Although the majority of people find hedgehogs adorable due to their miniature size, many stay away in fear of their spikes. But there are so many more features of the hedgehog that make them even more extraordinary. Here are 21 facts about this species that you won’t believe!
- Hedgehogs are nocturnal, meaning they sleep in the day and only come out at night
- Hedgehogs can hibernate, making them one of the three mammals in the UK that hibernate.
- Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant so you should never give them milk.
- They don’t use their eyes to hunt because their eyesight is not very good.
- They have amazing hearing and smell, which is what they use to hunt.
- There are 15 different types of species of hedgehog in the world.
- Hedgehogs are solitary creatures, they usually spend their entire lives alone except when they are mating or the first 4-7 weeks where they are nurtured by their mothers.
- A group of hedgehogs are called an array, but this is very uncommon.
- Hedgehogs can travel up to 2 miles in a day.
- They were originally named Urchins.
- They have approximately 5000 to 7000 spines on their back.
- The average hedgehog lives from 3.5 to 9 years.
- Hedgehogs weigh from 155g to 2.2kg.
- Hedgehogs typically grow from 4 to 14 inches long.
- A baby hedgehog is called a hoglet.
- The average hedgehog has 44 teeth.
- The hedgehog diet mainly consists of garden pests.
- Hedgehogs have been featured in a variety of movies, including Alice In Wonderland.
- Unlike porcupine quills, hedgehog spikes are not barbed and they are not poisonous.
- Hedgehogs are largely immune to snake venom.
- The sea urchin is named after the hedgehog.
