You should only touch a hedgehog if necessary (e.g., it's injured), and always with gloves or a thick towel for protection against quills and diseases like Salmonella, as they are wild animals that get stressed easily and can carry parasites. For pet hedgehogs, gentle handling with thick gloves, progressing to bare hands once they trust you, is important for bonding, but always wash hands thoroughly before and after.
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.
Handling and care. Prepare a cardboard box with high sides by lining it with a towel or scrunched up newspaper (so that the hedgehog can hide). Find yourself a pair of gardening gloves before gently scooping up the hedgehog into the box.
Hedgehog are spiked covered prey animals prone to anxiety. While belly rub/cuddle posts get a lot of attention they are the exception due to good breeding/luck not the rule. It is very possible a hedgehog will never be comfortable being handled even after concerted effort.
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.
Hedgehogs tend to bond with their owners. They will remember your voice, your smell, and even your appearance.
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.
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.
Hedgehogs often comfort their owners with cuddles, licks, and offer their paws or cuddly bellies for rubs. Their defences completely drop if they are able to form a close connection with their hedgie parents.
Cute and low maintenance, African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris) are kept in 40 000 American homes, but people handling them are at risk of contracting a number of zoonotic diseases, from ringworm and salmonellosis (the commonest) to arboviral encephalitis and herpesvirus infections.
The quills naturally lie flat along the back and sides, pointing towards the tail, so as long as you don't stroke against the grain, you should be safe from any pokes. In contrast, a frightened or agitated hedgehog will have raised quills that point outward.
Hedgehog-friendly gardens
Spikes are sharp enough to pierce the skin, and also a hedgehog doesn't just ball up passively how I assumed, but will actively "jump" and try to prickle you if they mean business. But really it's like when you nick yourself with a knife or poke yourself with a needle. You feel it, but it's not really painful.
Risk to human health
One of the lungworm species that infects hedgehogs (and also infects wild carnivores) in Great Britain, Capillaria aerophila, is known to be capable of occasionally infecting people.
Hedgehogs have become pretty popular in recent years, and it really isn't difficult to see why. They're absolutely adorable! Hedgehogs do tend to be quite timid, though, so don't be surprised if it takes you some time to win your prickly pet's love and trust.
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.
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.
"Hedgehogs certainly aren't blind; their little black eyes can spot your approach in the dark from a fair distance away.
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.
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.
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.
Hedgehogs are solitary animals in the wild, so they may be shy and wary of people. Building trust with a pet hedgehog takes time, patience, and a gentle approach. If you get a hedgehog when it's young and slowly acclimate it to being handled, they can be playful, but they may never become cuddly.
Signs of stress
Many hedgehogs are busy and want to try to explore but a stressed hedgehog will be much more persistent and not easily distracted. The stressed hedgehog may also twitch or shake its head nervously. It is almost as if the hedgehog is saying “Sensory overload. I can't take it anymore.”
Pet hedgehogs do best if handled every day, even if it is for just a short amount of time. We recommend handling your hedgehog for at least half an hour a day. The easiest way to accomplish this task is 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening.