My hedgehog does not eat

If you have a hedgehog as a pet you will know that Obesity is a problem that occurs frequently in these animals.A healthy and balanced diet will help prevent this problem.However, sometimes you may notice that your hedgehog stops eating or dramatically reduces its feeding.This may be caused for several diseases or for a bad diet.

If you want to know the causes that cause your hedgehog to not eat , keep reading this article from Animals and Pets Online and discover it to solve the problem as soon as possible possible and offer you a full and happy life.

Hedgehog feeding

Hedgehogs are omnivorous animals in captivity, they feed on fruits, vegetables, but mainly insects and small animals.They are classified as insectivorous because their diet in the wild is based on insects and small vertebrates and invertebrates.However, as we have just said, in captivity your diet also includes fruits and vegetables that provide vitamins.

In captivity you can feed with high quality cat feed (never of dogs) or specific feed for hedgehogs.Canned cat food is also suitable for hedgehogs.Remember that the pieces must be small, according to the size of your hedgehog.Of course, we can also include small insects to the diet, mealworms, bait or crickets.One day is enough.On the other hand, the fruits and vegetables will be occasional and in small quantities.You can offer small pieces of banana, Potato, peas, tomatoes...

The food ration is usually given at dusk.The hedgehogs are nocturnal animals , so they will be more active during the night hours than during the day.they are very large.If we will avoid overweight problems.In the morning it is convenient to remove the food that has been left over.

During the day you can leave a small amount of feed and remember that you should always have water, especially if It feeds on dry food.

If you do not give it feed, you can divide the night ration into two rations.Increasing the amount of insects and animal proteins to compensate.

Prohibited food for hedgehogs

Sweets, milk, onions, nuts, peanuts and raisins are harmful foods for hedgehogs.They should be avoided in your diet.

How much should my hedgehog eat?

Each hedgehog needs a different ration .Aspects such as age, health status and variety of hedgehog should be taken into account.Young hedgehogs and pregnant or lactating females should have of more quantity, in addition to a greater protein intake.

As a rule, an adult male weighs between 500 and 600 grams and an adult female 250-400 grams.Depending on the hedgehog variety its ideal weight It can vary.

To know how much you should feed you, you should know your hedgehog.Ideally, in the morning you have left a small amount of food.Try different amounts for several days, if you consume all the food in the first hours after offering it is that you are not giving him enough food.

You should also pay attention to what foods he likes best.Like all animals, they have their preferences and not all insects or All the fruits will be to your liking.

Once you have observed what is the amount that co nsume usually keep it.Observe if your hedgehog remains at its weight, and if so, the amount of food is adequate."alt=" My hedgehog does not eat-Causes and solutions ">

Although the feeding of your hedgehog is adequate, your hedgehog may not eat.This may be caused by different causes:

Parasites: They can suffer like other animals, internal and external parasites.

Oral problems: Oral diseases such as gingivitis, tartar or periodontitis are quite frequent in these animals.A correct oral hygiene helps prevent these problems.You can give cat rewards to prevent tartar.Excessively soft diets should be avoided.

Intestinal problems: Salmonellosis is a bacterial disease that It can cause vomiting, diarrhea and lack of appetite.

Neoplasm: The appearance of tumors increases after three years of age.to the whole body although the most common are breast tumors and oral carcinomas.It causes weight loss and anorexia.It is important that you periodically check your hedgehog's body for possible lumps.

Anorexia: Sometimes the lack of appetite can be caused by some sudden change or stress situation.The air currents can affect them a lot.

Hibernation

In nature , with the arrival of winter hedgehogs tend to hibernate.Not everyone does, only if they have reached the right weight and the conditions are correct.state of lethargy for several months.Depending on the hedgehog variety there may also be variations.For example, the African hedgehog has no tendency to hibernate because in its habitat temperatures are usually high.

In captivity instead, they are not exposed to low temperatures and have constant food, so they do not usually hibernate.However, hedgehogs are very susceptible to temperature changes, and their exposure to very low temperatures or low conditions light can lead your hedgehog to hibernate.

The symptoms that may indicate that your hedgehog is beginning to hibernate are as follows:

Body and legs cooler than normal
Loss of appetite and thirst
Decreased activity both diurnal as nocturnal
Less abundant droppings
Decay
Lack of balance

How to avoid hibernation

The hibernation process usually causes the animal to reduce weight even more, so if our hedgehog does not eat and, therefore, is below its ideal weight, it will not be convenient to start it.We can prevent our hedgehog from entering hibernation by controlling the temperature and light conditions:

Temperature: The ambient temperature must be between 22 and 27 ° C.You must not allow your hedgehog is in colder areas.In winter you can move its cage to the hottest place in the house, where it does not receive drafts.

Light: we can offer them natural or artificial light.The important thing is that they have about 10 hours of daily light, so that they do not alter their cycles.

If you act quickly you can reverse the process of hibernation.Place a heat source, such as a hot water bag in your hedgehog's cage.Little by little, recovering its body heat will recover.and do not apply very strong heat sources, since your body does not respond and can not get away if it burns.It must be a gradual process.

What can i do?

If it has been more than two days since your hedgehog has stopped eating you should go to your veterinarian .If you will rule out the diseases that you may suffer and that as we have seen They affect your appetite.

On occasion, your hedgehog can stop eating for a day or two. Vary your diet a little and include some insect if you don't usually do it.If your hedgehog's feeding is varied and balanced you shouldn't have trouble eating.

Make a clean of teeth complete your hedgehog from time to time, so you will avoid oral problems.Some also need a regular cut.

You should not forget to deworm it both internally and externally.periodically.Consult your veterinarian on the subject.

Take care of your surroundings .Make sure that the conditions of temperature, humidity and light are the suitable.Incorporate a tea rmometer and a lamp or heat mat in your cage to control your environment more effectively.

Following these tips and knowing the most common diseases that affect hedgehogs we can act and prevent feeding problems.We will ensure that our hedgehog is healthy and happy.

If you want to read more articles similar to My hedgehog does not eat-Causes and solutions , we recommend that you enter our section on Feeding Problems.

Comments

How many years does an elephant live?

Elephants are the largest land animals that exist today and are known for their great intelligence.Two genres are currently known: African elephants and Asian elephants. These are very long-lived animals thanks, in large measure, to the fact that they do not have natural predators.However and unlike what happens with other animal species, in captivity they reduce their life expectancy to a little more than half, something of concern for the conservation of the species. In This article from Animals and Pets Online we explain how many years an elephant lives , the risk factors that reduce its longevity and other curiosities.Read more: The life expectancy of the elephant Determining how many years an elephant lives is not easy.These are long-lived animals that in freedom usually reach 40 or 60 years .However, it is an approximate figure already that keeping track of these wonderful wild animals is extremely complicated.It is estimated that they can reach 90 years of life. T...

Colicos in horses - Symptoms and treatment

The equine colic is the first cause of mortality in horses and many horse owners have to face it once since it is the most frequent disease of the adult horse.Colic syndrome is defined as a abdominal pain of varied origins . The horse is a hypersensitive animal and the external manifestations of the colic can be impressive.Some specificities of the horse can complicate the situation: a horse cannot vomit, so that the food that has reached the stomach is forced to follow its path in the digestive tract.In addition, certain parasites such as strongils cause a narrowing of the arteries of the digestive system, which can make the condition worse. Fortunately less than 10% of horses with colic require surgery.case colic syndrome is a of the most important equine pathologies for their severity and frequency, in this article of Animals and Pets Online we will tell you everything you need to know about the colic in horses . Symptoms of colic on the horse Colic or colic syndrome is...

Tricks to shine my dog's hair

There are several homemade tricks to keep your dog's hair shiny and healthy.The simplest and most economical is to brush it gently on a daily basis (5 minutes are enough) although you can use many other techniques to make it look perfect either winter or summer. There are many tricks that have been used since ancient times They have been used to enhance the beauty of hair, both humans and animals, although more time is required to elaborate and apply them than usual brushing.In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain the most common or easy to apply so that the Your dog's hair is bright. In addition, you should keep in mind that factors such as feeding directly affect the quality and brightness of the dog's hair.Read reading to know tricks to brighten the my dog's hair . Beer The application of non-alcoholic beer to the dog's hair at the end of the bath, is proven to improve its brightness because it nourishes the hair bulb and softens th...

Bach flowers for cats

In the last few years we hear frequent talk of Bach flowers, also applied to our Companion animals.There are more and more numerous cases treated with this therapy, as well as veterinary professionals who are trained in this discipline.In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will focus on cats to discover what Bach flowers are, which These are the benefits and uses they can have for our cats.If you've ever heard of these Bach flowers for cats , you're interested in reading! What are Bach flowers? The 38 extracts of flowers and plants discovered by the English doctor Edward Bach in the early twentieth century are called.This doctor chose plants that acted on different conditions that could experience the human beings, such as fear, sadness, anger or hyperactivity.Prepared these plants in the form of dilutions that conserved with alcohol in a dropper to facilitate their use.Various drops were administered directly several times a day or put in the water or even in t...

10 reasons to walk your dog

The dog is an animal that needs to walk 2 to 3 times a day, But do you know why that is so? In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain why it is so important to walk with your dog, why the garden does not replace the walk and many other things that, perhaps you do not know. Do not forget This is a very important habit that you must carry out on a daily basis.Not doing so can be very harmful for your pet, do not forget it.Keep reading and discover 10 reasons to walk with your dog . 1.They must make their needs The first reason, and the most important , to take a dog for a walk, is to allow him to do his needs until he is satisfied. Apart from puppies that are not yet able to go outside or who are learning to urinate, it is very negative to allow our dog to urinate and defecate at home.In addition to causing a bad smell, we will be creating an unhealthy environment important that can lead to serious health problems in dogs and humans. 2.It allows them to ...

How to know if my rabbit loves me?

Rabbits are sweet and adorable animals, however, it is not always easy to identify the signals that they send us through their body language .These are sensitive and scary beings, with a behavior very different from other mammals. In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will explain 5 signals to help you understand your furry companion a little more.Find out below how to know if your rabbit loves you .You will be surprised! 1.Ronronea Rabbits are animals shy and somewhat suspicious , so it may take several months until they get used to our presence.In fact, some may never get to do so if they have suffered a truly traumatic experience in the past.However, a rabbit that is happy is his home will begin to show more frequently certain sounds of rabbits.In this case, the purr is a sound that indicates that is calm and happy . 2.Lick you Like dogs or cats, rabbits can't resist licking your skin, they love the salty taste! However, licking doesn't just mean t...

Papillon dog: features

In this Animals and Pets Online breed sheet we will talk about the papillon dog , also known as dwarf spaniel or butterfly dog, for its literal translation into French.It is one of the most elegant dogs in the world and comes from France and Belgium. Here are some details fundamental aspects that you should know if you are considering adopting one: the characteristics of the breed, how its training works or its possible relationship with children.But before, a little history: The papillon dog is It became really popular when Tiziano Vicelli painted them in the 16th century , as a result many other renowned painters began to include the papillon dog in their works such as Watteau or Fragonard.It was then when the dogs Papillon breed were considered as royalty dogs since in all to Europe the most important kings included them in their family paintings. The papillon created a trend .It is even said that Marie Antoinette had a papillon.This pretty and soft water dog changed her phy...

Fox paulistinha or terrier brasilian dog: features and photos

The Brazilian terrier , also popularly known as fox paulistinha , is a small to medium sized dog, slender and firm but not heavy in structure.It is the second breed of dogs officially recognized in Brazil.These dogs are very active , curious and has a great hunting instinct, which makes them good guard dogs and hunters, but they are also ideal pets for all those owners who love to exercise and play with their companion animals, since the paulistinha fox It is a dog that needs a lot of physical and mental activity , and is not recommended for people who live in flats or have small children. If you want to know all the characteristics about the terrier Brazilians, do not miss this breed of Animals and Pets Online and find out about t Everything you need to know before adopting a Paulistinha fox as a new member of your family. Origin of Paulistinha Fox The history of this breed is poorly known and controversial.Some authors believe that the Paulistinha fox, as it is known coll...

Can the dog be home alone for 8 hours?

It is important to consider the age of the dog when it comes to leaving so many hours alone since feeding and hygiene vary greatly from a puppy to an adult.Puppies eat up to four times a day while that an adult can eat two or even one.This means that a small dog should only be up to six hours alone to fit all meal times. Also, a puppy still doesn't know where and when to do their needs, so you have to take it out more often than an adult.A puppy only for so many hours will pee and poop all over the house.A healthy adult should endure up to eight hours without doing his needs if you have taken it out just before you go. A puppy is a baby and needs constant attention, so if you are going to spend up to eight hours away from home you have to make sure there is another person who can take care of it while you're not there.A puppy doesn't You can be home for eight hours alone. If your dog is very attached to you and is not used to you leaving home for so long, it is...

How to remove the dog smell from my house

Image: pixabay.com The body odor of dogs is much more intense than that of other companion animals, such as cats, and it is not surprising that our home is impregnated with that smell, despite maintaining its hygiene properly In addition, there are races of cans that tend to give off a stronger odor than others, the Poodle and the Dachshunds, for example, are races that are not used to smell bad .In general, we usually immunize ourselves to the point of not noticing that our home smells like a dog, but visits do not, so that you can easily get rid of it, in this article of a How we want to teach you how to remove the smell of dog from your house with some Simple homemade tricks. Steps to follow: 1 The first thing you should do is look at the intensity of the smell , if your dog smells stronger than normal you should take it to the veterinarian since, in many cases, the bad smell is usually a symptom of Virico diseases.Other times the cause is usually the physiognomy of yo...

Animals and Pets Online

Search This Blog