Overview of the Hedgehog

A hedgehog is any of the spiny mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinae and the order Erinaceomorpha. There are 17 species of hedgehog. They are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and New Zealand. Hedgehogs have changed very little over the past 15 million years. They are easily identifiable by their spines - hollow hairs made stiff with keratin. These spines are not poisonous or even barbed.

Also, unlike a porcupine’s quills, they are not easily removed from the hedgehog. A common defense against predators is to roll into a tight ball (which causes the spines to point outwards). Hedgehogs are primarily nocturnal, although depending on the species, they may be more or less active during the day. In general, they sleep for a large portion of the day under bushes, grass, rocks or in a hole.

While hedgehogs are defined as insectivores, they are also omnivorous: they feed on insects, snails, frogs, toads, snakes, bird eggs, carrion, mushrooms, grass, berries and melons. Large hedgehogs have a lifespan of 4 to 7 years in the wild (with some recorded as having lived 16 years), while small hedgehogs live for 2-4 years in the wild. In captivity, however, they live for 8-10 years.

About the Author
Jacob Maddox manages content for Wildlife Animals http://www.wildlife-animals.com an educational wildlife and animal website. Jacob also guest writes for Dog Pound http://www.dog-pound.net