One of the most frequent questions we get asked, is whether a male or a female makes a better pet.

Although when cared for properly, both genders can make excellent pets. However, there are a couple of minor differences that probably should be taken into consideration before deciding on a specific gender.

'It is very important that everyone who is considering purchasing a Hedgehog to be aware that it is not uncommon for a Hedgehog to breed while they are still in the nest. In the wild, hedgehogs have a short life expectancy. They mature quick, breed young and live life quickly. We have personally known of females giving birth as young as 10 weeks of age. Of course, this is too young and very hard on the female. Most often when a female gives birth at such a young age the babies are a result of a sibling breeding. Females that become pregnant at such a young age often do not make good mothers. They run a much higher risk of complications and even  death.

Usually at this age the mother has not mentally or physically developed fully and often the babies do not survive. Sometimes the new mother cannibalizes her babies, and this can quickly end her maternal instincts and her reliability in a long term breeding program.

We all need to keep in mind that nature and evolution allowed hedgehogs to breed at a young age and there is not much a breeder can do to change that. Both males and females in a litter to stay with and nurse from mom until they are at an age that they can be fully weaned which sometimes is too late to avoid an unplanned pregnancy. Therefore, to avoid unexpected surprises choosing a male would obviously be a better choice for those who absolutely do not want to raise an unexpected litter.'

 

At some point in a female Hedgehog’s life, she will experience wanting to raise a family. This is a natural cycle and when hormonal changes signal that it is time to nest then sometimes, they can become a bit moody and become nest (cage) protective. Usually this is only temporary and when her hormones change back to nonbreeding mode, providing she still receives daily interaction, her personality usually returns to "normal".

Like many other species, the male Hedgehog tends to be a little more of a risk taker than a female. In the wild he is either looking for food or looking for a mate. His wanderlust in search for a mate, constantly exposes him to different situations and different surroundings, therefore he needs to be adaptable and more flexible. Sometimes a female can be more rigid in her routine. She sticks closer to home and is thinking of raising a family, building the nest / home and protecting her small territory.

I think that if I were to pick a Hedgehog to keep as a single pet, then based on gender, I would choose a male. But, without considering all the other factors (some of which I have listed in the next section) that contribute to the development of their personalities, choosing a pet based on gender alone is not the ideal way to pick out a Hedgehog.

Firstly, you need to decide if you want a single pet. If so, then there is not too many differences.  Do you plan to raise multiple pet hedgehogs. If so, same sex groups, housed separately are the safest way to go. Do you want to breed them? If so, we suggest that you consider making the male the primary pet. Females should not be disturbed during the final weeks of pregnancy and the first few weeks after giving birth. During this time, she may become a bit grumpy and after giving birth she may feel threatened and cannibalize her babies. It is very common for hedgehogs to consume their offspring being that all hedgehogs require daily interaction if she does raise her babies she may never be the same after she has weaned them.

Keeping in mind that besides gender, other factors play a huge role in developing the personality of a hedgehog. Every Hedgehog has its own unique personality and while to some degree, gender does play a bit of a role in the development of their personality there are also many other things that influence their unique personalities.

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Health - A Hedgehog that feels ill will likely not want to be disturbed and may react fearfully.

Heredity - Genetics is certainly an important factor in predetermining the personality of pet Hedgehogs. Traits are passed on from their parents but learned behaviors can also influence personality especially when learned at an early age. Being that Hedgehogs have naturally evolved to be self-reliant and loners, many of these traits are passed on to the next generation. It is important that when breeders are planning a new litter, to carefully select and assess the calmest, healthiest parents before pairing them together for mating. This selective breeding practice will increase the chances that these desirable traits will be passed on or taught to their offspring. We now know that many personality traits are written ‘in part’ in an animal’s DNA but we do not exactly know which traits they are or how babies learn from reacting to various situations or from copying their parents.

Habitat -  Next to genetics, inadequate housing  may be the leading cause of moodiness in Hedgehogs. ‘Most of the adults that are turned over to us to be fostered, tend to be a lot more anti-social if they have previously been kept in an enclosed space (usually bins). They have been deprived of normal smells, light, external movements and sounds that only an open-air cage provides and after a short while living under those conditions they have become a bit disturbed.If housed improperly, especially when an animal is born in an enclosed habitat, such as a bin, box, crate aquarium or a similar confined space that he or she can not hear or see out of or smell it environment and it does not have the opportunity to experience much outside world, it can become cage crazy! It often develops a skittish and nervous personality and often when it is taken out of its' enclosure to be played with,  the whole experience is overwhelming and shocking, and the little hedgehog will be scared, and it will react defensively’‘ When housed properly; in an open-air cage that is located in a place within the home that has constant temperature, away from drafts and sunlight, whereby it can experience different movements, new sounds, smells and other changes on a regular basis, Hedgehogs housed this way tend to become a bit more social

Socialization – For first time Hedgehog owners, it is often best to start interacting with a Hedgehog at a young age so you can familiarize your pet with other humans. Even before they are fully weaned from their mother, we start off at a slow but steady pace, getting them familiar with and accustomed to human companionship. While it usually takes less time when they are young but however even a more mature hedgehog can be socialized, it just takes longer and with a bit of more patience. If a Hedgehog has not been handled at young age you can still work at befriending it by visiting and spending time interacting with it slowly; increasing the amount of interaction time, you spend with it each day. You may need to force your love on it for a while, but be patient, it will take some time for your new pet to start trusting you. Repetition is the key use it as a tool for training and establishing a new report with your pet. This can be done by doing the same things around the same time every day for a few days or until your pet gets used to whatever it is you are doing. Offerings of food as a bribe often works as a distraction because food is an excellent motivator for Hedgehogs. When they are comfortable with your presence (voice and smell) they will become, friendlier and start looking forward to your daily visits. "Socialization takes patience". 

Lack of sleep - Being that these animals are naturally nocturnal, if you wake any animal up, if it is tired it won’t be in the best mood. If this is done repeatedly and the animal is not getting the rest it needs, it will become constantly irritable. Sometimes when you wake up a Hedgehog it may have fearful reaction and get huffy. This is often mistaken for an anti-social personality, but it is not. It is just a reaction  with a bit of time and patience, many Hedgehogs become less nervous, less scared, less shy and a lot less "grumpy".

Seasonal Changes - Temperature and light changes can have a huge effect on the personality of Hedgehogs and other animals. Hedgehogs are survivalists! During the time of plenty, which is usually rainy season (spring and summer) you may notice that your pet is a little more active then he or she would be during the fall and winter (when food is harder to come by). This is because many animals have an internal clock hardwired as part of their genetic makeup and they are preprogrammed to conserve energy by being less active at certain times of the year. This is especially noticeable in Hedgehogs. When the weather is starting to get cooler and the days are darker these changes send a message to them that food will not be as readily available and that they need to conserve energy by resting and being less active. (Hedgehogs in captivity are still preprogramed and they function the same way a wild Hedgehog does, it does not realize that food will still be as readily available year-round in captivity). When they start to prepare themselves for winter they slow down, sleep more and they do not want to be disturbed.

Breeding too young - It is especially important that everyone who is considering purchasing a Hedgehog to be aware that it is common for a Hedgehog to breed while they are still in the nest. To avoid unexpected surprises a male would obviously be a better choice for those who absolutely do not want to raise an unexpected litter.'

Hormonal changes in females - At some point in a female hedgehog life, she will experience wanting to raise a family. This is a natural cycle and when hormonal changes signal that it is time to nest then sometimes, they can become a bit moody and become nest (cage) protective. Usually this is only temporary and when her hormones change back to nonbreeding mode providing, she still receives daily interaction, her personality usually returns to "normal". Like many other species,

Torpor - Some animals will instinctively hibernate while others such as Hedgehogs can go into a state of torpor. which is a time when they don't want to bother doig anything.  (Torpor is discussed in more detail further down on this site)