43-702: A hedgehog is a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae , in the eulipotyphlan family Erinaceidae . There are seventeen species of hedgehog in five genera found throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introduction. There are no hedgehogs native to Australia and no living species native to the Americas. However, the extinct genus Amphechinus was once present in North America. Hedgehogs share distant ancestry with shrews (family Soricidae), with gymnures possibly being
86-648: A food source in many cultures. They were eaten in Ancient Egypt and some recipes of the Late Middle Ages call for hedgehog meat. They are traded throughout Eurasia and Africa for traditional medicine and witchcraft. In the Middle East and especially among Bedouins , hedgehog meat is considered medicine against rheumatism and arthritis . Hedgehogs are also said to cure a variety of disorders from tuberculosis to impotence. In Morocco , inhaling
129-403: A metabolism adapted for low-fat, protein-rich insects. Hedgehogs are also highly susceptible to pneumonia, with difficulty breathing and nasal discharge, caused by the bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica . Hedgehogs uncommonly transmit a fungal ringworm or dermatophytosis skin infection to human handlers and other hedgehogs, caused by Trichophyton erinacei , a distinct mating group among
172-433: A proper food for hedgehogs in captivity. [video:1] When a hedgehog hibernates, its normal 30–35 °C (86–95 °F) body temperature decreases to 2–5 °C (36–41 °F). Hedgehog gestation lasts 35–58 days, depending on species. The average litter is 3–4 newborns for larger species and 5–6 for smaller ones. As with many animals, it is not unusual for an adult male hedgehog to kill newborn males. Hedgehogs have
215-399: A protective membrane which dries and shrinks over several hours, and falls off after cleaning, allowing the quills to emerge. The various species have many predators: while forest hedgehogs are prey primarily to birds (especially owls ) and ferrets , smaller species like the long-eared hedgehog are prey to foxes , wolves , and mongooses . Hedgehog bones have been found in the pellets of
258-410: A relatively long lifespan for their size. In captivity, lack of predators and controlled diet contribute to a lifespan of 8–10 years depending on size. In the wild, larger species live 4–7 years (some recorded up to 16 years), and smaller species live 2–4 years (4–7 in captivity ). This compares to a mouse at 2 years and a large rat at 3–5 years. Newborn hoglets are blind, with their quills covered by
301-536: A ritual called anointing . When the animal encounters a new scent, it will lick and bite the source, then form a scented froth in its mouth and paste it on its spines with its tongue . Some experts believe this might serve to camouflage the hedgehog with the local scent, and might also lead to infection of predators poked by the spines. Anointing is sometimes also called anting after a similar behavior in birds. Like opossums , mice, and moles , hedgehogs have some natural immunity against some snake venom through
344-675: Is a vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia ( / m ə ˈ m eɪ l i . ə / ). Mammals are characterized by the presence of milk -producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair , and three middle ear bones . These characteristics distinguish them from reptiles and birds , from which their ancestors diverged in the Carboniferous Period over 300 million years ago. Around 6,400 extant species of mammals have been described and divided into 27 orders . The largest orders of mammals, by number of species , are
387-421: Is no single cause for this condition. The air can be removed by incising or aspirating through the skin over the back. Antibiotic cover should be given. This may be associated with lung/chest wall damage or a small external wound acting like a valve or a clostridium type infection. As with most small mammals living around humans, many are run over as they attempt to cross roadways. In Ireland , hedgehogs are one of
430-572: Is primarily driven by human poaching and habitat destruction , primarily deforestation . Over 70% of mammal species are in the orders Rodentia , Chiroptera , and Eulipotyphla . Mammal classification has been through several revisions since Carl Linnaeus initially defined the class, and at present , no classification system is universally accepted. McKenna & Bell (1997) and Wilson & Reeder (2005) provide useful recent compendiums. Simpson (1945) provides systematics of mammal origins and relationships that had been taught universally until
473-432: Is suggested that these peaks are related to the breeding season (adults) and dispersal/exploration following independence. Domesticated hedgehogs can get their heads stuck in tubes such as toilet paper tubes, and walk around with them. Some owners call this "tubing" and promote the behavior, providing a tube cut lengthwise to allow the hedgehog to remove it. Some hedgehogs intentionally wear tubes for hours. Hedgehogs are
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#1732783363549516-426: Is the viviparous placental mammals , so named for the temporary organ ( placenta ) used by offspring to draw nutrition from the mother during gestation . Most mammals are intelligent , with some possessing large brains, self-awareness , and tool use . Mammals can communicate and vocalize in several ways, including the production of ultrasound , scent marking , alarm signals , singing , echolocation ; and, in
559-400: Is used is hedgepig . Hedgehogs are easily recognized by their spines , which are hollow hairs made stiff with keratin . Their spines are not poisonous or barbed and, unlike the quills of a porcupine , do not easily detach from their bodies. However, the immature animal's spines normally fall out as they are replaced with adult spines. This is called "quilling". Spines can also shed when
602-890: The Arthroderma benhamiae fungi. Hedgehogs can suffer from balloon syndrome , a rare condition in which gas is trapped under the skin from injury or infection, causing the animal to inflate. The condition is unique to hedgehogs because their skin is baggy enough to curl up. In 2017 the BBC reported a case of a male hedgehog "almost twice its natural size, literally blown up like a beach ball with incredibly taut skin". At Stapeley 's Wildlife Hospital, vet Bev Panto, said, "I have seen three or four of these cases and they are very strange every time and quite shocking ... When you first see them they appear to be very big hedgehogs but when you pick them up they feel so light because they are mostly air". The British Hedgehog Preservation Society advises: There
645-473: The Cretaceous . The relationships between these three lineages is contentious, and all three possible hypotheses have been proposed with respect to which group is basal . These hypotheses are Atlantogenata (basal Boreoeutheria), Epitheria (basal Xenarthra) and Exafroplacentalia (basal Afrotheria). Boreoeutheria in turn contains two major lineages— Euarchontoglires and Laurasiatheria . Estimates for
688-622: The Eurasian eagle owl . In Britain, the main predator is the European badger . European hedgehog populations in the United Kingdom are lower in areas with many badgers, and hedgehog rescue societies will not release hedgehogs into known badger territories. Badgers also compete with hedgehogs for food. The most common pet species of hedgehog are hybrids of the white-bellied hedgehog or four-toed hedgehog ( Atelerix albiventris ) and
731-564: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) completed a five-year Global Mammal Assessment for its IUCN Red List , which counted 5,488 species. According to research published in the Journal of Mammalogy in 2018, the number of recognized mammal species is 6,495, including 96 recently extinct. The word " mammal " is modern, from the scientific name Mammalia coined by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, derived from
774-556: The Latin mamma ("teat, pap"). In an influential 1988 paper, Timothy Rowe defined Mammalia phylogenetically as the crown group of mammals, the clade consisting of the most recent common ancestor of living monotremes ( echidnas and platypuses ) and therian mammals ( marsupials and placentals ) and all descendants of that ancestor. Since this ancestor lived in the Jurassic period, Rowe's definition excludes all animals from
817-606: The biological classification scheme used, are the primates : apes , monkeys , and lemurs ; the Cetartiodactyla : whales and even-toed ungulates ; and the Carnivora which includes cats , dogs , weasels , bears , seals , and allies. According to Mammal Species of the World , 5,416 species were identified in 2006. These were grouped into 1,229 genera , 153 families and 29 orders. In 2008,
860-406: The dominant terrestrial animal group from 66 million years ago to the present. The basic mammalian body type is quadrupedal , with most mammals using four limbs for terrestrial locomotion ; but in some, the limbs are adapted for life at sea , in the air , in trees or underground . The bipeds have adapted to move using only the two lower limbs, while the rear limbs of cetaceans and
903-428: The rodents , bats , and Eulipotyphla (including hedgehogs , moles and shrews ). The next three are the primates (including humans , monkeys and lemurs ), the even-toed ungulates (including pigs , camels , and whales ), and the Carnivora (including cats , dogs , and seals ). Mammals are the only living members of Synapsida ; this clade , together with Sauropsida (reptiles and birds), constitutes
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#1732783363549946-439: The sea cows are mere internal vestiges . Mammals range in size from the 30–40 millimetres (1.2–1.6 in) bumblebee bat to the 30 metres (98 ft) blue whale —possibly the largest animal to have ever lived. Maximum lifespan varies from two years for the shrew to 211 years for the bowhead whale . All modern mammals give birth to live young, except the five species of monotremes , which lay eggs. The most species-rich group
989-666: The snake venom α- neurotoxin . The sense of smell has been little studied in the hedgehog, as the olfactory part of the mammal brain is obscured inside the neopallium . Tests have suggested that hedgehogs share the same olfactory electrical activity as cats. Although traditionally classified in the abandoned order Insectivora , hedgehogs are omnivorous . They feed on insects , snails , frogs and toads , snakes , bird eggs , carrion , mushrooms , grass roots, berries , and melons . Afghan hedgehogs devour berries in early spring after hibernation. Hedgehogs have been observed eating cat food left outdoors for pets, but this may not be
1032-551: The Scottish islands of North Uist and Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides were met with international protest. Eradication began in 2003 with 690 hedgehogs killed, though animal welfare groups attempted rescues. By 2007, legal injunctions prohibited the killing, and in 2008, the elimination process was changed to trapping and releasing on the mainland. In 2022, it was reported that the hedgehog population in rural Britain
1075-534: The animal is diseased or under extreme stress. Hedgehogs are usually brown, with pale tips to the spines, though blonde hedgehogs are found on the Channel Island of Alderney . Hedgehogs roll into a tight spiny ball when threatened, tucking in the furry face, feet, and belly. The hedgehog's back contains two large muscles that direct the quills. Some light-weight desert hedgehog species with fewer spines are more likely to flee or attack, ramming an intruder with
1118-492: The case of humans, complex language . Mammals can organize themselves into fission–fusion societies , harems , and hierarchies —but can also be solitary and territorial . Most mammals are polygynous , but some can be monogamous or polyandrous . Domestication of many types of mammals by humans played a major role in the Neolithic Revolution , and resulted in farming replacing hunting and gathering as
1161-812: The clade originating with the last common ancestor of Sinoconodon and living mammals. The earliest-known synapsid satisfying Kemp's definitions is Tikitherium , dated 225 Ma , so the appearance of mammals in this broader sense can be given this Late Triassic date. However, this animal may have actually evolved during the Neogene. As of the early 21st century, molecular studies based on DNA analysis have suggested new relationships among mammal families. Most of these findings have been independently validated by retrotransposon presence/absence data . Classification systems based on molecular studies reveal three major groups or lineages of placental mammals— Afrotheria , Xenarthra and Boreoeutheria —which diverged in
1204-444: The closest thing to an official classification of mammals, despite its known issues. Most mammals, including the six most species-rich orders , belong to the placental group. The three largest orders in numbers of species are Rodentia : mice , rats , porcupines , beavers , capybaras , and other gnawing mammals; Chiroptera : bats; and Eulipotyphla : shrews , moles , and solenodons . The next three biggest orders, depending on
1247-1346: The divergence times between these three placental groups range from 105 to 120 million years ago, depending on the type of DNA used (such as nuclear or mitochondrial ) and varying interpretations of paleogeographic data. Monotremata Marsupialia Xenarthra Afrotheria Glires Euarchonta [REDACTED] Eulipotyphla Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora [REDACTED] Perissodactyla [REDACTED] Artiodactyla [REDACTED] Monotremata [REDACTED] Paucituberculata [REDACTED] Didelphimorphia [REDACTED] Microbiotheria Notoryctemorphia [REDACTED] Peramelemorphia [REDACTED] Dasyuromorphia [REDACTED] Diprotodontia [REDACTED] Cingulata [REDACTED] Pilosa [REDACTED] Hyracoidea [REDACTED] Sirenia [REDACTED] Proboscidea [REDACTED] Tubulidentata [REDACTED] Macroscelidea [REDACTED] Afrosoricida [REDACTED] Eulipotyphla [REDACTED] Chiroptera [REDACTED] Pholidota [REDACTED] Carnivora [REDACTED] Perissodactyla [REDACTED] Artiodactyla [REDACTED] Scandentia [REDACTED] Lagomorpha [REDACTED] Insectivora Too Many Requests If you report this error to
1290-585: The earlier Triassic , despite the fact that Triassic fossils in the Haramiyida have been referred to the Mammalia since the mid-19th century. If Mammalia is considered as the crown group, its origin can be roughly dated as the first known appearance of animals more closely related to some extant mammals than to others. Ambondro is more closely related to monotremes than to therian mammals while Amphilestes and Amphitherium are more closely related to
1333-451: The end of the 20th century. However, since 1945, a large amount of new and more detailed information has gradually been found: The paleontological record has been recalibrated, and the intervening years have seen much debate and progress concerning the theoretical underpinnings of systematization itself, partly through the new concept of cladistics . Though fieldwork and lab work progressively outdated Simpson's classification, it remains
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1376-476: The exception of Scandinavia . In Italy , it is illegal to keep wild hedgehogs as pets. In areas where hedgehogs have been introduced, such as New Zealand and the islands of Scotland , the hedgehog has become a pest, lacking natural predators. In New Zealand it has decimated native species including insects, snails , lizards and ground-nesting birds, particularly shore birds. Eradication can be troublesome. Attempts to eliminate hedgehogs from bird colonies on
1419-606: The intermediate link, and they have changed little over the last fifteen million years. Like many of the first mammals, they have adapted to a nocturnal way of life. Their spiny protection resembles that of porcupines , which are rodents, and echidnas , a type of monotreme . 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. Another name that
1462-668: The larger Amniota clade. Early synapsids are referred to as " pelycosaurs ." The more advanced therapsids became dominant during the Guadalupian . Mammals originated from cynodonts , an advanced group of therapsids, during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic . Mammals achieved their modern diversity in the Paleogene and Neogene periods of the Cenozoic era, after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs , and have been
1505-637: The most common mammalian road fatalities. Between April 2008 and November 2010 on two stretches of road measuring 227 km and 32.5 km there were 133 recorded hedgehog fatalities. Of another 135 hedgehog carcasses collected from throughout Ireland, there were significantly more males than females collected, with peaks in male deaths occurring in May and June. Female deaths outnumbered males only in August, with further peaks in female deaths observed in June and July. It
1548-716: The primary source of food for humans. This led to a major restructuring of human societies from nomadic to sedentary, with more co-operation among larger and larger groups, and ultimately the development of the first civilizations . Domesticated mammals provided, and continue to provide, power for transport and agriculture, as well as food ( meat and dairy products ), fur , and leather . Mammals are also hunted and raced for sport, kept as pets and working animals of various types, and are used as model organisms in science. Mammals have been depicted in art since Paleolithic times, and appear in literature, film, mythology, and religion. Decline in numbers and extinction of many mammals
1591-407: The protein erinacin in their muscles, though in such small amounts that a viper bite may still be fatal. In addition, hedgehogs are one of four known mammalian groups with natural protection against another snake venom, α-neurotoxin . Developing independently, pigs , honey badgers , mongooses , and hedgehogs all have mutations in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor that prevent the binding of
1634-554: The smaller North African hedgehog ( A. algirus , pygmy hedgehog). Other species kept as pets are the long-eared hedgehog ( Hemiechinus auritus ) and the Indian long-eared hedgehog ( H. collaris ). As of 2019 it is illegal to own a hedgehog as a pet in four US states including Hawaii, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and California, as well as New York City, Washington, DC and some Canadian municipalities, and breeding licenses are required. No such restrictions exist in most European countries with
1677-429: The smoke of the burnt skin or bristles supposedly remedies fever, impotence, and urinary illnesses; the blood is sold as a cure for ringworm , cracked skin and warts , and the flesh is eaten as a remedy for witchcraft. Romani people still eat hedgehogs, boiled or roasted, and also use the blood and the fat as a medicine. In 1981, British publican Philip Lewis developed a line of Hedgehog Flavoured Crisps , whose taste
1720-471: The spines, rolling up only as a last resort. Hedgehogs are primarily nocturnal , with some species also active during the day. Hedgehogs sleep for a large portion of the day under bushes, grasses, rocks, or most commonly in dens dug underground. All wild hedgehogs can hibernate , though the duration depends on temperature, species, and abundance of food. Hedgehogs are fairly vocal, with a variety of grunts, snuffles and/or squeals. They occasionally perform
1763-548: The therians; as fossils of all three genera are dated about 167 million years ago in the Middle Jurassic , this is a reasonable estimate for the appearance of the crown group. T. S. Kemp has provided a more traditional definition: " Synapsids that possess a dentary – squamosal jaw articulation and occlusion between upper and lower molars with a transverse component to the movement" or, equivalently in Kemp's view,
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1806-503: Was apparently based on the flavourings used by Romani to bake hedgehogs. As they did not contain any actual hedgehog product, the Office of Fair Trading ordered him to change the name to Hedgehog Flavour Crisps. Subfamily Erinaceinae ( hedgehogs ) In worldwide folklore, hedgehogs are associated with intelligence and wisdom (Asia, Europe), and magic (Africa). Mammal A mammal (from Latin mamma 'breast')
1849-519: Was declining rapidly, down by 30%-75% since 2000. Hedgehogs suffer many diseases common to mammals, including cancer, fatty liver disease , and cardiovascular disease . Cancer is very common in hedgehogs. The most common is squamous cell carcinoma , which spreads quickly from bone to the organs, unlike in humans. Surgery to remove the bone tumors is impractical. Fatty liver and heart disease are believed to be caused by bad diet and obesity. Hedgehogs will eagerly eat foods high in fat and sugar, despite
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