Hedgehog Basics
The European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is our only native spiny mammal here in the UK. A hedgehog is a mammal, & like bats & dormice, it is nocturnal.
Breeding
Hedgehogs give birth to live litters of young called hoglets or 'urchins' normally in Spring however they can have a second late litter in late Summer / early Autumn. A litter usually consists of between 3 & 6 hoglets, though litters as large as 10 have been recorded. Hoglet's are born hairless, blind, deaf & with a set of white spines present at birth, but beneath a membrane to protect the sow during birth. These soft spines then they erupt within a few hours. The babies initially rely on their mum’s milk, then they are slowly weaned & make trips out with mum at around 4 weeks, & then venture out on their own after 6-8 weeks.
Shape and Size
Adult hedgehogs normally weigh between 600 grams & 1.2 kilograms, & they can move surprisingly quickly with very long legs for their size. They have short tails, that are about 2 centimeter's long. Hedgehogs tend to be heavier in the Autumn, as they try to put on fat reserves to allow them to hibernate safely during the cold Winter months.
Spiny Hogs
Hedgehogs are most easily recognized by their spines of which an adult has around 5,000-7,000 on average. The spines provide protection for hedgehogs & also act as shock absorbers. Their face & underside is covered with course hair. The spines normally lay flat along the hedgehog’s body & the top of its head, but when threatened a set of muscles raises the spines in all directions. Hedgehogs are able to roll into a ball using the 'frown muscle' on their foreheads, & drawing in their stomach muscles tight, like a 'draw-string' effect, which gives the hedgehog a great defense against would-be threats. This defensive strategy does not always provide the best solution to modern-day threats though; as many are flattened on our roads by cars.
Behaviour
Hedgehogs are solitary by nature & males (boars) & females (sows) do not pair to raise young (hoglets). The sow is responsible for the raising of the hoglets & the boar won't be seen again after mating occurs.
Hedgehogs are a nocturnal species. Being nocturnal, although they can see, they predominantly rely on their sense of hearing & smell to get around & find food. A hedgehogs sense of smell is as good as a dogs! Being nocturnal, they benefit from the safety of darkness & the hedgehogs preferred insect food is mainly out at night in the cooler, damper conditions that night time brings.
Hedgehogs can be aggressive & they will barge into other hedgehogs with their head, mainly over hedgehogs of the opposite sex during the mating season, & sometimes over food.
When mating or fighting, hedgehogs may make 'huffing' or 'grunting' noises; they can be quite loud! A hedgehog in extreme pain may even 'scream'.
Hedgehogs usually hibernate between October & March, although this depends on a few factors including temperature. They are thought to start going into hibernation when night-time temperatures are consistently below 5 degrees. Before hibernation, hedgehogs will build a special nest called a 'hibernaculum'. It is thought that the ideal weight for a hedgehog to hibernate at is 600 grams. If they weigh much less than 600 grams, they may lose too much fat reserve & come out of hibernation in an emaciated & weakened state, if they wake up at all. The changing & unpredictable climate is causing problems for hedgehogs, & they are having second litters too late in the year; the young do not have enough time to put on a decent amount of fat. Also, warmer Winters mean that they wake up in the middle of Winter, losing valuable fat reserves.
Diet
The name 'hedgehog' partly comes from their 'snuffling' behaviour which they do to find food as a pig or hog might do. Their main food source are insects including; beetles, caterpillars, earth worms as well as less desired 'bugs' such as slugs & snails (slugs & snails only make up 5% of their wild diet). However, hedgehogs will eat a range of food from fallen fruit & fungi to bird’s eggs, dead birds & small mammals.
Life Span
Life is not easy for hedgehogs, & at least one of a litter of hoglets will not survive. Of those that do live to leave the nest, around half will not get to see a second Winter, & of those that do the average life expectancy is around 2 to 3 years in the wild, with a few living for 5 years. They can live up to 15 years, however constant dangers to our native wild hedgehogs seem to keep their lives much shorter.
Breeding
Hedgehogs give birth to live litters of young called hoglets or 'urchins' normally in Spring however they can have a second late litter in late Summer / early Autumn. A litter usually consists of between 3 & 6 hoglets, though litters as large as 10 have been recorded. Hoglet's are born hairless, blind, deaf & with a set of white spines present at birth, but beneath a membrane to protect the sow during birth. These soft spines then they erupt within a few hours. The babies initially rely on their mum’s milk, then they are slowly weaned & make trips out with mum at around 4 weeks, & then venture out on their own after 6-8 weeks.
Shape and Size
Adult hedgehogs normally weigh between 600 grams & 1.2 kilograms, & they can move surprisingly quickly with very long legs for their size. They have short tails, that are about 2 centimeter's long. Hedgehogs tend to be heavier in the Autumn, as they try to put on fat reserves to allow them to hibernate safely during the cold Winter months.
Spiny Hogs
Hedgehogs are most easily recognized by their spines of which an adult has around 5,000-7,000 on average. The spines provide protection for hedgehogs & also act as shock absorbers. Their face & underside is covered with course hair. The spines normally lay flat along the hedgehog’s body & the top of its head, but when threatened a set of muscles raises the spines in all directions. Hedgehogs are able to roll into a ball using the 'frown muscle' on their foreheads, & drawing in their stomach muscles tight, like a 'draw-string' effect, which gives the hedgehog a great defense against would-be threats. This defensive strategy does not always provide the best solution to modern-day threats though; as many are flattened on our roads by cars.
Behaviour
Hedgehogs are solitary by nature & males (boars) & females (sows) do not pair to raise young (hoglets). The sow is responsible for the raising of the hoglets & the boar won't be seen again after mating occurs.
Hedgehogs are a nocturnal species. Being nocturnal, although they can see, they predominantly rely on their sense of hearing & smell to get around & find food. A hedgehogs sense of smell is as good as a dogs! Being nocturnal, they benefit from the safety of darkness & the hedgehogs preferred insect food is mainly out at night in the cooler, damper conditions that night time brings.
Hedgehogs can be aggressive & they will barge into other hedgehogs with their head, mainly over hedgehogs of the opposite sex during the mating season, & sometimes over food.
When mating or fighting, hedgehogs may make 'huffing' or 'grunting' noises; they can be quite loud! A hedgehog in extreme pain may even 'scream'.
Hedgehogs usually hibernate between October & March, although this depends on a few factors including temperature. They are thought to start going into hibernation when night-time temperatures are consistently below 5 degrees. Before hibernation, hedgehogs will build a special nest called a 'hibernaculum'. It is thought that the ideal weight for a hedgehog to hibernate at is 600 grams. If they weigh much less than 600 grams, they may lose too much fat reserve & come out of hibernation in an emaciated & weakened state, if they wake up at all. The changing & unpredictable climate is causing problems for hedgehogs, & they are having second litters too late in the year; the young do not have enough time to put on a decent amount of fat. Also, warmer Winters mean that they wake up in the middle of Winter, losing valuable fat reserves.
Diet
The name 'hedgehog' partly comes from their 'snuffling' behaviour which they do to find food as a pig or hog might do. Their main food source are insects including; beetles, caterpillars, earth worms as well as less desired 'bugs' such as slugs & snails (slugs & snails only make up 5% of their wild diet). However, hedgehogs will eat a range of food from fallen fruit & fungi to bird’s eggs, dead birds & small mammals.
Life Span
Life is not easy for hedgehogs, & at least one of a litter of hoglets will not survive. Of those that do live to leave the nest, around half will not get to see a second Winter, & of those that do the average life expectancy is around 2 to 3 years in the wild, with a few living for 5 years. They can live up to 15 years, however constant dangers to our native wild hedgehogs seem to keep their lives much shorter.