Hedgehogs are small spiny mammals that changes color from black to brown, in this article we will talk about Hedgehogs weigh, spines, behavior, teeth, diet, color and odor.
Weigh
The typical hedgehogs weigh around ½ pounds and the African hedgehogs weigh around 1 pound. In the wild they live for about 3 to 4 years but as a pet they can live for 10 years.
Grown hedgehogs have a larger build that weigh around 2 pounds like a small size of a guinea pig. Hedgehogs won’t get fat. Mostly 6-8 inches are the common size of a hedgehog but as what everyone observed it is difficult to measure hedgehogs because its body changes shape when it is sitting, relaxing and balled up.
Spines
Their spine is most different and common physical hedgehog characteristics. The heaviness of their spines weighs around 35 percent of hedgehogs. They are spines not quills because their hair sometimes mistaken as quills. The difference between a spine and a quill is it has solid shafts compared to quills, they are hollow.
The use of hedgehog’s spines is their defense so they point in altered directions protecting the body and skin. Every time they roll up their muscle adjusts like a drawstring. They hide their legs and head by building a ball and use its spine for protection. Just be careful when touching them because if you are hit by their spine it is painful. Their spines will lay flat towards the tail and will feel smooth when they are relaxed.
Behavior
Hedgehogs are nocturnal and found sleeping during the day in leaf piles or rocky places. They are able to perform hibernating that depends in their conditions. They roll up into a ball when they hear a sound or movement that is not familiar to them. They bring their nose and arms close to their body to form a ball of spines.
Teeth
Hedgehogs have 44 teeth and the first teeth are larger than the rest but not as different size from their other teeth. Their teeth do not continue to grow so they don’t need a regular need to chew to wear down their teeth. Hedgehogs have 4 toes at the back feet and 5 toes on the front feet. The nails from the front feet can be trim frequently compared to the back feet.
Diet
Hedgehogs are insectivore mammals that survive with just eating nothing than small insects. Their diet consists of insects, slugs, snails and worms and kills and eats snakes sometimes.
Color
About the hedgehogs color their quills can range in color from black band to very peach pale color. Their spines are solid white. They change color variations as they grow old. One year is the best age to determine their color. Hedgehog’s true color can be concluding through its skin, face, nose, and quill and leg coloration.
Odor
Hedgehogs don’t have any a particular body odor and their urine doesn’t have ammonia like rabbits. Hedgehogs have discharges that do stinks. Cage cleaning is the answer of keeping the hedgehog smell.
Related Articles
Hedgehog Food and Nutrition
Hedgehogs are classified as insectivores, but in reality they’re omnivores, opportunistic feeders who’ll eat whatever happens along. Their diet in captivity should be high in protein and low in fat. While there are commercial hedgehog chow products available, many of these are simply re-packaged food for rodents, or the leftovers from making cat and dog food. In either case, these aren’t appropriate diets for a hedgehog.
Breeding Hedgehogs
Breeding hedgehogs is not easy. Getting them to mate is no problem - if you house a male and female together they’ll do it whether or not you intend them to - but ensuring a healthy delivery and keeping newborn hoglets alive requires constant attention and care.
European vs. African Hedgehogs
The majority of hedgehogs bred in North America are African pygmy hedgehogs, which are themselves a hybrid of two wild African species - the 4-toed or white-bellied hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) and the Algerian hedgehog (Atelerix algirus).
As the name pygmy would suggest, these animals are on the small side, typically weighing 300-700 grams and measuring 6-9 inches in length. Though many color variations are possible, the traditional coloration is a white-furred belly with black and white banded quills.