PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Hedgehogs are among the most familiar small mammals in Europe. They are distinguished by their thick coat of spines and ability to curl up into a ball when threatened.

The eyes and ears are well developed; the snout is long and pointed and extends a long way in front of the mouth. The front of the skull is quite blunt, so that the tip of the snout is unsupported and capable of great mobility.

The teeth vary from 36 to 44 in number, usually with both upper and lower first incisors (front teeth) larger than the others.

Hedgehogs have powerful legs and strong claws and are good at digging. They can run up to 6.5 ft/sec, but usually move with a slow shambling walk.

The most distinctive feature of hedgehogs is their spines. An average adult carries about 5,000, each about 1 inch long, with a needle sharp point.

BEHAVIOR:

Hedgehogs are protected by their ability to curl up into a ball. This is achieved by the presence of a rather larger skin than is necessary to cover the body, beneath which lies a powerful muscle covering the back.

The skin musculature is more strongly developed around its edges than at the center and is only very loosely connected to the body beneath.

Woodland hedgehogs do not burrow but usually build nests of grass and dead leaves in tangled undergrowth.

All hedgehogs are capable of undergoing periods of dormancy (hibernation) during which their body temperature is allowed to drop to a level close to that of the surrounding air. This reduces the hedgehog's energy needs to a very low level and allows it to survive long periods.

Hedgehogs sometimes emit a hissing, snakelike noise when frightened, and a loud screaming cry is a call of distress. They utter grunting and snuffling noises when they are feeding.

An unusual behavior of hedgehogs is self-anointing. It flicks the saliva onto its spines by its long tongue. The function of self-anointing is unknown. Some think it is used as a sexual attractant, to reduce parasites on the skin, an attempt to clean the spines, or to make the spines distasteful to predators.

DIET:

Hedgehogs eat a wide variety of prey. They eat virtually any available invertebrate. They also eat seeds, berries or fallen fruit.

REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

Most of the hedgehogs in tropical climates breed throughout the year. There is no pair bond formed and the male shows no paternal behavior. During gestation, the female prepares a nest in which to give birth. The young are born naked with eyes and ears closed.

Although spines are present at birth, they lie just beneath the skin, to avoid damaging the mother's birth canal. Young hedgehogs grow quite rapidly. At 14 days their hair has started to grow, the eyes are beginning to open, and the animal can partially roll up. Weaning occurs at 6-7 weeks of age, after which the young either leave the nest or are driven off by the mother.