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Physical Characteristics |
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| Size * Length * Height * Weight |
They have rounded bodies up to 13 in. (33 cm) long, very short tails, and pointed snouts; their backs and sides are covered with stiff spines and their undersides with coarse hair. |
| Coloration/Skin | They are usually brown and yellow in color. |
| Special Adaptations of Sense Organs | Hedgehogs have a very strange habit of licking something intently and then smearing saliva foam on their spines. The babies might did this before their eyes are open. |
| Male/female differences | Both the sexes are about the same size although males are sometimes slightly larger then females. |
Habitat |
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| Diet | Wild
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insects, plus spiders and other arachnids, earthworms and slugs. They
have an amazing tolerance for toxins and will eat millipedes, blister
beetles, bees and wasps. They will also eat birds, especially nestlings
and eggs, frogs, lizards, small snakes and carrion. Zoo - mealworms, crickets, small pills of Bird of Prey Diet and kibbled cat food. Finely diced vegetables and fruit are offered occasionally. |
| Habitat Description | They normally live by the edges of forest, gardens and parks. |
| Range | They range from Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa |
Reproduction |
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| Courtship Behavior | When the mother thinks her young will die she will eat it, or if the are dying. |
| Mating Season | The breeding season lasts between March to July, and they may have more then litter in this time. |
| Gestation Period | Gestation period is 30-45 days. |
| Litter size | Between 4-6 young in most litters |
| Weight at Birth | They usually weigh between 21 and 28 ounces (600-800g), and rarely go above 35 ounces. |
| Age when Young are Independent | They go off on their own when they get old enough not to be with there mother. |
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Behavior |
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| Food Gathering Behavior | They search for food by them selves. As a mother it search's for its young |
| Migration Pattern (if applicable) |
The Hedgehog has 2 species, the western and the eastern. The eastern goes no farther west then Germany and populates Asia. The western covers everything west of the eastern including the British Isles. |
| Social and Territorial Behavior | When frightened, a hedgehog rolls itself into a tight ball with its spines pointing outward; when rolled up it is invulnerable to almost any predator. |
| Other Behavior | Hedgehogs
snuffle and buzz through much of their activity. The snuffles become
hisses as the hedgehog becomes uneasy. When rolled into a ball in
defense, the hissing becomes a sort of chuffing, accompanied by
shuddering and jerking of the body, especially when touched. The jerking
will drive spines into the skin of the unsuspecting.
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Hedgehogs make very good pets. As pets, hedgehogs should be fed high quality dog or cat food. Small amounts of insects, such as worms and crickets, and a small amount of fresh vegetables and fruits can also be offered. Check with your veterinarian regarding which vegetables and fruits are recommended; avoid lettuce and celery, which are low in nutritional value, and avocados, which might be toxic. Insects should be purchased from a pet store or raised in the home; care should be used in obtaining insects from gardens where insecticides and fertilizers have been used. Your veterinarian may be able to provide some tips on successfully raising your own insects to offer your hedgehogs. |
| [place scanned drawing of behavioral enrichment here] |
| Description: |
| Benefit of this enrichment: |
Zoo Habitat Drawings
Description of Zoo Space
Size About the size of a room. Physical Description of Habitat There are several trees and bushes. A river is connected to the pond. The mud pit is located behind the pond. And the toys are located all around the habitat. Behavioral Enrichments in Habitat They can swim in the small pond, or canal. The mud pit is there for them to play and roll around in it. There is also many objects that they can play with. Food and Water Requirements of Habitat Well in the habitat that I designed for the hedgehog is very unique. There are all sorts of food supplies for the hedgehog. There is a pond and a small canal connected together. Off to the side of the pond there is a small mud pit for the hedgehogs to play in.
Words from An Expert |
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| Name and Position | I e-mailed an expert. And I did not get a response from her. |
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Useful Web Site |
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| Links to Places in the Wild Where this Animal is Found | |
| Links to Zoos and Organizations that are Working with this Animal | This
is a site where you can play games
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page created by, Erim Tezcan, a student in Mr. Tom Kearney's Animal Behavior Class, Andrew HS, Tinley Park , Ill last updated 11/15/02
