# Induced Ovulation



## lane_m (May 20, 2009)

lane_m said:


> I have a question about the last post. Does that mean that a male and female should be nowhere near each other? I know that the females are induced ovulators, but what does
> it take to induce this? My hedgies cages are very close to each other and at play time I have two large playpens that are side by side so sometimes they are side by side with two wire walls of playpens between them. Is this a problem?


Can a breeder help with this question from a different post?


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## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

Yes please. I also need the answer as it will determine how i expand my cages. Currently my two cages are side by side with mirror image set ups. Wheels at furthest distance but each seperate little house close by... How far should the male's cage be from the female cage? Im betting a shared cage divided in half by plexi is not a good idea.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

I don't know if there is any definite answer. This has been debated a few times over the years and it was thought that if being in close proximity to a male was harmful, then we would be seeing an increase in reproduction cancers in the girls of those with multiples. That I know of there have never been actual any studies done on this but there doesn't seem to be a problem with those caged in the same room or near each other. 

I personally never let a girl anywhere near a boy unless they are being bred. Supervised play times don't happen and I don't let the girls out on a fleece that I've just had a boy on. Mine are caged above, below and beside each other but because of the solid sides of the cages, they can never see or reach each other. Even just being out on the same fleece as the girls excites the boys so does it induce ovulation in the girls? I don't risk it.


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## lane_m (May 20, 2009)

Thank you for offering some insight into this for us. 

Also, hypothetically speaking, if the male was neutered would that change the equation at all? I know that they still could not be together because he would still try to mate her, but would it be harmful for them to be near each other? 

Wilbur is not that interested in Charlotte, but when they have playtime she loves to follow him along her side of they playpen while he plays with his tube on his side :lol: He barely notices her existence, but she stares and stares at him. She really loves being near him, but if it is harmful for her then I will put their playpens further apart.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Like Nancy i have my males and females in the same room....but my males are on a shelf above the females cages...and are never closer together than that.


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## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

I've decided to connect two cages for my female who is very active and seems to need more room. I will leave my male in his current cage as he seems fine and dandy. 

As a complete hedgehog newbie I must say that besides reading that the males and females should not be together for obvious reasons here on HHC I did not run across any info on induced ovulation anywhere until this thread started.

I was using the same fleeces to hold them and the same hedgie bags in the same night. I won't do this now. I would have never known not to put them on the same fleeces and I will have to swap out the pad I use as I put them in the same play pen one after the other.

I think this should be pointed out more clearly in the stickies.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

hedgewawa said:


> I've decided to connect two cages for my female who is very active and seems to need more room. I will leave my male in his current cage as he seems fine and dandy.
> 
> As a complete hedgehog newbie I must say that besides reading that the males and females should not be together for obvious reasons here on HHC I did not run across any info on induced ovulation anywhere until this thread started.
> 
> ...


I didn't mean it is a proven fact that having them on the same fleeces after each other causes a problem, just that I personally don't do it. Doing so may never cause a problem, but then again who knows? It is just something that I personally do not do because we just don't know and it's so easy to use a different piece of fleece and toys between the sexes.


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## hedgewawa (Apr 25, 2009)

Hi Nancy, oh I understand it is not proven. I'm just saying no one talked about it at all and I am happy to do whatever you think is best for your hedgehogs too.


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## Mika (Dec 4, 2008)

My males are besides my females and I never had problem... they do what they usually do: play with toys, run in the wheel... Idon't think they "smell" the female.... :roll:


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