto hedgehogs. Tobiano is actually the name for a type of pinto marking in horses) you would want to breed a pinto to a pinto. That would maximize your chances of getting more pintos.

[PrettyHate]

A very good thread to read concerning breeding- especially for those just getting into it.

http://www.chins-n-quills.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72751

[Biggles2188]

Yeah, he's my first hedgehog but I don't intend to breed him soon. I was just gathering information. I want to be prepared. And I do think hedgehogs are for me. Thank you so much for the websites and your commentary. I really enjoy reading all the letteres back and forth. They are really insightful.

[Biggles2188]

What 2 colors of hedgehogs can you put together to get a pinto. R there any 2 or do you have to already have pintos?

[PrettyHate]

What 2 colors of hedgehogs can you put together to get a pinto. R there any 2 or do you have to already have pintos?

Need a pinto, or a hedgie that has had pintos in its lineage.

[MsTickldPink]

Don't forget to read the thread in here by Teasels Mom called Anyone thinking of breeding read this.

Aside from finding out if hedgehogs are for you you need to make sure you know the hedgies background and temperment. You also want you hedgehogs to be very very comfortable with you. The more comfortable with you they are the better... breeding hedgies that poke up everytime you try to touch them and then don't come out of thier ball for 15 minutes is like trying to breed a vicious dog, they won't let you near thier young and you make it more dangerous for the babies.

[kaiteedyd]

What 2 colors of hedgehogs can you put together to get a pinto. R there any 2 or do you have to already have pintos?

color doesn't effect pinto as pinto is a pattern. The only colors that would effect a pinto's markings would be albino and a high white snowflake. In both of those colors the pinto marking wold be overshadowed though it would still be there, you just wouldn't be able to see it.

So you can breed any colors together and get pintos if the animals are pinto marked except snowflake whites or two albino carriers.

[HedgieMomma]

To get a tobiano is not as easy as putting two pintos together. I have a pinto female that has 50% pinto on her, and I have a tobiano male, only pairing them two together will produce tobianos. I have other pintos I can put him with, but if the pinto isn't strong enough, the babies will all be pintos.

Anyhow- you really should own a hedgehog for a minimum of two years, learn how to properly care for one and learn everything about them before you even consider breeding. The death rate is very high, and if your not sure what your doing, it doesn't take much to loose a mom and a litter of babies.
Michelle

[illinidairychic]

Well I have two mininmal pintos that I put together and got a georgous tobiano boy out of. I think it depends on the family genetics, because neither the male nor female is a tobiano. But out of the 4 hoglets I got one brown, one chocolate with a small quarter sized pinto spot, the high white male and then a darker male. The parents were a dark eyed cinnicot with a small pinto spot and a chocolate snowflake that has a few small pinto spots around her bum.