The hedgehog was named because of its peculiar foraging methods.
These animals root through hedges and other undergrowth in search of the
small creatures that compose the bulk of their diet—insects, worms,
centipedes, snails, mice, frogs, and snakes. As a hedgehog picks its way
through the hedges it emits piglike grunts—thus, the hedgehog.
Some people consider hedgehogs useful pets because they prey on many
common garden pests. While on the hunt, they rely upon their senses of
hearing and smell because their eyesight is weak.
Hedgehogs have prickly spines everywhere except on their face, legs, and
bellies. By curling into a tight ball and tucking in their heads, tail,
and legs, they protect the parts of their bodies that do not have
stiff, sharp spines. Often compared to pincushions, hedgehogs depend on
their spines for defense—both while they sleep and when they face
enemies.
The head and body of adult hedgehogs range from 5 to 12 inches (13 to 30 centimeters) long and their tail can add 1 to 2 inches (3-5 centimeters). They have small pointed snout,stampy tail in covered with spiny intermingled with hair except on the belly. It is omnivorous creature eating snakes , young birds, snail. They produce young ones.
When hedgehogs are born—up to seen in a litter—their spines are soft and short. Soon after birth, their spines harden, becoming stiffer, sharper, and longer. Babies stay in the nest until they're about three weeks old. By that time, their eyes are open, their spines are effective, and they can safely follow their mother outside the nest as she looks for food.
Top on the hedgehog's menu are insects, followed by small mice, snails, lizards, frogs, eggs, and even snakes.
Hedgehogs sometimes add extra protection to their spines by "self-anointing." Immune to poisons in some plants, hedgehogs sometimes eat those plants and then make a frothy saliva in their mouths. The hedgehogs then lick their spines, spreading the saliva with the plant's poison all over the spikes. Though hedgehogs mainly stay on the ground, they swim quite well and even climb trees.
The head and body of adult hedgehogs range from 5 to 12 inches (13 to 30 centimeters) long and their tail can add 1 to 2 inches (3-5 centimeters). They have small pointed snout,stampy tail in covered with spiny intermingled with hair except on the belly. It is omnivorous creature eating snakes , young birds, snail. They produce young ones.
When hedgehogs are born—up to seen in a litter—their spines are soft and short. Soon after birth, their spines harden, becoming stiffer, sharper, and longer. Babies stay in the nest until they're about three weeks old. By that time, their eyes are open, their spines are effective, and they can safely follow their mother outside the nest as she looks for food.
Top on the hedgehog's menu are insects, followed by small mice, snails, lizards, frogs, eggs, and even snakes.
Hedgehogs sometimes add extra protection to their spines by "self-anointing." Immune to poisons in some plants, hedgehogs sometimes eat those plants and then make a frothy saliva in their mouths. The hedgehogs then lick their spines, spreading the saliva with the plant's poison all over the spikes. Though hedgehogs mainly stay on the ground, they swim quite well and even climb trees.
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