Dr. Keller says, “With appropriate care and keeping, your hedgehog will live about five years, and some even live longer than eight years.” If you have any questions about hedgehogs, contact your local veterinarian.
They have complex needs that can only be met in their natural environment, so they don't make suitable pets.
Pet hedgehogs have an average life span of four to six years and weigh about a pound. Most owners will feed them a low-fat dry cat food supplemented with vegetables, mealworms, and crickets, and keep them in a large, flat-bottomed cage.
Hedgehogs can live up to 10 years in captivity, but those hedgehogs are few and far between. A 10-year-old hedgehog would be as rare as a 104-year-old grandma. Some believe the hybridization of the Algerian and White Bellied species resulted in a more resilient hedgehog that lived longer.
It depends on the personality of the individual hedgehog and how much handling the hedgehog has had in the past. Some hedgehogs do seem to like to snuggle up to their human companions, while others might be shyer or simply prefer exploring and moving about over sitting still and cuddling.
Every hedgehog has a unique personality, but most aren't interested in human affection. Caretakers note that it takes a lot of time and effort to get a hedgehog to tolerate being held. Like porcupines, hedgehogs have sharp, prickly quills that they use to fend off predators.
Hedgehogs live alone in the wild and are typically solitary animals. They may take a while to warm up to you when you first bring them home. Patience and time will help them trust you.
In the wild, hedgehogs are solitary animals and in captivity, it is better to keep them in individual cages. With hedgehogs housed in groups, fights can occur, especially if adequate space is not available.
Remember that hedgehogs are primarily nocturnal, so you will see them sleeping a lot. Hedgehogs sleep away 95% of the day and night. Don't worry, this is perfectly normal.
They are great swimmers
Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog may have been led to believe that Sonic (and all other hedgehogs) can't swim, but it turns out that real life hedgehogs are strong paddlers in natural bodies of water. Nocturnal creatures, hedgehogs can run and swim up to 2km a night in search of food.
However, the species is prohibited throughout Australia for a number of reasons including its potential to introduce exotic animal diseases and because the species has the ability to become a serious invasive pest in Australia.
Hedgehog skin pigmentation also changes with age. A majority of wild European hedgehogs are born with brown noses but elderly hedgehogs start to lose this pigmentation and their skin starts to turn pink. This is particularly striking in this old lady hedgehog.
Housing Two Hedgehogs Together. While the recommendation is to always house pet hedgehogs singly, they will sometimes accept companions (usually females kept together). Introductions must be made with caution.
Hedgehogs use body language to communicate their emotions. They will often curl into a ball and use their quills, or spines, to indicate their mood. Hedgies startle easily. When they're frightened, hedgies will curl up into a ball with their quills erect.
Hedgehogs tend to bond with their owners. They will remember your voice, your smell, and even your appearance. Some will only relax with their owners and be loyal to their owners. Make sure a hedgehog is the pet for you, be prepared for a commitment.
Hedgehogs can bite you, but very rarely will that happen. This usually happens when they are young and think your fingers are going to feed them (if they have been fed via a syringe as they had no mother).
Beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, millipedes, snails and slugs are all favourites, but hedgehogs are fairly flexible when it comes to their diet. As well as chicks, bird eggs and even frogs, they will sometimes eat berries and other fruits if they come across them.
Once a month bathing is adequate for the average hedgehog. Some hedgehogs need baths frequently and others seldom need one. Bathing generally helps to relieve dry skin; however, bathing too frequently may contribute to dry skin.
The average hedgehog is content to do its own thing and may not show any outward sign that it cares about its owner's existence unless you have a treat in your hand. Despite their somewhat solitary nature, they can become very affectionate with their owners and will even enjoy snuggling on your lap.
A hedgehog's go-to vocal is huffing and puffing, but he's not trying to blow the house down. This sniffing is a normal vocalization he makes while going about his business of exploring. An unhappy hedgehog, on the other hand, will show his disdain with a hiss or a clicking sound.
Depression. Without room, a hedgehog will show signs of depression, such as excessive sleeping, refusal to eat, repetitious behaviour, and self mutilation.