An ordinary hedgehog. A complete description of an ordinary hedgehog and its way of life. How many spines does a hedgehog have?

18.10.201927.05.2017

Good afternoon, dear readers, today we will find the answer to the question of how many spines a hedgehog has.
In general, people have many stereotypes associated with hedgehogs, imposed on us by stories, children's books, fairy tales and cartoons. In many stories, hedgehogs are presented as kind animals carrying mushrooms, cones, apples, etc. on their needles.

But this is a huge misconception, although hedgehogs eat apples, carrots, etc. Basically, by nature, hedgehogs are predators and their diet includes mice, lizards, bird eggs, etc.
Distinctive feature For hedgehogs, their defense mechanism against enemies is their spines on their backs. Hedgehogs have a soft belly, but in case of danger, hedgehogs curl up into a ball, thereby surrounding their entire body with spiny armor.
Let's return to our question, how many spines do hedgehogs have?
Young hedgehogs have approximately 1500 needles, the length of the needles is no more than 1.5-2 centimeters.
According to scientists, adult hedgehogs have about 3,000 spines up to 3.5 centimeters long.
Each needle is hollow inside and inside each needle there is air that supports the needle in a vertical position.
I hope we have given you an accurate answer to the question How many spines do hedgehogs have on their backs and sides?

Characteristics of the common hedgehog

The body of the hedgehog is spherical, 130-270 mm long, without division into the head, neck and torso noticeable from the outside. The body ends with a tail no more than 3 cm.

A hedgehog weighs on average 700-800 g, but before hibernation it can eat up to 1200 g. Males are larger than females. The muzzle is elongated, mobile; nose is sharp healthy hedgehog it's wet.

On the middle part of the hedgehog's head there is a strip of bare skin, devoid of hair and spines. There are 20 small sharp teeth on the upper jaw, and 16 on the lower jaw.

The upper incisors are set wide apart, leaving room for the lower incisors to bite. The eyes are black and round. The ears are short (less than 3.5 cm), rounded, almost hidden in the fur (Reeve N., 1994).

The hedgehog's limbs are five-fingered with sharp claws: fingers 2, 3, 4 are the same length, have long claws, and fingers 1 and 5 are shorter and have smaller claws, which is why prints do not always remain from them. The tracks are round, broad-footed, about 2 cm in diameter, the step length is only 5-12 cm.

How many needles does a hedgehog have?

Often between the marks there are stripes left from claws scratching on the ground. The hind limbs are slightly longer than the front ones, but the same width as them (Corbet GB., 1991).

The head, back and sides of the hedgehog are covered with spines up to 3 cm long.

In an adult common hedgehog from 5 thousand to 6 thousand needles, and the young one has about 3 thousand. The needles themselves are hollow, filled with air and divided by transverse disks into compartments. Each ends in a small extension that is located under the skin; therefore, the needles fall out along with flaps of skin. On the outside, all hedgehog spines are smooth, without grooves or serrations; like normal hair, it grows from a follicle.

A muscle fiber is attached to each needle, which raises and lowers it; raised needles intersect at different angles, creating a reliable, prickly cover. Under the skin of the hedgehog's back there is a special layer of ring muscle, which, when contracted, allows it to curl into a spiny ball.

Each needle grows for 12-18 months; Hedgehogs shed slowly - on average, one out of three needles changes per year (mainly in spring and autumn).

The color of the fur on the face, legs and belly ranges from yellowish-white to dark brown.

The needles are brownish, with dark transverse stripes. The chest and throat of the hedgehog are uniform in color, without white spots. In southern Spain, the common hedgehog is very pale in color (Pat Morris., 1994).

Habitat and systematic position

The distribution area of the common hedgehog covers the territory of Western Europe, Ireland, Britain, as well as on the islands off the coast of Italy.

Rarely found beyond 60° north latitude. In Russia it is found in the middle zone of the European part, in the Middle Urals and in the south Western Siberia in floodplain and deciduous forests, parks, meadows and forest edges.

IN late XIX V. was acclimatized in New Zealand, where it is now numerous. Judging by the fossil remains, it was previously found in North America(Corbet G B., 1991).

The common hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus is found in areas with forest-meadow and steppe vegetation.

It enters taiga and semi-desert zones only through valleys big rivers and their major tributaries. Avoids continuous forests and extensive swamps, especially often found on the edges, copses, forest belts, small clearings, in floodplains, and also found in forested areas within cities and in the outskirts settlements(Kampe, G., 2000).

Systematic position of the common hedgehog:

Superclass: Quadrupeds - Tetrapoda

Class: Mammals - Mammalia

Order: Insectivores - Insectivora

Family: Hedgehogs - Erinaceidae

Genus: Forest hedgehogs - Erinaceus

Species: Common or European hedgehog - Erinaceus Europaeus (http://ru.wikipedia.org).

Eating behavior

The hedgehog's food consists of almost all small animals: insects and their larvae, slugs, earthworms, frogs, also eats chicks and small birds.

Plant foods such as berries and acorns play a secondary role. Characteristic feature These animals are able to concentrate in places where there is an abundance of food. In summer, hedgehogs are mainly concentrated near water sources, in the floodplains of rivers and small rivers, as well as in areas of pastures and meadows with rich grass, since there is an abundance of insects, worms and other invertebrates that form the basis of their food supply this season.

The hedgehog willingly eats carrion, as a result of which, when studying the contents of hedgehogs’ stomachs, one can find bird feathers, remains of fish or adult rodents (Brown RW., 1996).

Hedgehogs are active at dusk and at night. During the day, this animal usually sleeps in a shelter and can be seen at this time only in exceptional cases. The hedgehog goes out in search of food after sunset and returns to its shelter at dawn. Hedgehogs have a range of movement that varies depending on the type of habitat and the amount of food and the sex of the individual.

For males, the distance of movement per night reaches up to 900 meters, for females up to 600 meters within the forest zone, while in suburban and open meadow zones it is 1.5 km and 1 km, respectively. With a lack of food, the range of night movements increases, and this also happens during the breeding season.

In places with rich food resources, travel distances decrease. The movement speed ranges from 7 to 2-4 m/min. When hunting, hedgehogs do not use regularly paved trails, but are able to return to the same nest that they used previously, this suggests that hedgehogs are able to remember the location of their nests.

The common hedgehog has developed hearing and is sensitive to smells. The hedgehog senses strong-smelling prey at a distance of up to 8-10 meters downwind, without any particular smell - no more than 4, in the soil - to a depth of 3-4 cm (Macdonald D., 2001).

Life cycle and sexual behavior

The lifespan of an ordinary hedgehog reaches up to 3-5 years.

Life activity differs sharply according to the seasons of the year. With the onset of cold weather, they plunge into a long hibernation; the rest of the life of hedgehogs is characterized as active period.

The active period of life for hedgehogs depends on climatic conditions, from four to seven months. In ordinary hedgehogs, it lasts the longest in individuals living in the northern regions of their range.

The entire active period can be divided into three stages: awakening, reproductive period and preparation for hibernation (David W., 1994).

The hedgehog does not store food reserves for the period of hibernation, so it has to accumulate fat during the warm period of the year in order to be prepared for the prolonged fasting that accompanies winter sleep.

Fat that is deposited under the skin and in internal organs, is consumed during hibernation and during the period of awakening for thermoregulation of the body. Preparation for hibernation is also characterized by the search and improvement of winter shelters, as well as the completion of molting - the change from summer to winter hair.

Hedgehogs build nests that vary depending on the time of year. Three types of nests: summer nests, used during the day during the warm period, brood nests, used in the spring for the birth of offspring, winter nests, used during hibernation.

Nests can be located in foliage, under tree roots, in bushes, in hay and straw stacks, in rock breaks, holes, caves, abandoned rodent burrows are often used (Corbet GB., 1991).

Summer and winter nests are very compact, approximately 50 cm in diameter, nests for breeding offspring are larger.

The inside of the nest is lined with a dense layer of leaves and grass. Construction takes from 3 to 5 days. The materials used to build nests vary depending on the habitat; these can be leaves, pine needles, or dry stems.

Having a suitable site and materials for nest construction is a key factor influencing survival during the winter and during birth. Females, unlike males, use fewer burrows during their lives. Also, the burrows of males are scattered over long distances throughout the territory, while the burrows of females are located more closer friend to a friend (Naumova S.

By winter, food becomes scarce, the amount of energy spent searching for it begins to exceed the energy taken from feeding, and hedgehogs hibernate. Hibernation can begin during the fall if there is sufficient cold weather. In addition to the lack of basic food, the cause of hibernation is poor thermoregulation in the animal.

Hedgehogs are characterized by true long-term, deep hibernation, which is characterized by a decrease in metabolic processes, leading to a decrease in body temperature, a decrease in oxygen consumption, and a weak heartbeat.

During sleep, the body temperature is equal to the air temperature in the nest, so insulation of the shelter is important. The hedgehog's body temperature drops sharply from 33.7° to 1.8°C; the optimal temperature during hibernation is considered to be 4°C.

The number of heartbeats per minute drops sharply to a minimum. A decrease in metabolic activity and body temperature means that the energy requirement during hibernation will be significantly less, so the hedgehog's fat reserves will help it survive. In a state of hibernation, a hedgehog can live up to 240 days, while during the waking period it cannot tolerate fasting even for 10 days. During winter sleep, weight is lost almost daily, so that over the entire period of hibernation, the weight of the animal is sometimes reduced by half.

The pose of a sleeping hedgehog is very characteristic - the animal curls up into a ball, so that the nose and paws are pressed to the abdomen, and the tail is pressed against the head. This position reduces heat transfer from bare or sparsely haired areas of the body and reduces the surface of its contact with air.

During hibernation, hedgehogs remain sensitive to their environment. If there is disturbance in or near the nest, the hedgehog bristles with needles and his heartbeat quickens.

Hedgehogs lead a solitary lifestyle with the exception of the mating period, therefore, as a rule, one hedgehog spends the winter in each nest (Corbet GB., 1991).

The duration of hibernation is determined from the period when hedgehogs cease to appear on the surface and come into view, but this is preceded by a series of temporary torpor followed by wakefulness.

Gradually the duration of sleep increases until numbness turns into deep hibernation. The duration of the hibernation period depends on the nature of the local climate, individual environmental conditions and the gender of the hedgehog. Males hibernate and awaken earlier than females. At warm temperature and a sufficient food supply, hedgehogs may not hibernate (Pat Morris., 1994).

Awakening from hibernation is caused not only by an increase in environmental temperature, but also by disturbance caused by other individuals.

Spring awakening serves as a signal for the beginning of reproduction.

For the common hedgehog, the breeding season starts from March or April until August or September.

At high latitudes, reproduction begins later and ends earlier. Hedgehogs are polygamous. During the mating season, fights occur between males over females: they attack and bite each other, using their quills in the fights.

After the fight, the winner circles around the female for hours, winning her over. After mating, the male and female separate. The female builds a brood nest, near which she remains for the entire gestation period. Pregnancy lasts about 4 weeks. Sometimes pregnancy lasts up to 45-49 days, this is due to unfavorable conditions environment, which cause an earlier fall into short-term torpor.

The female brings one litter per year, in which there are three to seven cubs, but if the first mating occurred early enough, there may be a second.

Cubs are born head first or tail first. The mother licks the membranes off them and places the newborns under her belly.

Hedgehogs are born naked, without needles or fur, bright pink in color, with closed ears and eyes. The weight of a newborn is about 20 grams, about 70 mm. The first white needles appear on the first day. Black segmental needles, 100-150 pieces, appear 36-48 hours after birth; at 6 weeks they are replaced by the first needles of adults.

During the first month, hedgehogs are not yet able to completely curl up into a ball. For 2 weeks after birth, hedgehogs have poor thermoregulation; the hedgehog warms them with her warmth. Eyes open on days 14-16, teeth begin to appear on day 20 of life. Hedgehogs are able to eat their first solid food after 25-30 days.

Approximately 45 days after birth, the mother leaves the cubs, by which time their body weight increases 6 times. Puberty occurs a year after birth (Reeve N., 1994).

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Hedgehogs (urchins)

Jerzy or hedgehogs– lat. Erinaceidae, family of vertebrates, representatives of the class Mammals.

The structure of hedgehogs

Hedgehogs belong to the order of insectivores.

A characteristic feature of hedgehogs is the presence of an unusual outer covering, consisting of sharp, long and horny needles.

The front part or muzzle of representatives of the hedgehog family has an elongated structure, similar to a small proboscis. Hedgehogs also have sharp teeth designed for feeding on animal food.

Hedgehogs have short limbs, but have long, powerful claws, thanks to which the hedgehog gets its food.

Lifestyle and nutrition

As a rule, hedgehogs go out hunting in the late afternoon, as they are nocturnal. The main food of hedgehogs are various kinds of small insects (ants, chafers, green grasshoppers), which they pick up by digging in fallen leaves.

Hedgehogs also feed on mice, anurans, toads, some species of snakes and other small vertebrates.

When danger is detected, hedgehogs instantly curl up into a ball; such curling occurs due to special muscles, while the head and limbs are under the horny, needle-like cover.

In the winter season, hedgehogs hibernate, having built themselves a small lair from dry leaves.

How many spines does an adult hedgehog have?

During hibernation, all the life processes of a hedgehog slow down, especially body temperature, which drops to almost 2 degrees.

The duration of hibernation depends on the “severity” of winter. And with the onset of the first warm weather spring days, hedgehogs come out of hibernation.

The hedgehog family includes 23 species of hedgehogs, the most common of which are:

- common or European hedgehog - lat. erinaceus europaeus;

- eared hedgehog - lat. hemiechinus auritus.

Animal classification:

Class – mammals (mammalia)

Order – insectivores (eulipothyphla)

Family – hedgehogs or hedgehogs (erinaceidae)

Hedgehogs are active at dusk and at night. During the day, this animal usually sleeps in a shelter and can be seen at this time only in exceptional cases.

The hedgehog goes out in search of food after sunset and returns to its shelter at dawn. During his trips in search of food, he walks up to 500 meters, examining an area approximately equal to 0.2-0.4 hectares. When searching for food, the hedgehog uses hearing and scent. According to the observations of scientists, the hedgehog senses strong-smelling prey at a distance of up to 8-10 meters downwind, without any particular smell - no more than 4, in the soil - to a depth of 3-4 cm. By the end of summer, with its terrible gluttony and abundance of food in their places habitat, these animals become fat, which contributes to a successful winter hibernation.

When in danger, the hedgehog curls up into a ball, and then its spines serve as protection from enemies; Thanks to special subcutaneous muscles that seem to encircle the body from the head to the short tail, this animal, when the muscles are compressed, can curl up, with the head pressed against the lower abdomen, the paws retracted inside the prickly “ball”.

The hedgehog's enemies are wolves, foxes, wild cats, eagle owls and some other predators.

During summer walks in the forest we can make many observations of the hedgehog.

His favorite places are dry lands, the edges of deciduous forests, overgrown here and there with shrubs, especially if there is a rye field nearby. He avoids large, tall pine forests. In the second half of June you can easily find the nest of this animal.

How many needles does an adult hedgehog have?

Usually it is placed somewhere under a bush, in a hole in the soil, under a snag. The nest bed is lined with last year's leaves, moss and grass stems, where the hedgehog rests during the daytime. In this shelter he spends the winter, in hibernation, which continues until the snow melts and the severe night frosts stop.

common hedgehog

Common hedgehog- this small prickly animal is so familiar to everyone that there is no need to describe its appearance. With a body length of 20-30 cm, it reaches a weight of 700-600 g. The top of the body is covered with hard and sharp needles (modified hair), the sides and muzzle are covered with coarse, hard fur. When defending itself, it curls up into a ball and raises its quills.

Habitat biotope.
Edges of deciduous and mixed forests, bushes in fields, populated areas.
What does it eat? Insects, their larvae, slugs, frogs, mice, snakes.
Ecology of the species. Activity is twilight and nocturnal. The nest is made of leaves, moss, grass under the roots of trees, in burrows. During the rut in early spring, males sing - they emit low, sad, monotonous whistles.
1.5 months after mating, the female brings from 2 to 8 blind hedgehogs, which after a few hours are covered with soft needles. In winter it hibernates.

In the winter, hedgehogs hibernate, so in most cases their tracks are found during the snowless period.

However, in the spring, when you wake up early, you can sometimes see traces of these animals on the last islands of snow.

In search of food - insects, earthworms, mollusks - hedgehogs love to run out onto the roads, which is why their paw prints catch your eye quite often, especially after rain, when the soil becomes soft. Paw prints are easy to recognize. Both the front and hind limbs of hedgehogs have five fingers. But the lateral fingers, especially the 1st (inner) are shortened and are not always imprinted on the ground.

Therefore, some of the prints look four-fingered. The front leg is wider and shorter (4x2.8 cm), and the back one is longer and narrower (5x2.3 cm). But when walking, a hedgehog does not rely on the entire sole of its paw, but only on its front part, which is why the prints of the hind paws often look as short as the prints of the front paws, but narrower.

Paw prints and droppings of an ordinary hedgehog: a - paw prints on drying (above) and viscous clay; b - left pair of paws from below (above - front, below - back); c - litter

The average size of a hedgehog's front paw print is about 3 cm long, of which about 0.5 cm is on the claws.

The width of the print of the hind paw is about 2 cm. The claws on the hind paws are worse imprinted than on the front paws, despite the fact that the claw on the 2nd toe of the hind foot is the longest, almost 1 cm. The first toe on the prints of the hind paws is often not visible at all.

The hedgehog moves on its short crooked paws with small mincing steps, partially covering the imprint of the front paw with its hind paw. The width of the track is about 7 cm.

By the end of summer, when young hedgehogs of the year become independent, you can notice a noticeable difference in the size of the tracks of adults and juveniles.

Much less often than paw prints, in places frequented by hedgehogs you can see hedgehog droppings - a single short “sausage” about 4x1 cm, slightly rounded on one side and slightly pointed on the other side.

The color of hedgehog feces is usually very dark, almost black. It is easy to see crushed fragments of the chitinous coverings of insects in them. From these fragments it is quite easy to determine the composition of the animal’s main food.

The basis of hedgehogs' diet consists of invertebrates - earthworms, which they collect from the surface of the soil, as well as insects and their larvae.

This animal is capable of obtaining insect larvae and pupae from underground, making shallow digs. It eats beetles, including such large ones as May beetles or dung beetles, whole, gnawing them together with their legs and hard chitinous coverings. The hedgehog is not very sensitive to many poisons. Without harm to itself, it can eat poisonous insects such as blister beetles, and eat the hairy caterpillars of nun butterflies and gypsy moths.

On occasion, the hedgehog destroys the nests of mouse-like rodents and ground-nesting birds.

In the Askania-Nova Nature Reserve, there have been cases of hedgehogs destroying the nests of even such large birds as partridges and pheasants. However, despite the fact that hedgehogs are very numerous in the middle zone, I have never had to note the nests of birds destroyed by them.

Hedgehogs eat frogs and toads.

At the same time, toads are eaten along with tough and poisonous skin, which other animals and birds do not do. The role of mouse-like rodents in the nutrition of hedgehogs varies noticeably in different areas. Sometimes rodent remains were found in 30% of the examined stomachs. Even big catch The hedgehog does not kill, but devours her alive. It is very gluttonous and eats about 200 g of food per day (about a quarter of its weight). He can also defeat a viper by protecting himself from its bites with thorns. But in nature this happens, apparently, very rarely, much less often than is usually written about.

In experiments, when accidentally bitten by a viper, some hedgehogs tolerated the bites quite easily, but some animals died.

Hedgehogs lead a mainly crepuscular and nocturnal lifestyle. They spend the day climbing into a dense bush or burying themselves in a pile of leaves, hiding in a low hollow or rotten trunk.

The hedgehog gives birth to cubs only once per summer, after 40 days of pregnancy.

From two to five hedgehogs were found in the nest. They are born blind and naked, and the spines begin to appear only a few hours after birth. But after a month, the young hedgehog is already able to get his own food.

Despite being well protected by spines, hedgehogs quite often become victims of predators. Of the four-legged animals, they most often die from foxes, which look for an animal that has climbed into a pile of leaves for the winter by smell and easily deal with it.

How many spines does a hedgehog have?

In the summer they also manage to defeat him. From birds of prey The most dangerous for hedgehogs is the eagle owl. In urban forest parks and suburban recreation areas, animals suffer the greatest damage from stray and walking domestic dogs.

Modern taxonomists divide those living on our territory forest hedgehogs into 3 independent types.

The common hedgehog lives in the middle zone of the Eurasian part of Russia, in the Middle Urals and in the south of Western Siberia. In the more southern regions of central Russia, the Caucasus and Southern Urals The white-breasted hedgehog lives. It looks like an ordinary one, but its head and sides are dark brown, much darker than its throat and belly, and there is almost always a white spot on its chest.

Along the northern borders of its range, this hedgehog can be found together with its more northern brother, the common hedgehog. Hybrids of these animals are known. In Southern Primorye, the Amur hedgehog lives isolated from other species of hedgehogs. All three animals are very similar and recent years were considered only subspecies of the common hedgehog. Their traces are practically indistinguishable.

The common hedgehog or European hedgehog is a mammal of the genus Eurasian hedgehogs hedgehog family. Widely distributed in Europe, Asia Minor, Western Siberia, northwestern Kazakhstan, Amur region, northern and northeastern China. The Latin name of the common hedgehog - Erinaceus - comes from the word ericius, which means “thorny barrier”.

Appearance

The common hedgehog is a small animal. The length of its body is 20-30 cm, the tail is about 3 cm, the body weight is 700-800 g. The ears are relatively small (usually less than 3.5 cm). The muzzle is elongated. The animal's nose is sharp and constantly wet. Common hedgehogs living in Cyprus have larger ears. Hedgehogs have 20 small sharp teeth on the upper jaw, and 16 on the lower jaw. The upper incisors are widely spaced, leaving room for the lower incisors to bite. The head is relatively large, wedge-shaped, with a slightly elongated facial region. The paws have 5 toes with sharp claws. The hind limbs are longer than the forelimbs. The spines of an ordinary hedgehog are short, no more than 3 cm. On the head, the spines are divided into 2 parts by a “parting”. The surface of the needles is smooth, their color consists of alternating brownish and light zones. On the back, sides and head, the needles reach a length of 2 cm. Inside they are hollow, filled with air. The needles grow at the same rate as the hair. Between the needles there are thin, long, very sparse hairs. The head and belly are covered with coarse and usually dark-colored hair. Adult hedgehogs usually have 5-6 thousand spines, while younger individuals have about 3 thousand.

On the face, legs and belly of common hedgehogs, the color varies from yellowish-white to dark brown. The needles are brownish in color, with dark transverse stripes. The chest and throat of the hedgehog are the same color, without any white spots. Hedgehogs living in Spain have a pale color.

Spreading

The habitat of the common hedgehog includes Western and Central Europe, the British Isles, southern Scandinavia, northwestern European Russia, Western Siberia, and Kazakhstan. The common hedgehog has also been introduced to New Zealand.

The common hedgehog inhabits a wide variety of habitats, avoiding vast swamps and continuous coniferous tracts. Prefers edges, copses, small clearings, and floodplains. He may well live next to a person. In Europe, the common hedgehog can be found in open forests, grassy plains, bushland, sandy areas and even parks.

Lifestyle

The common hedgehog is an animal that is active at night. Doesn't like to leave his home for a long time. Hedgehogs spend the day in a nest or other shelters. Nests are built in bushes, holes, caves, abandoned rodent burrows or in tree roots. Usually the nest occupies a diameter of 15-20 cm, it contains a litter of dry grass or leaves, moss. Hedgehogs use their long middle toes to groom their spines. Animals lick their breasts with their tongues. Males are aggressive towards each other and jealously guard their areas. The area of such areas is 7-39 hectares for males, and 6-10 hectares for females. Shedding in ordinary hedgehogs occurs slowly, usually in spring or autumn. On average, only one needle out of three changes per year. Each needle grows for 12-18 months. In nature, these animals live 3-5 years, in captivity they can live up to 8-10 years. Common hedgehogs are fairly fast animals for their size. They are able to run at speeds of up to 3 m/s, and can swim and jump well. When walking and running, hedgehogs step on the ground with their entire foot. Like many nocturnal animals, hedgehogs have poorly developed vision, but they have a keen sense of smell and hearing. IN summer time The pulse rate is 180 beats per minute, during hibernation the frequency drops to 20-60 beats per minute, while hedgehogs take only one breath per minute. With the onset of frost, European hedgehogs tightly close the entrance to their burrow and hibernate. Typically, such hibernation lasts from October to April. During hibernation, the hedgehog's body temperature drops to 1.8 °C. Over the summer, he needs to store as much fat as possible, because if an ordinary hedgehog hibernates without a sufficient supply of fat (less than 500 g), then in winter he risks dying of hunger. After hibernation, it does not leave the nest until the air temperature rises to 15 °C. Ordinary hedgehogs lead a solitary lifestyle, but settle close to each other. Adults who are sexually mature try not to get too close to each other.

Nutrition

The common hedgehog is an omnivore. Its diet is based on adult insects, caterpillars, slugs, and sometimes earthworms. Under natural conditions, it rarely attacks vertebrates; most often, the hedgehog's victims are torpid reptiles and amphibians. From plants it can eat berries and fruits. Studies of the common hedgehog's diet show that it can sometimes eat a viper in captivity. In 1811, P. S. Pallas experimentally established that hedgehogs, without harm to themselves, ate blister bugs containing poison that was highly toxic to other animals. Poisons such as arsenic, sublimate, opium and even hydrocyanic acid also have little effect on hedgehogs. Mice, which sometimes include not so much real mice as less nimble voles, are caught in nature by hedgehogs quite rarely and in small quantities. Among the insects eaten by the hedgehog, some harmful ones were noted (for example, May beetles, hairy ground beetles, nun caterpillars, gypsy moths). Usually, hedgehogs feast on the eggs or chicks of any small birds nesting on the ground.

Reproduction

After hibernation Hedgehogs begin mating behavior. Fights often occur between males over females. Males bite each other’s legs and muzzle, push each other, and use their quills in battle. During a fight, hedgehogs snort and snort loudly. After the battle, the winner circles around the female for hours. During mating, the male is behind the female. The female's vagina is located at the very end of the body, and the male's penis is in the middle of the abdomen, because of this he does not need to completely mount the female. Before mating, the female carefully smoothes the spines and bends her back down. After mating, the hedgehogs disperse. As a shelter, the hedgehog either digs its own hole or uses abandoned rodent holes. The burrow contains a bedding of dry grass and leaves. As a rule, a female brings only one brood per year. Pregnancy lasts 49 days. A litter usually contains 3-8 (usually 4) cubs. Hedgehogs are born naked, blind, with bright pink skin, their body weight is only 12 grams. A few hours after birth, hedgehogs begin to develop white and dark soft quills. The complete needle cover is formed by 15 days of life. Lactation lasts about 1 month. After its completion, the hedgehogs begin to live independently. They become sexually mature at 10-12 months.

The common hedgehog or European hedgehog is an animal from the Hedgehog family, which is a representative of the order Insectivores. The common hedgehog has been familiar to us since childhood. The pages of children's books introduced us to this sweet and kind animal. In this article you will find a description and photo of the common hedgehog and learn a lot about this brave little guy.

An ordinary hedgehog looks quite small, because its size is small. This prickly animal has a body length of 20-30 cm and a very short tail of 3 cm, which is invisible under its fur coat. The body weight of the common hedgehog is 700-800 g. Females are slightly larger than males in size.

The hedgehog looks funny. It has small ears, the length of which is 3 cm. European hedgehog a large head with an elongated muzzle, on which there are small, beady, black eyes. One of the features of what a hedgehog looks like is its sharp and always moist black nose.

But, despite such a cute and funny appearance, the common hedgehog can boast of having small but sharp teeth. He has 20 of them on his upper jaw, and 16 on his lower jaw. The European hedgehog also has sharp claws on its paws. Each of its paws contains 5 fingers. The hind limbs of the hedgehog are slightly longer than the front ones.

And of course, the most important distinguishing feature of a hedgehog is its spines. Thanks to them, the hedgehog doesn't look so harmless. Surely everyone has wondered, how many spines does a hedgehog have? So, usually an adult hedgehog has 5-6 thousand spines. Young hedgehogs have about 3 thousand spines.

The common hedgehog has short spines, no more than 3 cm long. The hedgehog's spines have a smooth surface, are empty inside and filled with air. They are brown in color with dark and light transverse stripes. Due to this coloring of its prickly coat, the hedgehog looks quite inconspicuous.

The hedgehog's spines on the head and sides are shorter and 2 cm long. Between the spines there are very sparse and thin hairs. The head and belly of the hedgehog are covered with coarse and dark hair.

The paws, muzzle and belly of European hedgehogs range in color from whitish-yellow to deep dark brown. The chest and throat of the hedgehog have a uniform color, without different white spots.

Where does the hedgehog live and how?

The common hedgehog lives in Western and Central Europe, in the British Isles, southern Scandinavia, northwestern European Russia, Western Siberia and Kazakhstan. The common hedgehog also lives in New Zealand, where it was introduced. This insectivorous animal is most widespread in Europe, Western Siberia, northwestern Kazakhstan, Asia Minor, Amur region, northern and northeastern China.

The hedgehog lives in different places, but avoids large swamps and dense coniferous forests. The hedgehog lives preferring forest edges, copses and small clearings. In Europe, the common hedgehog can be found in mixed forests, shrubs and grassy plains. Also, a hedgehog often lives next to a person. Therefore, finding a hedgehog in a city park or in a country house is a common occurrence.

Hedgehogs live by being active at night. During the day, hedgehogs live in their nests, where they can rest comfortably. Hedgehogs make their nests in bushes, holes, tree roots or empty rodent burrows.

Typically, a European hedgehog's nest is 15-20 cm in diameter and has a flooring of dry grass, leaves and moss. In such a nest the hedgehog sleeps and can take care of itself. With the help of their paws, hedgehogs take care of their prickly fur coat, and they lick their chest and belly with their tongue.

Also, hedgehogs each live in their own area, where they wander in search of food. During the night, the common hedgehog runs up to 3 km. Males show aggression among themselves and protect their territory. They snort noisily and make various sounds similar to sneezing.

The area of the site for males is 7-39 hectares, and for smaller females it is 6-10 hectares. Even though hedgehogs have a prickly coat, they also shed. In ordinary hedgehogs this usually occurs in spring or autumn. This process is very long and slow. Each new needle grows for 12-18 months.

The small size of the common hedgehog does not prevent it from being quite nimble. These animals can run at speeds of up to 3 m/s, and they are also excellent swimmers and jumpers. Hedgehogs have poor eyesight, but they have a very keen sense of smell and sensitive hearing.

In the summer, the hedgehog prepares for winter and accumulates fat reserves for the winter. In addition to his usual weight, he also gains 500 g of fat, because in winter the hedgehog hibernates. Hedgehogs spend the winter in their burrows. When frosts come, European hedgehogs hibernate, tightly closing the entrance to their burrow. Hibernation usually lasts from October to April.

During hibernation, a hedgehog's body temperature drops to 2 °C. Over the summer, the hedgehog must gain as much fat as possible, because if it hibernates without the necessary supply of fat, it may die of starvation in the winter.

After hibernation, this insectivorous animal does not immediately leave the nest, but waits until the air temperature rises to 15 °C. Common hedgehogs live alone, but settle close to each other. Adults avoid close contact with each other, with the exception of mating season. How many years do hedgehogs live? In nature, hedgehogs live 3-5 years, but the life expectancy of a hedgehog in captivity can reach 8-10 years.

Why do I eat needles? Everyone is familiar with the ability of hedgehogs to curl up into a prickly ball if danger threatens. This beast may be in this state long time until the threat passes. The hedgehog's spines form a strong armor. Therefore, the hedgehog needs needles for protection.

The hedgehog is a peace-loving creature, but it has plenty of enemies in nature. Wolves, foxes, eagle owls and other predators threaten the life of the hedgehog. Having met a predator, the hedgehog first jumps on it to prick it, and then curls up into a ball. Having pricked its paws and muzzle, the predator loses interest and retreats.

But the enemies are cunning and are able to deceive the simple-minded hedgehog. Especially those that feed on hedgehogs. The eagle owl attacks unexpectedly and silently, trying to take the hedgehog by surprise. The bird's paws are protected by thick skin from the hedgehog's prickly needles. The fox drives the hedgehog to the water or throws it from a hill. In such situations, the hedgehog opens its abdomen and muzzle, becoming vulnerable to predators.

But in a duel between a European hedgehog and a snake, the prickly and fearless daredevil becomes the winner. The animal grabs the snake and curls up into a ball, gradually wrapping it around itself. After all, he is insensitive to many poisons.

The common hedgehog is an insectivorous animal. But the hedgehog's diet is not limited to insects. Hedgehogs mainly feed on a wide variety of insects, caterpillars, beetles, slugs, earthworms and also mice. It is quite rare for hedgehogs to get mice and voles.

Hedgehogs also eat eggs or chicks of small birds that make nests on the ground. Sometimes in nature, hedgehogs feed on reptiles and amphibians. Hedgehogs also eat berries and fruits. Therefore, we can safely say that the hedgehog is an omnivore. The only thing a hedgehog cannot eat is dairy products, as a hedgehog cannot digest lactose.

In exceptional cases, the hedgehog even eats a viper. After all, hedgehogs are immune to snake venom and more. The highly toxic poison found in other animals has no effect on this insectivorous mammal.

Poisons such as arsenic, opium and even hydrocyanic acid also have little effect on European hedgehogs. However, large doses of poisons are fatal to hedgehogs. But doses that kill other animals, as well as humans, do not harm hedgehogs.

After hibernation, hedgehogs begin mating season. Hedgehogs become capable of reproducing at the age of 10-12 months. Males often fight for females. They bite each other's paws and snouts, push each other and stab each other with quills in battle. In a fight, hedgehogs snort and sniff loudly.

After the battle, the winner tries to impress the female and circles around her for hours, attracting attention. Hedgehogs do not form pairs and the female takes care of the young on her own. As a den, the hedgehog digs a hole or occupies empty rodent holes. A flooring of dry grass and leaves is arranged in the hole.

The female European hedgehog gives birth to offspring once a year. Pregnancy lasts a little more than 1.5 months. Usually 3-8 baby hedgehogs are born, but most often 4. Baby hedgehogs are born blind, and their bright pink skin has no spines or fur. The body weight of a baby hedgehog is only 12 grams.

In just a couple of hours from the moment of birth, hedgehogs develop soft spines that harden within 2 days. A baby hedgehog acquires a fully formed quill cover by the 15th day of life. At the same time, the baby hedgehog opens its eyes and begins to learn to curl up into a ball.

The female is with the babies in her den. If someone discovers the nest, the mother takes the hedgehogs to another place. Milk feeding lasts 1 month. When the feeding period ends, the hedgehogs learn to live independently. Already at 2 months they become much more mature, but they finally leave their native den in the fall.

How dangerous is a hedgehog and what is its benefit?

Let's figure out the harm and benefit of hedgehogs. Hedgehogs are useful in killing harmful insects. Hedgehogs eat insects such as chafers, nun caterpillars and gypsy moth. They also exterminate mice and voles. And where hedgehogs appeared, snakes and rats go away. Therefore, in the garden the hedgehog is a faithful assistant.

The harm of a hedgehog is that it can be a real pest, destroying bird nests. And this applies not only wildlife. If you have chickens at your dacha, then hedgehogs pose a threat to them.

But the hedgehog is most dangerous because it can be a carrier various diseases, especially such as rabies, salmonellosis, dermatomycosis, yellow fever and others. There are also a lot of ticks and fleas on hedgehogs. In addition, hedgehogs are among the hosts of ixodid ticks.

In the forest, hedgehogs collect ticks on themselves more than any other animal. After all, the prickly cover of a hedgehog, like a brush, collects ticks from the grass. The hedgehog is not able to get rid of ticks that have climbed between the needles. If you have animals at your dacha, this poses a danger to them first of all.

There is a huge misconception that hedgehogs can be kept at home. But hedgehogs are wild nocturnal animals, they are noisy and cannot be trained. Therefore, it is not recommended to keep hedgehogs as pets.

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Classification of hedgehogs and features of caring for them.

The hedgehog is the favorite character of many children, because this animal is often mentioned in various fairy tales and is also depicted in cartoons. Most often this is a cute, small animal with spines that behaves quite funny. But in reality it's not that simple. In this article we will tell you what types of hedgehogs there are and how they differ. Is it possible to keep a hedgehog at home?

Types, breeds of hedgehogs: description, photo

We are all accustomed to the fact that a hedgehog looks like a small animal with a soft body, the upper part of which is covered with a low layer of gray, gray-black or brown needles. The animal has an elongated nose, small eyes, and small paws. But in fact, there are a huge number of hedgehog species, here are some of them:

African hedgehogs

Long-spined hedgehogs

All these species differ from each other not only in their habitat, but also in appearance. The photographs below show species of hedgehogs. They can be used to evaluate appearance mammals.

Long-spined hedgehogs

Common hedgehog: characteristics

The common hedgehog is a mammal that lives in Europe, Siberia, as well as China and Kazakhstan. It is distinguished by its small size, as well as brown, brown, gray or almost black color. The animal has four paws, each of which has five fingers with sharp claws. The muzzle is elongated, slightly wedge-shaped. Ears are small in size. In addition, the average weight of a hedgehog is 700-800 g. It lives in forest belts and is often found near populated areas.

What is the size, how much does the hedgehog weigh, how many needles, teeth does the hedgehog have, does it have a tail, what sounds does it make, what is the structure of the hedgehog, are there eyebrows?

The size of the animal is relatively small. A hedgehog weighs about a kilogram.

Features of hedgehogs:

As for the number of needles, there can be five to six thousand. Young animals have approximately 3 thousand. The color of the spines is uneven, it can vary from gray, white to brown. Towards the end the needles are pointed. The surface of the needles is smooth and even, the most interesting thing is that inside they are empty, filled with air.
In addition, the hedgehog has so-called hair above its eyes, which protects them from dust and leaves. Therefore, we can say that the hedgehog has eyebrows. The jaws have a very interesting structure. The upper jaw has 20 teeth, they are small in size, and there are incisors on the sides. And below there are 16 teeth. Regarding the needles, closer to the head and bottom their size decreases from 3 to 2 centimeters.
There is a small tail, the length of which is approximately 3 cm. The abdomen and head are covered with brown or red hair. It protects animals from the cold. The hedgehog usually makes interesting sounds: hissing and rustling. When he eats, he slurps and smacks his lips in a very interesting way.

What are hedgehog needles used for?

Everyone knows that the upper part of the animal is covered with needles. But not everyone knows why they are needed.

Purpose of needles:

Mainly for protection. The fact is that as soon as a small animal senses danger, it curls up into a ball and exposes its needles. They serve as a shell to protect against enemies. Thus, the fox, wolf and other larger animals cannot eat the hedgehog.
Hedgehogs are nocturnal animals; it is at night that they walk through the forest and collect food for themselves. In addition, the needles are used to prick leaves to insulate burrows for the winter.
Although many believe that leaves fall on the needles completely by accident, during movement. Therefore, the hedgehog is forced to drag them into the nest.

Where does the common hedgehog live, on what continent?

The habitat of hedgehogs is quite extensive. They are found in the Balkan Islands, Africa and Asia, Russia, and also in Siberia. They can also be found in deserts. It all depends on the species and its adaptability to the specific weather conditions of a given continent.

How do hedgehogs live, what kind of family do they have?

How does a hedgehog live:

They do not start families and do not go with their cubs. The mother feeds the cubs in the nest for several weeks, after which they become independent and disperse. The hedgehog mainly goes out hunting at night.
They live in their own dug burrows. They often crawl into rodent burrows that have been abandoned.
There are hedgehogs that live in rocky regions. There they do not dig holes for themselves; they hide in gorges between rocks or live under stones.

Hedgehog

Is a hedgehog an animal, a mammal, a predator, an omnivore or not, which order does it belong to?

Hedgehogs belong to the order Insectivores and family Yezhov. The fact is that hedgehogs actually prefer various fruits, leaves and carrion, and insects. This is precisely their benefit. Because a medium-sized hedgehog can eat 200 g of insects per night.

They are mammals. Indeed, after birth, the mother feeds her babies with milk. But there are those who live near cities, so they eat whatever they can find. This could be the remains of some animal food, meat, rotten fruit, trimmings. If you choose, they give preference to insects, as well as small rodents and mice. They are predators.

What does a hedgehog eat in the wild?

If a hedgehog lives in the forest, then the basis of its diet is insects. These are worms and shrews, various beetles. In addition, hedgehogs can eat small mice and various rodents. small size. Sometimes they feed on carrion and leftovers after a fox or a larger animal or some kind of predator has dined. They can feast on mushrooms, as well as berries and fruits.

Mushrooms that hedgehogs eat: names, list

In forest conditions, hedgehogs rarely eat mushrooms. They prefer insects and small chicks, lizards, and mice. But it was still discovered that hedgehogs can eat hedgehog mushroom, porcini mushrooms, and chanterelles.

When does a hedgehog sleep and hunt?

Hedgehogs sleep during the daytime. Indeed, this is a nocturnal animal that goes out to hunt in the dark. This is due to the fact that they do not like it when there are many animals walking through the forest and prefer silence. They hunt at night and sleep during the day, burying themselves in their burrows.

Housing, nest, burrow of a hedgehog: description, photo

Hedgehog mink

Features of the hole:

An ordinary hedgehog digs a hole for itself, the length of which can be up to one meter. But sometimes animals occupy the homes of other rodents, such as mice and moles.
This home resembles a nest, because inside there is a lot of straw and dry leaves that help the hedgehog warm up.
It is worth noting that if a hedgehog lives in the forest, then it does not have to be in the hole all day. He often goes out to soak up the rays of the summer sun.

How do hedgehogs reproduce?

There are a lot of legends and funny stories regarding the mating and reproduction of hedgehogs. But in fact, nature has provided for everything and there is nothing to worry about.

Pairing Features:

During mating, the muscles that are located in the upper part of the body relax, the needles fall back.
Thus, the hedgehog can mate with the hedgehog without hindrance. In this case, the hedgehog may bite its partner in the process.
The most interesting thing is that mating begins in the spring, immediately after awakening and hibernation.
Hedgehogs eat up after hibernation and begin mating games. They can continue to mate all summer. There may be competition between hedgehogs, that is, several hedgehogs fight for one female. The winner gets a partner.

Does the hedgehog store for the winter, what does it do in the fall?

Many of us know from children's cartoons that hedgehogs collect apples and mushrooms on their thorns, drag them into their burrows, making winter supplies. This is actually a huge myth. The hedgehog does not drag anything into its hole except dry leaves and straw to insulate the nest. The fact is that hedgehogs eat almost all their food in the summer, accumulating subcutaneous fat. It is the main source of nutrients in winter, when the hedgehog hibernates. In winter, hedgehogs do not wake up and do not eat anything. They live off subcutaneous fat.

When does a hedgehog hibernate?

Sleep Features:

The hedgehog falls asleep in November or December. Before this, he makes a large hole for himself, into which he compacts about half a meter of straw.
It burrows into it when frost sets in. It closes the entrance to the hole and falls asleep.
Initially, hedgehogs sleep quite lightly, only when severe frosts finally fall asleep soundly. At this time, their metabolism slows down.

When do hedgehogs wake up after winter?

Hedgehogs wake up around March or April. It all depends on the amount of subcutaneous fat, because if there is very little of it, the hedgehog will have to wake up to look for food. That is why in April the hedgehog can be seen quite often during the daytime. Because there is little food and he is forced to hunt not only at night, but also during the day.

Who eats hedgehogs in the wild?

In forest conditions, a hedgehog faces many dangers, because many predators are not against eating hedgehog meat. The hedgehog is mainly hunted by foxes, wolves, as well as owls or larger birds. It has been noticed several times that foxes, in order to cope with the hedgehog’s thorns, roll the animal to a pond and throw it there. Under the influence of water, the hedgehog turns around and the fox can eat it.

I want to have a hedgehog in my apartment: pros and cons

The hedgehog is a cheerful and comical animal that will not leave anyone indifferent. The fact is that these mammals very quickly get used to people and treat them well. But it is worth remembering that the hedgehog is a nocturnal animal. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that almost all night someone will scurry around in the cage, aquarium or in the hole that you arrange for him.

Features of keeping a hedgehog:

The main disadvantage of keeping a hedgehog is the smell, so experts recommend cleaning its cage about once or twice a week. You shouldn’t do this more often, because the hedgehog will experience stress.
If you are not satisfied with the noise at night that the animal is running around in the cage, you can change the mode. Feed him exclusively during the day, then at night he will sleep with the whole family.
It is also worth noting that if a hedgehog is scared or tense, then you should not play with it, it may bite. In general, the hedgehog is a fairly friendly animal that doesn’t mind being pampered and running around the apartment.
You can sometimes let him out for a walk: fence off part of the room. Keep in mind that hedgehogs have long claws that can scratch laminate or hardwood floors.

What does a baby hedgehog look like?

The little hedgehog resembles an ordinary rat. The most interesting thing is that the hedgehog is a viviparous animal. But you shouldn’t think that a hedgehog is born straight away with thorns. In fact, he is born very similar to a hamster and a mouse. Within a few hours after birth it becomes covered with spines.

How to distinguish a hedgehog from a hedgehog?

Determining the sex of a hedgehog can be quite simple. It’s just that you won’t be able to pick up an animal, like a cat or a puppy, and turn it over. Because the back is protected by needles. Therefore, sex can be determined while the animal is eating.

Instructions:

You need to pour food, and while the hedgehog is eating, gently run your finger over its stomach.
If you come across a bump, it's a male. You came across his genitals.
If you haven’t found anything other than fur and fluff, this is a female.

How to keep a hedgehog at home, in an apartment: care

Features of care:

It's quite easy to care for. He needs to equip a cage and also put a house inside.
At the bottom you can sprinkle a little cat litter, preferably like peas, and a layer of straw on top of it.
It is also necessary to install drinking bowls in the cage. They can be similar to those of birds and attached to bars. Or special drinking bowls for kittens.
You should not place an ordinary saucer, because hedgehogs can trample on it and turn it over. Then the cage will be wet all the time.
Some people teach hedgehogs to go to the tray. This can also be done. In this case, you can clean your hedgehog’s house less often. Because there will be no strong smell.

Is it necessary to put a hedgehog's house in a cage?

The ideal option would be to equip something like minks, which are observed in natural conditions. To do this, you can purchase a special house or build it with your own hands. The video below shows how to make a house for a hedgehog.

VIDEO: DIY hedgehog house

What to feed a hedgehog at home, is it possible to feed it with milk?

To be honest, hedgehog food is not for the faint of heart. If you get such a pet, be prepared to walk with a shovel to the nearest pond, collect frogs and snails after the rain, and also dig for earthworms. Because hedgehogs love various insects and can eat 200 g per day.

L Treats for a hedgehog:

Many hedgehog breeders recommend collecting insects in a regular glass jar, screwing it on with a lid, and baking it in the oven.
After this, the entire mass is laid out on newspaper and dried on the balcony. Next, you need to pour everything into a container with a screw cap.
This is all necessary so that the insects do not run away while eating them.
They will also become necessary in late autumn, when there are no longer any insects and you cannot feed your pet bugs.

Can you feed hedgehogs? raw meat except pork. It can be beef, veal, rabbit. They are minced or cut into very small pieces.

Hedgehogs eat vegetables; they prefer raw carrots. It must first be grated. Sometimes you can give grated apples and raw potatoes. It is given after boiling. Roll the mashed potatoes into balls. Sometimes porridge is prepared in water without salt, sugar or milk. But basically, a large proportion of the diet should consist of meat and insects. Because in nature, hedgehogs are predators.

Adult animals do not need to be given milk; they do not have enzymes in their stomachs that process lactose. There may be indigestion, bloating, and diarrhea. Avoid feeding your hedgehog milk.

Is it possible and how to wash a prickly hedgehog at home?

Does hedgehogs have rabies, what are its signs?

Hedgehogs are considered a natural reservoir of rabies because, unlike many animals, they tolerate it well and can even transmit the disease to their offspring. There are several signs by which one can suspect that an animal is sick.

Signs of rabies:

The hedgehog walks in the daytime and is not afraid of people
Whenever attempts are made to approach or touch the hedgehog, it attacks the person or jumps around him.
The animal can bite and caress.

Therefore, if you notice a hedgehog during the daytime, avoid it. Healthy animals try to avoid people and hide from them.

Many people who breed hedgehogs do not recommend taking the animal from the street or from the forest. Under no circumstances should this be done. An animal may be sick and a carrier of rabies. If you want to get a hedgehog, it is best to purchase it together with a passport in a store.

Jerzy

Interesting facts about hedgehogs: description

There are many interesting facts about hedgehogs:

Until 2006, in many countries around the world, many hedgehogs died from crawling into plastic McFlurry cups sold at McDonald's. Animals could put their heads in there, but they couldn’t get them out, so they died of starvation. In 2006, the neck of the Mac Flury was reduced so that the hedgehog's face would not fit into it.
Fried hedgehogs are traditional dish at the gypsies.
The approximate length of the tail is 3 cm. A hedgehog has 36 teeth. And like adults, as they get older, they fall out.
In winter, the hedgehog burrows into a hole, and its temperature drops to 2 degrees Celsius. Although in summer it is 34 degrees. Instead of 50 breaths per minute, during hibernation, he takes only 6-10.
The hedgehog is immune to some toxic substances. They are not affected by viper venom and cannot be poisoned. potassium cyanide and arsenic. They do not die from these reagents. A hedgehog can eat a viper, despite the fact that it does not directly hunt for it. If she attacks him, he will eat her.
Some hedgehogs are used in sanitary and epidemiological stations to detect foci of encephalitis. To do this, laboratory hedgehogs are allowed to walk in the forest for 1 hour, and then the number of collected ticks is counted. If there are more than a certain number, then the area is considered dangerous.

A hedgehog is a very interesting, unusual, funny animal that children will enjoy. Under no circumstances should you pick up a hedgehog from the street and bring it home. A large number of these animals may be infected with rabies. If you want to get a hedgehog, buy it in a special store.