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. So many dogs, cats, rabbits, and other companion animals are just waiting for a good home.
Hedgehogs can be handled (they are not too prickly), although some patience is required to make sure your hedgehog is both safe and comfortable in your hands.
Always wear gloves if you have to handle a hedgehog, as they can carry diseases like ringworm and salmonella bacteria which can be passed to humans. Don't handle the hedgehog any more than you need to because contact with humans will be stressful for them.
However, the species is prohibited throughout Australia for a number of reasons including its potential to introduce exotic animal diseases and because the species has the ability to become a serious invasive pest in Australia.
Currently only dogs, cats, rabbits, horses and selected species of birds from approved countries may be imported as pets and only when strict conditions are met. No other vertebrate animals are approved for import into Australia as pets.
It depends on the personality of the individual hedgehog and how much handling the hedgehog has had in the past. Some hedgehogs do seem to like to snuggle up to their human companions, while others might be shyer or simply prefer exploring and moving about over sitting still and cuddling.
Kissing or hugging hedgehogs can spread Salmonella germs to the face, the CDC warns.
“Don't kiss or snuggle hedgehogs because this can spread salmonella germs to your face and mouth and make you sick,” the agency warned. No deaths have been reported and one person has been hospitalized, the C.D.C. said.
Some hedgehogs will bond to their owners for life (HHC). Bonding does require effort, persistence, and an understanding of hedgehogs. Many hedgehogs don't like to be petted by just anyone until they are completely comfortable with their environment. This is especially important when a hedgehog goes to a new home.
Places some hedgehogs like to be scratched include: their ears, chin, along the edge of their quill line or skirt, belly fur or feet. protective of its feet.
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.
How bad does it hurt? Hedgehogs have fairly small teeth designed to crunch insects. They do not have the typical rodent incisors or the large carnivore canines. The typical bite won't feel good but won't cause excruciating pain either.
Keller says, “With appropriate care and keeping, your hedgehog will live about five years, and some even live longer than eight years.” If you have any questions about hedgehogs, contact your local veterinarian.
Hedgehogs are not typically aggressive towards people. They are somewhat anti-social and are generally happy to be left alone. However, they will typically “ball up” if people get too close, rather than bite or attack.
Taming is the process of training your hedgehog to feel comfortable around you. Fortunately, there are lots of ways you can win your hedgehog's trust and affection, like getting it used to your smell, giving it treats, and avoiding things that will scare it off.
In the wild, hedgehogs are solitary animals and they spend most of their time alone except during mating season. They tend to be shy and wary of people. It takes patience and a gentle hand to form a trusting bond with a pet hedgehog. Once a bond is established hedgehogs can be quite playful and occasionally cuddly.
Hedgehogs will generally try to run away from people or if shocked will curl up in to a spiky ball. They have sharp needles all over their backs which can penetrate the skin. It will often itch if a needle does and may cause a rash.
The most common reason that hedgehogs bite is because there is something on your hands that smells yummy and they want a taste. In this case, they will often lick first and the bite is more of a nip.
Mpox virus can infect a wide range of mammal species, including monkeys, anteaters, hedgehogs, prairie dogs, squirrels, and shrews. We are still learning which species of animals can get mpox.
They can carry diseases such as Yersinia (the plague), hemorrhagic fever, and Mycobacterium, but these are rare in pet hedgehogs, so the risk is rare. Just like any animal bite, there is a risk of bacterial infection of the wound, as the hedgehog's mouth is not a clean place.
Petting a happy hedgehog is a bit like affectionately stroking a bristly hairbrush.
Very tame hedgehogs may tolerate scruffing: Gently stroke the hedgehog's back, front to back. After several strokes, gently grasp the skin over the dorsum (Figure 8). Less tame hedgehogs may need to be handled with leather gloves or a heavy towel; some will require anesthesia for proper evaluation.
Shrews, moles and hedgehogs are also not rodents; they are classified in the Mammal order Eulipotyphla.)