why us?

Breeding is not for the faint of heart. Stay for the journey if you want to celebrate the wins and can persevere through the lows that get us there. For every cute baby hedgehog photo we share, there are just as many devastating moments that we don’t. I had intended on sharing good news only, and keeping the bad on a need-to-know basis. But after much thought, I’m taking the candid approach. Nothing graphic will be posted, but I will be transparent when crummy stuff happens.

I do my best to give you an idea of when a baby will be available for you, but please know there are many factors that can change the timeline.

While I make every effort to nurture and support my herd, Mother Nature will always have the lead role. Not all pairings are successful. Things can happen during pregnancy. Things can go wrong during labour. Not all hedgehogs are meant to be mothers and not all mothers are good ones. You can have a willing momma but she is unable to produce milk. If milk supply isn’t an issue, it can be the babies having trouble latching. Litter sizes can be as big as 9, and as small as 1. Not all babies survive. Not all mothers survive.

I am a small breeder, meaning I keep a small herd. What might be considered as a minor setback to a bigger breeder, does have a larger impact on us. Having a smaller herd is intentional. My females are only bred twice a year, and they retire before 3 years old. I make sure that I only have as many hogs as I have time for, because in addition to the herd and the babies, I have retired adults and I also have my pet hedgies (who are not part of the breeding program).

My favourite part of breeding is handling and getting to know each baby’s personality before they go to their forever homes, and that means time spent with each one. Please know that while I may not have many litters in a year, every baby born here is treated and cared for like one of my own 🙂