Did you know that hedgehogs love scorching heat?  Or did you know that baby hedgehogs are called hoglets?  There are many fascinating facts about hedgehogs! In this book, you will learn all about hedgehog characteristics, what they consume, and the perfect environment for a hedgehog to live in! Let’s get started by rolling into the first section!

Hedgehog Characteristics

    Hedgehogs have different characteristics that make them stand out as animals. To begin with, hedgehogs are mammals that have very spiky spikes. They have spikes, colored like sticks and leaves, that are made of the same material as our hair and nails!  The spikes are made of keratin. Hedgehogs might look scary, but they are actually very timid and shy on the inside. In the ideal environment, they can be playful too! Did you know that hedgehogs can fit so many spikes on their backs? According to animals.sandiegozoo.org, most hedgehogs have 3000 - 5000 quills. This fact is major because it is important not to confuse a hedgehog for a porcupine. Hedgehogs  grow 150 quills in a day as newborns. Since they have so many quills, they are often referred to as a pincushion with legs. The quills help the animal to camouflage as the quills are an ombre of brown to black, which blends them in with the dirt, so predators can’t find them hiding. 

    In addition, hedgehogs can travel 4 miles per hour! How fast for such tiny legs! Hedgehogs are usually a very energetic ball of energy. They love to roll around in 

grass or dirt, but, sometimes, they can be hard to find because they camouflage.  They use their colored quills and fur to blend into dead leaves and hay.

    Finally, hedgehogs have light coffee-colored fur. Hedgehogs are nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and stay awake at night. Hedgehogs in groups are called an array, just like in math! Hedgehogs also hibernate in the winter. The most common hedgehog is called the African Pygmy hedgehog, also known to scientists as Atelerix albiventris. All in all, hedgehogs are very unique animals  and they are great to research!

A Hedgehog’s Diet

    Second, hedgehogs got their name by how they look for food! They look under bushes and through the hedges to find their creepy, crawly meal! Hedgehogs are insectivores, which means they mostly eat insects. Hedgehogs prefer slugs and worms the most. In addition to insects, they also eat leaves, fruits, and seeds, but don’t forget they love consuming parasites! According to hedgehogstreet.org, hedgehogs sometimes eat carrion, bird's eggs, frogs, and maybe even young mice. As