8 FACTS About Hedgehogs You Should Know

ground hedgehogs are small mammals characterized by their spiny backs snub nose rounded ears and in almost every way their adorableness is in a large part this cuteness which has led to the relative popularity as pets however they have a wild nature which requires special care to meet their needs and leads to an imperative to respect their natural behavior if you're passionate about these animals or simply want a helpful introduction then keep watching this animal-wise video with eight facts about hedgehogs you should know [Music] [Music] although many look similar to the naked eye there are currently 17 individual hedgehog species which inhabit africa asia and europe the most common hedgehogs to be kept as pets are the african pygmy hedgehog and the long-aired hedgehog however some breeds such as the ethiopian indian moorish eastern dark and european hedgehogs are also kept as pets but they will vary according to the part of the world an adult ground hedgehog usually has more than 5000 individual spines they are composed of keratin and have an internal structure formed by blood vessels and different cavities which provide flexibility elasticity and strength the tines of the spines are neither completely hollow nor completely filled so they are relatively light structures they are not as light as feathers however which are completely hollow they are used as a defense mechanism and young hedgehogs tend to move them more [Music] hedgehogs have muscles on their back which allow them to smooth their quills at cam moments or make them stand on end when they feel threatened when they detect a possible predator they curl up and form a ball of thorns in this way they hide the most vulnerable parts of the body and leave their barms exposed to scare off predators hedgehogs have excellent hearing and a good sense of smell but their vision is not as well developed this is why they orientate themselves in their habitat and communicate mainly through sounds and smells currently it is known that hedgehogs use a wide range of sounds to communicate with their peers ranging from low grunts to powerful shrieks many carers of hedgehogs become frightened when they see their little land urchin secrete a white foam which they then split up over their spines although science has not yet been able to explain the exact nature of this phenomenon it is suspected to be a habit hedgehogs have developed when they identify a new smell with hedgehogs this is known as anointing and when they sense the new smell they go to the source and nibble it they then rub their spines to cover themselves in the saliva seemingly secreted by excitement in their natural habitat the hedgehog is solitary and only usually comes together during the mating season in addition they are shy and crepuscular so it is normal for them to sleep during the day and become more active during the first hours of the morning or after sunset hedgehogs are sensitive animals that can also get sick when they do not receive the proper care to preserve their optimal physical and mental health it is common for them to suffer from colds diarrhea and vomiting and can become overweight and stressed particularly in domestic environments to prevent these problems it is important to go to a veterinarian who is an expert in exotic animals as well as offer a complete and balanced diet the correct environmental enrichment is important as their short legs can easily get stuck in many environments used for other small pets in some countries or jurisdictions it is not allowed to raise ground hedgehogs as pets in the states of arizona and california for example hedgehogs are considered wild animals and their possession is illegal in spain it is totally forbidden to breed two species of hedgehog which are protected in captivity these are the common hedgehog and the moorish hedgehog of course you can never pick up a hedgehog in the wild in order to tame it in case you find an injured or sick hedgehog in the wild it is necessary to go to the veterinarian or a wildlife recovery centre this video is a good start but remember to do thorough research when considering adopting any animal as a pet do you know more interesting facts about hedgehogs we have not mentioned if so leave a comment and share them with the community and if you enjoyed this video don't forget to give us a like and subscribe to our channel for more we'll see you next time [Music]

Channel: AnimalWised

Views: 395,121

Keywords: hedgehogs, African hedgehog, African pygmy hedgehog, European hedgehog, adorable animals, domestic hedgehogs, hedgehog videos, hedgehog stuff, things you did not know about hedgehogs, hedgehog facts, facts about hedgehogs, interesting hedgehog information, hedgehogs as pets, adopting hedgehogs, domestic

Id: _mv-RfDVafY

Length: 4min 29sec (269 seconds)

Published: Sun Aug 26 2018