hedgehog

hedgehog facts

main prey

insects, worms, seeds, fruit

interesting fact

Believed to be one of the oldest mammals on Earth!

Habitat

Lush vegetation and woodlands

predator

owl, fox, wolf, mongoose, dog

diet

Omnivores

Hedgehogs are often described as animals with spikes .

Their unique descriptive name is due to the way they forage in a rather unique way. For those willing to keep them as pets, they are great at getting rid of irritating garden insects and other pests.

The most distinctive feature of a hedgehog is its coat, which consists of hard, sharp spines. When in danger, they will roll into a ball to protect themselves, making their spines protrude, so as to ward off possible dangerous threats.

In nature, hedgehogs are nocturnal animals, they sleep throughout the day, wake up at night and start looking for food. They also hibernate in cold climates. There are 17 different species of hedgehogs with some very interesting facts.

Incredible Hedgehog Facts!

• When hedgehogs sense danger or are under attack, they curl up into a prickly ball.
• They hibernate in areas of their natural environment.
• Their coats consist of sharp spines that are exposed as a defense mechanism.
• These animals sleep during the day and wake up at night to find food.
• They help eliminate common garden pests by eating them and are therefore considered very useful pets.
• While hedgehogs may seem like great pets, owning them is illegal in many states.

You can check out more incredible facts about hedgehogs.

scientific name

The scientific name for these spiky animals is Hedgehogidae. They belong to the kingdom Animalia and the phylum Chordate. Their class is called Mammals and their order Eulipotyphla. The Hedgehog family includes hedgehogs and the closely related moon mice.

Erinaceinae is a combination of "Erinaceus" and the suffix "-inae". Hedgehog is a genus of the genus Hedgehog, from the Latin word meaning "hedgehog". The root of the word – khḗr – is related to the Greek word for hedgehog, paired with the root "ǵʰer", meaning "setae".

evolution

Scientists believe hedgehogs have existed on Earth 15 million years ago, making them one of the oldest living mammals on Earth. They seem to share some characteristics with pigs, and a now-extinct species of hedgehog is the Mediterranean hedgehog, which was as big as a pig. They are indeed distantly related to shrews.

Like some prehistoric animals, hedgehogs' senses are based on smell rather than sight. Thanks to their hibernation habits, extensive diet, and protective spine, they would have survived where other mammals went extinct.

Types of Hedgehogs

Worldwide, 17 species of hedgehogs are concentrated in Europe (especially the UK), Asia, Africa and New Zealand. Types include:

• European Hedgehog – Native to Western Europe. Alternative names: Western European hedgehog, common hedgehog. The largest and heaviest species, most of its body is covered with as many as 6,000 brown and white spines.
• Four-toed Hedgehog – Native to Central and East Africa. Alias: African pygmy hedgehog. Found in savannah and farmland habitats. Known for its four toes, while others have five.
• Long-eared Hedgehog – Native to Central Asia and Arabia. Lives in burrows and is known for its protruding ears.
• Southern African Hedgehog – Native to several countries in Africa. Dark brown, white spines with dark brown tips.
• Desert Hedgehog – Native to the desert habitats of Africa and Arabia. A smaller species with longer spines than other species for extra protection and a dark muzzle.
• North African Hedgehog – Native to Algeria, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Spain and Tunisia. Similar to the European hedgehog, but it has a longer nose and legs than other species, allowing it to run faster.
• Southern White-breasted Hedgehog – Native to Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. Alternative names: white-bellied hedgehog or white-breasted hedgehog. Build grass nests instead of dens.
• Indian Long-eared Hedgehog – Native to India and Pakistan. Its senses are very well developed thanks to its big ears, big eyes and whiskers. A nocturnal animal that lives in caves.
• Somali Hedgehog – Native to Somalia and Somaliland. Inhabits the savannah.
• Indian Hedgehog – Native to India and Pakistan. Similar to the Indian hedgehog, but with smaller ears and known for its raccoon-like masked face. Inhabits desert areas.
• Brandt's Hedgehog – Native to the Middle East and Central Asia. It is named after its first description by Johann Friedrich von Brandt, head of the Department of Zoology at the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. It has big ears and runs very fast.
• Northern White-breasted Hedgehog – Native to Western and Eastern European regions.
• Amur Hedgehog – Native to Amur Oblast and Primorsky Krai in Russia, Manzhouli in China and the Korean Peninsula. Alias: Manchurian hedgehog.
• Hugh's Hedgehog – native to central China and Manchuria. Alias: Chinese hedgehog. Habitats are forests, shrubs and dry grasslands.
• Daurian Hedgehog – Native to Russia and Mongolia. Listed as protected in Russia. Lives in burrows and inhabits forests, bushes and dry grasslands.
• Naked Hedgehog – Native to India. Alias: Madras Hedgehog. It is endemic to dry arid regions and scrubland.
• Little Hedgehog Tenrec – Native to Madagascar. Habitat in subtropical or tropical dry forests, shrubs and dry savannahs.

appearance

Identified as a small mammal, hedgehogs have conical faces. Their legs are short, and their entire body (except their face) has sharp spines that can hurt anyone around them. Although they closely resemble porcupines, the two mammals are not closely related. The spines are so firmly attached to the skin that it is almost impossible to remove them without tremendous force.

The bristles of these animals can easily penetrate the surface of any mammal's skin, including humans. Through this puncture, bacteria and other germs can spread rapidly, putting the attacker at risk of further damage beyond the initial puncture.

Some bacteria associated with wounds can cause problems such as rashes, fevers, and stomach pains. Anyone who comes into regular contact with these animals should wash their hands to reduce the risk of spreading disease.

The risk of accidental skin punctures by people who handle hedgehogs regularly is low because their weight is evenly distributed. A wound becomes dangerous only when the animal feels insecure and naturally protects itself from danger.

Behavior

In their natural environment, hedgehogs are usually solitary animals. They are nocturnal, hunting and foraging at night while sleeping during the day. When sleeping in summer and spring, they build nests for themselves and for their homes. The animal's diet consists of insects and other invertebrates, although they are not high up the food chain.

Once a hedgehog senses danger, it rolls itself into a sharp, prickly ball. They have been known to coat themselves by licking any new scents they like, licking their quills to get new scents on them.

Although these animals are often kept as pets, they may not immediately enjoy being petted. You will have to earn your hedgehog's trust so that he will begin to relax and enjoy when you touch him. Learn more about the funniest unconventional pets here.

The spiky animals are usually not aggressive and leave spines behind for protection when needed. Hedgehogs hiss and sometimes bite when threatened, but they do not seek out animals and humans to attack. The risk of being injured by hedgehogs is very low because they are more defensive than aggressive.

When hedgehogs relax, their quills are less sharp. Even in the most tense moments, hedgehogs are unlikely to suck blood from humans, although abrasions may occur.

Habitat

There are many places in the world where these animals can find a comfortable life, and when they find a place they want to be, they build their nests. They usually find comfortable habitats in very humid and extremely dense pine forests.

Hedgehogs can be found in the UK for the most part. In addition to this, they are also scattered in highland areas, including the sides of mountains and swampy areas. They also like to live on the edge of woodlands.

Sources indicate that wild hedgehogs originally came from Africa, Europe, Asia and New Zealand. They do not occur naturally in the wild, although they are also growing in popularity in the United States. Much of their presence in the country is due to keeping as pets.

diet

These animals are nocturnal and only feed at night. As pets, hedgehogs should only be fed high-quality hedgehog food, available at specialty pet food stores. Some owners prefer to buy natural foods that they have obtained in the wild.

In the wild, they eat a variety of things, such as several types of insects. They eat almost all invertebrates, frogs, carrion, rodents, young birds, bird eggs, and fruit fall from trees in dense forests.

Hedgehogs have a natural aversion to milk, which makes them lactose intolerant.

Predators and Threats

Like all other animals, hedgehogs are an important part of ecosystems and are food for a wide variety of organisms. Most of the hedgehog's natural enemies are carnivorous. However, when they hunt, hedgehogs only look for small mammals and insects.

One of the main threats hedgehogs face all the time is humans. Humans are largely responsible for the deforestation of their habitat and the way they sell these animals in pet stores.

What do hedgehogs eat?

Hedgehogs do not rank very high in the food chain, so they are a source of nutrition for owls, dingoes, mongooses and mustelids. They can also fall prey to wolves and foxes, leaving them exposed while sleeping.

What do hedgehogs eat?

In terms of their own nutrition, berries and similar plants are essential to their diet, providing macronutrients in small quantities at a time. When hedgehogs hunt, they look for small invertebrates and insects such as beetles, caterpillars, earthworms and slugs.

Some pet owner websites will recommend using wet dog or cat food to attract stray hedgehogs, but foods containing fish should be avoided.

Reproduction, Babies and Longevity

Hedgehogs are generally solitary animals and have been known to come together only to mate. During mating, hedgehog females lay eggs, which must be fertilized by a male hedgehog. To attract the attention of females, males perform rhythmic circling, snorting and snorting displays. Can breed all year round, no specific cycle.

When women become pregnant, their gestation period is usually no more than 40 days. While it can be difficult to tell if a pet hedgehog is pregnant, owners should be aware of frequent feedings and slight weight gain.
Every year, baby hedgehogs are born in groups known as "nests." These groups can contain up to 11 babies, often called piglets. Piglets will live with their mother for 4-7 weeks, during which time the mother will protect their young.

As a rule of thumb, never disturb a hedgehog's nest. Mothers will feel the disruption and will notice new scents emanating from both the nest and their own babies. They sometimes eat pups if they don't recognize the smell.
If the piglets survive their childhood, they will leave on their own after a short time. Hedgehogs typically live from two to five years, but some can live up to seven years.

in the zoo

Hedgehogs are usually kept in zoos, but occasionally they are kept in homes as pets. They are usually fed high-quality captive hedgehog food, which can be purchased from specialty stores. Females and males are placed together so that they can mate naturally rather than being artificially inseminated.

It is often said that hedgehogs can be kept in cages, provided they cannot escape. Hedgehog cages should be as large as possible so that the animals cannot easily destroy them. As a protective measure, the bottom of the cage should also be very strong so that the hedgehog does not get injured.

In some areas, it is illegal to keep hedgehogs as pets. Some states that do not allow private keeping of hedgehogs include California, Georgia and Hawaii. It is also illegal to take hedgehogs out of Africa within the city limits of New York City, Omaha (Nebraska), and Washington, DC, according to the PETA report.

There are an estimated 17 different species worldwide. Although they once numbered in the millions, their combined population dropped below one million in 2019.

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