Hedgehog is a small nocturnal Old World mammal with a spiny coat and short legs, able to roll itself into a ball for defence.
There are some 17 species of hedgehog in 5 genera, found through parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduction.
The hedgehog can live in many different habitats, from desert to forest and beyond!
Hedgehog's lifespan is from 3 to 8 years in the wild, up to 10 years in captivity.
They are from 10 to 30 centimeters (4 to 12 inches) long, depending on species.
They weight from 155 to 1,584 grams (5 to 56 ounces), depending on species.
Hedgehogs can be white or light brown to black, with several shades found in bands along their quills. Their belly, face, and neck are covered in coarse hair.…show more content… A hedgehog is not a rodent.Their order is Erinaceomorpha, which means they are not related to porcupines at all!
Hedgehogs share more of their lineage with shrews.
Hedgehogs can travel up to 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) a day and move at a speed of up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) per second.
When a desert hedgehog wants to eat a scorpion, it must first bite the stinger off the tail. Some hedgehog species can even eat venomous snakes.
The name hedgehog came into use around the year 1450, derived from the Middle English heyghoge, from heyg, hegge
("hedge"), because it frequents hedgerows, and hoge, hogge ("hog"), from its piglike snout.
The collective noun for a group of hedgehogs is array or prickle.
Hedgehogs are a food source in many cultures. Hedgehogs were eaten in Ancient Egypt and some recipes of the Late Middle Ages call for hedgehog meat.
Hedgehogs are traded throughout Eurasia and Africa for traditional medicine and witchcraft.
Ancient Roman and Chinese folklore tell tales of hedgehogs carrying fruit on their