The hedgehog is a small, spiny mammal native to Central Africa. It is best recognised for its thousands of short quills (2,000 to 3,500 on a baby, 5,000 to 7,000 on an adult) and for its appealing face.
Hedgehogs are not domestic animals. they are wild animals that my be domestically raised in captivity and may be tamed.
In the wild, the hedgehog's natural habitats include grasslands, savannahs, and scrub areas covering a very large geographical area ranging from Senegal on the western coast of the continent, all the way east to Sudan, and extending south as far as Zambia.
African pygmy hedgehogs are not really pygmies, miniatures or dwarfs. They are not a variety or a breed. They are a true and distinct species. The word Pygmy is simply used to denote the fact that the African pygmy is smaller that is close hedgehog relatives. African pygmy hedgehogs are not related to other mammalian species that also have quills or spines, such as porcupines, echidnas (spiny anteaters) or spiny mice.
There are 16 extant (currently existing) species of hedgehogs, and although they may appear similar, they differ from each other in many ways.
the African pygmy hedgehog is the species most commonly kept as a pet.
Mon Mar 12, 2012 3:31 pm
