It is ironic that while these hedgehogs are cherished as pets, their wild relatives in Africa are often treated as little more than vermin. In some areas, they are frequently caught and sold for a matter of a few coins as food in local markets. Until they started to become popular in North America, and more recently in Europe, virtually nothing was known about them. Hopefully, their growing popularity as pets will now serve to raise awareness about their plight in the wild.