# Girl has hedgie 3 months...decided to become a breeder...



## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Facepalm! Got kicked out of a hedgie group because this girl who is on her 1st hedgie and has only had her 3 months wants to become a breeder. She can't even pick up her own hedgehog bare handed! So I was like "hey it's always a good idea to own at LEAST 1 hedgehog it's entire life before breeding, I would recommend owning 2 their entire lives to get some experience!" She yelled at me saying I didn't know what I was talking about and then They kicked me out of the group. I was trying to be as nice as possible.. and that's ALL I said... This is why there is a problem in the hedgehog community...EVERYONE wants to become a breeder, also she didn't care about bloodlines, or temperament and is very broke.... Why.... just why.  I wish more states required licenses to breed an animal..to keep stupid people from doing it... Like you have only owned a hedgehog for 1/10th of its lifespan..3 months is NOT very long to understand them enough or have enough knowledge to become a breeder. Not to mention it is extremely expensive for everything they need... sigh...


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## Charlie's mommy (May 16, 2014)

Unfortunately there's no lack of stupid in this world. I can understand the desire to breed them, they're cute critters, but that's basically all a lot of people take into consideration. Food, extra supplies, time, vet bills, don't really phase people. I feel like a lot of people will choose to breed or even adopt an animal and decide to slack on certain things like regular check ups and heating. Charlie for example, her first owner had no heating and said she attempted to hibernate once. They also thought she was a boy, which told me she obviously never took her to the vet. Charlie ended up costing just above 2,000$ In only a few months and she didn't even make it. Three months is definitely not long enough to become a breeder. I think it's funny they kicked you off, people are too sensitive. Always nice coming on this site and seeing how dedicated everyone is to their prickle baby


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

I know!!! I was like ugh really? The post she was like "Hey thinking about breeding please give me suggestions and criticism but don't be mean!!!" and I said that and she was like 'this is not the group for you, you need to be nice" I was like wow okay hahahaha. I know what you mean too... Olive lived in an itsy bitsy cage, no heat, no toys, just a wheel, water, food, blanket... and that was cramping her cage. I have spent about 1k on her so fat in the short time I have had her, new everything, heating, vet bills... and that's just 1 hedgie.


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Reasons I don't go on Facebook hedgehog groups anymore! No criticism allowed, no matter how nicely you give it. I'd rather hang out here, where I can actually help people. And unfortunately, this whole scenario has happened so many freaking times over the past five years I've been here. People don't usually listen once they've set their mind on wanting baby hedgies.


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## Nancy (Aug 22, 2008)

That's one reason why I never make comments on Facebook. There are way too many overly sensitive people who want everything through rose coloured glasses. What I really don't understand is why people even bother asking a question if they aren't prepared for honest answers and answers they may not like. The fact that she said "don't be mean", tells me she knows already knows what she is planning is not a good idea but wants some other misguided idiot to give approval. 

What really annoys me is the ones who don't even own a hedgehog yet and are buying a pair with plans to breed. Not only do they have no clue about how to care for a hedgehog, but they have no clue if they even like hedgehogs. 

I could rant all day.


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## gracefulchaos01 (Mar 19, 2014)

Oh geez! I love my pokey kids. I really do. But breeding them? After everything I went through with Sebastian? Not only no, but hedoubletoothpicks no. Too much drama and stress. If I want more hedgehogs I'll just do rescues or hook up with a breeder, and if I want the baby experience again I can always just get another "boy" from the pet store. 
Good gravy. Some peoples kids. ~sigh~

Though I do reserve to right to change my mind in the event my life circumstances change or I just gain wisdom through osmosis or something.


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## ellisrks01 (Mar 25, 2014)

I don't really know what facebook groups do?? Discussions? Lol My girlfriend and I haven't had a facebook in over 5 years. I don't do drama lol.

That's too bad that girl is going to breed if she only had a hedgie 3 months and can't even pick it up bare hand. She wants to breed but won't take any guidance? I can only I imagine the disaster waiting to happen. Poor hedgies


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## Shainahmac (Jun 23, 2014)

Am I allowed to ask what group it was? I joined the Facebook groups as well and have also noticed some extreme sensitivity. 

Personally I don't get it, when id read on here and find out I was doing something wrong id panic and feel awful for Benny, not get defensive! Like I didn't know about the CHE's at first and once I found out it was like OMG I NEED TO GET ONE IMMEDIATELY EVEN THOUGH ITS SUMMER AND WARM ENOUGH. 

Some people eh.


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## lilsurfergrlsp (Dec 13, 2013)

Wow, I didn't even know there were Facebook groups for that kind of thing! They have stuff for everything these days. I agree with Nancy though, why ask a question when you don't want to hear a negative answer to it? It seems as though this girl is just looking for approval for something she has no clue about. Unfortunately that's the deal with most social media these days :roll:


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## Teddi4211 (Apr 30, 2014)

This just makes be upset. I can never see myself breeding, to be honest. I still have my first two hedgehogs, but I don't plan on ever breeding in the future. It is truly sad to think of that hedgehog, since her owner cannot clearly give her proper care and is planning on breeding her. I can only see a disaster waiting to happen.


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Yeah it's crazy not to mention these people invited me to their group because I had posted on Craigslist a warning about a backyard breeder who had hedgies in a dangerous environment and was trying to sell them for $300. So they already knew I was for protecting hedgies. I was only in the group for 2 days. She said it wasn't the place for me and I was like "You're right because I'm not for going around pretending everything is peachy when it's not, and if you ask for my opinion I will give it to you with the hedgehogs best interest in mind"


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## NewHedgieOwner100 (May 31, 2014)

Preach!


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## Charlie's mommy (May 16, 2014)

Not to mention there's breeders who dedicate a lot of their time and energy breeding against WHS. It takes away from their business breeding healthy, friendly babies. I feel like this is why the life span for hedgehogs is decreasing. If she can't even pick up her hedgehog how is she supposed to handle and socialize babies? Meaning she won't, resulting in babies who sit and huff all day then the new owner doesn't know what to do and the hedgehog gets put on Craigslist or kijiji because they think it's mean. It's very upsetting. Poor hedgies.


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Yup! I before I said she should wait I was like "has your hedgie ever quilled at you when you go to pick them up? Ever tried to bite? Is he very easily picked up and handled without any sort of quill raising? A lot of breeders search a long time for the perfect hedgies to breed since we want to breed the best possible temperament into these babies, as well as them having very good blood lines." she said "Well that's not as important to me and my hedgie only raises his some! Plus he's mine and these babies aren't for breeding" I was like " It's not about that, it's about ALL hedgies welfare and unless everyone cares about the well being and domestication of the species we might as well leave them in the wild than keep them in our homes, spreading WHS to ANY hedgehog is continuing bloodlines that will put all hedgehogs in danger, and not breeding for temperament will keep them from domesticating and create meaner hedgies instead of nicer ones and I am pretty sure everyone wants a nice hedgehog who is comfortable with humans and being handled" I think that pissed everyone off even more..... So I would like to thank this group. For having hedgehogs welfare in mind and not just their own wants! Thanks! And thanks for thinking about the safety and being able to take criticism and advice without losing your freaking head. In these other group if you say "be careful a hamster ball can be very dangerous" everyone is like OH okay thanks for the information I don't want to endanger my hedgehog and in the other groups you get yelled at like "theres no proof stop spreading lies you just spread lies you need to stop talking" yes I got told that by a MOD!!!! And then I ALSO got yelled at when I commented on this post of a girl saying "I want an Algerian black so bad!" so I said "I do too!!! But I am pretty happy just having a healthy and nice hedgie" yeah SO DONE this will be the ONLY place for me. I love our group and our people.


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## Shainahmac (Jun 23, 2014)

I agree Alex that some things turn into a confrontation unnecessarily on the groups (I understood your post about the happy healthy vs black thing) but clearly there is misunderstandings through text. 

I also seen the ball post, but didn't see a mod tell you to stop talking or anything like that? Definitely shut down a reasonable disagreement but I don't think it's fair to make it out to be ruder than it really was is all.


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

yeah it was crazy! She deleted ALL my posts and was like YOU NEED TO STOP she didn't however delete the posts of all the other people in favor of them...so done


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## Shainahmac (Jun 23, 2014)

Your post about olives toe breaking is still there, if that's any consolation. I wouldn't take it to heart, there's a lot more people on there than here, and sometimes mob mentality can overwhelm some opinions and personal experiences.


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

The girl who runs it is a ****.


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## luna (Apr 13, 2014)

out of curiosity why are breeders so against getting hedgehogs off of craigslist and kijiji? before I got my hedgehog I always assumed they disliked the competition and the fact you can get a hog for a significantly lesser amount then a breeder. and that breeders for the most part are looking for a profit. Which I am sure some are but I am sure most arent? just been seeing a lot of posts against online buying


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Most of the people who post on craigslist are not real breeders, most real breeders don't need to post on craigslist because people who want a good hedgehog will do research and look into breeders, not just see one while they are browsing craigslist and decide that moment to get a hedgehog!


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## luna (Apr 13, 2014)

if you have a hedgehog and want to rehome with what would be the best way then?


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

It can be unless you can personally find someone better to rehome it, but a lot of people saying they are rehoming are actually bad breeders. Not to mention the hogs people are rehoming are usually mean from not being handled or bonded with and people don't want them anymore because they weren't the cute cuddly pets they were expecting. Also, many of them have health issues, a better idea would be to post on an actual pet rehoming site or through a shelter that will let you keep your pet until they can find it a good home.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

Luna, I think what Alex is trying to say is that rehoming is different than selling. If someone is rehoming a older hedgehog on craigslist, I have no problem with that. Some people do have to rehome them younger for various reasons, allergies, not knowing what to expect when they got it, etc. While some of these are bad reasons, rehoming a baby is sometimes necessary. Not all shelters let you keep your pet in order to rehome. It's about picking out the bad weeds. 

I responded to a post on craigslist a while back. I thought they were trying to rehome their baby that they got from somewhere else. More importantly, there is a store here that sells hedgehogs and they have a male who isn't socialized. I figured someone bought him and didn't want him. I was totally willing to take him, I'm just not willing to give my money to a pet store that doesn't take care of their hogs. Apparently, it was a very misleading post as they were trying to sell two litters of hedgehogs within the next couple of weeks. While the dude seemed nice, if you have to go through means of selling your baby hedgehogs on craigslist instead of through a website, you probably aren't a responsible breeder. 

However, there is this girl in a New Mexico trying to sell her hog and if it wasn't so far away, I might have gone and gotten her. Her set up shows a wire wheel and not a lot of space. 

Sorry about that rant, basically, there is a difference between backyard breeders, hobby breeders and USDA licensed breeders and you only want to buy from responsible ones. 

Breeders aren't worried about competition. (Well they shouldn't be) Most of the ones I have met, either online or in person, are worried about sick babies going to unknown homes where they may or may not get taken care of. Breeders are trying very hard to create healthy bloodlines and these backyard breeders are just selling hedgehogs to people who may or may not continue to breed creating more bad bloodlines. 

Any breeders past or present may know more, but that is my understanding of it.


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## MomLady (Aug 14, 2010)

The Hedgehog Welfare Society (HWS) does rehoming. They have information on their website.

Some (good) breeders will take their hedgies back as an alternative to giving it to a shelter.


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

Yup, that's why I am saying rehoming on craiglist is NOT a good idea, there are so many reason why, going through an actual rehoming service, shelter, or the welfare society is better, they screen people, and are getting them to people who can take care of them while anyone can buy one off craigslist.


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## DesireeM81 (Jun 14, 2014)

I'm not saying responsible owners go on craigslist, but if a responsible hedgie owner wants to rescue a little guy off of craigslist, I see no problem with that. :grin:


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## AlexLovesOlive (Jul 7, 2014)

I know what you mean I rescued Olive off craigslist


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## hedgehogbella (Oct 12, 2014)

Realy, the whole process that goes with breeding is to much for me. This is why I am not planning on breeding hedgehogs. Some people just go into the whole breeding thing too quickly. They just breed their hedgie because they would like to have baby hedgehogs not thinking what the mom feels or researching about it.


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