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| Hedgehogs | ||||||||||||
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European Hedgehog | ||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||
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Atelerix Erinaceus Hemiechinus Mesechinus |
Hedgehogs are easily distinguished by their quills, which are hollow hairs made stiff with keratin. Their quills are not poisonous or barbed and cannot be easily removed (unlike the quills of a porcupineFamily Erethizontidae Coendou Sphiggurus Erethizon Echinoprocta Family Hystricidae Atherurus Hystrix Thecurus Trichys The porcupine is a rodent known for its coat of sharp spines, or quills that defend it from predators. The porcupine is the third largest).
Hedgehogs are most closely related to gymnureGymnures & moonrats : Animalia : Chordata : Mammalia : Eutheria : Insectivora : Erinaceidae Hylomyinae Genera ''Echinosorex Hylomys Podogymnura The Gymnure also called Hairy Hedgehog or Moon Rat is a mammal belonging to the order Insectivora. Nocturnal ors, also to other insectivora such as moleThe word mole when used alone, has several possible meanings in the English language. Mole (animal): a small burrowing mammal. Naked Mole Rat: a rat that lives underground. Mole machine: a vehicle designed to travel underground by boring a tunnel. Mole (es, shrewAnourosorex Blarina Blarinella Chimarrogale Congosorex Crocidura Cryptotis Diplomosodon Feroculus Megasorex Myoserex Neomys Notiosorex Paracrocidura Ruwenzorisorex Scutisorex Solisorex Sorex Soriculus Suncus Surdisorex Sylvisorex Shrews are small, superfis, tenrecs and solenodons.
A hedgehog's primary defense is to roll into a tight ball, causing all of the quills to protrude outward. They also make loud huffing and popping noises. This is an effective defense against most predators. As a result, hedgehogs have few natural predators, primarily birds (especially owls), and ferrets. Wild hedgehogs are sometimes killed by humans, particularly by road vehicles.
Hedgehogs occasionally perform a ritual called 'anointing'. When they come across a new scent, they will lick and bite the source. They will then form a scented froth in their mouths and paste it on their quills with their tongue. It is rather amazing to see a hedgehog contort and lick the top of its head. This camouflages them with the new scent of the area and provides a possible poison or source of infection to any predator that gets poked by their quills.
Hedgehogs are primarily nocturnal and feed on snails, worms, and insects. In areas that have hedgehogs in the wild, they are often welcome as a natural form of garden pest control. Many people leave food out to attract hedgehogs. When doing so, keep in mind that hedgehogs are lactose intolerant, but will eagerly eat cheese products and drink milk, making them sick. Dog and cat food is a better food than dairy, but it is often too high in fat and too low in protein. It is best to leave out only a small treat, leaving them plenty of appetite for the pests in your garden.
Depending on the species, the gestation period is 40-58 days. The average litter is 3-4 newborns. Larger species of hedgehogs live 4-7 years in the wild (some have been recorded up to 16 years). Smaller species live 2-4 years (4-7 in captivity).
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