 Hedgehogs have been living in the wild in Africa for centuries, but only recently have been kept as pets. They can make terrific pets when cared for appropriately, and their popularity does appear to be increasing. Hedgehogs can be adorable loving pets if they're handled often and made less fearful of people. They can learn to recognize and bond closely with their owners, but hedgehogs are not meant for everyone. Before you consider bringing a hedgehog home, there are several things about this unique creature you should be aware of. First, hedgehogs are covered in prickly quills. Hedgehog porcupines, the skin over the hedgehog's back, is covered with prickly sharp spines that help protect them from predators. But unlike porcupines, however, hedgehogs quills do not shoot out in defense. When handled, hedgehogs will twitch and jump so that the quills poke out. So handling a nervous hedgehog can be very tricky and may require a hold of it in a small towel until it relaxes. As with all other pets, hedgehog owners should be sure to thoroughly wash their hands after handling their pets, as all hedgehogs potentially carry salmonella bacteria that can cause illness in people. Second, hedgehogs curl up when they feel threatened. As a defense mechanism, hedgehogs are able to roll their bodies into tight balls, causing their spines to point outwards. Strong muscles over their backs contract forcibly to enable them to do this. It's nearly impossible to unfurl a hedgehog once it's curled up tightly. Hedgehogs must be handled often to get them to relax and uncurl. One socialized hedgehogs that are never handled, however, may remain nervous and tightly curled up all the time. Third, hedgehogs have a very unique way of exploring their environment, called self-inoating. When a hedgehog encounters an object with a new scent, it will lick and bite the object and form a frothy spitball in its mouth, containing that new scent. They then throw their heads back and spit this frothy saliva over their spines with their tongues to camouflage themselves with the new scent and to make themselves less obvious to predators. Fourth, hedgehogs are insectivores, not rodents. They're not strict insectivores, however, as they consume a variety of different types of food in the wild. Pet hedgehogs eat mealworms, crickets, earthworms, waxworms, and a large portion of their diet made of commercially available pelleted formulas manufactured for hedgehogs. They can also eat a small amount of vegetables, fruit, and cooked meat. Given their desire to catch live prey, pet hedgehogs should not be given large numbers of insects, or they're likely to eat those to the exclusion of the other foods. Hedgehogs love to eat, and if their house and cages with little opportunity to get out and exercise, they are very likely to become obese. They should be given time out of their cages and encourage sharonan wheels to help them prevent weight gain. Finally, hedgehogs are an external. Wild hedgehogs are active at night when their food is available. Pet hedgehogs have maintained this nocturnal lifestyle, sleeping much of the day, and running in wheels at night. So if you're a light sleeper or you go to bed early or you stay out late, a hedgehog may not be the best pet for you. So if you're thinking of having a hedgehog, realize that these little prickly pets need time, attention, and care to thrive and interact.