No, it is not safe to kiss a hedgehog. Health officials, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), explicitly warn against kissing or snuggling hedgehogs due to the high risk of spreading Salmonella germs.
Play Safely: Don't kiss or snuggle hedgehogs, because this can spread Salmonella germs to your face and mouth. Don't allow hedgehogs to roam freely in areas where food is prepared or stored, such as kitchens or dining tables.
Despite their preference for limited physical affection, once your pet hedgehog has adapted to being handled and settled into its environment, you can gently stroke their quills and allow them to climb up your arms and explore various areas under supervision.
Each hedgehog's comfort with being cuddled varies and depends on their personality and previous handling. Hedgehog quills are sharp and rise when threatened, but they do not typically break human skin.
Salmonellosis is the most often described zoonotic bacterial disease in hedgehogs. Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) is one of the most common types of Salmonella that cause infections in humans and animals [47]. Salmonella was detected in samples from both pet and wild hedgehogs [47,62,63].
Don't handle the hedgehog for longer than you need to, as contact with humans will be stressful for them. And always wear gloves, as they can carry diseases like ringworm and salmonella bacteria, which can be passed to humans.
During extreme muscle exertion, the 'purse-string' muscle can fold up over the pelvis and get stuck: the pop-off syndrome (Bexton, 2019). The muscle goes into a spasm, which leaves the hedgehog unable to roll up and causes the pelvis and hind legs to remain visible. This is very dangerous for the animal.
Hedgehogs are known to be very communicative when it comes to their needs, and often make a low purring sound when they are happy or content.
Although hedgehogs do bite, their tiny teeth are unlikely to cause you very much pain. The force of a hedgehog bite is typically linked to what your pet is feeling. An angry hedgehog could cause a bite that hurts a bit.
Eyes and ears: Hedgehogs have pretty poor eyesight, so they instead rely on their sense of smell to get around and hunt for food. Hedgehogs have short ears, mostly concealed by their fur.
Just like any other pet, hedgehogs love treats. Waxworms are a favorite with these guys. You can also offer Hedgie some cooked chicken, turkey, or egg. Low fat/high protein wet cat or dog food is also fine, as is the occasional pinky mouse.
Hedgehogs have prickly quills along their back to protect them from predators. They are shy animals and will roll up into a tight ball and hide their face if they are frightened. Always approach a hedgehog slowly and handle them with a small towel so you don't prick yourself on one of their quills.
A bath may help your hedgehog relax and get to know you through the bathing process. Even the grouchiest hedgehogs will uncurl in water. Allow a tiny gentle stream of water to run over your hedgehog's back. Many times the sound of the water alone is enough to get a hedgie to uncurl.
The average hedgehog is content to do its own thing and may not show any outward sign that it cares about its owner's existence unless you have a treat in your hand. Despite their somewhat solitary nature, they can become very affectionate with their owners and will even enjoy snuggling on your lap.
Kissing pets has also been linked to occasional zoonotic infections in pet owners. In one case, a woman in Japan developed meningitis due to Pasteurella multicoda infection, after regularly kissing her dog's face. These bacteria are often found in the oral cavities of dogs and cats.
Even though hedgehogs are “pets” they may not automatically enjoy being petted. You must first earn your hedgehog's trust so that it can relax and enjoy your touch, rather than fear your touch as potential harm.
Perhaps the biggest myth of all is that a hedgehog can shoot its quills! Can you shoot the hair out of your head? Just like your hair, a hedgehog's quills can fall out or break off, but the hedgehog cannot shoot its quills to defend itself. In Europe, people consider hedgehogs to be friends of backyards and gardens.
Tell everyone you know: Hedgehogs are not “pets.” Never buy a hedgehog or any other animal. If you're ready to open your heart and home to a companion animal, open-admission shelters are the first and best place to look.
Scent & Taste
If you smell good, and taste good through licking… watch out! Sometimes hedgehogs will lick salt from sweaty hands and become tempted to bite, because they like the salty taste. When a hedgehog bites due to taste and smell it is exhibiting normal, but unacceptable behavior.
Making Friends With a Hedgehog
As pets, hedgehogs can recognize and remember their owners' scent and voice, making them a loyal and affectionate companion. They can also quickly learn routines and habits, such as when it's time to eat or play.
If your hedgehog is unusually still in the evening—sleeping in short, restless bursts, waking and dozing repeatedly, or staying sluggish when they would normally explore—it can be a sign of unhappiness or even illness.
This is what we call 'splooting'. Spreading themselves out to increase their surface area to cool down. This was on one of the recent very hot days. We use self cooling pads they can lie on. They claim to automatically cool down when an animal lies on it.
A hedgehog's spines are its main mode of defence against predators. When threatened, the hedgehog will curl up into a tight, spiky ball. The hedgehog has a muscle around it's body which contracts to allow the hedgehog to curl up, a bit like a draw-string bag.