A hedgehogs lifespan is between years on average when kept as pets. Some hedgehogs do live longer but generally at around the age of 3, diseases like cancers are common, affecting the mouth, digestive tract including the stomach. Other diseases like Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome WHS can also limit their lifespan, as this is a degenerative neurological condition with no cure.
In the wild, hedgehogs live for years as they are at risk from predators. Some hedgehogs have lived longer than 5 years as they have remained disease free but these hedgehogs are the exception and not the rule. Hedgehogs are prone to cancer, where sarcoma type tumors, normally appear around the mouth and face, quickly spreading around the body and causing extensive damage to their organs. Once the tumor starts spreading, the prognosis for the hedgehog is grave and within months they struggle to feed themselves, stand, curl up and even keep their spines erect.
Tumors and cancers are common around 3 years of age and are generally incurable. No one knows why these sarcoma type tumors are so common in hedgehogs. It could be down to genetics but further study is needed. When we took him to our veterinarian, he was diagnosed with teeth problems and we were told hedgehogs do tend to have problems with their teeth rotting.
Some of his teeth had become rotten in his lower jaw and had caused an abscess in his gums, so we had to have these removed, on the advice of the veterinarian.
He had to have a course of antibiotics and painkillers to reduce the swelling and the pain. These sample cells were sent away to a specialized laboratory for analysis. The veterinarian also removed as much of the mass of cells as possible and when we picked our hedgehog up, his swelling had come down but there was still some slight swelling there.
We assumed, this was down to the operation and after a course of antibiotics the swelling would recede. A week later we had a call to confirm our deepest suspicions that it was indeed a tumor, a sarcoma to be exact and it was incurable. This was a body blow, knowing our hedgehog might not survive the following few weeks to get to his fourth birthday.
The prognosis was to carry on feeding him and giving him painkillers twice daily, until he eventually stops eating. We will then need to take him to the veterinarian, where he will be sedated and put to sleep. It took us a few days to come to terms with this terrible news but we were happy to have had him in our lives and will make sure his last few weeks, he can live with minimal pain and enjoy the foods he loves most.
In the end, we found small pieces of cooked chicken, which he adores, allows us to squeeze the medicine on the pieces, taking care none of the medicine ends up on the fabric below and is totally absorbed by the chicken. You can see him eating chicken in the video at the bottom of this page.
Hedgehogs live longer as pets than in the wild, where natural predators are the biggest cause of premature death. Many websites are more liberal than the years I mentioned earlier, citing hedgehogs living longer. The Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome or WHS as it is aptly referred to, is a progressive degenerative neurological disease that mainly affects the European and African hedgehogs. Experts also refer to the disease as progressive paralysis or paresis.
The disease, which took a toll on pet hedgehogs from the mids, gradually degrades animal muscles the same way Multiple Sclerosis affects muscles in humans. Despite numerous studies on the disease, it main cause remains unknown to this day. It however believed that it could genetic. A possibly dietary role also remains a suspected cause. WHS mostly manifests between the ages of 2 and 3. Younger and older hedgehogs can also be affected.
Notably, WHS affects male and female hedgehogs in equal measures. Ataxia, which refers to loss of full control and balance or paresis, which refers to muscular weakness as a result of nerve damage usually signal the offset of a WHS. It is also important to note that both paresis and ataxia affect hind legs. Observe your hedgehog as it stands to be certain it is suffering from WHS.
Wobbling as it tries to get some balance is not a good sign. Left untreated, ataxia and paresis often progress from the hind legs to the front part of the body. This then leads to quadriplegia or tetraplegia where the hedgehog suffers total or partial loss of use of the torso and limbs. Its muscles will then loss mass and strength causing severe weakness. You may also notice significant weight loss.
This can easily happen within days. First ensure that you only go to veterinarian familiar with different WHS species. Blood tests and X-Rays may be required to rule out other conditions. This is important because clinical signs and symptoms lead to tentative diagnosis. The only definitive and conclusive diagnosis is after the examination of brain tissues and the spinal cord. Unfortunately, such conclusive diagnosis reports mostly come in after death.
In many cases, death occurs within 18 and 24 months after the onset of the above explained clinical symptoms. With supportive care though, a hedgehog can live much longer while battling WHS. Such supportive care must include helping the ailing hedgehog with mobility issues. Using towels to keep the ailing hedgehog upright, cleaning the animal and increasing its accessibility to food and dish can also go a long way to help the affected hedgehog combat WHS.
Euthanasia may come in handy as the last option if a hedgehog is chronically and terminally affected. Cancer is extremely prevalent in hedgehogs over 3 years. Just as it is the case in humans, early detection and intervention can save a hedgehogs life. That explains why it is important to have a vet examine your hedgehog at least once a year or after every six months. Cancerous tumors have been reported in nearly all the body organs in hedgehogs.
They are however, especially common in the gastrointestinal and moth tracts. Symptoms are often vague and non-specific. That fact notwithstanding, be keen once you notice sudden weight loss, lethargy and loss of appetite. Treatment includes surgical procedures where a tumor has been detected early enough before it worsens. Note that oral tumors are extremely common in hedgehogs.
Though our gardens are an essential habitat for hedgehogs, they can also be hazardous, and many hedgehogs die each year through garden-related incidents. These include:. Falling into ponds. Strimmer injuries. Hedgehogs love to snuggle down in long grass and undergrowth. Be sure to check before you strim.
Bonfire night happens right around hedgehog hibernation time. Try to only build your bonfire on the day you are going to light it, and even then, check it over for hogs before you light the match. Netting and litter. Hedgehogs are good at getting stuck in things. Garden netting, string and wire and stuff like tin cans or old yoghurt pots are prime suspects. But hedgehogs are being poisoned by toxins getting into their systems through the invertebrates they eat too.
These include pesticides, rat poison and slug pellets. Avoid all these in a wildlife-friendly garden. Killing with Kindness. Feeding hedgehogs can make a huge contribution to their chances of survival. But the wrong food can cause illness or even death.
Culprits include mealworms and peanuts. High-fat foods like some cat food can lead to obesity and heart problems for hedgehogs who are designed for a low fat, high protein diet. We have a guide to what hedgehogs eat and what you can safely feed them here. There are of course a whole host of other problems which we humans cause for hedgehogs, for the full run down take a look at this article.
Few wild animals live to old age because of the inherent dangers of the natural world. Thankfully we can make a real difference. Each hog counts. From supporting hibernation by providing food and housing, connecting gardens with highways and avoiding poisons and toxins in the garden. There are so many things we can do. Do you have questions or suggestions? We would love to hear them: leave us a comment below. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Thousands of sick, injured and underweight hedgehogs are rescued in the UK every year. Rescue can save a hog from death or suffering. Once nursed back to health, or just fattened up, most hedgehogs will be released back into the wild. But can these hedgehogs go on to lead successful lives in the wild? Does rescuing hedgehogs work? The good news is that, surprisingly often, yes they can.
The Crow or Corvid family worldwide is made up of around 40 species, with eight species breeding in the UK. Crows have been classed as nuisance birds, blamed for destroying crops and predating smaller, endangered songbirds. Reviled and associated with death in folklore. On the other hand, they are some of our most intelligent and long-lived birds, highly sociable birds with fascinating behaviours. Autumn is well and truly with us, the ground is covered with fallen fruit and hedgehogs are eating like crazy to put on enough weight for hibernation.
So could that really be a drunk hedgehog staggering across your lawn? Or is it something less entertaining? For most of the hedgehogs in our gardens preparing to hibernate is the focus of their activity over the autumn months.
Hibernation is a crucial but dangerous part of the hedgehog year. And what happens in autumn is critical in determining whether our hogs make it through to next spring. Autumn can be a confusing time for garden bird lovers. There are 29 species of dormouse worldwide and 3 present in the UK. But only one, the hazel or common dormouse, is a native species. The Hazel dormouse is an important indicator species, endangered and vulnerable to extinction here in Britain.
How Long Do Hedgehogs Live? Clare Stone January 22, 2 Comments. What is Old for a Hedgehog? Only 3 in 10 British Hedgehogs make it through their first winter, though hedgehogs can live to over 10 years. Hedgehogs in the UK live for an average of 2 to 3 years. Hedgehogs can live for up to 10 years, and the oldest recorded wild hedgehog was Natural causes kill many young wild animals, but hedgehogs suffer significantly from human activity too.
Obviously, this is an extreme example of a stressful environment. However, if any or all of these environmental conditions exist in your home, it can have a negative impact on how long your hedgehog will live. When considering hedgehog lifespan, please realize that stressors play an important role. We have partnered with them and other reputable merchants when they sell something that we feel will benefit our readers.
By purchasing through our links, we may earn a small commission on sales, that helps us continue to provide informative and educational information for hedgie lovers. And the best part is that there is no additional cost to you. Thank you for being a loyal and supportive reader here at Heavenly Hedgies. There have been many cage accidents that have abruptly ended a hedgehog's lifespan, or reduced it due to injury.
While some may be safe for extended use, it is entirely dependent on the chemical composition of the plastic used. We also do not recommend PVC pipes for tunnels. Most plastics cause health issues that reduce the lifespan of not only hedgehogs, but humans too. Birth defects and cancer are the results of some plastics. We strongly encourage you to read that article so you can make an informed decision. At night, when hedgehogs are typically active, they need to have stimulating things to do.
Sedentary hedgehogs gain weight and their health suffers as a result. A running wheel provides them with healthy exercise, plus they get mental stimulation. Mental stimulation is an integral part of a long life for hedgies. Other activities that can stimulate them and give them greater longevity are things that encourage their natural burrowing and foraging instincts. A dig box with insect treats hidden within is perfect for this. There are also a variety of treat puzzles that can provide additional stimulating experiences.
If they do not have activities to enrich them, their lives will likely be shorter. A hedgehog's diet probably has the largest impact on their lifespan. Their food is important for dietary nutrients. The amount they eat impacts their weight, the ingredients contribute to overall health, and even the texture plays a role in their dental health.
Many hedgehog owners don't understand that the ingredients within the food that they are giving their hedgehog can cause detriment. There are articles on our site that discuss what food a hedgehog should eat. We also have talked about the treats that can be offered and the ones that should be avoided. Even insects have nutritional information associated with them, although it can vary depending on what the insects were fed. We encourage you to read the articles in our Health and Nutrition section so you can learn how to maximize your hedgie's lifespan by feeding them a proper diet.
You want them to enjoy a potentially long and healthy life. As we previously mentioned, when a hedgehog gets seriously ill in the wild, the odds of survival are not all that great. Thank God we have veterinarians for the hedgehogs we love!
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