| Common Name: |
African hedgehog, four-toed hedgehog |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Insectivora |
| Family: | Erinaceidae |
| Genus species: | Atelerix albiventris (white belly) |
| FAST FACTS |
| FUN FACTS |
| ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION |
| BIBLIOGRAPHY |
| Description: |
a small mammal with white hair on its stomach and hair modified into spines on its back |
| Size: | adult size is 17 to 23 cm (6-9 in.) long |
| Weight: | newborns weigh about 10 g (0.3 oz.) and adults weigh 270 to 700 g (10-25 oz.) |
| Diet: | insects, crustaceans, small vertebrates, eggs, carrion, and occasional plant matter |
| Gestation: | 34 to 37 days |
| Sexual maturity: | between 1 and 2 years |
| Life span: | about 10 years |
| Range: | throughout Central Africa |
| Habitat: | open country with low growing vegetation |
| Population: | |
| Status: | not listed by USFWS or CITES |
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| 1. |
There are 11 species of hedgehog native to Africa, Asia, and Europe, and they have been introduced to New Zealand. |
| 2. | Hedgehog quills are not barbed or poisonous. However, hedgehogs will apply a foamy saliva to their quills. This may serve many purposes: an irritant to predators, a natural insect repellent since they are unable to clean their skin well, or an attractant to potential mates. |
| 3. | A hedgehog has a large muscle running along its stomach which pulls its body into a tight, spiky little ball for defense. |
| 4. | Large owls and raptors with well-protected feet and sharp claws are some of the only natural enemies of hedgehogs. |
| 5. | Hedgehogs give birth to one to seven babies which are born with the spines just below the skin. Spines start to appear within 24 hours. |
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Hedgehogs help to control insect and vermin populations. They show a high tolerance to toxins, both natural and human-made. They have been known to consume many animals whose toxins could be fatal to humans including certain beetles, wasps, bees, and venomous snakes. Hedgehogs are also a food source for some larger animals. |
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Macdonald, D., ed. Encyclopedia of Mammals, Vol. 2. London: George Allen and Unwin, 1985. |
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| Parker, S., ed. Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals, Vol. 1. London: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1990. | |
| Smith, A. "Husbandry and Medicine of African Hedgehogs". Journal of Small Exotic Animal Medicine, 2(1). Gray Pub, pp. 21-28, 1992. | |
| Stocker, L. The Complete Hedgehog. London: Chatto and Windeos, 1987. | |
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