# Question about males and females and playtime



## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

I was just curious (once all my hedgehogs have been deemed 100% healthy again) how do owners on here with males and females coordinate playtime? I have only ever had the two girls so I've never had this problem before, as the girls normally play together. 

I have a plastic kiddie pool set up as a playpen, would Oakley (boy) and Puff and Chloe (girls) be able to use this playpen (at different times of course - I am never ever putting my boy anywhere near my girls!) or would they smell the opposite sex on the pool/toys and would this stress them out?

I also have a wire playpen I can set up. Would it be safe for Oakley to be in the pool (he hasn't been able to climb the sides as of yet) at the same time that Puff and Chloe were in the wire playpen (across the room)? 

Obviously if I was watching them 100% of the time this would be safe, but I'm just wondeirng because I do my homework in the same room, would I be able to do my work and only half watch the hedgehogs, or would I have to watch them like a hawk in case Oakley somehow managed to scale the pool and then scale the wire playpen? He's not a climber, but I'm sure it's still possible...

Is there a better/safer way to have all the hedgies out at the same time? Or do you have to just do males and females separately?

I do NOT want my girls to get pregnant, but I still want to make sure everyone is getting enough out-of-cage activity, and this might be tricky to do if I have to have separate playtimes. 

Any advice?


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## krbshappy71 (Jul 17, 2009)

I don't have mixed company but I'd try to come up with a creative barrier on the off-chance that Quigley did escape from the pool. He doesn't now, but if he's closer to the females during play time I don't know if their scent would encourage him.

Can you put stacks of books taller than Quigley around the border of the pool or playpen? Cardboard box that is taller around either the border of the pool or playpen? Just one divider around whichever one you think is easier for him to get past. The noise of him trying to climb up the divider would hopefully be an alert to you. 

Hang bells on the girl playpens in case he does attempt to climb it, if he did indeed climb kiddie pool? If he escapes the kiddie pool you are still at risk of him being harmed, regardless if he even goes after the girls. He could be stepped on, find a hiding spot and you can't find him, other pets could get him, etc. So if your girls are trustworthy in play pen I'd say make sure he just can't escape kiddie pool.

Vaseline rubbed on top of kiddie pool edges so its too slippery to climb?


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

I would just have them out at separate times. I'd say Oakley first, then the girls. I know at shows the males are shown first because if they smell females they can get nippy and spazzy. :lol: Same would likely go for at home.


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

Well my personal rule is that, if Litchi is out, Tangelo is in his cage. Even if held by someone else. Yes I might be paranoid but I don'ty take any risk. If I let Tangelo out after Litchi in the same place, he doesn't react to her smell or anything (nor do Litchi smell Tangelo)


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## SnufflePuff (Apr 16, 2009)

Thanks for the input everyone.

I'm gonna make the time to have separate playtimes, but
it's good to know that Oakley should go first if I'm ever using the same stuff!

Too bad hedgehog neuters are so
dangerous! Think of all the problems
that would solve!


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## FiaSpice (Jan 16, 2009)

SnufflePuff said:


> Too bad hedgehog neuters are so dangerous! Think of all the problems that would solve!


Neuteur isn't bad. In fact I know many members that spayed their female (it also eleminate uterine cancer). But it's better when she's young. I tought about that for Litchi but she's almost 5 and I wouldn't risk it at her age and my vet wasn't that experimented and it would have costed about 250-300$.

It might be more of a hassel to have 2 playtime but it's not so bad, trust me.


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