When Do Hedgehogs Have Babies? A UK Guide

In the UK, hedgehogs usually have their babies in June and July. The breeding season can run from spring into autumn, however, so hoglets may appear earlier after a mild winter or much later in the year.

A baby hedgehog is called a hoglet. This guide explains the breeding calendar for wild European hedgehogs in Britain, how young develop and what to do if you uncover a nest or find a hoglet alone.

The UK hedgehog breeding calendar

The RSPCA's hedgehog guidance says breeding is concentrated in spring and summer. Hedgehogs can reproduce between April and September, with most mating during May and June. Pregnancy lasts around four weeks, which places the main birth period in June and July.

This is a seasonal guide rather than a fixed timetable. Weather, the condition of the female and the timing of mating all affect when a litter arrives.

What happens after hedgehogs mate?

Hedgehog courtship can be noisy. A male may circle a female while snuffling and puffing, and rival males may interrupt. Both sexes can mate with more than one partner. They do not form a pair bond, and the male does not help rear the young.

During her pregnancy, the female builds a nursery nest. A sheltered pile of leaves, long vegetation, a space beneath a shed or a hedgehog house may all be used. That makes undisturbed cover especially valuable during the breeding season.

The Hedgehog Street breeding guide gives an average litter of four or five hoglets, with as many as seven possible. It also notes that only two or three may be successfully weaned.

“Hedgehogs usually give birth in June and July”

How quickly do hoglets develop?

Newborn hoglets are blind and deaf. Their first white spines appear soon after birth, but they remain dependent on their mother and should not be handled or exposed for a closer look.

At roughly three to four weeks old, young hedgehogs begin short foraging trips with their mother. They continue returning to the nest while learning to find food. By about six to eight weeks, they are normally weaned and becoming independent.

Can hedgehogs have late litters?

Yes. Hoglets can be born in late summer or autumn. Females are capable of producing another litter late in the season, although Hedgehog Street notes that experts consider two successfully reared litters in one British season unlikely.

Late-born young have less time to grow before winter. Some remain active while trying to build reserves, so seeing a juvenile in autumn does not automatically mean it has been abandoned. Its size, behaviour, the weather and whether it is out by day all matter.

Our guide to hedgehog hibernation and winter care explains why activity can continue into mild weather and when a winter sighting is concerning.

What should you do if you uncover a hedgehog nest?

Stop work straight away. Do not lift the mother or touch the hoglets simply to check them. The current Hedgehog Street summer advice recommends carefully replacing the nest covering and watching from a safe distance. Disturbance can cause a mother to move or abandon her young.

1. Put back the material you moved, without pressing down on the nest.

2. Withdraw people and pets and keep the area quiet.

3. Watch from a distance for the mother to return.

4. If hoglets emerge, the mother does not return, or any animal is injured, contact BHPS or a wildlife rehabilitator for case-specific advice.

Do not relocate an intact family to another part of the garden without expert advice. For prevention, check long grass, compost, leaf piles and spaces beneath shrubs before using strimmers, mowers, forks or spades. Our guide to creating a hedgehog-friendly garden covers shelter, access and common hazards.

How can you tell if a hoglet needs help?

A lone hoglet is not always orphaned. Its mother may be nearby or foraging. The RSPCA's current rescue guidance recommends watching from a distance for up to a couple of hours when it is safe to do so.

Get prompt professional help if a hoglet is:

• injured, cold, weak, covered in flies or in immediate danger;

• squeaking with closed eyes or lying in the open without an adult;

• beside a dead adult;

• smaller than about an apple, under 300g and without an adult nearby; or

• out during very cold weather and behaving abnormally.

Use gardening gloves or a towel if an animal must be moved out of immediate danger. Place it in a secure, ventilated box and contact a vet or wildlife rehabilitator. Do not try to hand-rear a hoglet; very young animals need specialist care.

For case-specific help, call the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) on 01584 890 801. Its hedgehog first-aid guidance says the out-of-hours answerphone provides emergency contacts through option 1. If the animal is in obvious pain or needs urgent treatment, contact a vet immediately.

A healthy, independent young hedgehog may simply need safe habitat, fresh water and access to natural food. If you provide supplementary food, see what wild hedgehogs eat for suitable choices and hygiene.

Common questions

How many babies does a hedgehog have?

A litter usually contains around four or five hoglets and can contain as many as seven. Fewer typically survive through weaning.

Do male hedgehogs help with the babies?

No. The female builds the nursery nest, nurses the hoglets and leads their first foraging trips without help from the male.

When do baby hedgehogs leave their mother?

They begin following her outside at around three to four weeks and are generally independent by six to eight weeks.