michelle

I have four generations of hedgehogs: Mama chiku, her daughter Peanut, Peanut's daughter, Cacia, and Cacia's boy, Oscar. For some reason, Mama Chiku and Cacia have grown to be enormous, and Cacia is clearly overwieght. Peanut, however, is quite slim and at times even looked skinny, and Oscar is fine. They all eat the same food. Do you think it's possible that some hedgehogs just have a fat gene, maybe one that skips a generation? Have any of you other hedgehog people had problems with hedgehog obesity that has no apparent cause? Do you think it would be cruel to wake Cacia up early so she can get a head start on her exercise wheel?

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Snow's mom

Out of our 11, only Smokey is/was overweight. He just got huge over the winter. He has now lost most of the excess weight. At first I was making sure he exercised more but he seems to have lost the majority of it on his own. I wondered if it was a seasonal weight gain.
I'm sure they are like people in that some gain weight easily.

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**** Nancy ****
Might as well face it I'm addicted to quills!

snr-j

Working at the pet-store, I've noticed that some hedgehogs come in quite the drastically different sizes. I thought our male was about as big as he got, don't have the exact weight however, but then I saw Bud , this massive Hedgehog that was maybe 3-4 years old, quills were atleast ½-1 inch longer then ours, and he was maybe 2x-3x the size of our male. I thought maybe he was just that big due to his age, but he managed to impregnate Big Momma, and she was a nice average size at maybe 2-3 years. The babies she had we're massive as well, at 4 months they we're bigger then their mother already ... so to answer your question (sorry for long story ) I think it is genetic for size, as for weight, I would think it we're possible, judging by todays youth, or that they would be more susceptible to weight gain atleast.

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clearjade

I bet they are just like people and do have different metabolisms and can be prone to being skinny or overweight.

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Diana Lavander : Together in Singapore
diana@pets-on-the-net.com

neuroleptical

I think the genes for size/weight can skip generations, which may explain Cacia's size.
I would wake her up to run on the wheel personally, I have to do it to Haley too, as she is a big lazy hog!!!

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