Hedgehogs aren't known to live exceptionally long lives, with the average lifespan for male and female adult hedgehogs consistently resting at 38.5 months-just over three years.
What’s curious about the average lifespan of this creature is that this figure differs greatly from the animal’s ideal life expectancy. Under the right set of conditions, hedgehogs should live between five and seven years.
This is a significant increase from three years. The difference shown here might have a lot to do with the numerous factors that affect how long a hedgehog will live.
In Captivity vs. The Wild
Most hedgehogs that reside in the wild will live for no longer than three years. This isn’t because they are getting old, even by hedgehog standards, but because they are frequent prey to carnivorous creatures in their natural habitats.
As pets, however, it is possible for one to live for as long as a decade. This isn’t expected or typical, as 10 hedgehog years is roughly equivalent to 105 years in human reckoning. With the risk of predation taken out of the picture, the length of their lives expands by a few months to a few years.
Helping your Hedgehog Live a Long, Happy Life
Genetics play a large part in how long a hedgehog will live, but as pets there is a slew of factors that will heavily influence the individual animal’s lifespan.
Diet
There are a lot of hedgehog food and nutrition options on the market, but not all of them are good. In fact, some might even be hazardous to introduce to your pet’s system. You should consult your veterinarian or an animal nutritionist to ensure that the animal is getting everything that it needs to thrive. If they don’t receive adequate nutrition, hedgehogs become vulnerable to many diseases that can prove fatal in the long-term.
Exercise
As it is with any mammal, routine exercise is critical for a healthy lifestyle and a longer life. In the wild, hedgehogs are known to travel for many miles in search of food, so it’s important that they have access to a good running wheel and plenty of space inside of their cage
Their Environment
The kind of bedding that you use is definitely important in providing the healthiest environment for your hedgehog. Because their noses only rest an inch above the floor and they are in constant contact with their bedding, it is important that whatever bedding material you choose has the following properties:
- Free of aromatic hydrocarbons that can irritate the respiratory system (cedar and other soft wood bedding can pose this problem)
- Dust-free, to avoid further respiratory system problems
- Free of irritants that can cause allergies and other skin conditions
To keep your pet hedgehog its healthiest you should keep their bedding clean and avoid piling in too much of it, as hedgehogs are fairly notorious for eating a surprisingly high amount of their bedding. There is no one product that can be recommended as an ideal bedding, as different hedgehogs might have different sensitivities, but you should keep an eye out for any changes to your pet’s appearance or demeanor whenever changing bedding types.
Take Great Care when Breeding your Hedgehogs
Pregnancy and childbirth is the most natural thing for mammalian species, but there are quite a few risks associated with breeding hedgehogs-especially if you’re an amateur breeder. Breeding poses large risks to the female hedgehog, risks that carry on from pregnancy through nursing. This is believed to be due to the suppression of the hedgehog’s immune system caused by the stress of pregnancy and birth. Surely, this can be done with the health of the mother and babies intact, but anybody considering a career as a hedgehog breeder really needs to be aware of the potential dangers.
Keep the Stress Minimal
Hedgehogs are very vulnerable to becoming stressed out. This is, in part, due to their very sensitive hearing. It’s easy for them to become startled or distressed by loud noises that might otherwise go unnoticed by their owners.
The way that a hedgehog is handled also has a significant role to play in its stress levels. Being handled improperly can hurt and cause stress to the animal, even if you don’t think that your behavior is cruel in any way. For example, it is common to see hedgehogs rolled up in a ball. Some people play with their hedgehogs this way, even though they shouldn’t. The rolling-up is a feature of their defense mechanism, so them employing this behavior means that they feel the need to defend themselves.
It is very possible for your hedgehog to live a healthy and relatively long life, but it takes a dedicated and compassionate owner to make this happen. With loving hands and a thorough knowledge of their diet, environmental needs and exercise requirements, your hedgehog can live for five years or longer.
