Types Of Hedgehogs

Do you want to discover what kinds of hedgehog pets there are?

When it comes to hedgehog pets, various people have different preferences. My first hedgehog was given by my friend for adoption who didn’t have much time to care for it. It was the popular African Pygmy, and when it died, I was devastated. My hedgehog is an Egyptian hedgehog, which is pretty different. They are both unique, and I’d like to share that as well as other varieties of hedgehog pets you can have. I have an article on How Much Does A Baby Hedgehog Pet Cost that will help you estimate the costs of owning one.

Here we go

Domesticated Hedgehog Pets

Other species of hedgehogs can be kept as pets, but in this post, I will focus on the most frequent domesticated pets in particular their appearance and behavior. They are as follows:

African Pygmy Or White Bellied Hedgehog Pet

It is one of the best-known and easiest types of hedgehog to distinguish. African pygmy hedgehogs, also known as four-toed hedgehogs, are found in arid areas of Central Africa as well as in the Savannahs. It is characterized because its body is dominated by white or other light shades of gray, except for the head, which can be darker. It also has other unique colors like brown (light brown tones, chocolate-colored nose); chocolate (light brown nose and muzzle mask); champagne (red eyes, pink nose, light beige needles). It has a life expectancy of 6 to 10 years

Appearance

• Spines cover the whole back of African white-bellied hedgehogs. The spines with which it is covered dorsally are 0.5-1 cm long and are available in a variety of colors. The spines alter throughout the early months of life (quilling). Adult animals may, to a lesser extent, change their spines
  • The belly is fluffy and white, as the name implies.
  • The color of the needles, wool on the belly, and nose can range from chocolate brown to panda, cinnamon, mocha, coffee with cream, and albinos.
    • They have tiny, spherical ears and paws.
• They have four rather than five toes on their back paws, unlike other hedgehog species.
• The hedgehog ranges in size from 14 to 21cm and weighs between 300 and 500g.
• The ears are smaller than the spines that surround them, and the tail is only around 1 to 2 cm long

Behaviors

• The African white-bellied hedgehog is active at dusk and night and hides during the day.
• They do not go into hibernation but they take summer vacation during which they do not sleep but are more inactive than the rest of the year
• They are sociable and trustworthy, and they can be tamed.
• It sleeps throughout the day and comes to life at night
• They roll into a ball and use their spiny coat as a shield to ward off attackers when threatened.
• It sleeps throughout the day and comes to life at night
• It tends to become obese and develop diseases as a domesticated pet
• It is a solitary animal except for the courting and reproductive season.
• In captivity, however, they are aggressions, especially between male specimens, infanticide, and even cannibalism are not uncommon.
• While in the presence of unknown compounds, it exhibits a specific behavior called anting. In this circumstance, this small curly animal begins to drool and splatter the body with the foam and when it comes into contact with a novel and extremely strong odor, it can create significant volumes of saliva, which it rubs across its shoulders and spine as a protection measure
• It enjoys warm temperatures (above +22 °C and up to +30 °C). They are susceptible to heat stroke at temperatures exceeding +30 degrees. Temperatures less than +18 °C might produce numbness.
• It is friendly, funny, and playful and many varieties of rolling balls, little soft toys, and various boxes/houses for shelters are the most popular and safe toys for them
• Lastly, African hedgehogs pose a significant danger for the spread of a variety of zoonotic illnesses. Salmonella is the most common illness linked with these tiny animals, but fungi, the rabies virus, and Herpesviruses are also present.

Egyptian hedgehog Pets Or Indian Long-Eared Hedgehogs

The long-eared hedgehog is the smallest member of the family are mostly found in North Africa, Europe, and Asia. It is native to India and Pakistan. It lives in the deserts of North Africa, the eastern Mediterranean, and Central Asia, which explains why it has enormous ears to keep cool in hot weather. It has different species which include the Indian hedgehog, long needle, ears, blue-bellied hedgehog, and collar, among others

Ethiopian.

Appearance

• The eared hedgehogs’ distinguishing characteristic is their large, projecting, and very visible ears and a dark brown body
• The head is tiny, the face is oblong and can range in hue from dark brown to light gray, and the ears are bigger than the head’s dimensions.
• There are 36 sharp teeth in the hedgehog’s mouth
• Its spines feature grooves and can reach a length of 1.5 cm
• It has longer limbs than other hedgehogs
• The gray needles are thin and short, covering the whole back of the creature. The hue of the needles might sometimes turn yellowish.
• There are no needles on the nose, belly, or sides; instead, soft, light hair replaces them.

Behavior

• It controls body temperature with the use of his ears, cooling them when they get overheated. This is due to capillaries that are tightly spaced and expand at high temperatures, cooling the body
• It has spines implanted in a muscular sheath on its back. Its cover creates a bag-like structure in which the animal may hide for protection
• It has a well-developed set of senses due to its large ears, eyes, and whiskers near its snout. These senses, especially smell, help them find food and/or a potential mate.

•   Eared hedgehogs enjoy wide-open expanses.

What Are The Most Popular Hedgehog Pets

The European hedgehog is the most popular hedgehog pet. It is also known as the common hedgehog, and as the name implies, it may be found throughout Europe. It may be found in the woodlands of Italy, France, and Spain. Its coat is brown, yet it can fade to a darker or softer brown and black.

Appearances

• They have a spherical body, measuring between 20 and 30 cm in length, with tiny eyes and a pointy snout.
• Depending on the species, they can range in size from 10 to 30 cm and weigh up to a pound and a half. Yet, most are 400 to 500 grams in weight
• They have cone-shaped noses, short legs, and spike-covered bodies.

Behavior

• They blend in and are difficult to spot throughout the day.
• They are mostly insectivorous and spend the winter hibernating.
• They like sleeping, they may sleep for 15 to 18 hours every day.
• They don’t use these quills to attack, but rather to defend themselves.
• When threatened, they curl into a ball and remain motionless.
• They are typically more active at night

What Is the Rarest Kind Of Hedgehog pet

The rarest type of hedgehog pet is the Algerian Hedgehog or North African. It is situated in the Palearctic area, the world’s biggest Ecozone. Parts of Algeria, Morocco, Spain, and Tunisia are included in this. The Algerian hedgehog pet like all hedgehogs builds its nest in warm locations and in rock crevices, hollow trees, abandoned termite burrows, or burrows. Their body is significantly lighter, and their face, legs, and needles are all brown with no red undertones. Their color is more akin to coffee with milk. The following are the unique qualities:

Appearance

• Adults have a body length of 20-25 cm. Weight ranges from 280 to 600 g. Females are heavier and bigger than men.
• The spines are dark brown, and the underside, head, and legs are white. The spikes are parted on the forehead.
• The tail is short, around 15-30 mm in length. The hind limbs measure 3-4 cm in length.
• Algerian hedgehogs grow to be 20-35 cm long and weigh 0.4-1.0 kilograms.
• Its nose is longer, its tail is shorter, and its legs are longer than those of other African hedgehogs
• Its ears are fairly long and prominent.
• Its snout and long legs are dark and make them good at running, and the hair on its belly varies in hue from brown to white.

Behavior

• The North African hedgehog is active at night and hides in its hiding spot during the day.
• It keeps a low profile and avoids drawing attention to itself.
• When threatened, it coils into a ball and bristles with stinging thorns.
• It does not hibernate and is active all year.
• It may convey their feelings through purrs, snorts, and sniffles
• This Algerian hedgehog’s primary line of protection is its spine, and when it senses danger, it curls into a ball.
• They readily adapt to their environment in many respects and are like an average person since they are quite social and inquisitive.

Conclusion

Whichever hedgehog pet you choose, it is critical to understand its looks and behaviors so that you can bond successfully with this charming friend.

I invite you to read my essay on How Long Do Hedgehog Pet Live, which will help you understand what you can do to ensure that your pet lives a long and healthy life.

One thing you should know is that there are certain legal considerations to address while keeping hedgehogs as pets in your country, so do your homework and find out if you can legally keep them as pets.