One question I get asked a lot, and I haven't the slightest clue why I didn't
add the answer here earlier, is how do you tell what sex a hedgehog is.

Unfortunately, hedgehogs don't come with blue or pink tipped quills to make
the job easy (at least most don't).  Some breeders add a spot of non-toxic
paint, etc., but even that's no guarantee.  There have been more than a few
people who brought home ``male'' hedgies, only to have them give birth to a
litter, only a short time later.  In fact, it can be downright difficult, to
figure out the sex, unless your hedgehog is willing to let you hold him or
her on their back long enough for a look.  The idea is to get a good look at
their tummy.

If you can't get your prickly little friend to unroll enough while being held
in your hands, you might try a piece of glass or clear plastic and look up at
them while they are wandering (hopefully not too far) on it.

Anyway, enough beating about the quills, on to how to tell if you have a
her-hog, or a him-hog.

For male hedgehogs, the sex organ, or penal sheath, is located about 2/3 of
the way from the nose to the tail (along the tummy), and looks like a large
belly-button.

In the female, the sex organ is located all the way down the tummy, directly
adjacent to the anus.  The female will also have a row of nipples along each
side, below the quill line, within the soft tummy fur.  These are often hard
to see, but do show as small pink spots, if you have the chance to look
carefully.

In babies, it can be difficult to tell sexes, without experience, due to the
small size causing everything to be together.  Beyond the baby stage, the
rule of thumb is that if you look, and can't tell for certain, it's probably
a female, as males are usually pretty unmistakable.

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4. *** Getting a pet hedgehog ***