• Replies 5 replies
  • Subscribers 40 subscribers
  • Views 1371 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Latest posts

Pregnant hedgehog?

Hoopoe3456
29/07/2020 13:30

I set up a new trail camera last night and I noticed that there was a hedgehog with a sizeable lump on its stomach. I was just wondering if that’s what a pregnant hedgehog looks like or if it could be something more serious.

  • 19/04/2023 20:30
    Hi
    Did you ever discover whether or not this hedgehog was pregnant?
    I have a video of one that visited me last night that is almost identical to yours and am wondering whether or not she is pregnant or ill.
    I am sorry to trouble you, but there are no photos of pregnant hedgehogs on the Web to help and all I could find was your video from 2020.
    I look forward to hearing from you.
    Thanks
    Hedgy
  • 20/04/2023 19:03 in reply to Hedgy

    Hi  For future reference, my local rescue tell me this is a lactating female with a nest full of babies.  Hedgy.

  • 21/04/2023 21:04
    Hi Hedgy,
    Thank you for reaching out, unfortunately my trail camera footage with the ‘pregnant’ hedgehog was taken when I was away and I did not see the same hedgehog on my return, although it is often very difficult to distinguish them in the field and this particular individual was only recorded visiting the garden in the early hours of the morning. However, I did see young hedgehogs in the garden later that year and have also spotted them in the garden in recent years. Hedgehogs will generally breed once (or twice a year) with the first often beginning in May/ June so am early start for your hedgehog, and a second time in August/ September when my video footage was taken. So far this year I have not noticed any signs of hedgehog breeding on my trail camera but I am in the midlands (central England) where the weather is changeable.

    In terms of possible illnesses, I think the only disease to look out for that would resemble a pregnant hedgehog is Balloon syndrome but this is a very rare illness and the hedgehog would probably appear more rounded all over rather than confined to the stomach area.

    Great to hear that you have confirmed that this is a breeding hedgehog with your local rescue, maybe you will spot the young hedgehogs following their mother when they leave the nest!

    Best wishes,
    Hoopoe3456
  • 23/04/2023 19:00
    Hi Hoopoe
    I thought about balloon syndrome too, but as you say it is very rare.
    I'm glad you ended up with young visiting your garden, and if I have any young ones visiting my feeder in a few weeks' time, I'll let you know by trying to post some photos.
    Thank you for your original post though: it prompted me to contact the Rescue as your hedgehog was exactly the same shape as mine.
    Now back to watching the progress of the blackbird's nest in the ivy opposite the kitchen window.......
    Kind regards
    Hedgy