# Spay/Neuter



## odiakkoh (Apr 14, 2010)

Is spaying/neutering a norm for the hedgehog community? Is it becoming the norm?

I ask because it's the norm in the cat, dog and rabbit communities and it's slowly becoming the norm in the rat community. I see topics about spaying and neutering but most of them have been for health issues or someone just asking for the cost.


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## Hedgiepets (Aug 21, 2008)

Spay/Neuter is not the norm in the hedgehog community. Spaying usually happens out of necessity.


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

Do neutered males get along? Or if its male, don't even try it with another male?


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## Sela (Apr 10, 2010)

If it's a male, keep it far, FAR away from any other hedgehogs, male or female. Actually, no matter what, you really shouldn't house them together. You can never be sure that two or more hedgehogs are going to get along, and especially with males, it's a bad idea to keep them together. They WILL attack each other, and they very well might kill one another. It's simply not worth the risk.

Spaying/neutering doesn't seem to be catching on, the only reason my Quillamina was spayed is because she had uterine cancer and would have died otherwise. As Hedgiepets said, it's more often done out of necessity.


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

It isn't regular with general pet hedgie owners to spay/neuter considering the extra expense and risk in the surgery, and the fact that most people only have one hedgie. People with both a male and a female will sometimes consider fixing one or both, and like Deneen said, when there are reproductive issues (infections, cancer) with a female.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

There are people who do preventative spays on the girls, usually around 6 months. Since reproductive cancers are high with our little girls, some people feel it is worth it to eliminate the risk. With a competent, hedgehog experienced vet the risk is no higher than for a cat or dog. 

Neutering the boys is a more risky procedure but with a hedgehog experience vet the risk is not huge. Most of the time when we hear of a boy being neutered it is someone who has girls and then gets a boy and wants to eliminate the risk. Generally though, it is safer to spay the girls.


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## CoxMD (Apr 30, 2010)

Why is it more dangerous to neuter males? I would have thought doing major abdominal surgery to spay a female would be more dangerous.


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## Immortalia (Jan 24, 2009)

From what I remember, and from having a boy myself, it's because of the location of the boy's...boys...
Unlike most other mammals, they aren't dropped externally. Sometimes you just see a slight bulge, and sometimes, you don't see them at all. 

Hence why so many who are inexperienced with hedgehogs have such a difficult time determining male/female. As the only way to know is to find that "bellybutton".


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## Potterhead34 (Nov 28, 2015)

I wanted to ask is a deluxe medium sized two level covered C&C cage that is around 11 square feet total 9 on bottom two on top and the ramp is one of the best can hold up to ten lbs enough room for a full grown hedgehog and is it better to get a girl over a boy based on temperments


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

This thread is 5 years old, please try to check dates before you post. 

To answer your questions, the cage sounds fine as long as the ramp and second level are completely enclosed, and there's no difference between males & females as far as temperament goes. It depends on individual hedgehog.


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