GEOGRAPHIC RANGE AND HABITAT
The African white-bellied pygmy hedgehog lives across the dry land from western Africa to southern Somalia and Tanzania. It lives on the African savanna. These grasslands offer thick brush and a few trees for shelter. They also can live in populated areas in parks and gardens.

They live in the deserts of northern Africa, south to Mali, Niger, Sudan, northern Ethiopia, and northern Somalia. They also can live on the Arabian Peninsula. They live in underground burrows and in rocks and cliffs.

DESCRIPTION
All hedgehogs are similar in how they look and what color they are. They all have sharp, narrow snouts, small eyes, and short legs. They are covered on the back and sides with smooth spines. Males can have up to 500 spines on their backs. The face, legs, tail, and belly are covered with fur. They have a very good sense of smell and hearing.

Hedgehogs have very long tongues. They use their tongues to spread saliva over their spines. This action is brought on by the hedgehog smelling agreeable odors, which causes the hedgehog to salivate and then spread the saliva. This is called self-anointing.



A hedgehog is a nocturnal animal meaning it sleeps during the day and is awake and active during the night. In the winter months, November to March, it passes into a state of hibernation when it rolls up into a ball in a nest. It will awaken on warm days to feed and drink water.

In the wild they will sleep either curled in a ball or stretched out. They will sleep under fallen logs and tree roots, under heaps of leaves, among rocks, or in burrows. They prefer a dry place to nest in.

DIET
Hedgehogs in the wild are insectivores. However, they are also opportunists, meaning that in addition to insects, they will eat carrion, eggs, fruit, and just about anything else they come across.

The hedgehog is an omnivore which means it eats both plants and animals. Although the hedgie eats insects it will eat mice, frogs, small birds, worms, caterpillars, slugs, and toads, as well as plants and fruits. It can also eat small snakes and it has a great liking for eggs. It will eat eggs from the nests of birds.

LIFE CYCLE/SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
Sometimes hedgehogs will get sluggish if the temperature of its environment is too extreme. Hedgehogs will go into a period of rest or hibernation if they get too cold, and will also aestivate if they get too hot. Aestivate-to sleep during the summer.

Hedgehogs can make sounds which vary from sneezing to snorting to clicking. When they are frightened they squeal. They make a purring sound when something interests them or they are happy.

If threatened, the hedgehog freezes and rolls into a ball with its spines sticking out for defense. When erected, the spines stick out at different angles to create an impassable barrier. Strong muscles curl the skin tightly over their body.

REPRODUCTION Between the months of April and September mating occurs. In about 34 to 38 days the female gives birth to about 4 to 6 babies. The babies are called hoglets and they are white when first born. The tiny spines are covered with a membrane coating. Within hours after being born this shrivels ups. At birth the spines are soft, but soon harden to offer protection from predators. The males do not help with the care of the young. 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.

INTERESTING FACTS
1. Hedgehogs have a relatively long lifespan for their size (a mouse is 2 years and a large rat is 3-5 years). Larger species of hedgehogs live 4-7 years in the wild (some have been recorded up to 16 years). Smaller species live 2-4 years (4-7 in captivity). Lack of predators and controlled diet contribute to a longer lifespan in captivity.

2. In 2006, McDonald's changed the design of their McFlurry containers to be more hedgehog-friendly.[3] Previously, hedgehogs would get their heads stuck in the container as they tried to lick the remaining food from inside the cup. Then, being unable to get out, they would starve to death.