something i've always wondered about hedgehogs..... - Paw Talk

rodentopia · #1 07-11-2008, 10:20 PM

when hedgehogs are born, are their quills all hairy? or are they spikey? do they have the quills when they are born?

if a hedgehog gets very fat, can it still roll into a ball? or does it try in veign?

sorry about this. i didn't know hedgies could be pets until today. how are they as pets?

mark

Ravnos · #2 07-12-2008, 04:55 PM

They are born spikey, but they don't really have control over the muscles to stand them up or to ball up in the traditional hedgehog defensive pose. They don't learn that for a couple weeks.

Obese hedgehogs can still ball up, mostly... they just don't "fit" into themselves, so it's not exactly good protection.

They can make really interesting pets for people who are able to meet their needs. Being nocturnal and sharp, they aren't exactly a pet for anyone.

rodentopia · #3 07-12-2008, 07:57 PM

what's that in your display picture?

man i must sound like a dunce. i'm not too clued up on the whole exotic animal thing.

mark

Ravnos · #4 07-13-2008, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodentopia


	what's that in your display picture?

My kinkajou, Gizmo.

Sonic07 · #5 07-13-2008, 08:43 PM

Hedgehogs are alot of fun...But it sucks cause my Sonic sleeps all day and then gets up at night..so i feel bad for waking him up ...but i do get him out and he sleeps with me sometimes....When they are born ive heard that their have their spikes but they are really soft and coated in this stuff so it doesnt hurt the mother

Janelle · #6 07-23-2008, 05:26 PM

Gizmo is awesome!! You should post more pictures

:

Katrina06 · #7 07-25-2008, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodentopia


	when hedgehogs are born, are their quills all hairy? or are they spikey? do they have the quills when they are born? if a hedgehog gets very fat, can it still roll into a ball? or does it try in veign? sorry about this. i didn't know hedgies could be pets until today. how are they as pets? mark

They are not born spikey. They start protruding out of the skin after a few hours but they feel like hairs at first.

Not sure about the rolling into a ball! Mine got quite fat towards the end of his life and I think he still could!

I LOVED having a hedgehog. He was a very nice pet. Not one of my favourites though.

Clover · #8 09-02-2008, 10:40 AM

I loved having a hedgehog, and I knew her when she was a baby too. They have very fine hair/quills when they are babies. The cutest thing about them is that they have a muscle/flap of skin that covers their eyes when they are threatened, but when they are first born, they can't lift it up, so they have this big bubble on their forehead that covers their eyes before they have the muscles to lift it up, its the cutest face in the world.