An Introduction to the English Hedgehog
An Overview of the Common Hedgehog and Its Habits
Oct 8, 2008
Hedgehogs are nocturnal, and in the wild survive primarily on insects and grubs. They have long spines that are actually hollow hairs that are stiffened with keratin. A hedgehog will only lose its spines in times of extreme stress, when it can shed.
Common Names for the Hedgehog
The hedgehog’s name originated in approximately 1450, as a derivation of the Middle English name ‘Heyghoge’ (meaning hedge, for its habitat, and hog because of its snout-like nose. Other popular folk names for the animal include ‘Hedgepig’ and ‘Urchin’.
About the Hedgehog – Habits and Habitat
Hedgehogs roll into a tight ball when they require defensive measures against predators. In this way, all vulnerable areas of the body are hidden, leaving the predator with a circle of quills, or spines. While the hedgehog is effective at defending itself, it is unlikely to attack in retaliation unless under extreme situations. It is more usual for the hedgehog to run away, or even roll to evade capture.
Hedgehogs can be preyed upon by some large birds, ferrets, foxes and wolves. Even humans are known to consume hedgehogs in some cultures, baking the animal in a clay oven that removes the spines when it is cracked open after cooking.
Hedgehogs sleep for the majority of each day, emerging at night to forage for insects and grubs. They make their bed in bushes, rocks, long grass or holes, though they will not dig their own den in the same way as badgers or rabbits. Hedgehogs will hibernate when the climate turns inhospitable.
The animals communicate with squeaks, grunts and snuffles, and may squeal at times. They are easily recognised by the snuffling which accompanies them when they forage at night.
Eating Habits and Diet
Hedgehogs are primarily insectivores, but supplement their diets with a number of other available substances. They will consume earthworms, mushrooms, grass, snails, frogs and berries. They will eat cat food and cottage cheese (in very small amounts) if it is offered, though this is not preferable to their natural diet.
Hedgehogs are useful for domestic gardens as pest controllers, clearing the garden of unwelcome insects. They are lactose-intolerant, and the consumption of offered dairy products will cause illness. A single hedgehog can keep an average garden free of pests by eating up to 200 grams of insects each night.
Breeding Habits
Hedgehogs have a gestation period of 35 to 58 days. They usually produce a litter of between three and six offspring. They live for between two and seven years. Born blind, hedgehogs have quills from birth which gradually emerge from under the skin.
Source:
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society
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