HEDGEHOG

Hedgehog
Fractal created by Jenny
Used Fractal Explorer

• A hedgehog is one of the mammals of the subfamily Erinaceinaey. We can meet it in  Europe,  Asia, Africa, New Zeland. Hedgehogs are easily recognized by their spines.   

• The name hedgehog came into use around the year 1450. The collective noun for a group of hedgehogs is array or prickle. 

• The spines are hedgehog's hair, hollow in the middle, made with keratin. Spines normally fall out as they are replaced with adult spines. This is called "quilling". Spines can also shed when the animal is diseased or under extreme stress.

• When the hedgehog 'sleeps', temperature of its body decreases to 2-5C. When it awakes from hibernation, the temperature is back to normal 30-35C. 

• Hedgehogs eat slugs, caterpillars, beetles etc., and do no harm, so if you have in your garden a hedgehog, you should be encouraged. The hedgehogs should not be kept in close captivity, but regarded as welcome visitors. As Jenny's are:)

Jenny said: "I have been adopted by a family of hedgehogs – Here is a pic of mum and one of her babies. They will be hibernating soon so I have got another hedgehog home for them, so that will be two in the garden now. I have a bale of hay coming tomorrow from a local farm, so they will have lots of bedding to choose from"

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Photo taken by Jenny