How Many Spines does a Hedgehog have?

By the time a baby hedgehog leaves its mother's nest, it has about 3000 spines on its back. As it grows older and bigger, more spines are added to maintain a suitable density of them. Consequently an average adult hedgehog weighing about 1lb 5oz (600g) has 5000 or so spines. A very big animal, over twice that size, might have 7500. Some books suggest that hedgehogs may have 16000 spines, but this is an exaggerated figure, probably based on a faulty method of estimation. That many spines would be a heavy burden to carry around.

The author of the above quote states that their figures are correct as they cut the spines off dead hedgehogs and counted them all!!

This madam is an exception to the rule bless her.

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What happened to her?? Is it the lack of spines that make her face look really long?? Bless her x

aww bless her, has she got some form of halapechia? (however you spell it) xx

Awww, bless her little cotton socks!

It seems to be ringworm. She has new spines poking through but not many.

The fact that she has new spines is a good sign though is it?? Bless, they go through so much at times makes you wonder how there are any left

has she lost them from lack of nutrients because of the ringworm then? xx