Course Curriculum

• 1. Breeding goal

  • The importance of a breeding goal

• 2. Mentor

  • The duties of a Mentor
  • How do you find a mentor?

• 3. Hedgery name

  • Why you need a hedgery name
  • How do you come up with a hedgery name
  • Databases for hedgeries

• 4. Competency course

  • Animal Keepers Act
  • Where you can register
  • The certificate as promotional material

• 5. Setting up a hedgery

  • The checklist
  • Preparing the enclosures
  • Set up a good herd
  • Set guidelines for breeding
  • Write your own info booklet!
  • The importance of a starter pack

• 6. Pedigrees

  • Pedigrees important?
  • Pedigree registration
  • What’s on a pedigree?
  • Good software is essential

• 7. Administration

  • Mandatory or superfluous?
  • Keep following born animals
  • The cash book
  • Contact details and privacy laws
  • Hobby or commercial breeding

• 8. Basic knowledge of reproduction

  • Reproductive terms
  • Sexual maturity and breeding maturity: the differences
  • The first mating
  • Dangers when mating
  • How is the pregnancy?
  • Preparing for birth
  • What happens during birth?
  • Common problems before, during and after birth
  • Manual: Raising a nest by hand
  • The first two weeks after birth
  • Two to five weeks old
  • Five weeks: separate the young by sex
  • Six to 8 weeks old
  • Preparing for the move

• 9. Basic knowledge of colors

  • How do you learn to recognize colors?
  • The colors of African pygmy hedgehogs
  • The patterns of African pygmy hedgehogs

• 10. Basic health knowledge

  • General health knowledge
  • Uterine inflammation
  • Nipple inflammation or blockage
  • Vaginal inflammation
  • Overbreeding and its dangers
  • Miscarriages and stillborn boy
  • Non-lactating mothers
  • Help, my mating stud is stuck!
  • Diabetes and breeding
  • Syndactyly, Ectrodactyly and the dangers of Platinum hedgehogs
  • Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome