Wild hedgehogs can help to get rid of insects in the garden. They eat beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, slugs, and other bugs

Hedgehogs 🦔 are nocturnal, which means they are most active at night 🌒.


Hedgehogs 🦔 are easily recognized by their spines. Their spines are not poisonous, unlike the quills of a porcupine, and do not easily detach from their bodies.


There are 17 different species of hedgehogs worldwide 🦔.


A hedgehog 🦔 that feels threatened can roll into a tight ball, tucking in the furry face, feet, and belly. The spines provide sharp protection from predators. 


Hedgehogs 🦔 have about 44 teeth.

Hedgehog Awareness Week - How to help our spiky friends

Fun facts about Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs hibernate in the winter ❄️ to stay warm and save energy. How long they hibernate depends on temperature, species, and how much food they have.


Hedgehogs 🦔 have a great sense of smell and hearing, but their eyesight isn’t very strong.


Hedgehogs can run up to 6 feet per second when they’re in a hurry 🦔.


Hedgehogs 🦔 can swim and are good climbers, too! 


Some people keep hedgehogs 🦔 as pets, but they need special care.

Hedgehogs in Numbers

1 to 2 pounds

The average weight of a hedgehog is between 1 and 2 pounds, like a medium-sized pineapple 🍍 or a small watermelon 🍉.

3 – 7 years

The lifespan of a hedgehog in the wild is around 3 to 7 years, but they can live up to 10 years in captivity

5,000 to 7,000

Hedgehogs have about 5,000 to 7,000 spines on their backs. Hedgehogs’ spines are made of keratin, the same material as human fingernails.

Did you know?

Thanksgiving clever hedgehog

What do hedgehogs eat?

Hedgehogs aren’t fussy when it comes to food 🍲! Hedgehogs are omnivores, which means they eat both plants 🌿 and insects 🐛.

Hedgehogs 🦔 are lactose intolerant! In other words, they may have a stomach ache from drinking milk 🥛.

What do hedgehogs eat?

Where do hedgehogs live?

Hedgehogs 🦔 sleep for a large portion of the day under bushes, grasses, rocks, or most commonly in dens dug underground.

clever hedgehog with a paper plane

Baby hedgehogs 🦔

Baby hedgehogs 🦔 are called hoglets. They are born with soft spines under the skin, and a second set of spines comes through after a couple of days.

Hedgehog Awareness Week 2024 is observed on 5–11 May.

Read more about Hedgehog Awareness Week
Coloring page for kids, Stories with Clever Hedgehog

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