African pygmy hedgehogs at home content. Home pet - decorative hedgehog. Diet and nutrition

Main character of this article is the African pygmy hedgehog, which shows us an extremely interesting view behavior under the English name self-anointing - in a non-strict Russian translation: self-lubrication, self-smearing, or, as lovers of African pygmy hedgehogs often say: throwing saliva, throwing saliva.

(Photos enlarge when clicked and open in a separate window.)

African pygmy hedgehog throws on the needles ... his saliva.

The African Pygmy Hedgehog is a hybrid breed that has been bred by hedgehog enthusiasts specifically for keeping at home. It was necessary to create a beautiful medium-sized animal with a friendly character, easy to keep and not hibernating, unlike, for example, the European (ordinary) hedgehog that is familiar to us. Beautiful - so that you can get aesthetic pleasure. With a friendly character - so that you can hold it in your arms and give it to children. Small - so that the apartment does not have an unpleasant smell. Non-hibernating - so that you can enjoy the hedgehog all year round. And it was also necessary that the new breed of hedgehogs be easy to breed at home, because a home-born hedgehog is a significantly less carrier of diseases than a wild-caught hedgehog. In general, hedgehog enthusiasts had a specific task, and they completed it. It turned out quite a cute animal - a hybrid breed of African pygmy hedgehog.

And in Russia, a completely new concept has recently appeared - a breeder of hedgehogs. Gradually, keeping African pygmy hedgehogs at home becomes a fashionable hobby: it’s nice for yourself and you can surprise your friends. There was a demand for "Africans". And if there is demand, there is supply.

A hedgehog breeder is the owner of one or more females (sometimes females and males in the nursery) that give birth. As a rule, this is a person who breeds a certain breed of hedgehogs. It is from the breeder that the preservation of genetic purity and progressive development of this breed. Hedgehog breeder leaning on special knowledge and being a breeding enthusiast, he does a lot of work to get beautiful and healthy animals in appearance. As a rule, a good breeder of African pygmy hedgehogs has a conscious direction in breeding. Often a breeder invests in finding a genetically suitable partner for his direction of breeding hedgehogs and in subsequent mating, even on a commercial basis. As a rule, a hedgehog purchased from a breeder has a pedigree, is absolutely healthy, and a good breeder will always give competent advice about the peculiarities of keeping African pygmy hedgehogs. In general, everything is the same as with breeders of other animals, for example, dogs.

African pygmy hedgehog named Zorro is the result of the work of hedgehog breeders.

Of course, ordinary (not pygmy) African hedgehogs also live in the wild. Four types of African hedgehogs are widespread: Algerian, South African, Somali and white-bellied hedgehog. Of course, they are also kept at home by hedgehog enthusiasts. This is especially true for the white-bellied hedgehog and the Somali hedgehog. But initially a wild animal, even if accustomed to a person, of course, is not as convenient to keep as an artificial hybrid breed. Take a look at this African Pygmy Hedgehog and you immediately understand why there are so many enthusiasts of this breed in the world. Mi-mi-target rolls over!

Self-anointing is an interesting behavior found in many animals, not just hedgehogs.

In general, many animals like to demonstrate interesting behavior- Spread various odorous substances on yourself. Some researchers even draw parallels with a person who also enjoys using perfume, cologne, and deodorant. Usually the animal smears itself with the secretions of other animals, or substances with a strong odor. Sometimes for self-anointing animals use their saliva or urine, and sometimes other sources of smell. With regard to the behavior of animals in general, this behavior in Russian is called self-smearing, or self-lubrication. Different types animals do self-anointing for different purposes, but there are common patterns.

1. Self-anointing - self-lubrication, self-smearing - can carry the function of camouflage, i.e. the animal tries to hide behind a strong foreign smell in order to disguise itself from the enemy or vice versa for hunting. Since the smell in the life of animals is often of paramount importance, then with an alien smell (by smearing the smell of another animal on yourself, for example) you can disguise yourself and impersonate another animal (or inanimate object).

“To mask their scent from rattlesnakes, California ground squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi) and rock gophers (Spermophilus variegatus) chew the skin shed by snakes and then lick the fur on their flanks and tails. Snakes do not attack odorous deceivers, apparently recognizing them as their own.

According to Barbara Clucas, a graduate student at the University of California, she first discovered such unusual behavior of these animals back in 2002.

“We now know that this ritual is performed systematically by these species and is a kind of defense against predators,” she adds.

Some species of primates smear themselves with insect secretions to repel mosquitoes. For example, capuchins use self-anointing to self-lubricate with a squashed centipede. If there are not enough centipedes for everyone, capuchins “fraternally” divide one insect into several relatives. There are also capuchins that self-lubricate with vegetables and fruits - including the very ones that they eat. For example, at the Edinburgh Zoo, capuchins spread crushed onions and lemons on themselves. In addition to the fact that they willingly eat it, capuchins along the way use onions and lemons as an anti-mosquito remedy and a light antiseptic.

North American brown bears chew the root (which is called “bear”), which includes coumarin. Bears chew this root, mix it with saliva, and then lubricate the wool. It is believed that bears do this in order to repel insects, as well as soothe pain and itching from bites.

Ticks are known to be carriers various diseases. Therefore, the quantitative accounting and control of ticks is very important, for example, in places where tick-borne encephalitis is spread. And how can you roughly estimate the infestation of the forest with ticks? And now, in a natural tick-borne focus, a hedgehog is released for an hour to walk in the bushes and in the grass. Then this hedgehog is caught, its needles are cleaned of ticks collected by it and the number of ticks collected is counted. So you can roughly estimate the infestation of the forest with ticks. In all seriousness, there is the concept of "hedgehog-hour" - the number of ticks collected by a hedgehog in one hour of walking through the tick center.

3. Self-anointing can be used by animals to apply toxic substances to their skin, fur, or needles to make it at least inconvenient and burdensome for predators to eat themselves, and at most to make themselves inedible for predators.

For example, European (common) hedgehogs sometimes chew the skin of toads to extract unpleasant or poisonous substances. These substances are mixed with saliva, but hedgehogs do not swallow this mixture, but throw their tongues on their needles. (The hedgehogs themselves are very resistant to poisons!) This is where the Russian-language term spitting, or spitting, came from. Hedgehog needles, richly lubricated with poisonous and irritating substances - this is significantly best defense when attacked by a potential predator than just needles. Let us recall, for example, how some tribes of people smeared arrows shot from a bow with poisons.

4. Self-anointing can be used by animals to intimidate the enemy and show aggression.

For example, the so-called "stink fights" are known among lemurs.

“Katta males use smell not only to leave autographs, but also as a weapon. When the male prepares for a duel with an opponent, he rubs the axillary glands with his wrists, passes his fluffy tail between his legs, presses it to his chest and pulls it between his wrists so that it is abundantly saturated with secretions of the glands. Armed in this way, the rivals, standing in front of each other on all fours, straighten their hind legs and thrash with luxurious overdressed tails on their own backs, directing a wave of smell towards the enemy. Two groups of lemurs that meet at the border of territories can fight like this for an hour - dancing, jumping, excitedly eating, opening their mouths and continually putting new marks on young trees with their carpal glands.

5. Self-anointing can be used by animals to attract the opposite sex. Some ungulates have a known behavior in which they spray their urine on the soil, then the animal wallows in this place and self-lubricates with its urine, making both itself and the marked territory sexually attractive to females.

For example, such cases have been recorded in moose.

“The height of the rut occurs more often in mid-September, it ends, as a rule, in the first decade of October. At this time, the bulls become excited, eat little, roam the lands a lot, dig holes with their hooves into which they urinate, secrete seminal fluid, ride in them, and dig again. A strong smell emanates from the pits, which attracts females, who also often wallow in them.

6. Self-anointing can be used by animals as a means of communication and communication.

This self-lubricating function is actively used by monkeys. You can self-lubricate with your urine and thereby enhance your smell, enhance the "message" sent to another individual with the help of smell. Or you can smear yourself with the urine of the interlocutor and thereby demonstrate to him the commonality: “We are of the same blood, you and I!” - After all, if you and I have the same smell, it means that we are our own, close, kindred - it means that there is mutual trust.

7. There is another type of self-anointing, called anting, in Russian “anting” (from the word ant - ant).

Helped to detect this behavior of the bird. Some birds rub ants on their feathers or simply stand up with their wings open near the anthill. Ants crawl onto feathers and secrete formic acid. The acid acts as both an insecticide and a bactericide on the plumage, while also making the ant more palatable to the bird as the ant empties its acid sac. Double benefit from antling!

In general, self-anointing - self-lubrication, self-smearing, or, as lovers of African pygmy hedgehogs often say: saliva throwing, saliva throwing - this behavior is interesting and multifunctional. That's why, in our little experiment with the African pygmy hedgehog Zorro, we decided to try to induce self-anointing, capture this behavior in photos and videos, and then show it to our readers.

We were lucky. The African pygmy hedgehog Zorro is a male, and males show self-anointing more often than females. How to try to induce self-anointing in artificial experimental conditions? It is necessary to give the hedgehog a strongly smelling unfamiliar object in new, unusual conditions for him. A hedgehog can mistake a strongly smelling unfamiliar object for an enemy and show us self-anointing. To do this, we built a special corral out of paper and cardboard on a table with lamps for photo and video shooting. The paddock was jokingly called "lupanar", for the same reasons that Tom Sawyer called his condition "gangrene" - a beautiful word!

As a potential threat, we used the "tiger" - a soft children's toy smeared with mint-scented toothpaste. This smell for Zorro will definitely be unfamiliar. And everything unfamiliar can seem dangerous to a hedgehog. By the way, you need to keep in mind that many smells can be dangerous and even poisonous for the African pygmy hedgehog - first of all, these are the smells of citrus fruits, tea tree oil and arborvitae. So when we try to control the behavior of animals under experimental conditions, this requires certain knowledge. Otherwise, your pet may simply die.

If you know the behavior of hedgehogs, if you understand the natural meaning of instincts and conditioned reflexes, then it is quite easy to induce the desired behavior in the animal without causing any harm to the hedgehog.

By the way, if you tame a hedgehog, then knowing the behavior of animals and reinforcing the desired behavior leads to the fact that an unsociable hedgehog gets used to a person and is tamed by hands. It is very important to treat the hedgehog with patience, calmness, kindness and caring. You can’t punish and scold a hedgehog, because hedgehogs are touchy.

As we expected, having smelled the unfamiliar smell of a possible enemy, the African pygmy hedgehog Zorro decided that in view of the size of the “tiger” there was no need to flee (and there was nowhere for the hedgehog to run in a small “lupanaria”) and decided to “camouflage” under the smell of a “tiger” in order to become for him "his own" and "invisible". Just in case. If the “tiger” in the future comes up with the idea to attack the hedgehog, then the hedgehog will smell like a “tiger”. Where is the hedgehog? But he is not, there is ... well, if not a "knight in a tiger's skin", then a hedgehog with the smell of a "tiger". This is the "logic" of animals...

In general, the African pygmy hedgehog Zorro, in our experimental conditions, fixed a small “tiger” with his teeth and began to actively lick the mint toothpaste from the “tiger”, mixing it with his saliva, which you can see in the photo above. At first, we still had some doubts: what if the hedgehog just liked the taste of mint toothpaste? But no! Here it is a classic saliva splash!

It should be noted that self-anointing(spitting, spitting) African pygmy hedgehog is not a sight for the faint of heart. There is nothing mi-mi-bear in this. Having mixed the source of the smell with his saliva, the hedgehog begins to throw this mixture on his needles. For the quality of "camouflage" under someone else's smell, you need to smear yourself everywhere so that your own natural smell does not break out anywhere. The length of the tongue and the natural mobility of the hedgehog is not enough, therefore, trying to reach the most secluded places (in conditions of lack of time and fear - because there is a dangerous “tiger” nearby), the hedgehog begins to move convulsively, shaking in convulsions. It all looks like a cross between an orgasm and death cramps. Without knowing in advance what it is, you can be afraid for the life and health of your pet.

The African pygmy hedgehog shakes its whole body, bends in bizarre poses, spreading foamed saliva over the entire surface of the body. It may seem that the hedgehog has gone crazy, but on the contrary, the wisdom of mother nature in the struggle of the hedgehog for survival and adaptation to environment. Tired, the hedgehog takes a tiny break and starts working again - and so on for several approaches until the hedgehog is sure that he is well hidden behind an alien smell.

African pygmy hedgehogs may exhibit self-anointing very early in life, sometimes even before little hedgehogs open their eyes. Moreover, in domestic hedgehogs, this phenomenon of behavior also remains in force, as in wild ones.

Well, now, after shooting, you need to go to the toilet, and preferably directly to the video camera, in order to mark your territory. Uffff, the hedgehog has a tough day on the set behind him!

Electronic media " interesting world". 12/24/2013

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People like hedgehogs because they are cute and fun to watch. But if the ordinary (European) hedgehogs familiar to us, which can be found in the forest, in the park or in the country, are usually not very friendly and affectionate creatures, then the African pygmy white-bellied hedgehog is a very cute creature both outside and inside.

The African pygmy hedgehog does not occur in nature - it is an artificially bred species of hedgehogs. It appeared relatively recently and immediately gained popularity among fans of home exotics all over the world. This hybrid breed was created specifically for home content as a result of crossing the Algerian and other representatives of the genus African hedgehogs. Breeders set themselves the goal of getting an animal of a small size, with a friendly disposition and not hibernating. And they succeeded! A mini hedgehog fits easily in the palm of your hand: its body length usually does not exceed 20 cm, and it weighs no more than 500 grams. This applies to females; males are even more subtle. African hedgehogs are practically odorless and do not cause allergies.

Appearance of a pygmy hedgehog

Outwardly, the African pygmy hedgehog looks like ordinary hedgehog, but much smaller. The upper part of the body of the mini-hedgehog, like all its fellows, is covered with needles. By the way, when a hedgehog is in a good mood and relaxed, his needles are not prickly at all, they are soft. And the hedgehog has soft fur on the muzzle and belly, shiny curious beady eyes, a pointed nose, round ears, a short tail and very touching tiny paws with claws.

What color are African hedgehogs?

Purposefully breeding micro-hedgehogs began more than twenty years ago in America. During this time, the breeders have succeeded in a lot, especially in terms of a variety of colors: once a modest gray color, today African hedgehogs delight the eye with a rainbow of colors. Now you can find colors such as "chocolate", "apricot", "cinnamon", "champagne", as well as spotted and albinos. And enthusiasts are not going to stop there.

Is it difficult to care for African hedgehogs?

Caring for these prickly creatures is not too difficult. For happiness, a domestic hedgehog needs an aviary or a spacious cage (the more the better), a bowl, a drinking bowl and a house for privacy. As a bedding, an ordinary diaper, straw or sawdust is usually used.

And it must also be borne in mind that miniature hedgehogs are thermophilic animals. They will feel comfortable at a temperature of +22- +25 ° C. At temperatures slightly below these values, hedgehogs become lethargic. If the thermometer in the room where the pet is kept shows +15 ° From and below, then for a hedgehog it’s downright frost, in which he strives to hibernate. In no case should this be brought up to - there is a high probability that the African simply will not come out of hibernation.

Pygmy hedgehogs are usually neat: the toilet is arranged exclusively in one place. You just have to put the tray there and clean it daily.

And one more thing: so that a miniature hedgehog does not turn into a kolobok, and does not get bored on long nights, he must have at his disposal the equivalent of a treadmill - a running wheel. By the way, obesity in mini-hedgehogs is quite common problem A: They love to eat. normal weight pygmy hedgehog - 300-400 grams. However, it can be easily fed up to a kilogram, but will the hedgehog be good for this? They are fed with dry cat food, lean boiled meat, various insects. You can read more about what and how to feed African pygmy hedgehogs in the article.

Important: protect your hedgehog from cold: do not allow drafts, do not drink cold water. Water for rare water procedures should be warm.

Although by nature they are nocturnal animals, they are unlikely to cause much concern to their owners in dark time days. Unlike their forest relatives, these crumbs do not even stomp. And with a certain perseverance, you can somewhat change their natural habits: teach them to stay awake during the daytime and sleep at night.

What do pygmy hedgehogs like?

These prickly, sniffling and slightly clumsy crumbs do not hold mischief - they will climb somewhere and hide. In general, hide and seek is their favorite pastime. And notlooking at your prickly appearance and independent disposition, these pets are usually quite sociable. Many hedgehogs love toys - rattles, squeakers and the like, and some don't even mind running after the ball. And when they get tired, they can, like cats, curl up on their master's lap and take a nap.

Where is the best place to buy an African hedgehog?

It is better to buy African pygmy hedgehogs from experienced breeders, and not in a pet store, and even more so, not in a spontaneous market. The breeders will always help with advice, and you can make sure that your future pet is kept in proper conditions. Documents must be attached to each animal.

In contact with

At the word hedgehog, we all imagine a prickly animal, we roughly know its habits and we can say that in winter it should sleep. But the African Pygmy Hedgehog is not like that at all. Of course, he has spines, but all other habits differ from the usual behavior of hedgehogs. First of all, this is so due to the fact that the African pygmy hedgehog is an artificial species and does not occur in nature. It was created for home maintenance and will not survive without a person.

Cell

First of all, the cage must be spacious. at home, it must move enough and walk on a flat surface, so the floor of the cage must be solid. The top of the cage must be closed, otherwise the animal may run away. There should not be large distances between the bars, because little animal can crawl through or get stuck between them.

The bottom of the cage must be covered with filler, evenly over the floor of the cage, a couple of centimeters thick. As a filler, you can use wood filler, sawdust, flakes or paper pellets intended for rodents. For females or adult hedgehogs, crumbled corn cobs can be taken as a filler, but they should not be used for young males.

Cedar sawdust or sawdust from any coniferous trees, as well as sawdust with essential oils cannot be used for bedding, as they are toxic to the hedgehog.

The bottom of the cage can be covered with a fabric that quickly absorbs moisture and does not form puffs so that the claws and legs of the hedgehogs do not get tangled in them. The fabric is cut to fit the bottom, the fabric can be double stitched or even stuffed with absorbent material such as super absorbent towels. If you take a light fabric, then it is easy to notice any changes in the secretions of the hedgehog, which will allow you to monitor his health, and this lining can also be washed. Unfortunately, such litter does not allow hedgehogs to burrow, which these animals love very much.

In the cage, you need to equip shelters, a feeder, a corner for a “toilet”, a drinker and a large running wheel. The wheel will help the hedgehog move and run. Therefore, it must be smooth and solid without holes and cells, so as not to injure the hedgehog.

Climatic conditions for keeping a pygmy hedgehog

The place of residence of the hedgehog (its cage or terrarium) should be well ventilated. In no case should drafts and hot sunlight be allowed to enter. The ideal temperature for a hedgehog is 20-25°C.

Having bought a hedgehog and put it in a new cage, do not touch it for a while, let it be alone for the first day.

Hedgehogs are playful creatures and they need to be given toys, it is best to use toys designed for cats, such as plastic balls with a bell in the middle and others.

Cage cleaning

The cage needs to be cleaned frequently. Sometimes it happens that the hedgehog has chosen a corner for his toilet, then it needs to be cleaned once a day and a couple of times a week to do a thorough cleaning of the entire cage, wash the pan and wipe the rods. The drinker and feeder must be kept clean at all times.

The domestic hedgehog does not hibernate, so there is no need to change the conditions of its maintenance in winter and summer. You can not change the food and temperature regime. In cases of emergency (frost or overheating), it is necessary to provide the hedgehog with additional light, heat, or, conversely, artificial cooling, but overheating or hypothermia should not be allowed, as the animal can get sick, and treating a hedgehog at home is quite troublesome.

Nutrition Features

In nature, all hedgehogs are omnivorous, they can eat animal food and even carrion. There are also stories where hedgehogs are fed with milk, and what to feed the African pygmy hedgehog so as not to harm him?

Because this species bred by man for home maintenance, it is not difficult to feed him. In the conditions of the city, a premium class cat food, in which the first components should be meat products, and then vegetables and fruits, will be a pretty good option. There should be no products containing starch. There must be water in the cage.

In their natural habitat, wild hedgehogs love to feast on crickets. But if there is no time to collect fresh insects for your pet, you can pay attention to canned products. Not so long ago, a modern manufacturer of such feed appeared on the market - ONTO. The manufacturer preserves products without the addition of chemicals and preservatives. The contents of the jar are immediately ready for use, and do not require additional preparation. Crickets contain a lot of protein, iron, calcium, 9 amino acids, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, vitamin B12, chitin, oligosaccharides. They contain little fat, which means that you can offer such food to your pet with virtually no restrictions.

As an additional delicacy, hedgehogs can:

• Steamed or cooked lean meat without salt or any spices.
• Seedless fruits and berries: bananas, watermelon, cherries, pears, melon, apricots, pumpkin, banana, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, Jerusalem artichoke, kiwi, cranberries, peaches, cranberries.
• Vegetables: carrots, zucchini, asparagus, peppers, peas, cucumber, spinach, green beans.
• Steamed fish is boneless and salt free, but fish can change the smell of feces and urine.
• Insects: flour bug, crickets, grasshoppers, wood lice, zoophobus, cockroaches, silkworm pupae.
• Hard-boiled eggs or cooked like an omelette without salt added.
• Baby food without the addition of dyes and preservatives.

You cannot give:

• Products with content essential oils such as garlic or onion.
• Potatoes and corn.
• Milk and milk containing products, as hedgehogs are lactose intolerant.
• Nuts and seeds.
• Grape.
• Pineapple, which has high acidity, can cause irritation and wounds in the hedgehog's mouth.
• Raisins can get stuck and stick to the palate.
• Dried fruits, as they can stick to the palate and larynx.
• Avocado because it is toxic.
• Any citrus.
• Chocolate.
• Chips and other fast food.

Remember, the African pygmy hedgehog is an unpretentious animal, but he really does not like to change his habits and the slightest change in his maintenance or diet can lead to stress and illness.

I want to talk about the pygmy African hedgehog. I want to talk about the history of its appearance, how they look and how long they live. I will describe in detail how to arrange a life for a hedgehog, what to feed. I will also dwell on the features of care and share some secrets.

African hedgehogs are a type of pygmy hedgehogs. The species was obtained by selective crossbreeding. Wild hedgehogs are different from domestic hedgehogs. Nature forces hedgehogs to be predators.

Ancestral genes are manifested in the behavior of domestic hedgehogs as follows:

• propensity to nocturnal lifestyle;
• smearing yourself with saliva.

Smearing with saliva is a protective reaction of the animal. This is a way of disguise in conditions wildlife. Domestic hedgehogs do this when they feel the need to protect themselves.

The size of the pet depends on the gender.

Females are always larger than males. The length of such an animal reaches 20-50 cm, and the weight does not exceed 500 g. It is convenient to hold it in your hands, in a relaxed state, the spines of hedgehogs become soft.

The muzzle of the hedgehog is pointed, the eyes are black, reminiscent of beads. The coat on the abdomen is usually white or pearl grey. Artificially bred hedgehogs have different shades of colors.

Lifespan

Wild hedgehogs live up to 4 years on average, but this is because living conditions are highly competitive. In home conditions, with the right diet and hygiene, they live up to 5-8 years.

Wild hedgehog habitat

Wild hedgehogs prefer savannas and deserts to live. There they freely hunt small rodents. Predators-hedgehogs go hunting at night, they freely navigate in the dark. The sense of smell and hearing help to smell and hear prey even at a depth of 5 m underground.

The peculiarity of these small-sized predators is the ability to swallow and digest food, which reaches a third of the size of their own body.

Wild animals hibernate at certain times of the year; domestic animals, which are bred by breeders, do not have such a feature.

If hedgehogs are not accustomed to drinking from a drinking bowl, then it is difficult to retrain them.

Maintenance and care at home

The rules for caring for hedgehogs have several nuances.

Adaptation

Hedgehogs are sensitive to unfamiliar smells and noise. An effective technique for helping a hedgehog get used to a new habitat is to leave the hedgehog alone. This means that you do not need to pay close attention to it or keep it on your hands all the time.

Cell

Cell selection is the first step. The cage should be spacious and be able to close. At first, this detail will come in handy.

Important in a cage:

• dark places or a house so that the hedgehog can rest there;
• drinker, feeder;
• toilet;
• running wheel, toys.

What to fill the cage with? Wood chips are suitable for mounding the floor of the cage, but materials with an element containing essential oils cannot be used, this is not suitable for keeping this species.

The hedgehog feeder should be made of heavy material. Hedgehogs often turn over the feeder or drinker and involuntarily deprive themselves of drink or food.

Toilet and cage cleaning

A toilet for hedgehogs is equipped in one of the corners of the cage. You need to clean this place 1-2 times a day. General cleaning in the cage is done 1-2 times a week.

Temperature, lighting

The pet will live comfortably at a temperature of +20 or +25 degrees, they do not like drafts, as well as cold or excessive heat. They do not like bright lighting, it is best to select soft light.

Small animals are energetic by nature, they must be able to expend energy, for which toys are needed in the cage. You can walk with such pets in the warm season, but you need to be careful and make sure that they do not run away.

Food

Food for African hedgehogs should be fresh and of high quality, they should not be fed leftovers or skins. Milk is contraindicated for hedgehogs, they are lactose intolerant.

List of allowed products:

• (must contain meat)
• boiled meat;
• boiled fish (it can affect the smell of hedgehog waste);
• boiled eggs;
• carrots, cucumber, broccoli;
• pear, watermelon, kiwi, banana;
• insects.

There is a list of foods that are prohibited for eating pygmy hedgehogs.

Prohibited for consumption: pineapples, milk, citrus fruits, dried fruits, seeds, grapes, raisins, avocados, chocolate.

Diseases

Diseases accompany these cute pets throughout their lives. They actively and a lot sort through their paws and string threads, hair, and small debris on them. This leads to leg injuries and the development of tumors. An unbalanced diet leads to stomach problems.

Buying a pygmy hedgehog is a big decision. It is necessary to make sure of the ability to provide comfortable maintenance and care for the pet, taking into account all the features of this breed.

The most unpretentious of exotic pets is the pygmy African hedgehog. This is a breed of hybrid origin, obtained by crossing several varieties of hedgehogs from Africa. AT natural conditions animals are not found, they were bred specifically for keeping at home. Valued for their pretty appearance and affectionate disposition. They differ from their wild counterparts in demeanor and greater sociability. They live a long time if properly cared for.

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Description

Decorative hedgehog is not fundamentally different from the forest external description. It has a similar compact body with short legs and a pointed muzzle, covered with fluff in the area of ​​​​the eyebrows and cheeks. The ears are small, oval in shape, pressed to the head. There are 4 fingers on the hind limbs, and 5 on the front ones. The weight of an adult is 350–500 grams with a length of up to 20 cm.

One hedgehog has up to 10 thousand needles, which are updated every three years.

The length of the needles reaches 2–3 cm. There are several colors of hedgehogs depending on the color of the spines:

• Black (salt and pepper)- in addition to pigmented needles, there is a resinous mask on the muzzle and a similar darkening around the ears.
• Grey- needles are both gray and brown. The mask is black, the ears are a rich gray shade.
• Chocolate- a similar coloration is inherent in the prickly cover, a little lighter - a mask, gray ears.
• Brown- pink ears, combined with a light cream mask and an oak bark-colored needle cover. Feature- eyes with blue edging.
• Cinnamon- light brown needles, pinkish ears and maroon eyes. There is no darkening on the muzzle.
• Tsinakot- a combination of brown and beige shades.
• Champagne- scarlet eyes against the background of a pale beige fur coat.
• Pinto- partially present white needles.
• Albino- the animal is absolutely white, with red eyes.

In nature, such a variety of colors in hedgehogs is not observed.

In total, there are 4 types of African hedgehogs, which are presented in the table:

Name	Characteristic	What does it look like
Somali	It lives in open spaces with dense vegetation: meadows, savannahs. It is found exclusively in the East African state of Somalia. The body is about 25 cm long with an average weight of 500 grams. The needle cover is brown, with white tops. The belly and head are covered with white fur. The nose is bare. Differs from pygmy in five-fingered rather than four-fingered hind limbs
South African	Natural habitat: Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe. They live in forests and gardens, in fields. Avoid deserts. They are distinguished by a contrasting white stripe of fur on the forehead. An adult hedgehog has about 5 thousand needles up to 2 cm long. The ears are small, pointed and elongated. The legs are long, with five toes. Color options vary, there are also albinos. The muzzle is gray-brown, the tail and paws are resinous, the belly is gray. Behind the needles are snow-white, and on the rest of the surface they are combined, where they combine: white, cream, black, Brown color a. Dimensions: body length - 17-25 cm, weight - 280-350 g
Algerian	Natural distribution area: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, southern France and Spain. Prefer mixed and coniferous forests, savannas. At total mass 350–600 g do not grow more than 25 cm in length. The muzzle is elongated, the tail is short, the legs are thin and long. The ears are large and prominent. Brown color prevails in color, white inclusions are possible on the abdomen. Needles cover the top and sides, absent on the crown. The coloring is similar to the general one, but with a bluish bloom. In nature, they settle singly and approach each other only in mating season- October to March
white-bellied	They live in the Sahara desert, as well as in Senegal, Nigeria, Mauritania, Ethiopia, Sudan. Compact animals from 15 to 21 cm long and weighing 350–700 g. The tail is up to 2.5 cm. Females are much larger than males. The coloration is brownish-gray, white at the tips of the needles. In a peaceful environment, hedgehogs snort quietly, but when threatened, they begin to squeal loudly. They feed mainly on animal food: snails, snakes, worms, scorpions. Love spiders and insects



Habitat

African pygmy hedgehogs, which became the progenitors artificial look, inhabit for the most part in Somalia, Ethiopia, Senegal and Tanzania. If domestic prickly pets are mostly good-natured, wild representatives are true predators. They avoid high thickets, but skillfully hide in grass and stones. Thanks to their excellent sense of smell, sharp hearing and nimble paws, they successfully hunt.

Lead predominantly night image life. At dusk they are in danger from large predators. During the day they hide in hidden places: under branches, in foliage or in abandoned rodent burrows. They are constantly in search of food, as they are able to eat up to a third of their food per day. total weight. They hibernate for several months from the beginning of summer. With the onset of autumn, they are looking for a pair for breeding.



Character

Each African hedgehog is individual in terms of character and behavior. Some prefer silence and a solitary existence, others willingly make contact. But all of them are united by one feature - love for people without showing the slightest aggression. These decorative animals cannot stand squeezing and ironing.

It is undesirable to leave children alone with such pets. Although they are not aggressive in behavior, they are traumatic.

If the pet leads a secretive existence and runs wild, trying once again to hide from strangers in the house, you need to be able to establish contact with him. When buying, preference is given to sociable hedgehogs, who willingly go into their arms. If a stubborn one gets caught, it will be problematic in the future to earn his favorable disposition. Basically, pygmy hedgehogs are balanced and peaceful creatures, but there are also quarrelsome individuals who constantly strive to run away and bite.



Maintenance and care at home

Hedgehogs living at home do not experience the difficulties encountered in wild environment, ontheir life expectancy is up to 6 years. There are centenarians who reach the ten-year milestone. The main conditions for longevity are a balanced diet, hygiene and regular veterinary examinations.

Cage and accessories

The main accessories for a comfortable stay are shown in the table:

Name	Description	Image
Cell	It should be comfortable and spacious, with dimensions of at least 50 x 50 cm. A design with a frequent arrangement of rods is selected to exclude the possibility of unauthorized escape. Be sure to have a closed top, as hedgehogs climb excellently (nTherefore, it is not recommended to purchase a terrarium). Soft bedding is poured at the bottom so that the animal does not injure its paws. Suitable: sawdust, crumpled paper, corn cobs, or ready-made crumbly litter. Coniferous materials are avoided, as the resin is poisonous to hedgehogs.
small house	A place where hedgehogs like to hide from prying eyes. It is possible to adapt purchased facilities for chinchillas or a sleeping bag for these purposes.
Wheel	Hedgehogs are active by nature, so they need to somehow throw out their energy. A running wheel with a diameter of 25-30 cm is ideal for this. For the sake of safety, priority is given to a one-piece design without crossbars. Such daily jogging will be the prevention of obesity, which hedgehogs are especially prone to.
Toilet	These animals are extremely clean, so immediately upon settling in, they will adapt some corner in the cage for defecation. There and put the tray
Feeder, drinker	It is recommended to choose dishes that are heavier so that it is not possible to turn them over. The drinking bowl should have sides, but not higher than 5 cm. Otherwise, the small hedgehog will not be able to reach the water
Toys	Hedgehogs love to play. Balls, bells and other things are suitable for a fun pastime

The location of the cell is selected based on a number of tips:

• The optimum temperature regime is 22–25 degrees. Overheating and hypothermia are undesirable. With a sharp cold snap, hedgehogs hibernate, which is not quite natural for them - the animals may not wake up.
• Avoid drafts and direct impact sun rays. Despite this, pets need enough light.
• Place the cage away from the bedroom so that the animals do not interfere with sleep at night.

It is not recommended to release hedgehogs unattended for a walk around the house: you can inadvertently step on the animal, crush it, or injure yourself. You can sometimes take them with you to nature or to the country, where they can climb plenty of fresh grass.

Water at room temperature is poured into the basin and the animal is slowly immersed. First of all, the abdomen and paws are washed, then they move to the back. Needles are more convenient to clean with a toothbrush using baby shampoo. It is important that water does not get on the muzzle. After bathing, the animal is wrapped in a towel and allowed to dry. naturally.

diet

Nutritional problems usually do not arise: hedgehogs can eat both natural food and premium cat food. The composition of the latter should include meat, poultry, vegetables and fruits. Artificial inclusions and components rich in starch (corn, potatoes) are unacceptable. It is important to eat a balanced diet, which will save hedgehogs from digestive and dental problems.

Dry food is fundamental in nutrition. You can supplement it natural products, such as:

• boiled chicken meat;
• boiled chicken eggs or raw quail;
• vegetables: asparagus, carrots, cucumber, cabbage, pumpkin;
• fruits: apricots, pears, kiwi, bananas;
• berries;
• fish without bones, after heat treatment.

When cooking do not add salt and spices. As treats, they give baby puree and crickets, which are sold in pet stores.

You can not feed hedgehogs:

• milk and dairy products - animals do not tolerate lactose;
• citrus and pineapple - due to the acid in the composition;
• dried fruits, seeds and nuts - stick to the teeth and can lead to suffocation;
• raisins, avocados and grapes - cause indigestion;
• chocolate, chips, fast food.

After eating, all leftovers are removed, as it is common for animals to turn over bowls and scatter food.

Injury and illness

Pygmy domestic hedgehogs, in comparison with their forest counterparts, have less strong immunity, so 1-2 times a year it is necessary to undergo a medical examination, including:

• body palpation;
• blood and stool tests;
• diagnosis of the skin and teeth.

The most common health problems in hedgehogs are described in the table:

Breeding

The process of breeding African hedgehogs is a responsible undertaking. This will require a lot of free time needed to care for the hedgehog and hedgehogs. First of all, determine the gender of the pet. To do this, turn it upside down: in females, the genitals and anus are located close to each other, in males - at a distance of about 2 cm (in babies - 1 cm).

Puberty in hedgehogs occurs at the age of 5-6 weeks.. For mating, individuals of the same age are selected and without close family weaves up to the third generation. If the male is young and the female is an adult, the inexperience of the former can provoke aggression in the partner, so the cubs must be separated by gender in advance. It is unacceptable to mate sick and emaciated animals.

A female that has not given birth before and an individual over the age of 11 weeks is not suitable for fertilization. In such hedgehogs, splicing usually occurs pelvic bones, which complicates childbirth and leads to the death of offspring. The whole process of crossing takes no more than seven days. It is not advisable to keep the couple together longer. If during this time contact has not occurred, the animals are seated separately and the procedure is repeated a week later.

Males are allowed to knit once every 2 weeks, the female - twice a year. If this happens more often, the hedgehog will start killing hedgehogs.

Pregnancy lasts 35–36 days. During the first 2 weeks, the animal gains up to 50 grams in weight. After 25 days, it noticeably rounds off and changes in behavior: gait slows down, increased caution appears.

After the birth of the babies, the mother hedgehog behaves nervously, so it is recommended to move her to a separate cage. You can’t touch the hedgehogs themselves, since a strange smell can force the female to refuse to feed newborns. If there is an urgent need for this, the hands must first be thoroughly washed with water and put on clean clothes. When they take the baby, they distract the mother. Do the same when returning it back. At 2 months, hedgehogs become completely independent.

Pros and cons

Before finally deciding to start a house African hedgehog, it is recommended to read key features. They are listed in the table:

pros	Minuses
They have a friendly nature and a beautiful exterior. They have funny behavior. Do not spoil furniture and things, like other pets. Miniature, take up little space. They do not need long walks and training. They don't hibernate. They don't mark territory. Not prone to mood swings. They love communication. Quickly adapt to new conditions. Do not cause allergies	Do not get along with other pets in the house. They need careful selection of the diet. Lubricate themselves with saliva or urine to protect themselves from danger by masking their scent

African ornamental hedgehogs are perfect for people who don't have a lot of free time. Such pets feel good and alone, however, sometimes they show a desire to play with the owner. Caring for them is not burdensome, it is important to have fresh food and clean water. The cost of such exotic pets in specialized nurseries does not exceed 2-3 thousand rubles.